Do You Know Anyone Who Has Cancer?

Laura_Ivy

This subject just hurts my heart to see the losses caused by cancer. My Dad was diagnosed with lymphoma in the 90s and went into remission after agressive chemo but ended up dying from liver failure in 2010. In October my Grams was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer that went undetected and died a month later. It was the hardest thing ever to lose her in such a short amount of time...it hurts to type the words out since I miss her so bad. I loathe cancer.

hbunting86

My dad had cancer.

He was diagnosed in March 2008 with terminal metastatic lung and adrenal adenocarcinoma. With therapeutic chemotherapy, the doctors gave him 6 months to live maximum. In the latter stages, the cancer had spread to his brain. He eventually passed away in June 2009 - making much more of life than the doctors initially gave him.

He was 50 years old when he passed away, I was 23 at the time and my sister 20 - he never saw his youngest daughter turn 21, and will never know that she is now a trained nurse partially due to being a part of his final journey.

Cancer is hard. So hard for the person it is affecting, and so hard for those around who are only able to helplessly watch.

My dad will always be my inspiration to stay strong, and have a healthy happy life no matter what happens.

xnikkiheart

The man who was like a second father to me found out he had stage 4 cancer 3 years ago. It started out as back pain and headaches, they did tons of tests and he even tried some at home things before they spotted the cancer. At this point it had already spread to his bones and they gave him less than 6 months, even with treatment. He started treatment anyways, spent 10 months in the hospital, 3 months under quarantine, getting limited to no physical interaction with people for weeks on end, but he eventually pulled through after about a year. He was still weak and on steroids to help him gain back the 100lbs he lost (he weighed just over 100lbs when he pulled through). After 6 months of at home care, he developed a cold that quickly sent him back to the hospital. From there he spent the next 4 months in and out of the hospital for various things, getting better with each visit. Then he got pneumonia and was sent back to he hospital, had to be put into a medically induced coma, and was on life support. After 2 years of cancer and treatments, he passed away in April of 2010. He was 45 years old.

Scatterdragon

My late husbands grandfather fought non-hodgkins two times, he was 73-74 when he was rushed to the hospital with a bowel obstruction and waited until he could say goodbye to all his kids to pass during surgery. After he died, the doctor told my husbands grandma that he had terminal stomach cancer and he knew but didn't want her to worry about it.

My fiances uncle died last year of stomach cancer, he wasn't feeling well after exercising for 4 months and getting healthy, so he went to the doctor and was diagnosed... He was dead two weeks later.

My grandfather is currently battling a very rare form of blood cancer, and it has completely ravaged his body. It is so hard seeing such a strong man reduced to such a frail little man. I really hope he survives long enough to walk me down the aisle again.

ohtobe2

My Dad died 3 months ago from Bladder Cancer. He fought it for 5 years, and was determined it wasnt going to kill him. But it got him in the end once it spread to liver after having his bladder removed.

There is so much out there, I think it is rather scary!

ozcat5

I have known and lost numerous people to cancer, family and friends, even my dogs have had Cancer. In our day and age, I don't think there are very many people who haven't.

The most recent was the loss of my Uncle last year to Cancer (of the Spleen I think) and right now my Aunt is battling with Breast Cancer. My Aunt is strong and in good health. She has only just finished the last of the Chemo and start Radiology this week. We are optimistic she will make a full recovery.

When someone you know is diagnosed or loses the battle with Cancer, the pain of loss is increased by the helplessness to do anything about it.

Well I am doing something....I am registered for the 2012 Brisbane Ride to Conquer Cancer to aid in the research for treatment, identification of causes and methods of prevention and detection. This Epic Event is a 200km+ bike ride over 2 days.

If you want to help me with my endeavour, and know that you are not helpless to make a difference, please feel free to donate http://www.conquercancer.org.au/site/TR?px=1076953&pg=personal&fr_id=1050&s_src=BF_emailbadge2012

I make sure I donate to any Cancer related causes whenever I can with both product purchases and direct donations and I still want to do more.

