Something In the Water?

Cissa · Post by **Cissa** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:45 am

Well, I'm having a concerning holiday season so far; First the day before Thanksgiving one of my closest friends, Cathy, was diagnosed with invasive Breast Cancer, which means that the docs think it may be spreading to her lymph nodes. Then just last week, my Stepmom was diagnosed with Lobular Breast Cancer. She was having a calcification biopsied, and as they were going in to remove it, there was a tumor in the way! Her docs are very concerned because this tumor didn't show up on mammograms, and they wonder if there are any more. My Stepmom lost her mother to Breast Cancer and her Aunt lost both breasts to it as well, so we're all fairly alarmed.
And of course, this is all coming on the heels of my old colleague Joanne, who just died of Pancreatic Cancer 2 months ago. WTF?!

Helen8 · Post by **Helen8** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:53 pm

Cissa, I'm sorry this has happened to so many close to you. My mother passed from breast cancer, but that was in 1983. Now with mammograms, it can be diagnosed sooner in earlier stages. There are medicines today that weren't around then, so survival rates are higher. My thoughts are with them and with you.

marilaine · Post by **marilaine** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:20 pm

My prayers are with you, Cissa. My aunt had lung cancer (but I think it was benign), and another had colon cancer (but she is doing well).
This is really a growing concern. Can't seem to hear any good news about it.
God Speed!

~M'L(C)

Post by **Hilary the Touched** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:30 pm

Poor Cissa--you're having a tough year.

Like Helen points out, treatments are improving all the time . . . it's hard to know if the rising numbers are due to better diagnosis, or increasing incidence?

grannybear · Post by **grannybear** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:31 pm

What horrible news at any time of the year. They will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Angel Tavington · Post by **Angel Tavington** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 5:17 pm

Aww Cissa... *hugs* sorry to hear about that, you and your loved ones will be in my prayers.

~me

Post by **Gillian** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:14 pm

My deepest sympathies, Cissa. It never rains but it pours.
We'll be keeping you in our thoughts.

*Hugs!*

Cissa · Post by **Cissa** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:08 pm

Howdy ladies,

Sorry it's been so long, what with these latest health crises, and still putting our house back together after the un-roof leaked a month and a half ago, I've been swamped - no pun itended!
But thank you guys so much for your thoughts and prayers for my loved ones - they are all that matter to me. Besides Lucius and Tavy

Seriously though, it helps to have sympathetic ears to help me sort things out for myself. Sometimes, I just need to see it written out in order to come to grips with it. The worst part is waiting to see what other tests and surgeries will say and those have to be scheduled, and so the waiting gets kind of aggravating for my Stepmom and Cathy. Can't even imagine what it's like, being told you have this disease and then told that you have to wait a whole month in order to know any more about it. I realize that docs are only human and they do all they can but... I don't know. I guess we should just feel lucky to live in a "developed" country where you can live long enough to get cancer in the first place!

Y'all the best!!