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I was diagnosed with late stage three colon cancer about seventeen years ago. I went through three months of daily radiation while receiving chemo from a pump/bolus through a PICC line.
Two months later I had an eight hour surgery, then recovery then four more months of chemo.

On my very last day of Chemo, my wife and I were at our favorite Mexican place for a celebratory dinner when my phone rang and it was my Oncologist.
He told me they might not have gotten it all.
It definitely ruined our dinner. It later proved to be a false positive and I was cancer free.

However, my cancer was advanced when diagnosed and my choices were slim.
I didn't want to end up with a colostomy and have to wear a pouch, but it was surgery or a slow painful death. No choice really, so I had the surgery.

Before surgery, the surgeon told me that when I woke up that if a colostomy was on my right abdomen, it would be reversed, no harm no foul. If it was on the left, it was permanent.
It was on the left.

It sucks, get examined!

I've adjusted and lead a normal life, if my life can be considered "normal" in any way.

The treatment allowed me to live so I could eventually care for my wife through her illness and ultimate death from Alzheimer's.
It was worth all the nastiness and inconvenience to be able to care for my wife until her passing. She would have been alone if not for me.

I'll leave this last thought for you: If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.
 
Good that you are treating the "celiac", as there is a really nasty T-Cell Lymphoma associated with untreated celiac.
Gluten free for 10-12 years. It is fairly miserable. I was officially labeled non celiac but allergic to gluten. The definition of celiac has changed somewhat since then, and I think I now meet criteria. But the symptoms included some stuff way worse than the restrictive diet.
 
I had my eighth Butt-O-Scope last month along with my fourth Throat-O-Scope, Up to eight Dick-O-Scopes too. I'm Special!
I did have Bladder Cancer, but gone for now.
Oh man! I had one of those dick-o-scopes too, when they had a bladder cancer concern due to my taking Actos for my diabetes. I was in the office over 2 hours, 20 minutes for the procedure and 2 hours to peel me off the ceiling. On the plus side, they found no cancer.
I am glad to read that you beat your bladder cancer. Stay strong!:s0155:
 
Oh man! I had one of those dick-o-scopes too, when they had a bladder cancer concern due to my taking Actos for my diabetes. I was in the office over 2 hours, 20 minutes for the procedure and 2 hours to peel me off the ceiling. On the plus side, they found no cancer.
I am glad to read that you beat your bladder cancer. Stay strong!:s0155:
My dad died from colon cancer. He had surgery and they removed a large portion. The surgery procedure went as planned, but the lesions were our of control, where his colon needed flushing. They could not be flushed out fast enough. I picture leaves in the street blocking the drain, and next there's flooding. That's my interpretation. My dad got so swollen from the lesions blocking his system. He bloated like a beach whale. His tongue swelled to a point he couldn't drink a (last request) strawberry milkshake.

Now I've done it. I knew this topic would go sour for me. I miss my dad SO much :(
 
My dad died from colon cancer. He had surgery and they removed a large portion. The surgery procedure went as planned, but the lesions were our of control, where his colon needed flushing. They could not be flushed out fast enough. I picture leaves in the street blocking the drain, and next there's flooding. That's my interpretation. My dad got so swollen from the lesions blocking his system. He bloated like a beach whale. His tongue swelled to a point he couldn't drink a (last request) strawberry milkshake.

Now I've done it. I knew this topic would go sour for me. I miss my dad SO much :(
Good for you. Your dad would be happy.

My dads been gone 15 years and I think about him all the time. I can hear him when I think about him though. I try to do for my kids what he did for me
 
Gluten free for 10-12 years. It is fairly miserable. I was officially labeled non celiac but allergic to gluten. The definition of celiac has changed somewhat since then, and I think I now meet criteria. But the symptoms included some stuff way worse than the restrictive diet.

