colon cancer and reversal

[theyardsale]

Hi,

My name is Cathie and I was diagnoised with colon cancer in Oct '02. Three weeks before my Mom died of old age, she was 83. I was 59 at the time. Cancer took my Dad at 69 and a brother at 51. It was NOT going to take me. I told God "I'll do whatever it takes to get well, I may not always be happy about it , but, I'll do it."

Radiation and chemo....wow, that took it's toll, the surgery....wow, even worse, I have never been so weak and dependant on others. My family and friends.....wow, couldn't have done it without them. I can't forget to mention God....wow, He really took good care of me.

A temp ileo for a year....wow, that year went so fast, and there were long hours in the day I didn't even realize I had a bag....wow. When I went into surgery, I didn't know if I would have a permenant colostomy or a temporary ileostomy and the possiblility of a reversal. I prayed just to be able to live, bag and all.

Well, the docs resectioned me and here I am with a reversal done.....wow, not what I expected, the diarhea and butt burn....wow I have never been in the bathroom soooo much. I never thought that the human body could hold so much body waste, and not have a rectum.....wow. Things in the diahrea and butt burn are better now and I don't have to be as house bound....wow.

All in all, things are better than I ever thought they would be. As a friend told me, I was going to be God's new creation, and I think all of us are. In the past, I, we would all have died from this disease....wow, the miracles of modern medicine.

If I was told I'd have to have an ostomy again, I would do it in a heart beat. There is too much left for me to see and experience.

This whole process has been a blessing in disguise for me. Many wonderful things have come my way, and I'm thankful that I'm still here to experience them.

Thank you God

Enough for now,and many thanks for this board

Cathie

[Lynne]

Cathie,

Thanks for sharing your story with us. It will be a help for others who have to go through this.

Keep well !