What are you thankful for?

[gemgirl]

Ellen, you have been missed. I am thankful for your life changing experience.

It's funny that I'm in a position that I never thought I'd be in. As half of a couple who usually emails "attitude of gratitude" messages to our marriage ministry throughout November, I've been having a hard time this week with gratitude. I'm trying to turn it around and I'm almost there. Just not quite *there* yet.

In April I found out that I had a large number of precancerous polyps in my colon. In June I almost bled to death and was on the critical list because of the surgeon's negligence. I was given a chance to rebound from that and in September I went back to begin the process of having more polyps removed. That surgeon said (shockingly) that he didn't see anything worth taking out and I should come back in three yrs. (Totally nuts) Last Friday I had my fifth colonoscopy in seven months and the specialist who was supposed to remove my remaining polyps- didn't, because I have many more than we thought and attempting to remove them all could possibly cost me my life. He told me I have a polyposis syndrome that will keep manufacturing these pre-c polyps. So we're waiting to see him again next Thursday when the pathology reports come back to discuss removing either 2/3 -or- all of my colon. He said I was "lucky" that they found them now before anything turned into cancer, that I was "ahead of the curve" and being given the chance to get rid of this threat and live a normal life.

I am grateful that I've made it through this year. I am also grateful that I don't have cancer. At least that's his opinion with the advanced technology he used. I'm having a hard time thinking of how different I will be and my life might be without a necessary body part. I'm still struggling with that. So I guess I'm stranded between gratitude and I can't believe this is happening to me. I am however, overwhelmingly grateful for a husband who has stood by me during every moment of this journey. I am also grateful for having a circle of real life friends and cyber friends who have given me support and encouragement along the way.

I am glad that it was not cancer. It is the best of news, and I wish you strength to face the surgery, in case you need it. I hope you know if it is Gardner syndrome or not. It seems that you have a good doctor now, and I am glad that he had wisdom to continue with the colonoscopies and, in fact, catch it in time. It must have been a horrible ordeal for you, emotionally and physically. I do not pray the formal way, but I shall ask for things to turn out the best way for you when I say my prayers.

Thank you crasru. We'll see what my new doctor has to say on Thursday. Then we'll talk it over with my regular Gastro too. I've seen a genetic counselor already but this new doc might send me back for more testing. I didn't fit into the FAP category, so it might not be Gardner's since it's an offshoot of FAP. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I am tired of all this, and I'm awfully tired of fasting and prepping! I deserve a big ole' diamond for having five scopes in seven months.

 

[Ellen]

Well, well, well. Look who all dropped in.


Irish, it's so great to see you too lady! And good to hear we're in agreement.

I am really glad you have a great hubby, and realize it. Enjoy him!!



luv2, I'm so very glad you dropped in. It sounds like your life is full... and that you have a very good man too. Yay! Yes, always blessings, if we'll stop and look.

Thank you for missing me too.




gecko, That pic is hilarious. Goof.

MAJOR congrats to DH! Woohooo. And yes, turkey is good.

Good to see you!



dragonfly, {{{HUGS}}} I'm so sorry life is throwing so many curve balls at you all at once. I wish I could say something to make everything better, but I can't. But for my 2 pennies worth, I'd say you're going through a real "growth season", so try to get as much as you can out of it. Learn from it. And as for friends, I got rid of most of mine, they were toxic. And I don't miss them. If indeed you can't trust them, they are not much of a friend... As for family, gently but firmly stand up or yourself. No one else will.

As for SO, just take things a day at a time. Don't borrow trouble.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."


And thank you so much for your kind words miss.

Do take care.




Thank you all for posting. Between the gems who dropped by in here, and the ones who have dropped me an email, my week has been made! (way too much happiness for just a day)

 

[geckodani]

I couldn't resist Ellen. My sister made me do it, I swear!

 

[hlmr]

Hi Ellen!!! Long time no see, and glad you are back! A very Merry Christmas and a wonderful upcoming year to you and yours!!

I am very thankful for health, family, and my friends (off and on-line).

 

[Ellen]

Hey you!!

Thank you miss, and the very same to you. Good to see you!



p.s. I have not forgotten I owe you something. Coming soon, to a mailbox near you.

 

[Strawdermangrl]

I am thankful for my dog, who sheds like crazy and has bad breath but always is there for a snuggle when I need it most.
For my dad who never ceases to tell me how proud he is of me.
For my friends who constantly remind me how blessed I am to have such a great group of people around me and who push me to be a better person.

And for my co-workers and boss who continually amaze me. Even when they keep bringing in various baked goods that are undoubtedly adding to the size of my buns.

 

[Matata]

I'm thankful for everyone and everything I love; for everything I have and everything I have lost; for my life which was so very bad for so many years and is now so very very good.

