Pam - My surgery was at Yale, and I LOVE my surgeon, Vikram Reddy....
Hi OH and everyone! I am happily flunking retirement, with an ongoing p/t music-making gig and a few other p/t jobs. In my spare time I have become a maniac knitter, lol. I was on low-dose, oral...
In regard to age at surgery: I went to chat with my GI several weeks before my surgery. I was 61 at Step 1 (colon removal, pouch formation, loop postomy created) and 62 at Step 2 (reconnection). My...
My oncologist advised me not to eat "too much" red meat. Interesting. That was my old doc, before I moved.... I'll need to ask my new doc and see what his opinion is. As has been pointed out, we are...
Hey Champ and everyone! Just to add my 2 cents about when to go for surgery: When your routine colonoscopy shows ANY signs of dysplasia or irregular cells. I'd had the odd cancer cell show up on and...
Thanks, OH! I am on traditional Medicare and a Supplement Plan (in my case, AARP/United Health Care.) And a separate plan for medications. Oher than modest pharmacy costs, I have not needed to fork...
Hey, BG..... I've been following your trials and keeping you in nmy thoughts Hang in there! Meg...
Dear OH - Thank you! Each time I hear about someone who has been on this pill-based chemo successfully for years, it's such a boost! My various docs had started to retire on me, so needing to find...
You've sure had your challenges, Champ! I had one hernia surgery; the hernia was near my stoma site. It was robotic and tey put in a large mesh. So far, so good. (I had this in 2019.) And they keep...
Hi Everyone! It's been a while so I thought I'd check in. For a quick recap, I had my colon out 5 years ago and as a bonus they found cancer. (Yippee.) I had 6 months of chemo and then had my J pouch...
Hi B Girl! I remember you. I'm rarely on here these days - out enjoying life with my J pouch. But I wanted to chime in to say I hope you're doing better by now. Also, I am terribly sensitive to...
It's so good to hear from each of you! Champ, gosh, you do know how to have fun, don't you?? And Q, thank you for your words; I respect your viewpoint a lot. Flowers and Michelejc, thank you. And OH...
Hi all - OH, Mom, Q - thanks for the stories of long-term chemo users! That may be my new tribe. Q, The inflammation is throughout, and it is caused by the chemo. The chemo attacks my mucus...
NCOT - Oh, gosh! I have been MIA and you have been through soo much in that time! I am so sorry about your father on top of all the health things you have been going through. You have my condolences....
Hi All! Just an update. We have mostly unpacked and are enjoying our new home. We are near a lake and have been using our very old, very heavy canoe, and we just bought lightweight kayaks for even...
Thanks for your comments, everyone! I had a rough time that chemo cycle. The docs decided to leave off one of the components - Avastin - this last time to give me more time to regain my stamina. So...
Hi friends - I thought I'd give you a progress report. As I undergo chemo for a recurrence of colon cancer (4 1/2 years after my colon was removed and I had 6 months of chemo) there is good news! The...
Dear Q, I am sorry for all the pain! I can't offer much advice, just want to say I empathize. I had troch. bursitis after a fall on the ice once; eventually a steroid injection into the bursa area...
Hi All - So far, so good. I've had my first two sessions of chemo. Some side effects, but since I know what to expect, they're not scary. Sessions are every 2 weeks, so the second week, just before...
Thanks, everyone! I am trying to keep a positive attitude. OH - Thanks for your thoughts! Ugh, I'd had my old port removed 3 years ago when I had a minor lumpectomy for a Stage Zero DCIS. So... had...
Hi everyone - Between doctors' appointments and packing up our home of 23 years for a 250 mile move... at least I'm not bored! Pathology results show that this is a recurrence of the original cancer....
Hi all - Well. First they did allll kinds of prepr; epidural placement, etc, for pain relief over the next few days... then (as planned) they took me in and started with a laparoscopic camera...
Thanks for all the encouraging words! OH, this is a TAH. The mass is between the ovary and the intestine. My CR surgeon will be there to take care of my J Pouch, as well as the GYN. (MY CR surgeon...
