The cancer thread

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by BlueCurl, Oct 31, 2007.

  1. BlueCurl

    BlueCurl Pathologist

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    Probably everybody knows someone with the decease. The decease that is not just a decease... It also tests you on life. It is the long road of pain and agony. Not only the people actaully having it get struck by it. Also the people standing and carrying the one having it.

    Just a thread were you can ramble when you need too!

    For me:
    My grandfather, colon cancer, died about a year ago, age 79
    My grandmother, breast cancer after that leukemia, died 4 years ago, age 70
    One of my best friends from high school brain tumor from one of the kid cancers, died 5 years ago at age 18
    My nieces daugther, tumor in her eye, age 2, currently very much alive hopefully that will last!
    Another from my 4 best friends from High school with cancer, Hodgkin, very much alive today, age 24 hopefully she stays that way

    Those are just the ones very close to me.

    Both my grandparents were old and had their long lives so then it does suck when you lose them but at least they had their lives! But all other 3. I just hate it.

    When my best friend was diagnosed at age 14 my world collapsed and I was young and unaware what was coming. I didn't live for 4 years either. You just try to make the best of it. She had a 4 year road of hell. Everything what could go wrong went wrong and she basiscliy was tied to her bed for 4 years with pain and agony and then she died. She weight 22 kg for an 18 year old. She was nothing more than a skeleton at the viewing. With some skin and a few hairs on it.

    yeah I needed to ramble some off my mind. Just heard about my friend from high school today!
     
  2. touchcookies

    touchcookies Witness

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    Cancer is such a terrible disease. I haven't known many people with cancer but I have known enough.
    My Uncle had it but I'm not sure what kind it was I was only five when he died. I remember being at the funeral and everyone was crying and I ran up to my mom and she picked me up and asked me why I was crying and I said "Because you are" I had no idea what was going on but I knew that i my mom was crying it must be bad.

    My Grandpa, I don't know what kind he had either. He passed away on Canada Day of this year(July 1st 2007)It was so quick. He was diagnosed in late April of that year. We had a trip planned to fly out and say with my Grandparents. We were going to leave the day after Canada Day. My mom called my sister and I about a week before and told us that the doctors said he wasn't going to make it through the weekend. My sister decided to leave that day. She quit her job and left that night. I decided to wait until our planned trip. I was confident I would get to see him. I didn't. At the funeral my cousins and I were told by my Grandma that we were not allowed to cry because it was a celebration of his life. That was one of the hardest funerals I ever had to go to(and I have been to a lot) I loved my Grandpa so much and I decided not to go early because I had a soccer game that night. On the one hand I didn't have to see him when he was sick and I just get to remember what he was like before, on the other hand I hadn't seen him since September 2006.I was the only member of my family who didn't see him while he was sick and that is one of the things that I regret most about my life
     
  3. magicmunchies

    magicmunchies Lab Technician

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    Cancer is terrible, I have a history of breast cancer in my family and my Great-Grandmother died of it. My grandmother was also diagnosed with breast cancer but luckily caught it early, but she lost her breast. A couple of weeks ago my mother had a scare. Also one of my friends has bone marrow cancer but she is still going strong. I'm not really sure if this counts but my old horse Harrison died of cancer a couple of years ago. It's awful!
     
  4. SaraSidle_girl

    SaraSidle_girl Pathologist

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    We also know cancer in our family and friends circle.
    Earlier this year one of my uncle's died of stomach cancer after a horrible struggle which left him looking like a Holocaust victim.

    My mom's sister (so my aunt) died at the age of 1 of kidney cancer. I never got to know her. My mom was 10 back then. In that time they ddin't know as much as they now. Its sometimes frustrating to realise that today she might have been alive if they had had the answers we have now.

    My supervisor from the department store where I used to work (she is also married to the drum player at my orchestra) was diagnosed with colon cancer about 2 years ago. The tumor was removed and she remained under supervision of doctors. Not too long after they found cancer in her liver and they removed a part of it. She had chemo after and currently she is very much alive and her last couple of cheks did not reveal any more cancer cells.
     
  5. MiaCharlize

    MiaCharlize Coroner

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    This is such a depressing thread. Cancer is a really ugly desease that costs so many people's lives. I have first hand experience with it and also know several people who have lost loved ones to this illness.

    I have lost my father and grandfather (both actually but one of them I never knew so I don't count him) all to lung cancer. At least that is where the metastasis were first discovered as far as I've been informed. They were all smokers, which is why I have a slight aversion to smoking.

    A friend of my mother's died several years ago due to a tumor in his brain. I also have several friends whose grandparents and/or parents died from cancer. It's really disturbing when you start to make a list of people that you have known personally who were killed by this desease. Th enumber is worryingly high.

    Some might say this doesn't count but I've also lost a cat to a tumor in the kidneys, it is not just a human issue.
     
  6. PintSizeGenius

    PintSizeGenius Lab Technician

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    My friend at school was diagnosed with cancer about 18 months ago. She's having treatment at the moment and hopefully she'll get thorough it. But, it has ruined her life. She has missed two years of school and will have to repeat them. It's terrible.
     
  7. CSI_Kat

    CSI_Kat Addicted to Gutterville Moderator

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    Cancer is such a horrible disease. I feel bad for anyone who has or is experiencing it. My mom is a 12 year breast cancer survivor. My aunt is also a a breast cancer survivor + a thyroid cancer survivor. I have lost many relatives to this disease.
    My big one though is that my husband has stage 4 Melanoma and undergoing experimental treatments. Cancer is terrible!
     
