Lee: stomach cancer survivor I'm Lee, I'm from Nebraska, I'm 66 years old. I was born and raised on a farm and still live in a small community. I'm a retired dietitian, and I'm a widow. I have one child, who's very dear to me, and also a couple grandchildren. My problem with cancer began the winter of 1998. After several tests, I was diagnosed with Signet Cell Stomach Cancer. As a result the doctors totally removed my stomach and made me a small pouch out of small intestines. After I healed up, I took chemo and radiation, until they finally stopped it because it burnt me inside. I was getting along very well, but I have to eat small amounts. You can't seem to stretch out that pouch like you do a normal stomach. So my word is I graze every day. I eat a small, two small breakfasts, I eat a lunch and then a small after lunch and then later on in the day I eat again, but I do kind of graze through the day. That seems to work out very well. I also now take B-12 shots every two months because the stomach is the only is where the B-12 is manufactured. So being without a stomach I have to take B-12 shots, which is no problem, except we have to learn all the things that the stomach did that we have to substitute for. The things that count All in all, I was getting along quite well, but I developed some symptoms that concerned me, so I went to my doctor and they've been doing some tests, and now we have found that the signet cell cancer has come back. It's in my bladder now, so I'm sure I'll be doing some more chemo and probably radiation. I don't mind not working any longer. I've not been able to work because there's times with no stomach I'm not always feeling real well. But it does give me an opportunity to be a volunteer and do some work that I've always wanted to do in my church, in fact, my, it has completely changed my life, having cancer. I find out that I care more about the things that are real important, like family, my church, my friends. That's more important than so many other nameless little things that used to be important to me. I don't know as how I could have gone through this whole procedure without the prayer of my friends and my minister and my family. It has given me such support that without it I don't know how I could have gotten along. There are things that I've learnt through this that when you develop cancer. First of all, don't go running and say that's it, I'm not gonna live. You need to find support from other people that have had cancer and you also need to get as much learn as much as you can about your cancer. Find out what the odds are, find out how many people have it and find out how many people have been treated for your type of cancer. This is the one thing that's been hard for me because my cancer is a very different cancer that is not common in the United States, it's only common in Japan. So it's been real hard for me to find out anything about my cancer. But it has broadened my horizons. I've learned more about it and my doctors also have studied it. Because of its being an odd cancer. But don't ever let anybody say, well, that's it, you're done, you can't, you won't live. But if one of them says it, go find out from some one else, you always can find out things from books, if you can't do anything else, go to your local library. They will have books on your type of cancer. Help is always there One thing that helped me through all my cancer was the support of family and friends. When I was taking radiation, I would take it five days a week, and I never had to ask anyone to take me. There was always people in line waiting to take me to my treatment. My children were always there, my son was there, his wife, his children were there, always ready for me. Also my husband's sister and her husband were always there waiting to help me, and I think anyone will find out when they have cancer and need help they sometimes don't be afraid to ask. People so often want to help but they don't know how to help. So if you need transportation, let people know that you need this, and so often they are ready and willing to help. I've sure found that in mine. I never did had to ask anyone to take me, I always had volunteers. They were always ready to take me. And it's a good feeling to know that your family and friends are gathering around you at the time when you need them the most. |
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