tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81831950745060623622026-05-06T17:27:47.583-05:00You'll find no pretty ribbons here.Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-22882480961956520022025-09-08T16:28:00.003-05:002025-09-08T16:28:37.005-05:00

Hey gang! Just checking in to let you know that my most recent colonoscopy was pretty consistently unremarkable, with the doc finding just one 4mm polyp. See you in 2030!

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-7047305860370482562023-03-02T15:36:00.002-06:002023-03-02T15:36:23.225-06:00

And yet it's everything. 😄In the news: Report shows ‘troubling’ rise in colorectal cancer among US adults younger than 55Related:

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-60249614904803359042021-05-21T15:18:00.000-05:002021-05-21T15:18:20.113-05:00

Save one pesky 5mm polyp, everything looked just fine in the ol' colon. They're even changing my recall to every five years instead of every three, woo hoo!PS to any followers that are in my peer group, you might want to look into booking your colonoscopy soon: guidelines have been changed and people of normal risk should start getting screening colonoscopies at 45.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-40510785310119887342020-11-22T21:34:00.007-06:002020-11-22T21:34:40.798-06:00

 Stay safe out there, folks, and f*ck 2020!!

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-70078489605415800192019-07-26T15:34:00.003-05:002019-07-26T15:34:35.602-05:00

See you in 2020!

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-37144848875125248042018-05-29T15:12:00.000-05:002018-05-29T15:12:08.163-05:00

I'm nearly ten years clear* I think I'm finally used to it. ;) (*Clean scope last week! I'll see you this time next year...)

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-31505471488200078652017-05-11T10:37:00.001-05:002017-05-11T10:37:28.831-05:00

Other than the whole early menopause thing coming true, things are still good on my end. Hope you all can say the same. :)

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-36205208467723168222016-05-02T08:26:00.002-05:002016-05-02T08:26:54.710-05:00

...which is just how we like it. :)

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-69991110637935899242015-04-03T21:57:00.000-05:002015-04-03T21:57:09.589-05:00

Until the next time. :)

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-61278818004460075422014-08-14T19:19:00.002-05:002019-01-11T15:24:13.511-06:00

Two people that I met--one IRL, one only online--that had the same diagnosis as I and were diagnosed around the same time as myself recently died, one today, another a few weeks ago.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-51425997590189522922013-12-01T21:54:00.002-06:002013-12-01T22:03:26.732-06:00

That's me on the left with the visor and marathon medal hanging around my neck. Marathon as in full marathon. 26.2. Yes, I've become that cancer survivor. But then I'm hard pressed to think of a better way to celebrate [now more than] five years being NCED (no current evidence of disease, the closest my onc will get to giving me a clean bill of health). RAWK.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-85191699873084920172013-01-23T14:04:00.001-06:002013-01-23T14:04:50.624-06:00

I'm overdue in letting you guys know that I'm not just here but good. Clean scopes, clean scans, and the first 5-year anniversary (of diagnosis in Nov. 2007) under my belt. Just wanted to stop in and let you guys know that while cancer isn't the furthest thing from my mind these days, it's pretty damn close. :)

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-39458442140606104072010-07-06T14:59:00.002-05:002010-07-06T15:17:21.615-05:00

I am doing well. Really, surprisingly well. I don't think about The Troubles or The Troubles II (aka the whole waste of time known as the exercise in futility fertility) much at all, and when I do, I only break down in tears about 10% of the time.The latest and greatest in Brigita's Busted Body is that I'm seeing a physical therapist to address relatively recent knee pain that may be a result

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-20678083122268976032010-05-13T15:07:00.003-05:002010-05-13T15:56:24.097-05:00

More than six months later, here's the deal: I am officially barren.After several months of talks, tests, and the requisite ramp-up hormones, my ovaries refused to play ball. My fertility doctor was even baffled by the fact that I am (was?) still having my monthlies.While this isn't exactly news, I am still incredibly disappointed, and possibly even depressed. I desperately wanted to be the

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-90444323961412450922009-10-25T14:27:00.004-05:002009-10-25T15:04:37.115-05:00