  8. adorelo

    adorelo CSI Level Two

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    I don't think this has to be a depressing thread. But then again, I'm enternally positive.. :) teheheheh.

    I lost my mom when I was 11. Breast cancer. I also find out soon if I am a carrier or not of the faulty gene. *hopefully not*.

    Though it was obviously sad, I know she fought a long battle and I am so unbleievebly proud of her. I smile everyday because I know I have a bit of her strength inside me. I try to pass that strength on to everyone I meet.

    I know all about the pysysical side of cancer, all the treatments, the side affects and pysical pain. But I also know the emotinal side. I became a mother to my sisters at 9 and I know that kind of reponsibility can way down hard on a young person. Especially if you're left with no one but each other. Luckily, my aunt found us and we live hapy lives with her now :)

    So I guess I'm saying if anyone needs to talk, I'm here. As a med student, a psychologist and a friend. :)

    Much love,

    and keep smiling people.

    Jodie
    xx
     
  9. Destiny

    Destiny Still Sanity Challenged! Premium Member

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    My father oh about five years back went to have his checkup and was diagnosised with Colon Cancer, according to the doctors it was just starting size of a silver dollar, they did the surgery, removed a third of the colon and no chemo or radiation required, so far every check up he has been cancer free.

    My uncle was recently diagnosised with a tumor on his pancrease that turned out to be cancer, they said it wasn't very big and still hasn't grown, they are putting him on chemo right now, only because the hospital he was suppost to go to for surgery had to wait for clearance because he has had two heartattacks and gallbladder problems which interfered with the doing the surgery, they figure if the chemo works out and keeps it from growing they can deal with the heart get him stronger and then do the surgery to remove the tumor.

    As to pets having cancer I can see that counting especially if you consider them part of your family some are attached (raises hand) to their pets that they are more then just that but a member of the family. So I can see mentioning it in here being okay. But that would be up to the mods and the regular poster.
     
  10. adorelo

    adorelo CSI Level Two

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    I'm sorry about your father and uncle.

    Pets are definatly pat of the family :) I'd be lost without mine. It's sad when they get sick...
     
  11. Lucy

    Lucy Colonial Fleet Librarian Premium Member

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    I really admire your positive outlook adorelo. :)

    My mother died of cancer when I was 13 (she was 45). I am also very proud of her too. I feel so fortunate to have had a mother like her, and even though I was young when she died, she has had a huge influence on me and my life.
     
  12. adorelo

    adorelo CSI Level Two

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    Wow, I guess we've both been there then, Lucy . It's strange how much things like that can affect your entire future.

    That's why cancer and illnesses like it are such a big thing. They affect not only the sufferer, but everyone around them too.

    'Tis why we all have to stick together and stay positive. :D "If you believe in a miricle, miricle is what you will get."

    The doctors told my mom she wouldn't live to 40. She was 43 when she died. She held on becausee she wanted to see my little sister get to school.
     
  13. nattybatty55

    nattybatty55 Nadalaholic

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    Cancer is a horrible desease and I am lucky that know one close to me has died of it or even had it!

    My teacher at skool had breast cancer and she survived!
     
  14. Nienna Berylla

    Nienna Berylla CSI Level Two

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    This desease really hurts me, i already lost one grandmother, a friend and classmate who had cancer with it.

    My other grandmother has cancer, breasthcancer started it with now its just spread to the rest of her body and the docters cant do anything for her, she just get medication for the pain.. Its affull and so painfull.
    My grandfather is cancer free now he had it at his private parts.. But i am happy he survived it..
    My aunt has breastcancer to she had a opperation and her kids are checked up.. they didnt had a thing..

    myself i will get checked up because i dont want to be suprised by it and it has a change me or my sister could get it. Dont like the exams but its better to do. I've i look at my grandmother and the fight against it, i think she is brave and so strong but its a terrible fight. The pain she had and recovering after the operations that was hard, she couldnt do a thing. No she is doing better but still she cant do the things she did before.. It makes you a bit lonely i think.. My grandmother is..
     
  15. mandy9578

    mandy9578 CSI Level Two

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    My Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, three months after my Dad passed away at the age of 60. I can still vividly remember the day it was confirmed that she had cancer. I was waiting for her and my sister to come home from the hospital and I was watching Chocolat trying to distract myself from the impending so-called dropping of the bomb...But I couldn't even give the movie full attention since I was too preoccupied with waiting for the diagnosis. I remember my sister breaking the news to me...and the dam just broke loose, I was crying so hard...I thought the world had ended. I've had this fear since childhood of losing my parents. By this time, I had already lost my Dad to a stroke and I was afraid of losing my Mom too. But then my sister told me to have a positive outlook. And the crying stopped. We had to be strong for my Mom and had to be positive for her sake. We didn't want her to be depressed.

    She had a mastectomy. A month after her diagnosis, my Uncle's wife was diagnosed as well with breast cancer...So my Mom and her sister-in-law, my Aunt, were comparing notes during their chemo...Chemo for my Mom was hell...After her first round, she had to be hospitalized since she suffered from severe dehydration from vomiting too much. The nausea was bad as well. It was so hard seeing her suffer like that. She lost so much weight. After going through several rounds of chemo, she went through radiation therapy. At least that was easier than the chemo.

    I am thankful that during my Mom's time of need, our family and friends rallied around her, keeping her spirits up.

    Right now she is doing quite well and we, my siblings and I, are thankful for every day that we have with her...We continue to pray that she stays cancer-free.
     

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