I'm a new celiac myself, only diagnosed a little over a year ago. I spent the last year trying to prepare for a celiac free kitchen (as much as is possible) and trying out new products and recipes. I officially went fully gluten free as of January 1st. Can't say I really notice much difference as I am one of those 'asymptomatic' celiacs. But still, I know if I don't stick with it, much, much worse things can be waiting for me. It's definitely difficult, but I've been happy to find some good GF products. And since I like to bake and cook, it helps me have some better choices at home too. I'm a Type 1 diabetic on top of it, so that throws in some added complications.
 
Good for you. Your dad would be happy.

My dads been gone 15 years and I think about him all the time. I can hear him when I think about him though. I try to do for my kids what he did for me
My dad made it to our wedding. He wanted so much. to be there. It's been almost 30 years to the day. For a long time, I stayed away from the cemetary. Don't ask me why, I just did. I may have went to the grave site 3 times. My Aunt ripped me good every time she seen me over the years, for not maintaining the families head stones to her expectations. There was something about the Ora, standing there looking at names on a block of granite, any my feeling of it all, as/to why I stayed away. Dads always been in my heart. Always been there looking over my shoulder, as he probably is right now, standing behind me, watching me type. This may sound strange, but I've honestly thought he's been close. I've had some eerie (That brush of air on you) someone just walked by while sitting at my desk, at times when the whole house is in deep sleep mode.
 
I can not stress how important this is to have done! My wife passed away October 29,2019 after a very long battle with colorectal cancer that wasn't detected or recognized early enough. As a result, the cancer metastasized and mutated travelling from one organ to another requiring continuous surgeries chemo and radiation which eventually resulted in a very painful and slow death. You can not possibly imagine the physical, emotional and financial pain that this caused our family. People sometimes want to avoid the embarrassment or inconvenience of having this procedure done and opt to send a stool sample in instead for screening. The problem with going that route is that method will give you a result that either tells you their is no sign of cancer or you already have it. It does nothing to tell you whether you have precancerous polyps that can rapidly morph to a cancerous state. Having endoscopy gives you that information and they can remove them during the procedure essentially removing the threat that you will get cancer. An ounce of prevention outweighs a pound of cure. Be safe!
 
Thanks for giving your message as to how easy the procedure is. The prep does suck as you will be running to the toilet quite often until your bowels flush out getting ready for your procedure. The only thing stopping you then is the perceived embarrassment of having "someone poking around in their business" if you know what I mean. When the procedure is performed, they administer a drug cocktail that allows them to perform the procedure quickly and painlessly. It is over before you even realize it's done! Easy Peasy is a perfect description.
 
Before surgery, the surgeon told me that when I woke up that if a colostomy was on my right abdomen, it would be reversed, no harm no foul. If it was on the left, it was permanent.
It was on the left.

It sucks, get examined!

I've adjusted and lead a normal life, if my life can be considered "normal" in any way.


I had ulcerative coloitis in 2009. In the hospital several times until I had a toxic mega colon rupture in June 2011. I went septic, and was in ICU for one month, step down care for another month, and in a rehab center for another month. I finally went home on August 31, 2011 a week after my 54th birthday. I weighted 148 pounds down from 210 when the event happened.

I woke up in 2011 intubated, hands tied down, gorked out of my mind. I had no idea what had happened to me and that became 2 months of total PTSD hell. The entire family had been in two time when I was near death and I feel so bad that I put them through that. After a month and a half I realized I had a cholostomy bag on my right side. I had to learn how to walk, eat, talk and live. I had been intubated for a month, then they trached me for another month.

I came home, glad to be home, but pretty sure I was going to die in the next two years. My wife was my caregiver and it took a huge toll on her. We had to shut down a business that was dying in the recession anyway, file bankruptcy and start all over again. I have learned to live with the bag quite well, I still do all my normal activities, albeit at a reduced stamina level. I have had several bowel obstructions, in the hospital for all of them.

