Would Amy's center please make contact?

A bright and upbeat message from Amy Marash in Washington, DC ...

Hi Suzan,
I was diagnosed with metastastic colon cancer in 2008 and treated with 2 surgeries and 11 rounds of chemotherapy, including standard protocols plus an experimental drug. I write stories and make drawings to process my thoughts, feelings and fears about the beast. I've completed treatment, show no evidence of disease, and I'm still here!

Amy's blog, "Cancer Is So Funny" is fascinating - take a look here. She also sent me some of her art to share, so here it is:

Have you got the balls - or ball - for this?

This one is especially for our Darren Couchman, campaigner extraordinaire for testicular cancer awareness and author of a hilarious book called "One Lump Or Two?

A patient visited his urologist for testicular cancer and expressed concern about being able to perform after the operation. The patient was also worried about the chemotherapy. The doctor said "I too had testicular cancer a few years ago. Ten days after the operation I made passionate love with my wife, and forgot all my worries. Try it and see for yourself." Three weeks later the patient returns, and thanks the doctor effusively. The doctor says "I'm glad my advice helped." The patient thanks him again, and as he's leaving says "By the way Doctor, you have a really beautiful house.

Gag unashamedly stolen from The Furry Monkey, a fellow warrior whose site is really well worth a visit. Check it out.

And Karen, please feel free to share any gags and other stuff from here that you find entertaining. We cancer warriors - and especially those of us with a sense of humour - need to stick together.

It's bye-bye bladder time

Well, the BCG / Interferon treatments didn't work. Although the CIS cancer in my bladder isn't worse, it's still there. So in a few weeks' time the surgeons will remove my bladder, create an ileal conduit (tube made from a length of my own small bowel) which then gets sewn on to the ureters that descend from the kidneys, and bingo. Empties into little plastic bag, which I then empty by turning a tap on.

I even get a hysterectomy thrown in - just how cool is that for a "buy one, get one free" deal?

A couple of days ago I visited another woman who has had the same surgery, who very kindly showed me her stoma, bag, etc and explained how it all works. OK, the surgery and recovery are not what you'd call a walk in the park, but they're "do-able."

And the prize bonus? About a year after this lady's surgery while on a trip to the Austrian Alps, someone dared her to write her initials in the snow - something men can do easily but is usually impossible for us girlies.

Not so when you have a urostomy, however. She waited until her bag was full, turned on the tap, squeezed and voilà. And now she's dared me to do the same thing next winter...I can hardly wait...

Photograph stolen from a delightful blog called The WetAss Chronicles by US journalist Tim Zimmermann ... thanks Tim, hope you don't mind.