Cancer !

[hopalong]

got the call last night about 8:00 PM.

He said he has it in the pancrease, and lympth nodes........Dr. first told him it is not operable, and he should take that trip he always wanted to ect.

this on a guy who just turned 40 with a wife and 3 kids

[Jman]

Very sorry. Does not sound hopeful. I'd be getting a second and third opinion however. Doctors are not 100% right 100% of the time. Cancer is a SOB, lost my father and a close friend to it. I'll pray for him and his family, and hope for the best possible outcome.

Jim

[EZ Bagger]

There are advances all the time...hope one of them is appropriate for your friend.

[38superman]

got the call last night about 8:00 PM.

He said he has it in the pancrease, and lympth nodes........Dr. first told him it is not operable, and he should take that trip he always wanted to ect.

this on a guy who just turned 40 with a wife and 3 kids

I am sorry for your friend Hop and for you as well.

I know how he feels because I have it too.

Prostate cancer.

I just found out about 2 months ago.

When I told my best friend he broke down and cried like a baby.

I haven't told too many people outside my family.

I thought about starting a thread on the forum but wasn't sure if it was appropriate.

It's a morbid subject and definately not shooting related.

I will keep your friend in my prayers. I've been doing a lot of that lately.

Tony

[bountyhunter]

got the call last night about 8:00 PM.

He said he has it in the pancrease, and lympth nodes........Dr. first told him it is not operable, and he should take that trip he always wanted to ect.

this on a guy who just turned 40 with a wife and 3 kids

That's awful..... pancreatic cancer and lung cancer are the worst.

maybe he will be one of the ones who beats it.

[Shooter Girl]

got the call last night about 8:00 PM.

He said he has it in the pancrease, and lympth nodes........Dr. first told him it is not operable, and he should take that trip he always wanted to ect.

this on a guy who just turned 40 with a wife and 3 kids

That's awful..... pancreatic cancer and lung cancer are the worst.

maybe he will be one of the ones who beats it.

Hi Hop... First let me say I am sorry that your friend is faced with such a horrible disease! I felt compelled to write you and at least offer my feelings on the subject, perhaps you can share some of it with him, if you think it may help?

I have lost my Mom to breast cancer, Dad to colon cancer and I was diagnosed at 30 with breast cancer. Without going into a long drawn out story, let me say this... tell him to NEVER GIVE UP!!! Get 2, 3, 4, 5 different opinions!! Your mental state of mind is crucial! I read the books "It's Not About The Bike" and "Every Second Counts" about Lance Armstrong. They were truly life altering to me and really make you stop and think... geez... if he can beat his cancer with the odds they were giving him... then I am home free!!! They were giving him a death sentence. However, he continued to defy the odds, he never for one minute toyed with the idea that this was it for him. I realize it is extremely difficult, there's the feeling of helplessness, shock, confusion, denial... it's overwhelming. The key is to find a way to stay in control of your life, don't let the cancer control you!!

If I had listened to my 1st and 2nd opinions, I would have had a radical masectomy, 6 months chemo and 6 months radiation. After all the tests were run, I made a decision against all of them, based on my results. It was the right decision for me. They tried to convince me that my risk factor was so high... because of my Mom, that the odds were stacked against me and it is just a matter of time before I would get another occurence... It's been 7 years and I am still cancer free. I get checked every 6 months, so early detection is really key.

I guess the most important thing I want to get across is NO ONE... not even a Doctor has the right to put a time limit on your life or to tell you that there is nothing you can do. I don't know if he is a religious man, but my feeling is that... it's up to you and God, as to when your time to go is and that's what the doctor should be saying. Present the facts and then the rest is up to you. They should be willing to make the fight with you every step of the way... why can't your friend be the one that defies the odds this time?? Finding the right doctor can really make all the difference in the world, just don't want him to settle is all... after all it's his life they are talking about!

I hope it was ok for me to write and voice my feelings on this. It was written from the heart and only hope, pray and wish the best for your friend. I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers!! sg

[JThompson]

got the call last night about 8:00 PM.