PrincessLou71186

In August 2008 my Mum started complaining of stomach pains. She kept pushing it aside and helped finalise my wedding plans for 8th November 2008. Two weeks later on Friday 21st November she went to hospital to have an Ultrasound done as her doctor thought it was gall stones and had booked the test in late October after she finally gave in to the nagging from my sister and I. The next day she got a call asking her to book an appointment with her doctor urgently. As this was a Saturday she waited until Monday when the doctors were open and went to see what the issue was. She was told that she had a tumor on her liver. She was sent for further tests and finally on December 17th 2008, she was diagnosed with primary bowel cancer, multiple secondary's. Come January she started getting ill and on the 24th she was admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties. She never came out of hospital. She became progressively worse and died 08:55 February 17th. The cancer had spread from her bowel to her colon, her liver, lining of her heart, bones and her blood. Doctors believe she had had bowel cancer for five years but due to having Coeliac and IBS, it went unnoticed. Any treatments would have killed her quicker as it would have put more stress on her weak, frail body. She was 44 two days before I turned 22 which was the day before my wedding, my sister turned 20 a month later.

Not a single day goes by when I don't think of her.

I am running my first 5k in May (Race For Life - Cancer research) for her memory. Hopefully,with enough money, they can find a cure for this awful murderer.

manic4titans

I was dx with throat cancer at the age of 32 while pregnant! I was 26 weeks pregnant and went through 70 radiation treatments. My baby was born 3 weeks after radiation was completed. She is perfect. no problems. This summer will be 8 years yay me!

my sister was dx with Leukemia 3 months before my diagnosis. She is doing well.

dancingdeer

My Grandpa had colon cancer. He had surgery and lived for years following his original diagnosis, and passed away on February 2, 2010. (My wedding anniversary). He was 94.

finchest

i have a friend who survived and thrived after having a brain tumor removed and went on to start a non profit organization called mAss kickers!

i lost two friends to cancer in the last two months:
my friend beth had been battling breast cancer for many years. it spread to her lungs.
our other friend was diagnosed with cancer only 6 months ago. she died just about one year after her husband, who passed away suddenly of a massive heart attack.

my mom has survived tumors and pneumonia contracted while in the hospital and is healthy and well!

a dear friend of mine just finished her last round of chemo for a tumor in her colon - and came to visit me as part of her celebrating being done with chemo!

a friend of ours broke his nose being pushed into a pool, and during the MRI, it was discovered he had thyroid cancer. that fall saved his life!

i can't believe how many people i know have had or are battling cancer - and how many are my age or even younger. i admire the strength of everyone who has experienced it or has loved someone who has experienced it - it is truly one of the scariest possibilities on this planet, and the bravery of those who fight, survive and thrive with a positive attitude cannot be overstated. you guys are heroes, true mAss kickers!

sjmelia

I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October of 2008. I had my left kidney removed along with the adrenal gland in November of 2008. The pathology report showed it to be a very aggressive type of cancer so the doctors placed me in a clinical trial where I was on chemo for 54 weeks (all of 2009). Towards the end of my chemo in late December of 2009, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and after my chemo was finished for the kidney cancer, I had my prostate removed to remove the cancer. I now have regular CT scans every 6 months. I do have a growth on the remaining kidney and it has remained stable the last two scans. They doctors aren't sure what it is so I'm not concerned either until my next scan in August. Until then, I just enjoy every day of my life. After all the medications I have been on, I'm finally able to get back to exercising and limiting my calories to take off the excess weight I have gained after the surgeries.

heidimaggott5

My grandmother had breast cancer at the age of 72, had a mastectomy and lived , cancer free , until she died at the age of 86.
My father died at the age of 49 of colon cancer.
My aunt died a few years later of cancer of the oesophagus.
My mom was diagnosed on Thursday with Small Lymphacytic Lymphoma. She is 70.

slkehl

My friend has thyroid cancer and is getting surgery next week. Praying for her like crazy!

stillthesamegirl

My dad died of colorectal cancer when I was 18 (pretty much 19) . I am now 21. He was my best friend. I can't even describe how much I need him in my life and how much I yearn for him.. Not many people understand the pain of losing a dad when you still have so much of your life for him to see and I don't wish the understanding on anyone. I also just found out today that my grandma has Melanoma. Lets hope they can remove it quickly.

Alex_is_Hawks

I lost my uncle to throat cancer on Christmas day, he hung around long enough to watch people open gifts in his hospital room then passed away.....

my grandmother has just been admitted to palliative care for her lung cancer that has grown to her stomach...it won't be much longer now......

sagetracey

My workmate has non-Hodgkins Lymphoma but was diagnosed late due to other health issues. Sadly he is expected to pass away at any moment.

My former employee's husband has bowel cancer with secondaries in his lungs - again - not good.

And my primary school friend's husband has a blood cancer (not sure of name) and is on trial drugs. If they don't work or if funding ceases, then his outlook is also terminal.

Cancer sucks.

