the 'C' word (it's a long one!)

You know, the one nobody likes to say. Possibly the most scary word in the dictionary. Cancer. I'm not talking about the Zodiac sign! Cancer affects more and more people everyday. Billions of dollars go into cancer research every year, and still, we can't stop it. Skin cancer is on the rise. So many young people go tanning 3 times a week to get that 'just got back from the beach' look without thinking how it will affect them in the long run. Many women don't go to the doctor and get their yearly screenings for breast or uteran cancer because of their 'it won't happen to me!' attitude. Men cringe at the idea of yearly colonoscopies.

One of the scariest things I've ever experienced, was my aunt sitting her children and I down and telling us that she had breast cancer. So many things went through my mind. 'Is she going to have Chemo?' 'Is she going to be sick all the time now?' 'Will she have to have her breast removed?' and the scariest of all, 'Am I going to lose her?' It's amazing how much more you appreciate life once you've seen your family go through this. I can't even imagine what it's like for a cancer patient! And, honestly, I wouldn't want to. Aunt Diane had a successful lumpectomy in 2005 and has had regular checkups ever since. She's always checked out clear. Until now. She had an ultrasound that revealed two shadows. Not in her breasts or her uteris, like is common after having breast cancer once, but in her abdomen. She's been horribly sick for the last two weeks and has had incredible pain just below her rib cage. The doctors did a CT Scan on her today but, unfortunately, we most likely won't hear the results until Tuesday thanks to the holiday. Waiting is the hardest part, both for my aunt, and those who love her. We've been down this road before, and even though she came out on top that time, who's to say we'll be so lucky this time? We're all being very hopeful and encouraging, but underneath it there are still all those questions that you don't want to think about.

Sorry this is so long, but I just really needed to verbalize what's going through my head. And I want to let people know that IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! Do whatever you need to do to cut your chances! Make sure you have regular screenings, because the longer it's there without you knowing, the more time it has to grow and destroy valuable tissues! Please. If not for you, do it for the ones who love you.

Sorry to hear it! I hope all goes well. Unfortunately I know exactly what your family is going through, so I hope everything turns out well.

I too understand what you're going through. I have quite a few relatives that have been struck down by breast cancer. Heck, I've even had one scare myself. (lucky though it turned out to be nothing) The waiting is the absolute worst thing. Being stuck in a state of limbo and uncertainty can wear you down FAST!

Everyone deals with it differently too. Some like to talk about, while others would like to ignore it. Stay strong and do everything you can to support your aunt. I will definitely keep you and her in my prayers. I hope that the tests come back ok. :hug:

She'll be in my prayers. Unfortunately, I know about it too. My dad had bladder cancer about 25 years ago. Next was my turn at the same thing. First diagnosed about 5 years ago, in remission for most of that time, and I had a recurrence about 6 months ago. My last checkup came back clear. Finally, my mom has been taking chemo for the past month or so for non-hodgkins lymphoma. So, yeah, I hate the "c" word. And I triumph a little with each person that beats it. I can't wait to celebrate with your family as well!

Steve

thanks for your kinds words every one! and, steve, congrats on you good checkup!!! i can't imagine how relieved you must've felt! how is your mom doing on chemo? i wish her all the luck in the world!


i just found out that the results came back sooner than expected, but didn't really say much! it looks like there are two small masses in her stomach. they are going to do an endoscopy next week. more waiting....

I am going insane myself dealing with cancer and it is not even anyone that is closely related to me. Two of my friends at work are dealing with it; one of them is again going through chemo and will probably lose her hair all over again. my other friend has lumps in her breast and in her uterus and could possibly lose both. And my cousin is undergiong chemo for breast cancer.. she is not doing good. My other friend has to go yearly for a mammogram b/c she had it in her breast (and lymph nodes?) God I hate it.

My large extended family seemed blessed, almost immune from this awful thing.....seemed that is...

Then within a relatively short few years it hit us hard. My aunt who met the love of her life at age 14, married him at 18, raising three beautiful kids had her life ripped open when her husband was diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. He had symptoms, he hid them, he was too embarrassed to have that "kind" of exam. They gave him six months. He fought and went through hell, as did the whole family, and made it six years before thankfully he found his rest. When he passed his wife had spent more of her life with him then without him...there are no words to express her grief, it eminated off her so bad it hurt to see it. They deserved to grow old together!

At almost the exact same moment my baby sister went for a checkup. She hadn't been feeling well and blamed it on the stress of her divorce. I pushed her to see her doctor, something seemed so wrong. Thyroid cancer...at age 30. Life isn't very fair. Thanks be with quick medical intervention, surgery, etc. my sister has survived, has remarried and even gave birth to a lovely baby 2 years ago (her second....one pre cancer, one post cancer). She will always have to be on thyroid meds and has a very high risk for breast cancer but she's here and she's beautiful!

