Cancer Awareness Thread

[Hoops]

Congrats on your recovery, Hoops.

Thanks. I confess that I feel a little sheepish mentioning it here. I wouldn't usually have any motivation to talk about it, but I wanted to explain my empathy for SSFan's situation. Cancer sucks. But it's also not that bad (assuming you survive and return to normal). If that makes any sense. Anyhow, I appreciate the love.

[FLCeltsFan]

TP for SSFan and Hoops. Good news SSFan.  My prayers are with you and your family and with you as well, Hoops, that things continue to be fine healthwise. 

[SShoreFan 2.0]

Congrats on the good news. I went through the same crappy anxious waiting game last summer - only I did have cancer (NHL - similar to what John Lester had). 4 months of chemo. I have to confess that it sucked. But I'm fine now.

Anyhow, I really understand what that waiting game is like - honestly, in some ways it's the worst part. As crazy as this sounds, I was relieved when I finally got a diagnosis because it meant I could finally do something about it. I can only imagine how exciting it must be to get a non-cancer diagnosis. Congrats again.

Hoops, thank you.  Every year I raise a bit of money for the Pan Mass Challenge (raffle off my Sox tickets), I promise that this year my donation will include a reference to you among my other friends and family.

I can't lie --- my wife and I are exhusted.........in a good way.

[Redz]

While sitting here, the sitter called and my 5 year old has come down with the stomach bug and threw up everywhere and was crying nonstop until I sang to her over the phone and she fell asleep. 

Hmmm..is it possible for a stomach bug to be transmitted by computer?  My 3 year old daughter woke up about a half hour ago babbling away senselessly.  She had a 102 temperature.  Within minutes she started throwing up.  We got her into the bathroom and had to clean her up in the tub.  My wife ran to get a couple of face clothes, and yes, one of them was the one they gave out at the playoff game we attended together...Anyhow, she seems to be doing ok now.

[ACF]

The day they find that cure for cancer
is a day I'll be looking forward to.
Hopefully, it'll be while I'm still on
this beautiful planet...

Reading this thread is what made me love
CelticsBlog even more (yes, it's possible!).
The tone here is always top notch because
the Mods weed out the trolls, the freaks
and the ones who are only here to cause up
a little (or huge) irritating storm.

In an hour, I'll be going to my father's
house, to clean it one final time along
with my sister and my mother. My dad lost
HIS battle with cancer in April and the
paperwork has just been a long haul since
then. We'll clean his place and return the
keys and that part of our lives will be gone.

So to SSF, Hoops and anyone else who knows
this terrible disease a little too well:
My thoughts go out to you!
And remember, if you do not have anything else,
you can always find someone to lean on somewhere.
I guess you just have to know where to look.

-ACF

[TripleOT]

I'm glad the tests turned out OK SSFan, and Hoops, that's great news about your recovery. 

This thread reminded me to remind you to remind your wife, GF, Mother, Mother in law, sisters, aunts, female cousins or friends to be vigilant about checking for breast cancer with both self checks for lumps and mammograms.  Also, there is a particularly nasty form of breast cancer which isn't well known but is quite deadly, called Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), which accounts for from 1-5 per cent of all US breast cancer cases.  It is more prevalent in younger woman, but instead of a limp or lumps, manifests itself on the skin in a red, inflamed rash. 

Many women are aware to do self checks for lumps, but this cancer isn't very well known, and it's important for women to not take chances when a rash appears on the breast.  Make sure any women in your life are aware of this threat and make them aware that it's important to err on the side of caution and get any breast rashes checked out.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/sites-types/ibc 

[SShoreFan 2.0]

The day they find that cure for cancer
is a day I'll be looking forward to.
Hopefully, it'll be while I'm still on
this beautiful planet...

Reading this thread is what made me love
CelticsBlog even more (yes, it's possible!).
The tone here is always top notch because
the Mods weed out the trolls, the freaks
and the ones who are only here to cause up
a little (or huge) irritating storm.

In an hour, I'll be going to my father's
house, to clean it one final time along
with my sister and my mother. My dad lost
HIS battle with cancer in April and the
paperwork has just been a long haul since
then. We'll clean his place and return the
keys and that part of our lives will be gone.

So to SSF, Hoops and anyone else who knows
this terrible disease a little too well:
My thoughts go out to you!
And remember, if you do not have anything else,
you can always find someone to lean on somewhere.
I guess you just have to know where to look.