 

[kenny]

I'm thankful (to myself I guess) that I made good choices and worked my butt off all my life.
The result is a good life.

Since I'm not in a religion I can't be thankful for avoiding lightning, cancer and collisions with SUVs.
Those are luck, which I'm glad for.
(How can you thank what/who you don't believe exists?)

Maybe I'll start calling the last Thurs in November, Glad4Luck Day.

 

[junebug17]

Hi Kenny I missed you.

 

[princesss]

I feel like I have so much to be thankful for!

I have an amazing, supportive family that has really been there for me when I needed it. And I get to see them in 2.5 weeks!

I have incredible friends that I can trust and who will be there for me when I need it, and who don't hesitate to call when they need me to be there for them. I've been learning that sometimes the hardest part of a friendship is calling somebody when you're vulnerable and need support, and I'm so glad my friends trust me enough to call me. Goodness knows I've called most of them needing support over the past few months.

I am healthy in a way I haven't been in years - 7 years ago my resting heart rate was in the low 100s, and I was going through a bunch of tests to try to figure out what the problem was. I spent 7 years on medication, and over the past year or so have gotten in shape and gotten my eating habits right to the point where my resting heart rate without medication is 52bpm. I still tear up when I think about it.

My family and friends are healthy. That's an amazing thing in and of itself.

I have a job I enjoy and coworkers I enjoy being around. My furbabies are happy and healthy. I can make ends meet and even save money each month. Life is good and I'm very, very thankful.

 

[Ellen]

Morning all!


Straw, that's great that your dad continues to tell you that he is proud of you.


Matata, you seem to have much to be thankful for. Thanks for posting, and good to see you.


princess, I think that's awesome how you have gotten off meds and are maintaining your health naturally. Way to go!


Kenny and junebug, good to see you.




I was reminded by straw's last sentence, I have put a few pounds on myself, and they mainly seem to have settled in my seat. (more cushion) But it's for a good reason if there ever is one. I quit smoking 11 weeks ago this Friday. The ability to do that, with the utter ease that came this try, nothing like the last try(s), I am continually thankful for.


Have a great day all!

 

[zoebartlett]

Congratulations on quitting Ellen!

 

[Skippy123]

ditto Zoe, huge congrats!!!!! Yay you! That is awesome!!!!!!!

 

[Ellen]

Just popping in for a sec before dashing out again. (unfortunately not through the snow though)


Thank you veddy much ladies! I am just so happy to be smoke free. (my skin is very happy too, wow) And thrilled and amazed not to even miss them. Not at all. Not just a teensy bit. Not one iota. YES!!

 

[dragonfly411]

Ellen - I don't know you all that well, but I'm still proud of you for being smoke free.

Today I do have things to be thankful for:

Things with Recent SO have taken a small turn for the better. We're going for ice cream tonight.

Last night was our first freeze and I got to spend the night snuggled under many blankies with my dogs.

My mom and I had fun at Harry Potter last night.

I got an 87 on the hardest test in this class I'm in so far.

I LOVE my new shirt.

I'm going to start running again next week. I'm also back to sculpting and lifting my weights regularly.

 

[Ellen]

Aw, thank you dragonfly!


And I am so glad to see things looking up for you!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Hi Ellen - good to see you!

Glad to hear things are going well for you. What was your secret to quitting smoking pain free? Would it help in losing weight too?

I'm still able to find the Casual perfume online - did you find some more of it?

Of all things, I'm most thankful for my family. Without them, the rest is just the rest. I am blessed!

 

[manderz]

Just popping in for a sec before dashing out again. (unfortunately not through the snow though)


Thank you veddy much ladies! I am just so happy to be smoke free. (my skin is very happy too, wow) And thrilled and amazed not to even miss them. Not at all. Not just a teensy bit. Not one iota. YES!!

I just wanted to tell you congratulations!! Quitting is so important, and so beneficial in the long run. I myself have quit as well, and when it's that easy and you don't miss them, well, that's when you know it was the right time. Comgrats!!

 

[arjunajane]

I'm thankful that my dad didn't die at 53 when he had a number of massive heart attacks a couple weeks ago, and a long and stressful story short - ended up with a quintuplet bypass and a defibrillator in his chest.
I'm thankful this will (hopefully) induce my Fi to quit smoking.
Ellen - congratulations my love on quitting. All of the (very serious) damage done to my dad's heart was from 40-odd years of smoking, and it seriously is not worth it.

On a lighter note, I'm thankful that Pearlman's in their generous Dec give away advised me I was the winner of a $100 gift voucher yesterday Thanks Pearlmans!

 

[Ellen]

Sorry I'm somewhat late all, been nursing an upset tummy...


MGR, so good to see you!