He said he has it in the pancrease, and lympth nodes........Dr. first told him it is not operable, and he should take that trip he always wanted to ect.

this on a guy who just turned 40 with a wife and 3 kids

Very sorry to hear that Hop... I'll say a prayer for him and the family.

[GentlemanJim]

We will keep him in prayer.

Jim

[ima45dv8]

got the call last night about 8:00 PM.

He said he has it in the pancrease, and lympth nodes........Dr. first told him it is not operable, and he should take that trip he always wanted to ect.

this on a guy who just turned 40 with a wife and 3 kids

I am sorry for your friend Hop and for you as well.

I know how he feels because I have it too.

Prostate cancer.

I just found out about 2 months ago.

When I told my best friend he broke down and cried like a baby.

I haven't told too many people outside my family.

I thought about starting a thread on the forum but wasn't sure if it was appropriate.

It's a morbid subject and definately not shooting related.

I will keep your friend in my prayers. I've been doing a lot of that lately.

Tony

Tony, You WILL beat this.

Hop -- just.....Damn.

[carinab]

Let me reiterate what others have said, never give up!!! I got the diagnosis of cervical cancer when my daughter was 18 months old. The moment I got the phone call on my cell phone is forever etched in my memory. I was driving her to a play date at a friend's house when the doctor told me the biopsy results. I looked in the mirror at her in her car seat and decided I was going to see her grow up. Surgery worked for me plus a few meds. I'm now 4 years in the clear. Look at every alternative; diet, exercise, plus medical treatments. Focus and determination and information can help you feel more in control.

[Shooter Girl]

Let me reiterate what others have said, never give up!!! I got the diagnosis of cervical cancer when my daughter was 18 months old. The moment I got the phone call on my cell phone is forever etched in my memory. I was driving her to a play date at a friend's house when the doctor told me the biopsy results. I looked in the mirror at her in her car seat and decided I was going to see her grow up. Surgery worked for me plus a few meds. I'm now 4 years in the clear. Look at every alternative; diet, exercise, plus medical treatments. Focus and determination and information can help you feel more in control.

What Carinab said x2!!

You GO GIRL!!

[hopalong]

Thanks all for the encouraging words. Please keep Mike and his family along with all others battling this disease in your prayers.

I will give him all the encouragement and yours too.

Tony, hang in there man. I too will also pray for you.

With Gods' help and modern medicine it can be beaten !!!!

Thanks all.

Hopalong

[mjbine]

Thanks all for the encouraging words. Please keep Mike and his family along with all others battling this disease in your prayers.

I will give him all the encouragement and yours too.

Tony, hang in there man. I too will also pray for you.

With Gods' help and modern medicine it can be beaten !!!!

Thanks all.

Hopalong

Sorry to hear. Prayers sent for him and his famliy.

[Dan Sierpina]

Hopalong,

I'm very sorry to hear about your friends sickness. A positive attitude will go a long way, and definately more opinions will help too.

Tony,

Your form of cancer can be taken care of if not too advanced. My Dad had it, had radiation seed implants and has been cancer free for over 10 years. A friend and cousin have had surgery for it, and so far so good. So there is hope with at least some forms of cancer.

Best wishes and prayers for both of you.

[spook]

Man, I'm sorry to hear that Hop

[et45]

Prayers out to Hop's bud and .38 Super.Do not give up and get the second and third opinion.

[38superman]

Cancer is a brutal and cruel disease that touches us all one way or another.

Once you discover you have it, it never leaves your thoughts.

You can wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and you will think of it before your feet touch the floor.

I was a macho man that thought you only go to the doctor if you're sick, ... bad sick. What an idiot!

If I had, it may have been caught sooner and would have been easier to deal with.

Mine has advanced to the point where a cure is still possible but it is going to be a fight with some real unpleasant days ahead.

Sam is obviously upset about his friend and rightfully so.

I don't want to hijack his thread and make it about me so I'm going to make it about you.

If any of you guys don't know your PSA level, you are playing Russian Roulette with your life.