-ACF

ACF, your heartfelt post has touched me.....deeply.

I am sorry for your loss and will also include your dad in my annual Pan Mass Challenge sponsor program.

I wish you warm thoughts.

Peace

[SShoreFan 2.0]

This thread reminded me to remind you to remind your wife, GF, Mother, Mother in law, sisters, aunts, female cousins or friends to be vigilant about checking for breast cancer with both self checks for lumps and mammograms.  Also, there is a particularly nasty form of breast cancer which isn't well known but is quite deadly, called Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), which accounts for from 1-5 per cent of all US breast cancer cases.  It is more prevalent in younger woman, but instead of a limp or lumps, manifests itself on the skin in a red, inflamed rash. 

Many women are aware to do self checks for lumps, but this cancer isn't very well known, and it's important for women to not take chances when a rash appears on the breast.  Make sure any women in your life are aware of this threat and make them aware that it's important to err on the side of caution and get any breast rashes checked out.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/sites-types/ibc  

TripleOT, it was through one of these tests that my wife discovered her lump.  The Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation put out an instructional that could be hung in the shower and it was through that my wife learned what to do. 

I join you in encouraging everyone to take a minute to go to the site you posted or the one below to download info and share it with your wife, girlfriend, mom, sister, grandmother, friend or whomever........the gesture will be warmly appreciated.

Even if only one person does so, and it makes a difference -- we've made an impact.


http://cms.komen.org/komen/AboutBreastCancer/EarlyDetectionScreening/EDS3-3-3?ssSourceNodeId=292&ssSourceSiteId=Komen



TP's to anyone who checks out either of the links and shares it with someone they care about.  Just post and let me know you did so.

[MrsNumba17]

UPDATE:

Still sitting out in the waiting room, but just got a text from my wife (gotta love technology) doctor says that the lumps are non-cancerous cysts and that she's doing great.  Should be here for another 20 minutes.

Still facing traffic and a sick daughter --- but life is looking so much better  --- ever seen a grown man cry before??   

Thanks for the wonderfully warm comments and TPS -- all TPs will be reciprocated later......


Now, where's that top ten beer thread???   Ya-hooooooooooooo


I am so happy to hear the news. I was hoping there would be an update this morning. The wife is ok....(THANKS BE TO GOD!) Thanks for sharing the good news!

[saibnel]

Hello Everyone,
 
Just a bit of information for anyone dealing with any cancer issues. I run the Operations for a nonprofit in Newton (with satellite offices in Hanover/Salem/Roxbury) that provides FREE support groups, individual counseling, stress management programs, educational lectures etc. for people with cancer and the caregivers of people with cancer.

All services are free! We are an international organization and all of our programs are led by top notch professionals. I have seen the programs be a tremendous resource for thousands of people over the last 3 years and I would welcome/urge anyone to come and check out the facility and services

The organization is The Wellness Community - Greater Boston our website is www.wellnesscommunity.org

[ACF]

The day they find that cure for cancer
is a day I'll be looking forward to.
Hopefully, it'll be while I'm still on
this beautiful planet...

Reading this thread is what made me love
CelticsBlog even more (yes, it's possible!).
The tone here is always top notch because
the Mods weed out the trolls, the freaks
and the ones who are only here to cause up
a little (or huge) irritating storm.

In an hour, I'll be going to my father's
house, to clean it one final time along
with my sister and my mother. My dad lost
HIS battle with cancer in April and the
paperwork has just been a long haul since
then. We'll clean his place and return the
keys and that part of our lives will be gone.

So to SSF, Hoops and anyone else who knows
this terrible disease a little too well:
My thoughts go out to you!
And remember, if you do not have anything else,
you can always find someone to lean on somewhere.
I guess you just have to know where to look.

-ACF

ACF, your heartfelt post has touched me.....deeply.

I am sorry for your loss and will also include your dad in my annual Pan Mass Challenge sponsor program.

I wish you warm thoughts.

Peace

I'm delighted to hear your wife is okay.
And thank you so much for your post.
It really means a lot to me.
A disease like cancer shows us
how small we all are. Regardless of color
of skin, belief or political issues.
"No man is an island" and all
we can do is love the ones we have
close to us. Thanks again and a much
deserved TP for you!

