Friday, November 14, 2008
Cancer Sucks!
Maybe it’s just that I’m getting older (not “old,” mind you) and as a result know many people who are also older (again, not “old”), but I’ve seen and heard too many times about how cancer is affecting my friends and family. Growing up, it was only my Grandpa Q who had cancer. He smoked, so his lung cancer was plausible. He passed away June 6, 1983, just as I completed 6th grade.
My mom had skin cancer, but after years of living on a farm and working outdoors, we knew it was due to sun exposure. My dad recently battled prostate cancer. He had surgery Dec 14, 2005, to remove his prostate and received a clean bill of health shortly afterward. Halleluiah for both of them.
A good friend of mine from high school lost his father to brain and bone cancer in March 2007. Jack was a very kind, generous and funny man (definitely where Jason got his wit from). I know it was difficult for his family to see him suffer, but that they must be relieved to know that he’s no longer in pain.
I was saddened by Emma Jordon’s long battle against Wilm's Tumor that just wouldn’t leave her little body alone. After a year-and-a-half, the cancer won. She passed away in September, just a few days after her 7th birthday. That doesn’t make sense.
After following several links from Emma’s CaringBridge page, I learned of many other children battling the disease. From Baby Will who was diagnosed at 2 months old with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors -- a very aggressive and highly untreatable form of cancer -- in his brain and leg yet is putting up a good fight; Tuesday, who just turned 2 and is battling neuroblastoma; 4-year-old Coleman who’s been battling medulloblastoma (brain cancer) for well over two years now (almost half his life!), relapsing at the one-year point and recently receiving bad news that his cancer is still growing; 8-year-old Kami battling Leukemia; 2-year-old Calla who battled brain cancer and is doing much better a year after her diagnosis; and many others. I’ve also learned of Chloe, Chloe, Matthew, Sammy, and several others who recently earned their angel wings. Cancer is absolutely horrible with how indiscriminate it can be.
I learned last week that a fellow Public Affairs professional, a chief master sergeant who I’d worked with very sporadically over my career, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and had only days to live. Just 82 days after his diagnosis, on Saturday, Joe passed away.
This past weekend I also learned that a dear family friend, Hank, now has prostate cancer and will have surgery in January. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers that they caught it early enough that he’ll be able to make a full recovery. On a positive note, his wife, Barbara, is also a cancer survivor -- breast cancer.
Then, to top it all off, I found out yesterday that a classmate of mine from Air Command and Staff College died last month from an aggressive form of cancer. Tom was a Marine lieutenant colonel who was disheartened with being in school when he could have been in the fight. He came to ACSC from a job where he was responsible for getting reservists ready to deploy. After we graduated, he stayed on the faculty for a year. When he finally made it to Iraq in 2007, doctors found a tumor on his hamstring. By fall, he was in remission and improving, but the cancer eventually returned and moved to his lungs. One article I read epitomizes his fighting spirit: “When hospice came in during the spring, and Tom found out what hospice was, ... [he] kicked them out and said ‘I’m not dying, go away!’” I can so see him doing that! Tom was 40, and leaves behind a wife and two young boys.
Finally, on a non-cancer note, my mom is having heart catheterization and/or a stent placed on Monday to alleviate calcification in one of her arteries. My parents were planning on visiting us for Zachary’s birthday and for Thanksgiving, so this will delay their trip. We’re thankful that they found the blockage when they did, and praying for success on Monday and hoping she’ll be cleared to travel over in time for Thanksgiving.
Please, please, keep my mom in your thoughts and prayers, as well as Hank and the many young victims of this horrible disease, and the families of those who have lost their battles. And, please perform your monthly self-exams. Keep a watchful eye for skin changes. Stop smoking. Be aware of suspicious changes in your body. Listen to your body. Hug your children tightly each night. Tell your family that you love them. And be thankful for every day that you’re given.
My mom had skin cancer, but after years of living on a farm and working outdoors, we knew it was due to sun exposure. My dad recently battled prostate cancer. He had surgery Dec 14, 2005, to remove his prostate and received a clean bill of health shortly afterward. Halleluiah for both of them.
A good friend of mine from high school lost his father to brain and bone cancer in March 2007. Jack was a very kind, generous and funny man (definitely where Jason got his wit from). I know it was difficult for his family to see him suffer, but that they must be relieved to know that he’s no longer in pain.
I was saddened by Emma Jordon’s long battle against Wilm's Tumor that just wouldn’t leave her little body alone. After a year-and-a-half, the cancer won. She passed away in September, just a few days after her 7th birthday. That doesn’t make sense.
After following several links from Emma’s CaringBridge page, I learned of many other children battling the disease. From Baby Will who was diagnosed at 2 months old with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors -- a very aggressive and highly untreatable form of cancer -- in his brain and leg yet is putting up a good fight; Tuesday, who just turned 2 and is battling neuroblastoma; 4-year-old Coleman who’s been battling medulloblastoma (brain cancer) for well over two years now (almost half his life!), relapsing at the one-year point and recently receiving bad news that his cancer is still growing; 8-year-old Kami battling Leukemia; 2-year-old Calla who battled brain cancer and is doing much better a year after her diagnosis; and many others. I’ve also learned of Chloe, Chloe, Matthew, Sammy, and several others who recently earned their angel wings. Cancer is absolutely horrible with how indiscriminate it can be.
I learned last week that a fellow Public Affairs professional, a chief master sergeant who I’d worked with very sporadically over my career, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and had only days to live. Just 82 days after his diagnosis, on Saturday, Joe passed away.
This past weekend I also learned that a dear family friend, Hank, now has prostate cancer and will have surgery in January. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers that they caught it early enough that he’ll be able to make a full recovery. On a positive note, his wife, Barbara, is also a cancer survivor -- breast cancer.
Then, to top it all off, I found out yesterday that a classmate of mine from Air Command and Staff College died last month from an aggressive form of cancer. Tom was a Marine lieutenant colonel who was disheartened with being in school when he could have been in the fight. He came to ACSC from a job where he was responsible for getting reservists ready to deploy. After we graduated, he stayed on the faculty for a year. When he finally made it to Iraq in 2007, doctors found a tumor on his hamstring. By fall, he was in remission and improving, but the cancer eventually returned and moved to his lungs. One article I read epitomizes his fighting spirit: “When hospice came in during the spring, and Tom found out what hospice was, ... [he] kicked them out and said ‘I’m not dying, go away!’” I can so see him doing that! Tom was 40, and leaves behind a wife and two young boys.
Finally, on a non-cancer note, my mom is having heart catheterization and/or a stent placed on Monday to alleviate calcification in one of her arteries. My parents were planning on visiting us for Zachary’s birthday and for Thanksgiving, so this will delay their trip. We’re thankful that they found the blockage when they did, and praying for success on Monday and hoping she’ll be cleared to travel over in time for Thanksgiving.
Please, please, keep my mom in your thoughts and prayers, as well as Hank and the many young victims of this horrible disease, and the families of those who have lost their battles. And, please perform your monthly self-exams. Keep a watchful eye for skin changes. Stop smoking. Be aware of suspicious changes in your body. Listen to your body. Hug your children tightly each night. Tell your family that you love them. And be thankful for every day that you’re given.
Labels: Pam's thoughts
