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