YOU ARE ALL AMAZING PEOPLE!

I'm so lucky to have found this site. I feel comfort every time I enter and read all of your stories. I know I will get through this with my mom (somehow someway)

Many years ago all I could do was feel sorry and sad for people with cancer or taking care of a cancer patient. Now I feel their strength and their will to survive. Since my mom was diagnosed in Feb. 2003 I have a new view of cancer and the people affected by it. It is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with. My mom and dad are so strong (they are my heros) I'm just not doing as well as they are. I feel like a truck is coming head-on and I'm stuck in the road and can't move. So many of you inspire me to get up and live and fight this battle. I'm an only child who dreaded the day I had to say goodbye to my mom and dad. I feel the day is closer and I'm not ready (I guess we are never ready to say goodbye to a loved one)

Anyway what I want to say to all of you is - Not everyone will write in this forum (they may only read and read and read as I did until now) but I know for sure your strength and courage is helping people and giving them the will to go on. I wish good things for everyone of you and your loved ones as well. You have no idea how many people you touch with your words.

Sue

Hi Sue,

I have been watching your posts and have not answered until now. Partly because the answers that others were giving were better than I could come up with. This post of yours touched me. I had to give you a supporting pat on the back. The idea of loosing a parent is not easy to come to grips with. The new "view" you describe is common to all who go through an event like this. Many come out better than they ever expected. Win, loose, or draw, cancer has some positive effects. Concentrate on the positives and we all come out better.

Hang in there!

Sue,
To cite an old cliche...
A WOMAN IS LIKE A TEA BAG...
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW STRONG
SHE IS UNTIL YOU PUT HER
IN HOT WATER
I know you'll overcome! You are in my prayers.
Amy

sue,
Those heroes gave you their strength . It's in your genes. It will come out when you need it the most.Just try to focus on all your wonderful memories when your Mom was well and overlook the dispicable trail she is going through now. Your Mom will need to remember them too through you. Take care
Diane

I was whining via email to my son about Packer`s latest challenge, and the fact that I just tend to lose it, once in a while. Well, I got an email back telling me that I was going through the same things Packer was, and so what if you lose it once in a while, I`m still proud of you for the way you`ve handled the past 5 years.........Let me tell you, that started my day off feeling Good..........I guess all us caregivers have to keep remembering we`re only human, and facing enormous challenges.Like Martin Luther King said "I`ve Been To The Mountain" and I sure think that`s something we can all say !!!!!!! Dee

Thank (whatever) that we found one another.

I honestly don't know where I would be without the comfort of this board.

I've lost my whole family support system, but I understand now that I owe you members my strength. My family was there for me, but they never really UNDERSTOOD.

All of you seem like my family now. Thank you for being here.

Mandi

Sorry, but I hit the send button too soon.

Dee...............

You are a wonderful person. Please know that you have given me more hope than anything.

Mandi

Thank you so much Mandi for the kind words, we lost all Frank`s sisters as any support system too........they couldn`t deal with his new look ! Our children are all in pa. and ala. and although they are a great support, we are still alone. Who knew when we moved to Maine that this dreadful thing would happen........I`ve just really decided after this last set back that I just don`t have time to deal with people who can`t understand our suffering...Life is too damned short to bother...I know I`m so far from perfect that it`s pitiful, I compare myself to Packer, who does seem to be perfect, then set myself up for failure, I don`t really know either what I would do without this board........we truly are all brothers and sisters in this journey....................Dee

Dee,
Very well said and very touching. You are a very unselfish, giving person. I am so glad that Packer has you to look after him.

Danny G.

Hi, I am coming up for my 3d year of this and my husband and I were on our patio one summer night recenty and we started talking about that first year and he started to cry. This is not something he does, but the memory of all we have went thru is hard. I would have not kept getting "UP" again and going with a positive attitute if it weren't for his constant care and positive attitute.I do not drink but I love green tea, so heres to the caregivers!

Just a note to tell each and every one of you amazing people who take the time to "post" a big THANK YOU. During the last 9 months I have researched every possible avenue available to find information for my husband. ( Stage IV base of tongue ) I don`t think I have found a problem that has not been addressed here,in laymans`s terms, that I can understand without frying my already overloaded brain. We are going for the first post treatment CT scan Tuesday, and, whatever the outcome, mostly because of this site we know we have done all we can to combat this horrible disease. Once again, Thank you all.
Marica

Marica, best of luck to you and your husband and hope that everything is fine with the scan on Tuesday.

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.

Dear Marica, Want to wish you and your husbund the best of luck on his check up. Dan

Karen and Dan thank you for your encouragement. The CT scan went well ,no sign of anything in the neck or head just a slight swelling of the tongue which they put down to radiation after effects. Doc said best possible results we could have hoped for. Today we are very happy!!
Cheers Marica

Marica, congratulations!
You really need some kind of celebration to award yourself for the hard work you have done.

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.