Thanks for the kind words, clo! I appreciate all prayers, positive energy and vibes! Champ, I "retired" because it was more polite than saying "I quit" lol! But it was sweet, they honored me and made...
Hi all, especially those I knew from back in the day. I hope you are all doing well. I "retired" a month ago, with the idea of going back to work part-time after relocating to a smaller house in an...
Hi Champ (and everyone else!) Happy New Year! I am well! Gosh, it's been 4 years since our colons went bye-bye! For me, that means it was about 4 years ago that I started 6 months of chemo for the...
This is great to hear! To be able to report that you are doing so well even this soon after the redo - wow! Best wishes for continued improvement!...
I am not sure if I qualify for the booster yet. I guess the way to tell would be to get the antibody test. Other than whatever effect autoimmune response gives me, I am not on meds; but should I...
I've been lurking. Soooo sorry for your troubles! How are you doing now? You are so strong to go through all this, and I hope the new stoma is a rock star! My surgeon had told me to drink water with...
Hi all - I have been lurking and following this thread. I thank everyone for sharing their experiences and knowledge! I especially have appreciated your updates, OH! I work with a religious...
Hey New - gosh, you are just starting the post-colon journey! It is a marathon, not a sprint, for sure, and you bring up a great point: the older one is, the more difficult and the less options. I...
I don't chime in too often these days, but I needed to, here. Sorry this is long. I was against surgery. I developed UC in my late 20s, had a few bad flares (hospitalized for them) and then learned...
Interesting! My flares always had a seasonal appearance. Spring and fall were the worst, summer the best, winter medium....
I had Moderna. First shot 1/13, no issues; a red bump on the arm at the injection site. (Just a little more pronounced than if I'd had the flu shot.) Second shot, 2/10. The next 1 1/2 days I had...
Hi Siren - I have not dealt with covid and uc/imuran (my colon was long gone by the time COVID came along) but I wanted to say, hang in there, keep us posted, and I am thinking of you!...
Gosh, what a world. Our statewide hospital capacity is 78%, ICU beds at 61% as of several days ago, according to the state government website. I got my first vaccine shot the other day! Moderna. I...
I got my first shot the other day - I was eligible because my work expects me to visit hospitals and nursing homes. My arm was less sore than it usually is from the annual flu shot. Otherwise I am...
I'd agree with OH here. The interesting thing would be to see if medically trusted sources, Mayo Clinic, medical centers at universities, etc. publish anything about this....
Hey Dog, Champ, valli! Sorry about the lockdown. We are not on lockdown but with the 2 cancers in my background I am so nervous... have not been to a restaurant since March. We get take-out...
Gosh, it was 3 years ago I had my 2 week post-op (colectomy) appointment with my surgeon. I remember that they switched things, so I met with the ostomy nurse first, who gave me a bunch of tips.........
Hi valli! Good to hear from you. Some of us have been giving updates on the Merry Christmas thread started by OH and also on the Class of 18 thread from 3timechamp!...
Yes, I was wondering about him recently also. He was so helpful after my J Pouch surgery!...
Hey Teacher and all - I feel almost guilty saying this but I had a great Christmas. My 2 adults sons both work from home so were safe to come to our house for two days, which has not happened in...
I agree with OH. I was a counselor at and HIV testing site in the 1980s and came to respect Dr Fauci then. I still do!...
Merry Christmas and a hopeful, healthy New Year to all! Meg...
Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! I am doing well. JPouch has been great. I think it continued to improve for more than a year! I am feeling good these days, stronger than I have in several years. I...
Yes. More frequently and pure liquid....
hi - I am not on here as often as I once was, but I was browsing and saw your post. I hope you've had some success getting opinions from jpouch.org. I had pouchitis a few times in my first year, and...
I just realized my 2 year take-down anniversary was the 8th, a few days ago! DH and I rented a small cabin on a lake in Maine for a week. We'd reserved it pre-pandemic! For months we figured we...
It's good to be in touch! OH, we are about to head to northern New England for a week on a secluded lake.... and now we're hoping this hurricane doesn't mess us up! Bug spray is packed. And...