Anyone With Stomach Cancer

Hello, and I just joined this wonderful site via another friend from dailystrength.com. 

I' m a stomach cancer survivor and had my stomach removed almost 6 years ago.  I also did chemo/radiation (both at same time-together) and am happy to say back to my life prior cancer.  My old job - just started back p/t and recently f/t time now! 

I'm strong, healthy and eat everything.  Only downside is I will always be anemic, but I work with that. 

Any way I can help, don't hesitate to get ahold of me, ok? 

Eat often, if even little bits and keep as positive as possible.

Talk soon

Your new friend

Millie

Hi Millie, so glad to hear of your improving health.  A few questions please.  What stage were you diagnosed at?  Did you have any cancer in lymph nodes?  Was part of your esophagus removed?  I just lost my husband February 22, 2008 to stage IV stomach cancer (three out of six positive lymph nodes).  He lived for three years but quality of life was not the best.  I guess I have so many questions like what if, why didn't I....etc.  Glad to hear of a long term stomach cancer survivor. 

Thanks,

Diane

On 5/19/2008 Anniedips wrote:

Hi Millie, so glad to hear of your improving health.  A few questions please.  What stage were you diagnosed at?  Did you have any cancer in lymph nodes?  Was part of your esophagus removed?  I just lost my husband February 22, 2008 to stage IV stomach cancer (three out of six positive lymph nodes).  He lived for three years but quality of life was not the best.  I guess I have so many questions like what if, why didn't I....etc.  Glad to hear of a long term stomach cancer survivor. 

Thanks,

Diane

Hi Diane;

I'm so sorry to hear of your husbands passing.  My love and prayers go out to you.  I believe I was stage 3 or 4.  I honestly just sort of "zoned out" and just accepted what was to be, since I felt it was now out of my hands.  I just put all my faith and trust in God and just rode that amazing roller coaster so to speak.  I do believe part of my esophagus was removed, but mostly since I had my gallblader removed about two years prior, so they did something to the esophagus so I would never have heart burn... (total bonus).  9 out of 12 lymph nodes were affected, and one was a centimeter and a half in size.  One thing I notice after reading alot of entries here is that others seem to do the chemo and once treatment is completed, they do radiation or visa versa.  My treatments of chemo / radiation were TOGETHER.  At the same time.  Hmmmmm ... talk about agressive treatment, but I really believe that's what ultimatelly saved me.  Who knows hu?  Signet ring is such a juvenile and agressive cancer that the medical field is just learning about.  I'm just so thankful to be alive and living almost 100% healthy again.  I'm anemic, but learning to work with that. 

Keep in touch ...  once again, I'm so sorry to hear of your husband and his passing.  I've noticed that many people who are diagnosed with stomach cancer have had IBS (Irritable bowel Syndrom) and the Canadian Cancer Society told me that those suffering with IBS are often misdiagnosed with IBS but in fact have stomach cancer ~ since the symptoms are almost identical.  Thus, that's why Stomach Cancer is often a "silent killer".  I almost fell into that catagory as well.  Two weeks later would have been a death sentence.  Wow.

Hope to hear from you again soon ...

God bless you xoxoxox

Millie

Hi Millie: 

You must be one of the .lucky ones to get an early diagnosis before it spread? (stage I  or II?)  My daughter has stage IV spread to the abdomen and has been getting chemo for 18months , the doctors say that with stage IV surgery doesn't cure it so we opted to not put her through that.  We also found out that the cancer in our family is genetically acquired and I  found out 2 mohts ago that I also am at risk for getting it so I may have a prophylactic total gastrectomy in the future , am expecting my biopsy results this week.  Glad they caught yours in time!  Did they test you for the CDH1 gene too?    Teri

On 5/19/2008 rachMN wrote:

Hi Millie: 

You must be one of the .lucky ones to get an early diagnosis before it spread? (stage I  or II?)  My daughter has stage IV spread to the abdomen and has been getting chemo for 18months , the doctors say that with stage IV surgery doesn't cure it so we opted to not put her through that.  We also found out that the cancer in our family is genetically acquired and I  found out 2 mohts ago that I also am at risk for getting it so I may have a prophylactic total gastrectomy in the future , am expecting my biopsy results this week.  Glad they caught yours in time!  Did they test you for the CDH1 gene too?    Teri

Hi Teri;

Thank you for your wonderful message.  Yes, I do honestly feel blessed to be a survivor of almost 6 years.  I believe I was stage 3 or 4.  So sorry to hear about your daughter.  I'll send my prayers for all of you xoxoox.

