My beautiful daughter Teri lost her battle with SCC on Monday - she passed away in my arms at home. She was only 43 and has three children & a grandaughter due to be born any day. Sometimes life just isn't fair!! We fought this evil demon disease for 2-1/2 years but in the end it won. She had a small SCC under her tongue, had it removed at USC Norris Cancer Center; then 35 IMRT's. They pronounced her "cured" & we went about our lives until she started experiencing extreme pain in her chest this April (doc said it was probably just muscular/skeletal pain - don't worry about it!) Finally ended up in ER & CT scan showed two large masses in her lung, one of which had already eaten thru a rib, plus another large mass in her kidney. Did 10 radiations to lung tumor then three chemo's (Docetaxel + Carbo) which left her so weak she couldn't stand & weighed 73 lbs. Treatments did nothing. Finally told her nothing else available to her & referred her to Hospice. We were on continuous care with Hospice for 2 weeks during which time she went down to 50 lbs and died on Monday.
What a horrible journey this has been. Fighting, fighting, fighting. Horrendous pain, complete emaciation; but she never complained once - she believed that this was the hand she was dealt and she handled it with grace. I'm not handling it as well - seeing my child in a casket was unbearable. And missing her every minute of the day breaks a mother's heart.
I HATE this evil disease!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bonnie

Caregiver Teri, age 43, SCC 4/06, surgery, 35 IMRT; metastatic return 4/08 to lung, bone, kidney. 10 radiation to lung, 3 Docetaxel + Carbo, lost her battle on 9/29.