I did not have enough gut left to hook back up, and a guy I know who did it, regretted it latter taking about 7 to 9 dumps a day. Less than 50% survive what happened to me. I am lucky and fortunate.

This past Monday I started having some gut pain, it started increasing and would not resolve. I went to the hospital in the ER talked to some grump azz prick ER doctor who finally realized that I had an abcess on my intestine. Started me on IV antibiodics and they went in laproscopically on Wednesday and drained it. Kept me in until Friday afternoon. I had not eaten in 4 days. I am on a 3 week course of anitbodics. Now it is back to my GI Dr at OHSU to see what the next plan is.

It was a bit of a wake up call, since I basically thought I was home free from the past, but this is one of the possible complications I could have among others. I get very retrospective at times like this, but this time I am really looking at my life and I have some things I want to do that I need to get done. Like others have indicated, gut problems are extremely painful. I would rather drop dead in the Crooked River with my fly rod in my hand than go from a gut issue.

My main goal is to dance with my granddaughters at their weddings. Got at least 12 or more years to go yet, so we will see.

Get your test, the prep sucks, the drugs they give you during the procedure are awesome though. Early detection is key, just get it done.
 
Doing the Miralax and Gatoraide shuffle today. Tomorrow the third colonoacopy and the one down the throat for the first time. Daughter and wife went out for dinner !
 
Thanks for having the courage to relate your terrible experience and for your determination to move forward in spite of everything you've been through. You are an inspiration to all. Keep on keeping on!

You are welcome. I have no shame of any kind. I was left on this earth for some reason and I freely relate my experiences to anyone who needs to hear. I was talking to a nursing student in the hospital and an hour later her instructor came back in and asked my wife and I if we would talk to the entire class. We did they came into the room about 8 female 2 males and we answered questions, let them see my huge dick to chest scar.

Another thing on this is that, while I have a family history of gut issues, my stress level was off the scale from about 1987 to 2000 or so. Divorce, sharing custody, crazy ex wife, dealing with aging parents and their passing, a couple of sh*t jobs, among others. After some analysis, the Dr said there was no doubt this caused my illness. Keep life simple, keep it real tell people who want to mess with you to f off, and stay calm.
 
They still have a protocol for this, I think risk assessment has something to do with frequency/type of evaluation. We had Group Health here before Kaiser Wash. bought them out a few years ago. Nothing with regard to that schedule seems to have changed. I'm on the five year colonoscopy schedule. My wife does what she calls, "the poop test." They keep notes on my records that indicate when the exam is due.

What's the deal with anesthesia for colonoscopy? I've had the procedure several times, as I recall I've always been completely aware during it. The very first time I had this back in the 1970's was memorable. The instruments used have changed. At that time, I got a glance at the probe and it appeared to be about the diameter of a garden hose. It had a compressed air feature to dilate the colon so a good image could be gotten. Okay, they get me in "the little room," and I'm on my hands and knees with my Heinie raised up. The probe was just in and they were filling my bowel with air. Every so often, this air build-up would release itself in a big blast of clear flatulence. So about the time they start to get down to real business, the doctor says, "Oh, Mr. Merkt, you wouldn't mind having visiting student nurses look in on the procedure, would you?" Without waiting for any response from me, the doctor turns and says, "Okay girls, come on it." About five or six young women, maybe aged 17 to early 20's troop in. They were already tittering and giggling a bit, but when the next big blast of wind phart blew out, they really laughed. Although I couldn't see their faces nor they mine, it was somewhat humiliating. Not very professional, I would say, compared to subsequent similar procedures that I've had.
Very similar to what happened to me circa 1985ish.. they stuck this big goose-neck thing up my rump and the school-girls came in to observe. I was a young guy and had a lot of ego invested in my relationship with chicks... I refused the IV valium so it was done cold with my full recollection..
I am told that nowadays the instrument is much smaller and less intrusive than in the "old days"...
 

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