I had the genetic thing - forget the name of it - but looks like a worm.  It's in our family. 

I hope your biopsy results go well.  But you will have to keep an eye on your symptoms all the time ok? 

Look forward to talking again soon....

Take care,

your new friend

Millie xoxoxox  :)

my wife is 34 , maried 3 yrs, have a 2yr old, and advanced stage IV stomach cancer that has spread to her lungs pretty bad,,, I would look into NCI.org or .net and look up biological therapy or immune or immunotherapies,  also NCCAM i think,, for alternative medicines,,, green tea says to help,,, some look at this as a curse but we look aat it as a blesing,, it has made us live more fuller lives and has brought us and our families closer,, we HOPE for the best but PREPARE for the worst,,,, there are lots of options out htere under clinical trials,, keep investigating,,,,call the national cancer institute,,, they have lots of info and are wonderfurl people,,,

giovanni & Patricia

On 10/18/2004 Jay B. wrote:

Hi: I'm writing on behalf of my wife. She is now 46 years old. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer in Feb. of 2003. She had surgery to remove 2/3 of her stomach. Unfortunately, the cancer was located in the lower quadrant and it had permeated the stomach wall. It was discovered late due to an ulcer on top of the tumor. She had a endoscopy done in November of 2003 which found the ulcer. Biopsies done at that time came back negative. They did not reveal any cancer. The followup in February, however, did reveal the tumor. At the time of the surgery (March '03), the cancer had spread to 7 of 15 lymph nodes in the stomach area. She was staged at a 3-4. She had radiation treatment 5 days a week for 5 weeks. And at the same time, was undergoing intensive Chemotherapy. She was getting Oxylaplatin every two weeks in an IV drip, and 5FU on a 24/7 pump. She too did not fit the "norm" for gastric cancer. It is prevalent in Asian Males over the age of 50. She is obviously female, 45 years old, and caucasian. Go figure that one out! And the good news.......She went into remission last November, and is still in remission now! She has her blood markers checked every 6 weeks, and CT Scans done every 3 months. I believe that her remarkable turnaround, was due to a very aggressive chemo, and radiation regimen, prescribed by the Doctor who gave us the 2nd opinion. We are with Kaiser Permanente, but the Doctor who prescribed her treatment is a leading Oncologist at the USC Norris Cancer Center. He has been a life saver for us, in my opinion. There is hope for you. I didn't think my wife had a chance of beating this at all, in the beginning. But I sure was glad to be wrong. Jay B.

On 6/8/2008 leighinaspen wrote:

hi millie my name is leigh and i'm surviving stage 4 stomach cancer diagnosed march 1, 2008. i'm a young mother with no genetic link to any disease in my family. it is so nice to hear of you. i'm on aggressive chemo and clinical trial at md anderson--showing great results on my ct scans. headed to houston tomorrow for round 5. i'm beating this and will be cancer-free. you let me know my success can and is happening.

hello Leigh;

Thank you for your wonderfl email....  YES - you "CAN and WILL beat this.  I have and it's almost 6 years cancer free.  I had signet ring stomach cancer and it's apparantly 1 in a billion to survive my type of cancer.  So, if "I" can beat this - you can to.  Don't waste precious energy and strength worrying about things.  Just "accept" what is and keep a positive attitude and experience everything with open eyes.  The less worry - the better.  Trust me .....  Keeping calm is a big part..... 

Keep in touch ....  sending prayers your way and hope to hear your also a survivor ....  maybe in the future we can meet up and celebrate together! 

"CANCER CAN BE BEATEN" .....  XOXOX

Millie