Anastasia0511

I F*ING HATE CANCER. My mom has had it three times.
She got breast cancer the first time I think in 1993 and was given a 30% chance of living and how the hell she survived we still don't know. She was a stage 3B. Her first mastectomy at age 46. 16 years later she got breast cancer a second time but it didn't spread to the lymph nodes or in her blood like it did the first time and it was so small that they really couldn't see it and it was a totally different kind of cancer and a stage Zero almost so they told her she could have a lumpectomy but she said, "Nope, take it off". But that cancer would never come back. Once the surgery was done it was gone. Well, now 6 years later with no breasts at all she gets it for a third time. Metastatic breast cancer which went into both of her lungs. She is considered a stage 4 terminally ill patient right now and is like the 1% who this happens too. They say its almost unheard of for anyone to get cancer 20 years later.1% of cancer patients will have it come back. The cancer she has now is from the very first cancer that she got and has been laying dormant for all these years, 19 years actually. They usually give you like 5 years and then after 5 years you go to 10 and after that you're in the clear and they pretty much take you off of all pills and give you the high five. But they have no idea what is going with her on and want to study her at UC Davis and OHSU. She also works with cancer patients.
You would never in a million years know that my mom had cancer ever. She went to work bald running her business of 1500 employees day after day after, chemo session after chemo session. She was on chemo for almost a year and they wrecked and collapsed all of the veins in her arms and hands and started using her feet. After her 1 hour chemo session she'd get in the car and drive herself back to the office. She never once let anyone help take care of her. She was just too tough and didn't want to be looked at as "sickly". The second cancer she called it, "A piece of cake, this is nothing. Lets go on vacation since they gave me six weeks to rest" lol.
The cancer she has now, she doesn't even act like she has it and is out doing things living life telling me she is fine and that she's not going anywhere. She'll be 67 on Christmas day. My mom is a BADASSSS. The second time she had cancer she fought with them and told them 30 minutes after her surgery to, "let me out of here, this place is f**cking depressing" and forced them to let her go home. Next thing you know I'm wheeling her out to the car and she says, "Lets go to the mall". I was like "WTF? Thats the anesthesia talking" and she said, "Bull$hit that's me talking. I'm bored and been in that hospital since 5am this morning" I was so pissed cause she stood there fighting with me and I refused to take her and she said, "well then you better take me to Safeway or somewhere" haha.
I have been worrying about my mom now for exactly half of my life and scared to death every day for 20 years. Its been hard and it just feels like its never going to go away, and now, its not. She will be on Arimidex for the rest of her life. But I would rather deal with the stress of it then to have her pass away. Good new though. The spots on her lungs are very tiny, there were 3 on one lung and 4 on the other. She just got results back from the doctors last week or so and they said that they cant even see the 3 spots that use to be on the left side no matter how many Xrays and are hoping, but not suggesting that they are gone. I have a feeling my mom will outlive me and I really hope she does, she is my best friend ;(

Even if you don't read all of this it felt good just to get it off my chest. I have ulcers and gray hair from worrying and think this is partly why I have insomnia and don't eat.

Anastasia0511

I wish everyone in this thread who is going through cancer themselves, or with family members, friends, or even your animals. I wish you all the best and hope that your lives have some peace in it.

SabrinaSt

My paternal grandfather had colon cancer. He passed away in 1998. My maternal grandfather had bone cancer. He passed away when I was 8.

Laddiegirl

Five years ago my fiance was diagosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and lost his battle 35 days later due to complications (they couldn't keep his red blood cell count up combined with a respiratory infection they couldn't get a handle on). He was only 27 years old and it was completely devastating for me and his family, especially his mom. The anniversary day is April 19th and I have to take that day off from work and just be alone because it still is so hard for me.

Six months later my maternal grandmother died from complications with a 2nd reoccurance of breast cancer that had spread to her spinal cord and brain. That was devastating as well as aside from my sister, she was the only person left on my mom's side of the family (my mom was an only child and died when I was 18) and especially having to lose her 6 months after my fiance died. It was a very bad year that took a long time for me to recover emotionally from and I still miss both of them every.single.day.

My best friend's dad is currently battling lung cancer and is doing really well, if he lives another year he will have beaten all the odds that his doctors gave him. The same for my sister's fiance's dad. He was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor shortly after they started dating 7 years ago, but it is in an inoperable location so he does maintenance chemo and radiation treatments to shrink the tumor. He has good days and bad days but is a really awesome guy.

I hate cancer.