You can't just decline to play. If you are a man you are already in the game.

The longer you wait, the more bullets in the gun.

Do it Now.

Step back from the keyboard, pick up the phone and make an appointment.

I know, I hate needles too but that's out the window now.

I know what some of you are thinking.

"Prostate cancer is an old mans disease".

"It's not going to happen to me, I'll take my chances".

"It's curable, I'll deal with it when it happens".

"I'll do it later, I'm too busy right now".

If so, come and find me at the next match. We need to talk.

Thanks for all the good wishes.

Tony

Edited October 23, 2007 by 38superman

[Shooter Girl]

Cancer is a brutal and cruel disease that touches us all one way or another.

Once you discover you have it, it never leaves your thoughts.

You can wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and you will think of it before your feet touch the floor.

I was a macho man that thought you only go to the doctor if you're sick, ... bad sick. What an idiot!

If I had, it may have been caught sooner and would have been easier to deal with.

Mine has advanced to the point where a cure is still possible but it is going to be a fight with some real unpleasant days ahead.

Sam is obviously upset about his friend and rightfully so.

I don't want to hijack his thread and make it about me so I'm going to make it about you.

If any of you guys don't know your PSA level, you are playing Russian Roulette with your life.

You can't just decline to play. If you are a man you are already in the game.

The longer you wait, the more bullets in the gun.

Do it Now.

Step back from the keyboard, pick up the phone and make an appointment.

I know, I hate needles too but that's out the window now.

I know what some of you are thinking.

"Prostate cancer is an old mans disease".

"It's not going to happen to me, I'll take my chances".

"It's curable, I'll deal with it when it happens".

"I'll do it later, I'm too busy right now".

If so, come and find me at the next match. We need to talk.

Thanks for all the good wishes.

Tony

Tony... That's powerful! (well said...)

I also want to say that I am so sorry you too have to fight this insidious disease! It does unfortunately seem to touch all of our lives in one way or another.

I absolutely agree 100% that early detection is key... it's the reason I am still here today!

So men... if there are any of you that haven't went to get your PSA level checked yet... GO! And women who are putting off getting that Mamogram... DON'T... GO!! You feel a lump somewhere that shouldn't be there... GO... get it CHECKED! It CAN and WILL save some of your lives!

I will again keep ALL of you in my prayers!!

LIVESTRONG...

sg

[hopalong]

Update:

After 8 weeks on the standard Chemo treatment on Tuesdays and a test drug on Fridays Michaels' tumor is now 30% larger.

The way He, Dawn(his wife and my friend) are looking at it is this:

If the cancer had not been detected and treated how big will it be now?

Michael has a great attitude but still needs prayers.

So please say an extra prayer for him, Dawn and thier 3 girls. Then say one for the others that are fighting this damn disease.

Thanks to all and God Bless,

Hopalong

[JThompson]

Update:

After 8 weeks on the standard Chemo treatment on Tuesdays and a test drug on Fridays Michaels' tumor is now 30% larger.

The way He, Dawn(his wife and my friend) are looking at it is this:

If the cancer had not been detected and treated how big will it be now?

Michael has a great attitude but still needs prayers.

So please say an extra prayer for him, Dawn and thier 3 girls. Then say one for the others that are fighting this damn disease.

Thanks to all and God Bless,

Hopalong

Done.

[Derek45]

Let me reiterate what others have said, never give up!!! I got the diagnosis of cervical cancer when my daughter was 18 months old. The moment I got the phone call on my cell phone is forever etched in my memory. I was driving her to a play date at a friend's house when the doctor told me the biopsy results. I looked in the mirror at her in her car seat and decided I was going to see her grow up. Surgery worked for me plus a few meds. I'm now 4 years in the clear. Look at every alternative; diet, exercise, plus medical treatments. Focus and determination and information can help you feel more in control.

Your post reminds me of my wife's determination to see her kids grow up.

Four years ago my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. 34 years old and never took a sick day in her whole life.