Lastly, my grandmother, the mother of my heart. She made it into her 80's and then just 6 months after we buried Rick, cancer called her name too. A very fast, aggressive cancer that entered her spine and brain before much could be done. She passed when I was 8 months pregnant and never got to meet our son Mikey but she's his angel, her picture sits her on my desk as I type this.

I will never forgive this disease that had me standing, my big belly full of life, while I had to say goodbye to the most important woman in my life. I hate beyond words this disease!

I can understand what you are going through.

I lost my grandmother to breast cancer 22 years ago.

On one end it motivates me to have regular check-up not to become a victim myself on the other end it terrifies me to go to a doctor fearing to hear the worse someday.

It is not a disease that I take lightly due to my family history.

The hard thing is to wait for the results, stay strong and be there for you aunt :hug: .

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Originally Posted by python.princess

thanks for your kinds words every one! and, steve, congrats on you good checkup!!! i can't imagine how relieved you must've felt! how is your mom doing on chemo? i wish her all the luck in the world!


i just found out that the results came back sooner than expected, but didn't really say much! it looks like there are two small masses in her stomach. they are going to do an endoscopy next week. more waiting....

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Thank you so much! When I went for my checkup, I was convinced that I would have to have surgery. I was prepared. When he said I was clear, I almost cried in relief! Mom's doing good. Her last checkup showed no signs of cancer. She still had to have one more round of chemo, and then more tests. She has lost her hair, and has had some problems with the chemo, but she's held up a lot better than many.

Sorry to hear about the masses. I will keep praying for the best!

Steve

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Originally Posted by GA_Ball_Pythons

... it terrifies me to go to a doctor fearing to hear the worse someday....

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I fight with this one too.

Steve

I know exactly how you feel Princess. My best wishes to your Aunt. :)

Jo, my grandmother also passed away from breast cancer, and I was 4 months pregnant with my son. It would have been her first great grandchild. The loss of never being able to share my child with my grandmother hurt enormously. I always felt that she was looking over me and my son. He was also born only a few days before her birthday as well.

Steve, big hugs to you and your family. Stay strong. You are an inspiration to others that have to fight this terrible fight.

Deborah, I am right there with you too. I have to go for yearly mammograms, and was even sent to a surgical oncologist who gave me three options... one of them being a radical double mastecomy - all because my risk is so high. I hope never to have to encounter this horrible disease, but at the same time I always feel like it's an axe hanging over my head. :(

i'm only 23 years old. not at all a high risk for breast cancer. but every time i go in for my yearly check up, i make sure she does an exam. she's told me a few times that i don't really need to worry about it yet, but oh well! she taught me how to do self exams, but i'd rather have her do it! i don't trust myself! way too paranoid!

RETURN OF THE 'C' WORD!!!

update: my aunt still doesn't know if she's got cancer again or not. they did an endoscopy in her stomach and found patches that were red and enflamed so they took biopsies (sp) of them. she won't have the results till i think thursday. but she is feeling better... no more puking...

new case: i just got an email from my grampa saying that he went to the doctor for what he though was pneumonia. doctor sent him to the hospital in wenatchee, wa for further tests and found that on top of the pneumonia, he also has type 4 cancer of the lungs. they gave him 3 to 6 months to live... up to 10 months if the chemo works. i had no idea how to answer an email like that. what do you say? sorry? too bad? i want to fly out and see him so bad (it's been over 10 years) but it could kill him. due to his heart condition he can not have ANY excitement whatsoever. a small town parade put him in the hospital for 2 weeks. so i guess i'm just stuck on my side of the country and him on his....

i am so sorry to hear this. sending love to you and your aunt and your grampa. :hug:

i lost my boyfriend to testicular cancer when i was 21... i can't imagine going through it again.

omg! that's unimaginable! thanks for the good thoughts!

Sorry to hear this python princess. He'll be in my prayers. I have my next checkup day after tomorrow. just a little scared......

Steve

Wow! All these replies are making me sentimental.... My best-friend's mother died of leukemia in May of this year and my other best friend was informed last year by her doctors that she had pre-cervical cancer... She treated it and it came out again this year... :( She has to go treat it again..

I have not had a great history when it comes to cancer. Several of my family's closest friends have been stricken down by it, several of my friends families, and I was even dating a girl when she found out she had leukemia and was given 2 months to live (has since pulled a miracle recovery and is in remission). Few things get me all choked up, as cancer does. Cancer is unbelievable. It causes your body to wage war against itself. It's a horrible internal struggle. However, cancer has a way of bringing people together. It can tear down walls like nothing else. It can bring two people with absolute hatred for each other into a tight embrace. It can and will destroy your plans, but the key is to not let it destroy your life. If anything, it provides a chance to connect with someone on a deeper level. Even if life is failing, it's a chance to appreciate those who we surround ourselves with.

