Colon Cancer update, the week at the U of W Hospital

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Basement_Lurker

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Wow Terry, I had no idea you were this sick. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery! And I hope you demanded sponge baths from the cute nurses!
 

Redwood

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Hi Terry,
I'm glad to see that you are back up and around again.
Jerry Mac told me that you were facing surgery again on the phone a few days back when you initially went in.
I do hope that you have a speedy recovery and your pain is gone...
 

Terry

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April 16th 2009

I went in for a CT Scan on the 15th.
It must have been OK, but the bag that drains the abscess is still filling some everyday.
So it looks like two more weeks of that drain, it's the one causing most of the pain now.
It's hard to find a comfortable position to sit in.
To put if bluntly, there is a hose that is piercing my right buttocks.
It's there to drain infection.
It's really the reason I'm on pain meds now.

During the night, I wake up every three hours, that's why I've been posting at such strange hours.
I wake up from pain, then take a couple of pain killers.
You should eat when you take them, so I have some food every three hours.
That part is fine. My appetite has returned, and at one point, I had dropped from 204 pounds down to 165 pounds.
Today, I weighed 173.9 pounds. I'm starting to put some meat on my skinny bones.
Keep in mind, the picture that is on this post with the blue shirt was taken when I was 204.

I picked up a laptop, and changed the wireless network to give it more coverage and speed so I can try to find positions where I can still keep working.
They say I'm doing too much, but oh well.
I'm keeping my son James working like a dog.
And I will be hiring more plumbers.
There is so much I want to do, and the last week I've had more zip in my step and I feel like I'm turning a corner.
I daydream about running faster when this is all over. I won't weigh as much, I know that.
So I should have more speed running bases and in the out field.
Jamie borrowed my green bat last night, hit two home runs, and a third hit hit the top of the fence and came back in.
I don't know if I will be putting them out, but I do envision some lazer line drives the following year.
That would be fun.
Not this year though. I have two incisions on my stomach. The last one has two spots where the stitches opened up, and I have to repack them with damp gauze twice a day.
It looks pretty bad right now. But at least it doesn't hurt there.
The hurt is on the other side.
James picked up some inventory today, so I'll be ready when people come by to buy toilets on Saturday.
I like to work from 10 to 1 on Saturday, just a nice way to end the week, catch up on paper work, and it's kind of fun being with my customers.
So maybe in two weeks, they take out the drain, and I will be able to sit like a normal person.
Slowly getting there.
I wont be running this Summer, but I should be able to walk and hike.
I feel the need to be up in the mountains soon.
 

SewerRatz

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Hi there Terry, all I can say is wow. I do not log onto the forum for a while, and I read this today. I am glad you are doing well, I will keep you in my prayers for a complete recovery.
 

Cookie

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Terry hang in there, things will get better. I applaud you for your courage in so many ways here, and for your openness in helping others by sharing your plight on this thread. You truly are remarkable.
 
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donald33

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HI there everybody, and Terry I wish you all the luck there is. Just keep it in there. I wanted to ask a question. My wife has experienced some anal bleeding few days ago, and she just told me that she has it again. Could this be connected with cancer?
 

Terry

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That is one of the signs. Having blood in the stool.

Call her doctor today and schedule her in to be checked. It's important.

It's very common when someone reaches the age of 50.
One third of all cancer deaths, are from Rectal Cancer.

The sooner you find out the better. This is a progressive thing, and catching a problem as early as you can is important.
It makes a huge difference in the time it takes to repair it.

Colon Cancer Symptoms

One of the symptoms of colon cancer is a narrowing of the fecal stool, which is caused by a change in the shape and size of the colon and rectum, which can be due to a tumor. The Mayo Clinic also reports that you may see a change from your normal bowel movements. The change can be to diarrhea or constipation. An extreme change may not occur, but you may simply notice a change in the stool's consistency. Other commonly reported symptoms are rectal bleeding, or streaks of blood in the stool, abdominal pain and abdominal cramps that continually return, a lasting feeling of fullness or pressure in the bowel, tiredness and fatigue, and weight loss. Colon cancer symptoms often do not appear until the cancer has progressed and spread beyond the colon, and is affecting other organs, which is why you should be periodically screened for colon cancer, even when no symptoms are present.

Could this be connected with cancer?

My last blood test looked real good. No cancer signs in the blood, oxygen is improved, as well as the red blood cell count.
They took out the cancer, and in a bit I will be doing some more chemo to make sure there is absolutely nothing left that could grow back.

