Come celebrate with me.........

[Miss Mary]

Good morning my Storm2K Family!

Today marks my 10 year cancer-free mark!

Yes 10 years ago I had colorectal cancer surgery. I've been cancer free ever since. Not even one benign polyp in all this time! Can you believe it? I was diagnosed with Stage 1, no treatment necessary. My cancer was caught very, very early. My dad and aunt died from colon cancer so it's in my genes. But so far, knock on wood, I've not had it return (or any other cancer). I had an early on intuition (near the 3, 4 year mark) that it wouldn't come back. Just a feeling I had and it turned out to be true.

Now that said, you all know me well enough by now.....you know a pep talk is coming, right? LOL

If you are nearing the age of 50, you need a colonoscopy. Just a baseline procedure everyone beginning at the age of 50 should get. If you've had a parent or sibling diagnosed with colon cancer, you need to get a colonoscopy 10 years PRIOR to the date their cancer was diagnosed. For example, I was 43 when diagnosed, my daughters should be tested when they are 33 years of age. And you can be sure I will remind them to get tested!

If you have any symptoms that concern you, please do not hesitate to see a Gastroenologist. A colonoscopy might just save your life! You are sedated for these procedures, you won't feel a thing. The prep the day before is the hardest part to get thru! Trust me, I've had 9 of these procedures by now.......

Alright, enough nagging from this member today.......he he

Mary

[sunny]

I wish I could give you a real hug Mary!!!!

[Pburgh]

Yes, I think ((HUGS)) are definitely in order. We are so thankful that we have you Mary.
Thru all of these years you have been like one of the cornerstones of our group - always there for those in need and ready to celebrate with others.
We love ya.
Karan

[vbhoutex]

AWESOME MARY!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

My dad died of Colon cancer and I do have regular colonoscopys. The last one was totally clear!!!! You can be assured I am behind you and your campaign 1000%!!! As Mary said you are sedated and don't feel anything, so if you have any family history get one done now. If you don't have any family history and are 50 or older get one done now!!!

[JonathanBelles]

CONGRATS!!!!

[cycloneye]

I wish I could give you a real hug Mary!!!!

Same here,Congratulations.

[southerngale]

I wish I could give you a real hug Mary!!!!

Maybe one day we'll ALL be able to get together and we can do just that!

Congratulations, Mary.

[Miss Mary]

Oh thank you all so much. I wish I could hug you all right back too!

And I wish a cure would be found for cancer, all types.

I whipped up a batch of homemade brownies before work today and took them in. A few coworkers had tears in their eyes, they were so happy for me (they've had family members survive cancer). All in all, a very good day (compared to how I felt 10 years ago!).

You absolutely have no idea what a shock it is to hear that C word. OMG, a day I'll never forget.

But there was light at the end of that tunnel. LOL!

Thanks again....

[tropicana]

congrats MM! what an accomplishment! HUGSSSSSS

-justin-

[j]

Congrats Mary -- 50 now and I'll be making the dreaded visit sometime this year. Is it true you only can have liquids for a couple of days prior?? Boy -- that will be a chore

[Pburgh]

drink all beer

[Miss Mary]

Congrats Mary -- 50 now and I'll be making the dreaded visit sometime this year. Is it true you only can have liquids for a couple of days prior?? Boy -- that will be a chore

LOL!

Some docs want you on a light diet 2 days prior, but the day before a procedure, you are definitely on clear liquids only (water, soda, black coffee, tea, apple juice but no milk, no orange juice, etc. Nothing with pulp. You can have clear broth and jello though - yum. LOL).

The diet and prep is all worth it. Trust me, it's an important test.

But most docs prescribe a 1 day liquid only diet, with later in the day starting your laxative prep. There are several types of prep kits, so it just depends (no pun intended) on your individual doctor.

I stock the bathroom with lots of reading material, keep a radio nearby and get thru it. Cause I know it can always be a whole lot worse!

It's really only a 24 hour period you feel like cra*. The day of the procedure? Piece of cake. I suggest making your appt. as early in the day as possible, that way you can eat much sooner! (and oh yeah, you do need a designated driver, they won't discharge you w/o this person present).

[O Town]

Congrats Mary!!! That is really something to celebrate!

[Stephanie]

WOO - HOOOOOO!!!

Congratulations Miss Mary! I'm so happy for you.

I had one done once. They day before with the liquid diet and prep solution is no fun but it is worth it in the long run. I know that it seemed like as soon as I went out, they were calling for me to wake backup. You'll be out of it the rest of the day and hungry as heck!

[Miss Mary]

OTown - thank you!

Steph - so true, one minute they're giving you the sedative in your IV drip and the next they're trying to wake up you. LOL I don't know how many times I've asked - have you started yet? They all chuckle when you ask this question! Now you would think by now they'd have heard it a thousand times but these recovery nurses are the best, aren't they? Yes you are groggy for the rest of the day and pretty much out of it (this is why you can't drive until the following day). Hungry too. My only advice about eating is a lesson well learned in my case - go easy and light, with solids and liquids. I've gone back to drinking large cups of Coke, only to regret it later! Now I know best, I pack a chilled water bottle and a zip lock bag of Club Crackers for the ride home, in the car. If I checked in with these items, I'd get a lecture - LOL. But afterwards you can pig out. I guess many people do. I have just never been one of these fortunate people - I need to sip water and eat lightly for a few hours. But by lunch I can eat a regular sized meal and definitely by dinner, I am back to normal.

One added benefit - if you struggle with IBS, the prep gives you an awesome, normal stretch of time - some people claim they are normal for almost 2 weeks after a prep!

Sorry, back to more-pleasant details......he he

Thanks again everyone. My daughter who's a freshman in college had the sweetest email back when I shared my good news with her. She said she recently wrote a college paper and had to choose a parent to write about. She chose me and said I am her constant (you have to be an avid Lost fan to get this, LOL, and we are both diehard Lost fans......). She also said having had cancer made her appreciate me more and actually made our family much stronger (true, I did drop out of PTA Admin. level positions and focused on my health/family at the time, making dinner a priority in our family, still is to this day). Her email made me tear up!

Mary

[Dionne]

Wow! I had no idea you were a Survivor. Ten years.......that's great.

[azskyman]

Of course...even if I hadn't written, you know I would be celebrating from the desert with you and your family!

Congratulations, and thank you for setting the right example by reminding all of us the importance of regular physicals and the occasional more "invasive" test, the colonoscopy. They've been a part of my life about every five years since I was forty!

Geez, back then there was no such thing as high tech.

Best wishes again, Mary. Let's celebrate again at 20 years!

[DaylilyDawn]

This October will will be my 10 year mark, Miss Mary. My cancer was thyroid cancer but was caught early too. I had a colonoscopy earlier this year that show all clear so I am good for the rest of this year. I also tell people to get their thyroid checked if they have a sudden weight gain or decrease that is not related to any thing else.

[Cookiely]

Have a great day and celebrate.

[AnnularCane]

CONGRATULATIONS!