Posts by Lee Marsh

One very peculiar thing has happened. Many of you know I have used a wheelchair for the last 20 years. I had two problems with my feet. One is metatarsalgia. That is an inflammation of the pad under your foot that covers and protects all those bones. The metatarsalgia was so bad it caused severe nerve damage in all my toes and the front of my feet. Both feet. That made walking extremely painful which is why I used a wheelchair to get out. On most days I could manage in the house as long as I wasn't on my feet too long.

I have colon cancer that has spread to my lungs.

They put me on chemo after I had the first surgery. The side effect of this drug was Hand and Foot Syndrome. Basically it peels the skin off your hands and feet layer by layer. It is ugly and distressing and painful. One doctor said in 35 years it was the worst case she had ever seen. Because the Hand/Foot Syndrome was so bad they would stop and restart the chemo. They switched me from pills to an infusion (bottle with a tube that goes into my vein in my neck and stops close to my heart). Once a week I would have to go for a new bottle. But again I had severe Hand/Foot syndrome so they would stop and start and stop and start. After 4/8 sessions they quit. It was clearly too much for my body. There is nothing else they could give me.

But here is the thing. As the layers of skin peeled off it my feet and hands it was replaced by healthy tissue.

I can walk again!!!!!

My friend drove me to the grocery store and I walked through it (masked of course). I haven't been able to do that in over 20 years!

I still have to go slow. Cancer is definitely slowing me down but I can do it. It is just so amazing to be able to do simple things that we take for granted. If I do too much I suffer at night. The metatarsalgia is greatly improved but the nerve damage it caused is permanent. So for many things or who knows how this cancer makes feel, I still need the wheelchair.

You just never know what good things can come out of the bad.

And I still have a baby great-granddaughter to meet.

70

Hi again

by Lee Marsh in

jw
friends

it is nice to see some familiar faces here.

for those who don't know who i am my last id was lady lee.

thought i would drop by and say hello; see how people are doing.

Lee Marsh

Thank you LongHairGal. Nice to see you too.

70

Hi again

by Lee Marsh in

jw
friends

it is nice to see some familiar faces here.

for those who don't know who i am my last id was lady lee.

thought i would drop by and say hello; see how people are doing.

Lee Marsh

Great Teacher. Hmmm I should have come back using that name but I see you already took it lol

I am very glad that people are still benefitting from all that info. And very nice to see that the Best Of series is still available.

As for colonoscopy; the prep was far worse and I ask them to knock me out for the colonoscopy. Don't feel or hear a thing. They are free in Canada but they recommend a fecal immunochemical test be done first. We get those from the Dr and mail them in. If that is clear then wait a couple of years and do it again - after 50.

But many patients are younger and wish they had the test much earlier. When they were finally tested the cancer had spread.

Get the FIT test people. It can cave your life.

70

Hi again

by Lee Marsh in

jw
friends

it is nice to see some familiar faces here.

for those who don't know who i am my last id was lady lee.

thought i would drop by and say hello; see how people are doing.

Lee Marsh

Hi TD, arwen, and under the radar. Nice to see you all. Hope you are all doing well

DesirousOfChange

I have 1 left of 5. They caught it really early and it is still less than I cm which makes treatment a lot easier rather than waiting for it to grow and spread. So far (only 4 treatments) I don’t seem to have any side-effects but they say that comes after week 2 so I will see what happens.

Hang in there. I have been talking to a lot of people who are still here long after anyone thought they would be.

MacH Thank you. When we have lost family it is nice to know there is a place to come to where people remember you and wish you well.

70

Hi again

by Lee Marsh in

jw
friends

it is nice to see some familiar faces here.

for those who don't know who i am my last id was lady lee.

thought i would drop by and say hello; see how people are doing.

Lee Marsh

Hi Smiddy At least its not covid

Hi BB not sure just yet how much positive input I can give but I am here

Hello Slidin Fast I definitely need the lift.

70

Hi again

by Lee Marsh in

jw
friends

it is nice to see some familiar faces here.

for those who don't know who i am my last id was lady lee.

thought i would drop by and say hello; see how people are doing.

Lee Marsh

Hi JeffT, Gordy and JW Gonebad.

You are all giving me the boost I need these days. Like returning home.

70

Hi again

by Lee Marsh in

jw
friends

it is nice to see some familiar faces here.

for those who don't know who i am my last id was lady lee.

thought i would drop by and say hello; see how people are doing.

Lee Marsh

Vidqun, mine is also colon cancer. I had no symptoms and they only picked it up because I took a FIT test. This is colorectal cancer awareness month. Colorectal cancer is attacking younger people and often they have no symptoms until the cancer has spread and it becomes very hard to get rid of. GET TESTED!

Mine spread to the lungs but they are catching them when they are very small and they are acting fast to deal with them. Glad to hear your mom is in remission. That gives me hope.

70