New to this group.. but not new to the incurables!

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Hi, just wanted to introduce myself and my story really. 7 years ago I was diagnosed with Gallbladder cancer, I had a liver resection done and 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. All we t well but during that time I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer so I went on to have a total thyroidectomy and the lymphs removed on the right side of my neck. Again it went well and from 2017 until 2020 I was cancer free, no evidence of disease.

In September 2020 my scan showed I had something in my abdomen and also an ovarian cyst so the decision was made to go for a full hysterectomy and also abdominal surgery at the same time.

The cyst wasn't a cyst it was a Mucinous ovarian cancer tumour, but the surgery was the cure for that. The abdominal surgery pathology showed I had actually 3 tumours that were all gallbladder metastases. So I went on to have another 6 months of chemotherapy.

In 2022 a other tumour popped up near my bladder so I had another surgery, again it was gallbladder cancer. Incredibly and surprisingly, the last tumour removed was surrounded by what I have been told was a desmoid tumour and my surgeon said my body is trying to fight back!!!

So yes, I'm incurable sadly there is no cure for gallbladder cancer but I'm lucky, I'm on year 7 and I feel absolutely marvelous, yes I've had a lot of surgeries and treatments but I'm still standing and still trying to live my best life.

MSG23 over 1 year ago in reply to MSG23

And I have Irish genes

Smiffy_69 over 1 year ago in reply to MSG23

Runcorn here

Ruby2016 over 1 year ago

Hello Smiffy, lovely to ‘meet’ you and welcome to our warm and friendly group. You really have been through the wringer but great of course that you are still around to tell the tale. You sound like you have a lot of energy and enthusiasm for life, which is great. I am adopted and was brought up by English parents (my Dad died during one of the Lockdowns whilst Mum is very frail but contented in a lovely Care Home), my birth parents were Irish. I did a DNA test a couple of years’ ago and I am 97% Irish, 3% Scottish! I look forward to getting to know you xxxx.

Smiffy_69 over 1 year ago in reply to Ruby2016

Hey Ruby, likewise, nice to meet you too

I'm sorry to hear you lost your dad during the awfulness of lockdown and covid, it was a dreadful time all round wasn't it.

Funnily enough I know both my parents were Irish but i did a DNA test recently and was slightly disappointed to find I am only 98% Irish and 2% Scottish ha ha... Seems that someone came over from Scotland and did the deed with an ancestor at some point ha ha..

Ruby2016 over 1 year ago in reply to Smiffy_69

That comment about someone coming over from Scotland and doing the deed, did make me chuckle! Re my Dad, I was Shielding and unfortunately, didn’t see him in person for many months before he died. But so many others were in the same situation. He was in his 80s and in the year before he died, he travelled including a trip to Australia (pre-Covid) so he had a long and active life. Re my DNA result, it was originally 97% Irish then it briefly was 100% before reverting to 97%! I am looking forward to getting to know you more. Just signing off the site now as in need of a snooze! xxxxxxxx

Popgate over 1 year ago

Hi and welcome to our group of great people sounds like you have been on a right roller coaster road love your out look on life you keep fighting on xxx

Flippen

Smiffy_69 over 1 year ago in reply to Popgate

Thanks Flippen, it's definitely had some highs and plenty of lows but I feel I'm on an even keel for now so I just keep on looking forwards and not backwards. I've tried to not let the whole situation take over who I am and we use a lot of humour in my family as a coping mechanism.

Having things to look forward to is a good distraction for me, so holidays or weekends away is my way of coping. I'm also keen on trying to do at least one charitable event a year so I'll be scaling (abseil) down the side of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool in July to raise funds for my cancer centre.

But this year I'm trying to live by the mantra 'The only limitations I have are the ones I impose on myself' and so far it's working, I'm saying yes to everything and so I have lots to look forward to x

Moi2 over 1 year ago

Hi Smiffy you have certainly been through the mill. As you can see we're a friendly bunch. My cancer was bowel cancer 12 months after surgery it went walkabouts. I asked how long and was told 12 to 18 months depending on the person, that was 3and a half years ago. I'm also under Clattabridge Liverpool and they take very good care of us. I pray you stay N.E.D. and look forward to chatting to you xx

MOI

Smiffy_69 over 1 year ago in reply to Moi2

Oh wow really? They're a great bunch at Clatterbridge, saved my life a few times, I developed a blood clot in my lung during chemotherapy in 2021 and they spotted it within 2 days, they literally saved my life again.

We are incredibly lucky to have them treating us x

sistermoon over 1 year ago

Hi Smiffy_69

Hello Collette and welcome to the group. It certainly is some journey you've been on. I'm pleased you're doing ok at the minute. Just click on my username if you would like to read my profile. Is 69 the year you were born, if so, me too. I'm just back from a few days in York, we rent a cottage so I can take my little budgie friend. This group is great, everyone is very friendly and we all know where each other is coming from. Keep posting, we've got all kinds going on, art, crafts, book club, gardening.

A x