PS. We're finished at my dad's place.
My sister will hand over the keys on
Monday. I gave one of the doors a kiss
since I have so many great memories from
living there. It just felt like the thing to
do. My dad will be in my heart and my mind
from now on and until the day I'm not here
anymore. Again, my deepest thoughts go out
to anyone who's been touched by the cold hands
and the fatal touch of that terrible disease.
To all at CB: Be grateful for what you've got!

[Roy Hobbs]

Sorry to hear about your loss, ACF.  Last year, my father had his own bout with cancer.  He started feeling some pains in his abdomen and was urinating blood, and when he got it checked out, the doctors told him he had kidney cancer.  They went in and removed his kidney, which with the cancerous tumor was about the size of a football.  The cancer had come within less than a half centimeter of escaping the kidney "capsule", at which point it would have spread to the entire body.  At this point, we're just praying it doesn't come back.

As a lesson to all you "tough guys" out there, listen up:  *any* time your body is doing something that you're not used to it doing, get it checked out.  My father had had suppressed appetite and fatigue for at least two years before his diagnosis.  He had assumed that this was due to depression over my mother passing away, so he ignored the issue, and just learned to live with the discomfort.  It turns out, those symptoms were from the cancer (specifically, the tumor pressing up against his stomach, making it feel "full".)  His being tough, and assuming he knew what was going on, almost killed him.

Seriously, guys, get annual physicals, and if you feel anything wrong at all, talk to your doctors.  It's better to get a test and be told everything is okay than it is to ignore your symptoms until it's too late.

[bdm860]

Actually I used to have cancer too.  Got diagnosed with it the summer between my sophmore and junior year of high school.  I passed my driver's test to get my drivers license on a Tuesday, then Wednesday I got the diagnosis that it was cancer. You all know how it is when you first get your license, especially if it's in the summertime, you want to go out and drive and explore that freedom and hangout with your friends, needless to say I was in no condition to do that, I think it wasn't till over a month later that I actually drove somewhere by myself.  I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy, but I'm definitely a better person for having gone through it and wouldn't trade those experiences for anything (does that make any sense?). 

One good thing if you get cancer under the age of 18 (or any life threatning illness for that matter), there is the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Now I do realize what I'm about to tell you may destroy any of the sympathy I just got from you guys, but here goes anyway.  I've always been a bigger basketball fan than baseball fan, and have always enjoyed watching basketball over baseball, I'm a Celtics fan but also a Yankees fan (hey I'm from CT, both areas are considered local teams).  The Celtics sucked, and had sucked for a while, but the Yankees were dominating (they won the record 125 games when I was dealing with all this).  Since I got sick in the summertime, and was in no condition to go outside, nor did I want to, I just laid on the couch/hosptial bed all day, and there is nothing good on TV in the summertime, but the one thing I looked forward to every day was watching the Yankees and lucky for me then, baseball is on almost every single day.  I was miserable all day, had a softball size tumor in my face and despite other issues because of this it also gave me a constant headache that never went away, but those 3+ hours everyday when the Yankees were on really helped me get through the day.  So while the Yankees were the only thing I had to look forward to everyday, it also helped that they were dominating on route to 125 total wins for the season.  When the Make-A-Wish people came by to visit and said I could make a wish I didn't know what to wish for (would any of you?).  There is some basic rules: can't wish for a vehicle (would have been my first wish probably), can't wish for a weapon (do kids really wish for that?), and can't wish for a house or construction (like to add a swimming pool), and just about everything else (in the scope of reality) is fair game and they'll try to make it happen.  I was torn between asking to meet the Yankees and asking to meet the Celtics, since the Celtics had been constantly bad, and watching the Yankees (who were considered by some to be one of the greatest teams ever during that time), I ulitmatley chose the Yankees.  So the Make-A-Wish people picked me and 5 friends up in a limo and drove us 2 hours to Yankee Stadium where they introduced me before a packed house at Yankee Stadium on Memorial Day and I got to go in the dugout and behind the scenes and meet some of the Yankees.  Definitely cool, but I still don't know what I was thinking, even though the Celtics were still bad for the next couple of years, and then rose to mediocre at best, I still look back and can't believe I didn't choose to meet the Celtics instead.  I blame the cancer for my poor decision making.  Now the funny thing is, I always think what would I wish for now if I got to wish again, it would have been nice to get a wish during this season.