Channeling my two-year-old here for a second, my life is "mine." And I will lead it as I see fit [dammit].So this is the occasional check-in where I let you know how I am doing--really doing, really feeling--in all of this.I feel pretty fucking great. For the most part, anyhow. Yesterday I got a wild hair1 and went for a run for the first time in I don't know how long. The last time I remember

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-40085156948971019292009-09-30T15:33:00.002-05:002009-09-30T15:42:26.536-05:00

Thanks to therapy, I have identified and am working through not one, not two, but at least THREE separate identity crises. I always have been something of a misdirected overachiever.I think I know what I want to be when I grown up, but I have to make a concerted effort to get off my ass to do something about it. It seems as though my various side-effects are easing somewhat, just in time for

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-83198112844961084892009-09-03T18:02:00.002-05:002009-09-03T18:06:59.792-05:00

Remember the bullshit of my last CT scan? Where the radiologist tried to read my films with their head up their ass? Well, I wish I could say it didn't happen again this time, because it did, BUT I can say that my ever-stellar oncologist caught their mistake before it did any damage, with the upshot being that my 1 year [since the end of chemo] scan came back CLEAR! HOORAY!One tip to all of my

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-3979637108908591942009-08-26T15:37:00.003-05:002009-08-26T16:15:24.588-05:00

I feel like I am coming apart.I seriously think I have been having a low-grade anxiety attack for the last six hours or so. I know I didn't double up on my thyroid meds in an attempt to get more pep (learned that lesson the first time) and am pretty sure I didn't over do it with the coffee this morning, so what's the cause?I have a feeling it's short-term scanxiety coupled with longer-term

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-69000174407712925872009-08-13T21:42:00.003-05:002009-08-13T21:53:02.616-05:00

I did not do everything right.Sure, I exercised, maintained a [mostly] healthy weight, did yoga, didn't eat red meat.But I drank too much, really didn't eat all that well, slept irregularly, would fire my car's keyless remote at my pelvis to improve its range, and got a navel ring, which I learned today can potentially have a negative effect on one's digestive system.So, did I do everything right

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-31023733794875704422009-07-30T14:08:00.002-05:002019-01-11T15:24:13.295-06:00

Sitting on my ass in front of a computer for several years straight.Keeping my cellphone in my pocket.Aiming my keyless entry fob @ my pelvis to improve its signal.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-17773514034924243722009-07-13T21:43:00.002-05:002009-07-13T21:48:10.417-05:00

A recent study found that swearing makes pain more tolerable.I had very nearly given up swearing before my diagnosis. Ah well.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-68933034962718116772009-07-08T22:10:00.003-05:002009-07-09T08:06:11.678-05:00

Ass cancer hats off to my stage III CRC compadre, JdB, who completed his twelfth and final FOLFOX treatment today. This is no mean feat, considering I was thisclose to throwing in the towel before finishing out at eight.Congrats, John!! I am absolutely thrilled for you and your family. Try to rest so you're good and healed for your takedown.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-60723938290149784012009-06-26T20:15:00.002-05:002009-06-26T20:17:05.624-05:00

And they are two:I am physically unable to and simply cannot eat more than a cup of raw veg at a time.My digestive tract is exactly 26 hours long.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-81149744104354455922009-06-17T15:38:00.000-05:002009-06-17T15:39:04.027-05:00

Great news from the guts front: I got my drivers license renewal form in the mail the other day and along with it came a set of orange dot DONOR stickers. I (and everyone else in my GI support group) had been under the impression that we cancer veterans had to keep our spare parts to ourselves.Rather than languish under flawed assumptions, I thought I should give a call to the authorities on the

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183195074506062362.post-13537909092358077562009-06-10T19:52:00.003-05:002009-06-10T20:33:01.631-05:00

I now understand why parents think their children are brilliant because when I was looked into my daughter's eyes and saw the wheels turning as she tried to figure out how to dress her dolly, I thought to myself:She could actually find the cure.

Sugarmouth O'Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854359806220332036noreply@blogger.com0