No, I gave up on the Casual, though I found a site that reproduces perfumes. I was all set to have them remake it, but realized it was nearing the end of Summer, and I only wear it in Spring/Summer. I couldn't see the point in it sitting several months, especially if it "expired" since it's a knockoff. So, I decided to wait until like the end of Feb. and will order it then.

Family is good.

As to my secret on quiting, there's no secret. I simply prayed that the Lord would make this as easy as He did when I quit drinking right after my conversion. I simply quit and walked away from all alcohol, after drinking regularly since I was a teen. (for those who don't know, I'll be 51 in a couple weeks) One doesn't do that "themselves" with this much ease. It's as if I never drank, or smoked. Those aren't secrets, those are miracles. But then, He's in the miracle business...




manderz, thank you so much! Isn't it such a release??! Plus, you fmell good all the time, you can wear clothes more than once, no one's complaining about your nasty habit... The benefits are endless. Congrats to you as well!!




arjuna, lovely to see you again my dear!!

Wow, your dad has been through a lot. I too am terribly thankful he is still with you. Praying he recoups well and makes the right decision to quit. This is such a wicked, nasty habit, and so very hard for most to give up.


Well, here's to Pearlaman's!

Take care miss!




I am really thankful for all of you who have responded in here. Thank you.

 

[gemgirl]

Turkey.

dani that's hysterical! I'd know that spikey little red head anywhere!

 

[gemgirl]

Ellen, you have been missed. I am thankful for your life changing experience.

It's funny that I'm in a position that I never thought I'd be in. As half of a couple who usually emails "attitude of gratitude" messages to our marriage ministry throughout November, I've been having a hard time this week with gratitude. I'm trying to turn it around and I'm almost there. Just not quite *there* yet.

In April I found out that I had a large number of precancerous polyps in my colon. In June I almost bled to death and was on the critical list because of the surgeon's negligence. I was given a chance to rebound from that and in September I went back to begin the process of having more polyps removed. That surgeon said (shockingly) that he didn't see anything worth taking out and I should come back in three yrs. (Totally nuts) Last Friday I had my fifth colonoscopy in seven months and the specialist who was supposed to remove my remaining polyps- didn't, because I have many more than we thought and attempting to remove them all could possibly cost me my life. He told me I have a polyposis syndrome that will keep manufacturing these pre-c polyps. So we're waiting to see him again next Thursday when the pathology reports come back to discuss removing either 2/3 -or- all of my colon. He said I was "lucky" that they found them now before anything turned into cancer, that I was "ahead of the curve" and being given the chance to get rid of this threat and live a normal life.

I am grateful that I've made it through this year. I am also grateful that I don't have cancer. At least that's his opinion with the advanced technology he used. I'm having a hard time thinking of how different I will be and my life might be without a necessary body part. I'm still struggling with that. So I guess I'm stranded between gratitude and I can't believe this is happening to me. I am however, overwhelmingly grateful for a husband who has stood by me during every moment of this journey. I am also grateful for having a circle of real life friends and cyber friends who have given me support and encouragement along the way.

I am glad that it was not cancer. It is the best of news, and I wish you strength to face the surgery, in case you need it. I hope you know if it is Gardner syndrome or not. It seems that you have a good doctor now, and I am glad that he had wisdom to continue with the colonoscopies and, in fact, catch it in time. It must have been a horrible ordeal for you, emotionally and physically. I do not pray the formal way, but I shall ask for things to turn out the best way for you when I say my prayers.

Thank you crasru. We'll see what my new doctor has to say on Thursday. Then we'll talk it over with my regular Gastro too. I've seen a genetic counselor already but this new doc might send me back for more testing. I didn't fit into the FAP category, so it might not be Gardner's since it's an offshoot of FAP. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I am tired of all this, and I'm awfully tired of fasting and prepping! I deserve a big ole' diamond for having five scopes in seven months.

Just a little follow up and then I'm shelving this whole discussion for the month of December because I really want my husband and I to enjoy the holidays.

I saw my super doc on Thursday and we talked for at least forty five minutes. He reviewed my genetic testing and my pathology reports and he explained that I have a non-genetic form of MAP (Multiple Adenomatous Polyposis). There's nothing that modern medicine can do for me at this point by way of conservative endoscopic surgeries, so come early February (at least that's the plan now), I'll be a little lighter on my feet. I'm going for a surgical consult in the next week or so to have 2/3 of my colon removed. This is the only way we're going to beat this thing before a few of them turn into cancer.

I am grateful that I am going to get to keep 1/3 of my colon. All of the biopsies on that portion came back fine and keeping that part should help my body to function more normally than taking the whole thing out.

I'm not going to talk about this anymore. It's an unappealing subject and I want to enjoy the holidays and my diamond project .