[ACF]

Sorry to hear about your loss, ACF.  Last year, my father had his own bout with cancer.  He started feeling some pains in his abdomen and was urinating blood, and when he got it checked out, the doctors told him he had kidney cancer.  They went in and removed his kidney, which with the cancerous tumor was about the size of a football.  The cancer had come within less than a half centimeter of escaping the kidney "capsule", at which point it would have spread to the entire body.  At this point, we're just praying it doesn't come back.

As a lesson to all you "tough guys" out there, listen up:  *any* time your body is doing something that you're not used to it doing, get it checked out.  My father had had suppressed appetite and fatigue for at least two years before his diagnosis.  He had assumed that this was due to depression over my mother passing away, so he ignored the issue, and just learned to live with the discomfort.  It turns out, those symptoms were from the cancer (specifically, the tumor pressing up against his stomach, making it feel "full".)  His being tough, and assuming he knew what was going on, almost killed him.

Seriously, guys, get annual physicals, and if you feel anything wrong at all, talk to your doctors.  It's better to get a test and be told everything is okay than it is to ignore your symptoms until it's too late.

Thanks, Roy.

My dad died from kidney cancer.
He never really bothered to get checks
at the doctor now and then.
It gets you thinking...
So I know you're right on point here.
In Denmark, so many men die because
they don't listen to their bodies.
I guess it's a global thing.

TP.

[ACF]

Actually I used to have cancer too.  Got diagnosed with it the summer between my sophmore and junior year of high school.  I passed my driver's test to get my drivers license on a Tuesday, then Wednesday I got the diagnosis that it was cancer. You all know how it is when you first get your license, especially if it's in the summertime, you want to go out and drive and explore that freedom and hangout with your friends, needless to say I was in no condition to do that, I think it wasn't till over a month later that I actually drove somewhere by myself.  I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy, but I'm definitely a better person for having gone through it and wouldn't trade those experiences for anything (does that make any sense?). 

One good thing if you get cancer under the age of 18 (or any life threatning illness for that matter), there is the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Now I do realize what I'm about to tell you may destroy any of the sympathy I just got from you guys, but here goes anyway.  I've always been a bigger basketball fan than baseball fan, and have always enjoyed watching basketball over baseball, I'm a Celtics fan but also a Yankees fan (hey I'm from CT, both areas are considered local teams).  The Celtics sucked, and had sucked for a while, but the Yankees were dominating (they won the record 125 games when I was dealing with all this).  Since I got sick in the summertime, and was in no condition to go outside, nor did I want to, I just laid on the couch/hosptial bed all day, and there is nothing good on TV in the summertime, but the one thing I looked forward to every day was watching the Yankees and lucky for me then, baseball is on almost every single day.  I was miserable all day, had a softball size tumor in my face and despite other issues because of this it also gave me a constant headache that never went away, but those 3+ hours everyday when the Yankees were on really helped me get through the day.  So while the Yankees were the only thing I had to look forward to everyday, it also helped that they were dominating on route to 125 total wins for the season.  When the Make-A-Wish people came by to visit and said I could make a wish I didn't know what to wish for (would any of you?).  There is some basic rules: can't wish for a vehicle (would have been my first wish probably), can't wish for a weapon (do kids really wish for that?), and can't wish for a house or construction (like to add a swimming pool), and just about everything else (in the scope of reality) is fair game and they'll try to make it happen.  I was torn between asking to meet the Yankees and asking to meet the Celtics, since the Celtics had been constantly bad, and watching the Yankees (who were considered by some to be one of the greatest teams ever during that time), I ulitmatley chose the Yankees.  So the Make-A-Wish people picked me and 5 friends up in a limo and drove us 2 hours to Yankee Stadium where they introduced me before a packed house at Yankee Stadium on Memorial Day and I got to go in the dugout and behind the scenes and meet some of the Yankees.  Definitely cool, but I still don't know what I was thinking, even though the Celtics were still bad for the next couple of years, and then rose to mediocre at best, I still look back and can't believe I didn't choose to meet the Celtics instead.  I blame the cancer for my poor decision making.  Now the funny thing is, I always think what would I wish for now if I got to wish again, it would have been nice to get a wish during this season.

And that's a TP at the
strike of the hour.