It's been a long while since I checked in! I hope you are all doing well. My husband and I passed the 4-year recovery mark back in June but we didn't really notice it at all. It was just like any other day in our lives..... yes! I say this to encourage all of you who are at the beginning of this roller coaster ride. It does get better and life can become normal again.... even after TWO affairs, which was the case in our marriage.
We also recently told the kids about the affairs. Our youngest son (13) was doing some counseling and asked my husband if he ever had done anything that he thought was unforgiveable. He told him about the affairs. I was shocked. Told him now we had to tell the older three and so we did.
Both of our twin sons (20) were shocked, but fine with the news. DD (19) was angry for quite a while and wouldn't talk with her dad, but she's come around. I'm glad they know. One of the twins is engaged to be married and he's on his way to Iraq (sob). Husband and I were able to talk with the two of them about protecting their relationship while they are separated. It was a good talk and I think beneficial to them, and not something we could have done had they not known about what had happened between us.
Oh, so now my request to all of you: If you are over 50 please schedule a colonoscopy TODAY. If you are not 50, but have a family history of cancer, talk with your doctor about having a colonoscopy early.
After years of being told I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome, my doctor FINALLY scheduled a colonoscopy. There has been a lot of cancer in my family, but not colon cancer. Some of you might remember, too, that DD has ulcerative colitis, which makes her more likely to develop colon cancer.
Anyway, I had the beast lurking in my colon. Very few symptoms other than cramping when I ate. Then again, you know what the most common symptom of colon cancer is? It's no symptoms at all. So please get checked.
I was staged at Stage II, had the surgery (boy that was fun) and recently started a six-month chemo thingy as part of a study. Not sure I'll get through it, though, as apparently I am deficient in an enzyme that processes the chemo, so we aren't sure where we are headed yet.
Still, I am doing very well. No spread of the disease, none in the lymph nodes. The chemo is more of a precaution because the tumor itself was deemed "high risk" for recurrence.
I can't tell you how battling this disease has brought my husband and I closer together. When life itself is on the line, so many extraneous things just fall into place.
I love you guys! I hope everyone is doing well and healing, with or without their marriages intact.
Now go call your doctor and schedule your colonoscopy. I mean it!!!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
~ Snow
