› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Stage IV NED after 2.5 years
- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 12 months ago by
Swanee.
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- November 13, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Just wanted to post the good news. My last occurance 2.5 years ago was 4 mets in my liver which were taken out by RF ablation. Nothing has popped up since. After the first diagnosis of Stage II in 2009 I received the one month high dose interferon. As a result of that I ended up with vitiligo. My immune system seems to be in overdrive, the mets to the liver notwithstanding. I haven't even had a cold. I take Maitake, curcumin, vitamin D, CoQ10, Vitamin C, and a multivitamin. I have not changed my lifestyle.
Just wanted to post the good news. My last occurance 2.5 years ago was 4 mets in my liver which were taken out by RF ablation. Nothing has popped up since. After the first diagnosis of Stage II in 2009 I received the one month high dose interferon. As a result of that I ended up with vitiligo. My immune system seems to be in overdrive, the mets to the liver notwithstanding. I haven't even had a cold. I take Maitake, curcumin, vitamin D, CoQ10, Vitamin C, and a multivitamin. I have not changed my lifestyle. I drink a lot of beer, and smoke, and am obese (although I don't eat very much junk food). I just deal with the lymphodema in my leg because the wrapping and compression garments are more uncomfortable than the swelling. My onc has not offered any trials, and she is a melanoma specialist in Grand Rapids, MI. She has passed me on to her nurse practicioner. I will continue to get my PET scans every 6 months. Thankfully I have wonderful health insurance that pays for them 100%.
I check in here on the board frequently and am always saddened by the fallen warriors. I pray daily that I could pass on some of my luck to the husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and children out there who are struggling so hard with this beast. I deal with the beast but I am not dealing well with the "survivors guilt". May each and everyone of you (us) succeed in beating it.
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- November 14, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Way to go! Congratulations on the coveted NED status, hopefully a permanent status! I wonder if it's the beer that has contributed to your survival…..lots of great stuff in beer not to mention how it makes you feel like a party!! My father was a beer drinker and was the happiest man I ever met! He also brewed his own and I was his assistant brewmaster and I can remember so vividly the smells of the hops, malt and yeast. As a kid I loved the smell of that concoction, just like fresh ground coffee but hated the taste of such adult beverages and wondered why they would want to drink this stuff? However, since adulthood I've come to appreciate the taste myself (or is it the party)…. so cheers to beer!
The other contributor to your good health just might be your attitude and zest for life. You should enjoy this time with all your senses and waste no time on the other……like guilt! There is not a soul on this board that would want any melanoma survivor to give guilt any attention. We all hope once you reach an NED status that it never changes …..but you don't have to hang here long to find out that NED sometimes, has a way of coming undone for which we all feel a loss.
So celebrate my friend and keep your vision focused on living and surviving this beast and any energy you might think about giving to guilt, why don't you send it to your friends here with continued prayers of hope and restored health for all those here doing their best to win the NED award!
Lifting my mug and toasting your NED status!
Swanee
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- November 14, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Way to go! Congratulations on the coveted NED status, hopefully a permanent status! I wonder if it's the beer that has contributed to your survival…..lots of great stuff in beer not to mention how it makes you feel like a party!! My father was a beer drinker and was the happiest man I ever met! He also brewed his own and I was his assistant brewmaster and I can remember so vividly the smells of the hops, malt and yeast. As a kid I loved the smell of that concoction, just like fresh ground coffee but hated the taste of such adult beverages and wondered why they would want to drink this stuff? However, since adulthood I've come to appreciate the taste myself (or is it the party)…. so cheers to beer!
The other contributor to your good health just might be your attitude and zest for life. You should enjoy this time with all your senses and waste no time on the other……like guilt! There is not a soul on this board that would want any melanoma survivor to give guilt any attention. We all hope once you reach an NED status that it never changes …..but you don't have to hang here long to find out that NED sometimes, has a way of coming undone for which we all feel a loss.
So celebrate my friend and keep your vision focused on living and surviving this beast and any energy you might think about giving to guilt, why don't you send it to your friends here with continued prayers of hope and restored health for all those here doing their best to win the NED award!
Lifting my mug and toasting your NED status!
Swanee
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- November 14, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Way to go! Congratulations on the coveted NED status, hopefully a permanent status! I wonder if it's the beer that has contributed to your survival…..lots of great stuff in beer not to mention how it makes you feel like a party!! My father was a beer drinker and was the happiest man I ever met! He also brewed his own and I was his assistant brewmaster and I can remember so vividly the smells of the hops, malt and yeast. As a kid I loved the smell of that concoction, just like fresh ground coffee but hated the taste of such adult beverages and wondered why they would want to drink this stuff? However, since adulthood I've come to appreciate the taste myself (or is it the party)…. so cheers to beer!
The other contributor to your good health just might be your attitude and zest for life. You should enjoy this time with all your senses and waste no time on the other……like guilt! There is not a soul on this board that would want any melanoma survivor to give guilt any attention. We all hope once you reach an NED status that it never changes …..but you don't have to hang here long to find out that NED sometimes, has a way of coming undone for which we all feel a loss.
So celebrate my friend and keep your vision focused on living and surviving this beast and any energy you might think about giving to guilt, why don't you send it to your friends here with continued prayers of hope and restored health for all those here doing their best to win the NED award!
Lifting my mug and toasting your NED status!
Swanee
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