Our daughters at the time were 2 and 4, too young to understand what was going on. I remember trying to explain to my 4 year old, that Mommy needed some really strong medicine that would help her, but make her hair fall out. A 4 year old girl is not really equipped for this kind of thing, but kids adapt.

I will never forget that conversation.

My wife was determined to fight and see her babies grow up. She took the chemo and radiation in stride.

Her hair started falling out just before Halloweeen, I remember the Doctor said when it starts, just cut it all off and be done with it. She asked if I would buzz it off, and I did. when I finished, she looked in the mirror, shrugged, put on a ball cap and said "let's go out to lunch". no tears.

I was amazed by her positive attitude and inner strength.

I remember taking care of her when she was so sick from the chemo. Everything she tried to eat came right back up. even them, she had a "let's fight this and get through it" attitude.

Her focus on her children made a big difference. I think with cancer, mindset makes a HUGE difference.

Four years later, she's doing fine, and we are closer than ever.

But I will admit, there is not a day that goes by that I don't think about it returning and taking her away from these wonderful daughters.

***Read Lance Armstrong's book. He was in REAL bad shape, but he got second opinions, and found doctors who would help him.****

God Bless.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

This is difficult to write because it breaks me up thinking about it.

My friend died several years ago after a valiant fight with Bone cancer. He was a fantastic man. I decorated Firefighter, a good husband, son and brother. I was a better person for having known him.

The one thing I learned during his battle is what Carina said. Never give up. Never give up as a the afflicted and never give up as the friend. Friends are forever. You will meet again.

From the time Rick was diagnosed to the day he died, he was convinced he would beat it. He looked Cancer in the eye and took it head on. He never complained about the pain, the lack of ambition, or any other parts of his treatment. His last year was filled with some remission and good health that allowed him to do a lot of what he wanted to do. He was granted this time because he never felt sorry for himself. He hurt all over and still never complained. I was his wife's designated hugger because it hurt him too much to do it. She needed it and got it. She always said it was the closest she could be to the real thing.

The last three days Rick was on this earth I sat with him in hospice. He knew I was there and that was more of a comfort to me than it was to him. I was a selfish person in this because I wanted him to stay. I wish I could have been a better friend but there was nothing I could do.

To get to the forum at hand, what I hate is that my friend died while I sat there helpless.

Sam, as many prayers as I can muster are directed to Michael. He is lucky to have you as a friend.

Regards,

Gary

Edited January 28, 2008 by Round_Gun_Shooter

[scribble]

Just got the call my good friends Mom passed last night from cancer as well.

[DBeck77]

I always laugh now when I hear someone say something about the "weaker" sex. Just isn't so

My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2000, we had gone shooting sporting clays for my birthday on October 20th and the recoil from the shotgun made the lump sore. Shooting probably saved my wife's life. After lots of testing and a biopsy we got the news that she had breast cancer. She had 2 surgeries (lumpectomy and then a surgery to get larger margins), 6 months of chemo, and 3 months of radiation. She lost her hair (eyelashes, eyebrows, etc.).

We have 2 daughters who were 4 and 8 at the time. It was a real tough time having to explain that Mom was really sick.

At Thanksgiving of this year we noticed a swollen spot under my wife's arm. She had an appointment that week with her oncologist who started the testing cycle that we were very familiar with. In mid December we got the word we were expecting but still dreading, she has cancer again. Telling our daughters at age 11 and 15 is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. After being sad, then pissed at the world, I have come again to the determination that we will get through this again. Her cancer is isolated to the axilla (under her arm) on one side in 2 lymph nodes. Our oncologist wants them removed so we are working with Mayo Clinic in an attempt to get their oncology team to do surgery on my wife.

Cancer sucks, but it can be beaten with a positive attitude and good medical care in a lot of cases.

Good luck to your friend to anyone else suffering with this nasty stuff.

David

[38superman]

Just got the call my good friends Mom passed last night from cancer as well.

You have my deepest sympathy.

I lost my mom to cancer as well.

Its been 10 years now.

I hate this vile disease.

But I have faith.

Someday the docs will find a way to take it down.

Tony