With Cancer, they talk about five year survival rates.
I had an Uncle that went through something like this, and he lived to be pretty darn old.
He went decades after his surgery.
 
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Ian Gills

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Yep, my mother-in-law survived it to lead an almost ordinary life. And my grandmother survived something much worse in her late 50s (stomach cancer) and, at 80, now has dimentia. My grandmother was very overweight when she got cancer, weight she never regained after the illness. I sometimes wonder whether the disease actually improved her long-term prospects. Ironically perhaps, I doubt she would be alive now given how big she was. And being big, certainly helped her survive the dramatic weight loss.
 
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donald33

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Hi Terry and thank you for the advice. We have booked an appointment for tomorrow and hopefully we will have some news, I hope good news.
It is nice to hear that you are doing good.

I'll post an update as soon as I can.
 

Terry

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Chiropractic for ankles

It's been quite a while since my second hospital stay, the last one being ten days, and I was still limping while walking. At first I thought it was the drain in my right side and the pain from it. So I tried real hard to make the limp go away and force it. Couldn't stop the limp.
I then remembered that the last stay, I had been wheeled down to X-Ray, and the guy pushing me missed the opening to the X-Ray room and rammed my right foot against the door frame. It kind of hurt at the time, but I was all hopped up on pain meds.
I went to my foot and arm chiropractor this week, and he checked out the ankle. He had to reposition the hinging of the bones structure. He was jerking it around pretty good to make up the the door slam I had gotten.
Works much better now. I now longer feel like I have one square wheel.
The left foot would roll forward, and the right I had to slightly hop it to move forward.
Now they both let me roll.


David on the right is the guy that was able to fix this.

http://www.bothellfamilychiropractic.com/
 
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Terry

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Last weekend

Last weekend was interesting.
It was a weekend that was kind of quiet, so I was thinking of a few people that I know, or that had crossed my path lately.
Two of them, were some customers, the husband had gone through Cancer treatment and is now doing fine. I was remembering his concern and his encouragement, and that he had followed up with email to see how I was doing.
Imagine my surprise when a big package was delivered to my front door step from them. Matt and Tara Sroka. Thanks, I can use the book for sure. The Lance Armstrong Guidebook and Planner.

livestrong_books.jpg


I almost called my friend Bruce on Sunday, you've seen some of the hikes I've done with him. Monday morning he called and arranged to come over this Saturday to do some electrical wiring for me. Cool!




Then there were five others that I thought about, and they all emailed or called me on Monday.
One of them took me to lunch this week.
It was a good pick me up to start the week. Sometimes you forget how connected we all are.

I'm becoming more aware of those others around me, that are dealing with health issues.
There are a lot of quiet brave people out there doing the best they can with what life is handing them.
Many of them are pushing through it and coming out on the other side. Some are not doing as well, and I feel for them. At some point, we all succumb to that, but hope to put it off as long as we can. It makes me appreciate the moments and friendships I've had though the years. My son-inlaw will be dropping two of my grandkids off for babysitting on Saturday. The cycle goes on.
Last weekend the two girls were heading down I-5 through Tacoma and were going by the Tacoma Dome. The day after my last Chemo treatment last Fall, I had taken the grandkids and Taylor to a High School Football playoff game with Bellevue High. It was the first high school game for the grandkids. It was a fun time, the game, the bands playing, the kids closer to their ages, cheerleaders and students in the stands. Lots for little girls and boys to watch.
As they were driving by they shouted "Tacoma Dome!"
My daughter asked what they remembered about it, and they said their grandpa had taken them there.
It's nice to be a part of peoples lives that way, remembering experiences that stay with them. I'll have to take them up hiking more this Summer.

terry_may_2010.jpg

May 2010 out and around for lunch and book shopping.
Up ten pounds from the low point, still down 30 pounds from where I started.
Maybe I will try for ten more pounds and call it good.
 
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NHmaster3015

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Good to hear that you are feeling better. Getting stronger every day. It's sad to say, but sometimes it takes things like that to give you a whole different perspective on what life is really all about. Friends, and family. I worked my ass off for 30 plus years and admittedly, neglected a lot of relationships all for the quest for money and things I later found out I didn't need. So at 55 I get more enjoyment out of an afternoon with my grand daughter than I ever did from all the stupid toys I thought I had to work 80 hrs a week for.
 

