colon cancer and wearing a bag

• By onnie
• Reply 411671
• June 4, 2009 at 6:39 pm
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hi lookforwardto56,
i have given it alot of thought the 1st night i spent in the hospital and i decided then that i wasn't too proud to wear a bag even if it was forever to give me a chance at life w/ my husband, 2 children and 6 grandkids. to me it is a small price to pay to have my life.

onnie

• By cindybear
• Reply 413233
• June 6, 2009 at 12:42 am
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Although I am BC survivor not Colon I too watched the Farrah documentary and was so unpset she declined the bag for alternative treatments. She was suffered so much with her cancer and all that might have been avoided and her life saved if she had taken the other route, but it was her choice & maybe her career might have been the reason for this choice and alot of optimisim. I still pray she will get her miracle and pain and suffering goes away.I also have a BFF who had leukemia in her 20's and now at age 60 after 40 yrs cancer free dx with colon cancer fortunately it was stg 1 & contained but she also said before surgery she would not have bag or chemo. Maybe it is just the stigma of the bag.
God Bless
CindyBear
Cindy Bear

• By lgdeck
• Reply 413464
• June 6, 2009 at 9:33 am
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Lookforward,
Yeah to you, for looking forward!
I am a stage III rectal cancer survivor, finished my treatments this past January, 2 pos nodes of 35. I was lucky enough to have gotten the best surgeon who was able to keep me from having a colostomy-he took half my rectum and part of my sigmoid colon. I am doing great.
Many folks in our shoes have problems with the chemo, and question whether they can continue on with the treatments, due to the 'aweful side effects'. I found the side effects weren't that bad, if it means killing off any remaining cancer cells that may be lingering around your body. I, personally, didn't experience side effects that were that bad. I did have radiation, standard for rectal cancer, and that was rough, but I upped my chances of my cancer not recurring.
I too, watch Farrah's show. It was very difficult watching her do what she could to save her life. As a rectal cancer survivor, I do know that cancer in this area, as well as anal cancer has a much higher recurrance rate than colon, due to its location lower in the pelvic area and things are 'stuffed' together closer. But, when you have money to do what she did, I guess you will try anything. I am sorry she couldn't put her pride away for just a little while, to accept getting a colostomy, if it meant she would live longer. If I have to go through this again, and the doctors say I need one, I won't think twice about saying yes.

Being alive, we are all survivors! Keep up the fight.
lisa