This one really hits home. My grandmother just had a bout with breast cancer. She is so far cancer free since her surgery. So that a plus.

Now they think my mom has it, they found a huge mass with her mammogram the other day and now they want to do a lot of testing. This one really scares me because my mom isn't healthy like my grandmother id. She has been ill for almost 4 years losing so much weight. She is 5ft 4 and weighs about 90 lbs. She has had problems with an eating disorder in the past so I don't know if thats the cause of the weight loss, I have tried to intervene but she just doesn't want any help. I think she has given up. So with the possibilty of breast cancer, I am really scared.

With this I have vowed to myself, my husband and my two children that I will live a healthy lifestyle. I already eat healthy, I get lots of exercise. I will go and do all of my check ups. I WILL quit smoking, thats the biggest part. I have already put a plan in place to quit.

good luck with your appt steve! i really hope everything comes out okay!

ben, thanks for the amazing post! it really helps... i can't give u any rep points tho...

kristy, i'm glad your grandma is doing good and i really hope your mother is okay! i think i said earlier in this thread that the hardest part is waiting to find out!

fortunately, my grampa has a good outlook on the situation and is more worried about making sure my grandma is gonna be okay than worrying about himself! seems like he's got a pretty good grip on it!

Thank you,

Best wishes to your family too. The best thing you can do is have a positive outlook. Thinking positive will do wonders. My grandfather is the same way. I swear I haven't seen that man sick for one day my whole life. Its amazing what the mind can do for the body.

Thats why I am worried about my mom, she doesn't think positive. She always looks for the negative in everything.

Good post PP.
I have a higher risk for all sorts of things given my genetics and such, including breast cancer and osteoporosis among them.
I'm 34 but that's NOT too young to start taking measures to help lessen those odds and yes, there are many things that a person can do to keep their bodies healthier and more able to fight against the free radicals within our bodies that cause various types of cancer.... diet, yes diet being one of the biggest things we can do to help ourselves.

If your "food" comes out of a box, bag or can and has a list of "ingredients" that is longer than the names on your family tree, don't eat it!

If more people would eat a simple, unprocessed, balanced diet they'd be a lot better off for it.
But of course, diet is only one of the factors to take into consideration in the diseased world.

Your aunt is in my thoughts and prayers...

The "c" word has hit my family a number of times all around. It took my maternal grandmother long before I was born when my mother was just out of highschool, it took my Karen's mother when she was just out of highschool, and more recently my paternal grandmother has had cancer removed from her lungs and is on chemo, but seems to be doing well.

We're all looking forward to modern medicine wiping out this one. And as said above, a positive outlook is the best way to cope.

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Originally Posted by Shadowspider

Good post PP.
I have a higher risk for all sorts of things given my genetics and such, including breast cancer and osteoporosis among them.
I'm 34 but that's NOT too young to start taking measures to help lessen those odds and yes, there are many things that a person can do to keep their bodies healthier and more able to fight against the free radicals within our bodies that cause various types of cancer.... diet, yes diet being one of the biggest things we can do to help ourselves.

If your "food" comes out of a box, bag or can and has a list of "ingredients" that is longer than the names on your family tree, don't eat it!

If more people would eat a simple, unprocessed, balanced diet they'd be a lot better off for it.
But of course, diet is only one of the factors to take into consideration in the diseased world.

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Definately diet plays a major part. I am a vegie addict, I keep vegies in my house at all times, and fruit. I have taught my kids well too, they would much rather sit down and eat fruits and vegies than any candy. That and water, I am proud to say they have never had more than a sip of soda.

Prevention is the best thing you can do, catching illnesses early usually will make the outcome much better.

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Originally Posted by Kristy

Definately diet plays a major part. I am a vegie addict, I keep vegies in my house at all times, and fruit. I have taught my kids well too, they would much rather sit down and eat fruits and vegies than any candy. That and water, I am proud to say they have never had more than a sip of soda.

Prevention is the best thing you can do, catching illnesses early usually will make the outcome much better.

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That's how my family is as well. Although I do have to admit, I like my chocolate and coke (the drink, not the drug ;) ).
We spend a small fortune on food every month, but then again, we have 6 mouths to feed and all of us love to eat. If we bought our food pre-prepared we'd be homeless! :O
We don't buy canned or frozen anything and seldom even buy store bought bread because of all the preservatives and sugar in them, thus, I make all my own breads, rolls, buns, etc.
Buuutttt, I LOVE to bake and cook in general so for me, spending hours on end in a hot kitchen chopping veggies, trimming meat and playing with dough is fun. :D

My dad died with throat cancer a couple years ago and I got to go see him in the hospital for the last 4 days before his death (he died the day I flew back home). I tell ya, it was an eye opener for me to say the least.

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Originally Posted by Shadowspider

Good post PP.
I have a higher risk for all sorts of things given my genetics and such, including breast cancer and osteoporosis among them.

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is that because of your albinism?