NovicePiper

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Hi Terry - really really sorry for my post asking for more help - did not know of your health woes - read through your thread and am very happy to hear you are doing GREAT re not having a Col'bag and your improving - feel a tad like a voyeur not knowing you and all but please accept my best wishes...I grew up around Cancer, mum, dad aunty and uncle have all had cancer and my dad had to have the bag unfortunately - .... well again, best wishes and good to hear your all clear - you rock man! you really do.

Thanks,
On the third surgery to fix the first surgery they did give me a tempory bag. I hope to have that removed sometime in the Summer
Terry Love


Hey Terry - Here's a link for you :) if the admin don't delete it!

https://terrylove.com/forums/showth...ural-plumbing-or-archbing&p=257508#post257508

novicepiper
 
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Terry

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The sports page today in Seattle has a story about a 33 year old with rectal colon cancer.
The story here
That's a lot younger then when they normaly start screening for this.
I saw a televison ad the other day for a clinic that said colon cancer was the second most common cancer.
I think Fast food hamburgers are taking their toll.


2011818434.jpg

JEFFREY T. BECHTHOLD / UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
 

Terry

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The latest update based on CAT scans is that I will finally be scheduled to reconnect the intestines, is that right? I've had a bypass since March, which makes playing sports a bit interesting. I've been waiting months for some things to close and up heal at the "lower end" of things. The original connection was a bit sloppy.

terry_cat_907_1.jpg

pic one
terry_cat_907_2.jpg


pic two, the little white specks are blood vessels. You are looking at the lungs.

terry_cat_907_3.jpg


pic three, looking at the kidney here, which is in good shape.

Blood pressure was 122 over 70, and just so you know Cookie, they take my blood pressure everytime I go for any appointment.
I think cutting back beef a bit and taking fish oil capsules has helped.

I'm hoping for surgery in October which should give me some time to recover in time for ski season.
 

Redwood

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Nice to hear Terry!

I hope everything goes well on that Drain/Waste/Vent connection and tell them use a banded coupling so nothing can slip out of alignment and cause problems.

I look forward to hearing a lot about you using those new boards you got a while back that haven't seen much use.
 

Cookie

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Ah, Terry you just made my day with your great news! I am happy for you. Relieved, too... When you going in Terry? ... and, yes, I am glad to hear they take your blood pressure every time. I make sure I talk to people all the time about BP's, because I simply want to honor the memory of my husband who is simply irreplaceable.

Ps. Post more pics of you in the hosp in that gown again, :)
I won't tell the girlfriend, lol.
 

Terry

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2013229491_apeumedaspirincoloncancer.html

Nice little article about aspirin and colon cancer.
It also mentions that 1 in 20, or 5% of the population in developed countries will develop the disease at some time in their life.
That makes sense, it seems everyone I know has a story about a close relative going through this.

If you know someone with colon cancer, do them a favor and get them a Toto Drake II CST454CEFG and a bidet seat.
They will thank you for that. It makes a big difference in this whole ordeal.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in developed countries, and there are about 1 million new cases and 600,000 deaths worldwide every year. The average person has about a 5 percent chance of developing the disease in their lifetime.

The latest news on my situation, is that they are considering redoing the original surgery. That would put me back to square one as far as a recovery would go. I was hoping with the good snow year that's expected, and the ski pass that carried over from last year, that I was going to be able to wear out those skis this year. I don't want to redo the surgery, and one doctor at SCCA is discouraging me from it too. He says scar tissue is scar tissue, cutting out the previous connection and redoing it was not his recommendation.
 
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Cookie

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Yes, Terry, scar tissue is scar tissue. I agree with that man. Unless, that scar tissue is obstructing something, or causing pain, I might leave it be. But, I know nothing about colon cancer, I wish I did. I will have to learn. Get opinions and opinions, then teach me. I want to see you out on the slopes wearing out your skis, too.

I was amazed at the article about aspirin and colon cancer. Amazing. I tell my sons, to take a baby each day, the doctor confirmed it. Never found the colon in our family but, it might be an added benefit for taking it. That is great.

Anything, anyone, can suggest to someone which would help them going through this stuff, is such a blessing. It is really nice of you to mention it to others Terry. I need a new toilet, and I want the one you mentioned, the Toto Drake II CST454CEFG and the bidet. I hope others heed your advice.

I am on steriods again, WATCH OUT, lol. Drugs plays real havoc with your body.
 
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