J-pouch Life » cancer

Loss & Gain

Lizz — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:09:53 +0000

This is something I haven’t discussed on the blog-I always try to keep it strictly IBD and health-related, but sometimes themes overlap. This year, I’ve lost a lot of people. A lot. The most devastating to me was the loss of my Papaw-the main male figure in my life. The man who taught me how to tie my shoes, taught me the importance of patience, and how to live gracefully with a disability. I lost my Uncle Russ, a spitfire, gypsy spirit like me. I dealt with the cancer diagnosis of my favorite aunt, I saw her lose her beautiful hair and part of her breast, and I saw her survive all of it. I saw my uncle-in-law pass, a humble, kind man who went too soon and I saw his lovely wife continue her life with strength and grace.
The year has been peppered with this, in some way or another, and I’m sure it’s been similar for many of you. Maybe your loss is more direct-maybe you lost your colon. Maybe you lost a relationship or a job because of your surgery or illness. Last night, my cousin lost her dear uncle-in-law. He had a J-pouch, like me. He had Crohn’s disease like me. He lived in Texas, like me. He was in his 40′s and developed terminal intestinal cancer from Crohn’s. I post this not to discourage you, but to tell you that despite all the loss this year, I feel maybe more at peace than I ever have. No, I’m not glad for the loss, or the suffering that likely accompanied all of this, but it reflects an inner strength and peace that we all can conjure when we need it most. I tell you this with the hopes that you focus on the amazing blessings in your life, despite the lack-of-health cards dealt to you. When I think of Uncle Ralph, I am sad that we only e-mailed, that I never got to meet this amazing, funny, charismatic man who managed to hold on to his personality and hope despite his physical misfortune. It’s a reminder to seize the day, to tell the world about IBD, how much it sucks, and how they can help.

If you are dealing with loss, I wish you healing, and if I can help, by listening, by offering advice, e-mail me. If you need to talk about how IBD/j-pouch surgery is affecting your life, respond to this post-let’s get more discussion going! This website is a blessing. It’s something for which I am eternally grateful. Thanks to Mark & Megan for taking the initiative to create something to connect and assist others who have or are experiencing what they have experienced. And, let’s all take a moment to honor those we’ve lost, and to honor ourselves for being survivors.

These posts might also help out:

March 15, 2010 -- “You’re Fired.” (15)
November 10, 2009 -- Just Dance! (8)
November 4, 2010 -- Fear Monger, MD (6)
August 17, 2010 -- IBS? Nah: Irritable Vowels! (0)

Colitis to Dysplasia Surgery

Megan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:49:33 +0000

Merry Lynn with son on his first birthday.

We wanted to introduce you to Merry Lynn, she has been living with colitis for 10 years, for 3 years she has been in remission, and just learned she has high grade dysplasia. Her dysplasia means she will be having a colectomy to remove the risk of colon cancer. Her story is being shared on her blog and provides an important perspective into having surgery because of cancer risk not because of living with UC without remission.

Below is an email Merry Lynn sent to us introducing her story:

Hello my name is Merry Lynn Guy and on my blog I just list my name as ML (it’s what most people call me) . I was recently told that I need to have surgery due to the high grade dysplasia that is now presenting after 10++ years of having colitis. http://road2singledigitjeans.blogspot.com/ was originally created when I was attempting to be in a bloggy world weight loss group but then the group fizzeled so I had the blog name and title so now it is a blog about the medical path I am about to travel. I would be happy to be on your blog roll. I enjoyed reading Natalie’s Storyand have learned so much about what I am about to live through from your site. THANK YOU for creating it.

I have met with two different surgeons thus far and the verdict is the same.
The toughest part of my journey thus far is coming to terms with this verdict because I am a colitis patient that has been in full blown remission for just over three years. I have been living life to the fullest and now after my colonoscopy on 6/4/09 and some pathology confirmations I am heading towards surgery NOT because my disease is out of control but due to length of time having it and its now path to cancer.

I hope you will stop by and place me on your blog roll. I have yet to find a UC patient blog or site that talks about having to have surgery because of the same or similar presentation as I. So maybe my blog will be helpful to another.

ML

Please visit Merry Lynn’s Blog and give her the wonderful support that jpouch.net readers/bloggers can give!

These posts might also help out:

March 11, 2009 -- March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month (5)
July 12, 2008 -- Tony Snow: Dies at 53 yrs (0)
December 29, 2011 -- Loss & Gain (2)
July 20, 2011 -- 2 Years Post TakeDown (6)

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Megan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:28:34 +0000

Blue Star is the Official Colon Cancer Logo

Recently, Lisa wrote us and shared her FAP to J-Pouch Story. FAP (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis) is a genetic disorder that causes polyps and often cancer in the colon. It aggressively runs in families as you can see in Lisa’s story, but there is little awareness of the disease in the public. With March being Colon Cancer Awareness Month, it is excellent to bring attention both to Colon Cancer screening, as well as, awareness towards FAP.

FACTS from the Colon Cancer Alliance:

– 1 out of 8 people will be diagnosed with colon cancer.

– 90% of colon cancer is treatable.

– To learn more about Colon Cancer and early screening visit www.ccalliance.org to learn more accurate information about early detection, symptoms, etc…

We’ve often discussed Colon Cancer on this site in various ways, here is a flashback to some of our colon cancer awareness posts:

Please post your comments about your experience with Colon Cancer, any awareness is good awareness.

These posts might also help out:

June 19, 2009 -- Colitis to Dysplasia Surgery (1)
December 29, 2011 -- Loss & Gain (2)
April 20, 2009 -- Welcome Christine and Ricardo to jpouch.net (2)
August 1, 2008 -- Surgery Photos: Rob’s Story (1)