Anyone else diagnosed with Stage III anal cancer who can offer positive vibes?

Hi 1redhawk,

Cheers to your ongoing success and recovery! It sounds like most of us will carry side effects for the rest of our lives, but we can still live normal, healthy, rewarding lives. How much weight did you lose? I've already dropped 12 pounds (not sure what this is in stones), and food seems revolting. Normally, I'm stuffing chocolate and food down my throat throughout the day.

Sex does worry me, but, like you said, I'll deal with that battle once I'm done with all this.  

Enjoy every day, and thank you for sharing. Onward!

Hi Bottom56,

I wanted to see how you are faring as you wrap up week four. I'm completing week three, so you are the leader forging ahead. How is your discomfort? Any horrible side effects? 

I haven't been given any pain meds yet. Morphine gel sounds wonderful--I wonder if it's offered here in the US.

My husband is traveling with me next week to kick off week four and will stay with me in the hotel. Luckily my adult son will stay with my two younger boys. The house will be demolished and savagery will prevail, but I don't really care at this point. 

I'm still teaching seven English composition classes, but thank goodness the semester wraps up in a week. But not before 150 argument essays pour in this Monday. I wanted to finish the semester (I don't want to be the weak link at my local college), but I'll be glad to mindlessly thumb through magazines and watch telly.

Queasiness is tough right now. Every smell puts me off, and I have no interest in any food. How's your appetite? 

Anyway, I hope you are doing well and feeling like there is an end in sight!

All the best to you,

Sarah 

Hi Sarah

i was thinking of you last night and going to drop you a line to check how you are. So glad you’re going to have some company next week. 150 lots of marking sounds horrendous, I used to teach but fortunately not English, the marking load always a negative for you! At least it’ll keep your mind off other things. 
I seem to be very lucky with the chemo, no loss of appetite and no horrid taste. Just a bit tired and a little heartburn on occasion which my anti sickness pills seem to sort out. 
So I continue to do well. Getting more sore. The morphine gel mixed with the medihoney seems to do the job. They say to keep using the medihoney as the morphine can dry it out too much. 
mum also trying some gel up inside my bum called Mucosamin rectal gel. My niece recommended to try as it protects and helps healing. Early days but seems to calm everything and hardly any itching. They also make a vaginal gel which I’m going to try to get. 
Bum movements still a bit of concern, the urgency at times a problem but managing most of the time. I could take Imodium but I’m fearful of going the other way!!! Dead Sea salt bathing helps sooth too. 
weekend off after today and only 8 more treatment days. 
Well done for still teaching but please put yourself first. Marking can wait and others can take up a few extras. I’m lucky to be retired with no responsibilities!! 
I was warned this last week would get much worse but I’m still fine so hope you find the same. 
Have a good weekend rest- sending loads of thoughts and good vibes xxx

Hi scary40

Yes I’ve had the scans and I think the 2 week reporting times are pretty routine (at least at my treating hospital).Its not a pleasant wait.

Generally I feel quite well, though unpredictable bowel habits and fatigue means I’m still not back at work, though to be honest I’m thinking of early retirement now as my diagnosis certainly shocked me into thinking about my life and priorities (I’m a nurse and work had become my whole life).

im hoping I can just work part time and spend more time with my husband who has been my absolute rock throughout all of this. If nothing else I think I can thank cancer for helping me to realise how lucky I am (kind of weird to say that, isn’t it?)

Thank you for your kind wishes. I have everything crossed for good results on 17th and wish you a complete response too x

hi Sarah....just a quick note about survival statistics.....the main thing to remember about them (and I’m sure you’ve already worked this out), is that by their very nature those surviving 5 years or more had their diagnosis and treatment 5 years or more ago. This may not seem like a long time but treatment regimes, radiotherapy technology and even our surrounding environment has changed dramatically in that time. This means that people treated more recently like us will be informing new 5 year survival statistics in 5 years time.....and who knows, maybe our 5 year survival rates will be 99% by that time?

my oncologist put current stage 3  stats at approx 70-80% survival and I trust her implicitly to tell me the.truth. if things keep improving at that rate then it should be nearer 80-90% for us at 5 years which is a much happier place to be :-)

x