Cancer: Coping, Survival and Loss..Share Your Thoughts

[cooleddie74]

Sorry to start a thread with such a morose and some might say downright depressing topic, but tonight I found out a friend I've known for many years and whom I've always deeply admired and respected was just diagnosed with uterine cancer. She's always been a terrific and nice lady and I hope so much that she beats this and pulls through for the sake of her husband and her family.

Cancer is a difficult topic for plenty of people to discuss for obvious reasons so if a lot of you would prefer not to share your personal experiences and feelings on the subject I more than understand. Brain cancer(glioblastoma multiforme)took my dad's life back in the summer of 1998 and my late mom coped with Stage Two breast cancer shortly afterwards, only to fight and whoop it(yay!) and soldier on until her eventual passing from another unrelated illness a few years ago. I'd like for this thread to be something where we can air our experiences with the disease and how we coped with and even learned from it, whether it's happened to us or to someone we love. Again, this is an open invitation to discuss how cancer has affected your lives.

The floor is yours.

 

[JayOwl]

My paternal Grandfather died of cancer in 1997. He was diognosed before I was born- 1993 I think. I was only 2 when he died, but now I think of it, I have vague memories of him. He used to read to me all the time and from what I've been told he was really happy that he had Grandchildren. He was a wonderful guy according to both my parents and my Grandmother- I wish I could've known him better.

I have lost some other relatives to cancer that I'd never met.. but then although it's still sad it's not really quite the same.

 

[doubleohfive]

Cooleddie, I'm so sorry for your friend. Is this woman the same one from the picture thread we were all pushing you to make a move on a few weeks/months ago?

 

[cooleddie74]

Sheralyn? No. Not at all. Thankfully she's still healthy and bubbly as ever.

No, this is an older woman I've been good friends with for more than twenty years and is actually the mother of another close friend of mine. I've known and been kinda close to most of her family since I was a teenager. She's always been very nice and supportive of me and has done me quite a few favors over the years. She was just diagnosed with a 1-in-50,000 tumor of the uterus...a mixed mullerian(sp?) growth I believe. But she's a strong and feisty lady and I think with the appropriate and rapid treatment she'll pull through. I have my fingers crossed for her and her family.

Thanks for asking.

 

[RandyS]

I lost both of my maternal grandparents to cancer, Grandpa in August 1991, and Grandma in Febuary 1992. I was 21 years old (22 that April), and it was my first two brushes with the death of loved ones. They were my second parents since I never had much of a relationship with my dad. They helped my mom (their daughter) raised me. In fact, Grandpa was a big reason that I am the man I am today. Grandpa died of lung caner (50 year smoker), and grandma died of what started out as breast cancer, and spread to her kidneys, lungs , pancreas and brain.

 

[doubleohfive]

@Cooleddie: I hesitate to say "I'm glad it's not her" because that would imply I'm not sorry for your other friend.

My sincerest hopes that she beats it.

I lost my Aunt Marie to breast cancer in 1991, and a dear, dear friend my age who died after fighting colon cancer for nearly 4 years, leaving behind a 2 year old son and a husband back in 2008. I wrote about it on my LJ at the time, and I still hate that she's not with us anymore.

Fuck cancer.

 

[cooleddie74]

Fuck cancer.

Been saying that every day of my life since my dad was diagnosed with his terminal brain tumors. He died just twenty days later. I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemies.

 

[TremblingBluStar]

I don't have any personal experiences with cancer, but the earliest memory I have of a cancer death was a girl in my third grade class who passed away from a brain tumor. That was the first person I ever knew personally who died.

Last year, my dad's brother in-law passed away after battling lung cancer, and my grandmother died after a few years of having Alzheimer's.

 

[Balrog]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend, Cooleddie. I hope she's working with a good team and beats it.

Cancer touched my family rather suddenly this past year. My sister was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer last May. She never smoked a day in her life. We found out it was genetic. She fought a hard battle with so much grace, dignity and humor. She past away last month. She was 48, married with a 12 year old daughter. IRL, I am the full range of emotions. Mostly, I just miss her dearly. She's gone far too soon.

I agree wholeheartedly - FUCK CANCER.

 

[Davros]

My mom died of throat cancer a few years ago and I empathize with anybody who has to face such a challenge. I doubt I have the strength to face it as bravely as she did.

 

[Kirby]

Both my mother-in-law and stepmother battled breast cancer and beat it, but it was a scary time with each.
I had a friend in college who was diagnosed with cancer a few years after I lost touch with him, and he later died. I only heard about it because apparently I attended the same church as his parents and they mentioned his name in the prayer for the dead and he had a very uncommon name; Rich Hockenberry. That news knocked me on my ass. I was able to reconnect with some old friends, but damn, he was only in his mid twenties.


FUCK CANCER indeed.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but they got it early enough (detected it via PSA test, then removed the whole prostate). He's now cancer-free.

The only other cancer case in my family that I can recall is one of my grandfathers who I think had colon cancer.

 

[RyanKCR]

Last november my mother lost the battle with gastric cancer. It was my turn to take her to doctor appointments and be there with her. She told me that she really could empathize with all I've gone through. She always did empathize but she then had a much better understanding of it. The last few days were the hardest for me. In a matter of about two weeks I saw her wither away to nothing. This was the person who supported me throughout my life of major cardiac issues and now she was reduced to almost nothing.

Cancer is horrible andI hate what it does to someone. My mother ended up starving to death. I feel she had already gone about two days before her body gave up. She was only 63. She was about a month and a half from her 64th birthday.

 

[Sparky]

I lost my father to cancer in January. My avatar pic is my favourite picture of him. My signature includes the last words I ever said to him.......yeah, fuck cancer.