Home Forums All Categories Caregivers Questions and Comments Another Life impacted by cancer

  • Another Life impacted by cancer

    Posted by GKLINE on February 17, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    Sad news was on my plate the last few days. My childhood friend and his wife have always been there for us. They were a little skittish when I gat cancer and stayed away…. fearing they wouldn’t know what to do. Before we got married, my wife Audrey and “Betsy” shared an apartment for a year and we all had a wonderful time starting out on life. Yesterday, I found out that Betsy had a spell where she couldn’t talk coherently on Monday. She was taken to a local hospital and transferred to a larger hospital for a battery of tests…. MRI and CatScan. And even though she had had both tests done 11 months ago (she suffers with migrain headaches and they tested to be sure… showed nothing) This time they showed Glioblastoma brain cancer. This is a very aggressive and clingy type of cancer and the prognosis is not good even at this early stage.

    Audrey and I went to see them today and we turned the clock back 30 years. As we walked to the house from the car, I was so afraid we would be a nuisance to them at this time………. but we HAD to go. But I remembered how great it was for me when someone would venture to my porch and find that I was happy to have them there.

    So the prognosis is not good. But WE are in this with them now! A new fight has begun. So if you know anything about this cancer and where the best place to go is……….. Let me know. I need to find the Cynthia Kinsella of the Brain cancer society.

    George


    Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
    Light a man ON fire and he’s warm forever.

    08/08/08…RC neo bladder
    09/09/09…New Hip
    =
    New Man! [/size]

    GKLINE replied 12 years, 11 months ago 9 Members · 21 Replies
  • 21 Replies
  • gkline's avatar

    gkline

    Member
    March 5, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    So far this is GREAT NEWS! But, as you know, this cancer thing is a sneaky bastard indeed. Due viligence and having Everything…. fingers…..toes and eyes crossed, and lots of Prayer helps.

    But, for Betsy to go from 3 months of life, to an optomistic chance of living 10+ years……… this is heaven indeed.

    Thanks for all your prayers.. Somebody was listening.

    George


    Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
    Light a man ON fire and he’s warm forever.

    08/08/08…RC neo bladder
    09/09/09…New Hip
    =
    New Man! [/size]

  • upnorth's avatar

    upnorth

    Member
    March 5, 2012 at 9:37 pm

    Wow that’s great news for sure.
    Sometimes the miraculs are hard to see if your not looking hard enough. Her vision must be 20-20. Because that’s what I call miraculous. :cheer:


    Age 55
    Diagnosed BC 12/20/2011 Ta No Mo 0a Non-Invasive At age 48
    “Please don’t cry because it is over….. Smile because it happened!” {Dr. Seuss} :)
  • nix's avatar

    nix

    Member
    March 5, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    Now that is really good news! Brings home the message….never be a spectator with your diagnosis! Own it and learn everything you can!
    Way to go, Betsy

    Nancy


    Nancy S
    Ta CIS
    dx Ta 11/06
    dx Ta CIS 10/07
  • catherineh's avatar

    catherineh

    Member
    March 5, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    This is so wonderful!!! Persistence is the key in finding the right doctor until all avenues are exhausted. I am so happy for her and her family!


    Best wishes… Catherine

    TURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
    Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
    Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
    Vanderbilt Medical Center
    Nashville, TN

  • mmc's avatar

    mmc

    Member
    March 5, 2012 at 2:42 pm

    FANNNNNNTASIC News George! She had a lot of people on her side! :)

    Mike


    Age 54
    10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
    9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
    10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
    2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
    9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
    1/2014 ct scan results….distant mets
    2/2014 ct result…spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph system

    My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of ABLCS or anyone else. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.
  • gkline's avatar

    gkline

    Member
    March 5, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    Hello Everybody!
    Great news! Although We all know how being too optomistic can suddenly go astray.

    Just got an email from the family. The Surgery was a success and Betsy is doing fine. She had quite a bit of pain the first day because she couldn’t have any strong pain meds. But she was able to get them after they evaluated her. On Saturday she was analysed with a CAT scan again and they cannot find any trace of the tumor! :cheer :cheer: This does not mean she is cured, as she is going to Boston for a follow up for chemo and Radiation treatments. She is also having a little trouble with her speech but that is improving by the moment!

    She is being released from the hospital today and coming home for recovery. And then it’s on to Boston.

    The lesson to be learned here is: Betsy was told she had an inoperable tumor and she had 3 months to live! She wouldn’t take this for an answer and started a search for an alternative!
    She went for a second and third opinion!
    And this has saved her life! She will be on a constant watch and she will probably have many follow up procedures. But she will have a good quality of life and an optomistic outlook on future treatments.

    Thanks for all of your concern. This is another life worth saving.

    George


    Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
    Light a man ON fire and he’s warm forever.

    08/08/08…RC neo bladder
    09/09/09…New Hip
    =
    New Man! [/size]

  • herb's avatar

    herb

    Member
    March 2, 2012 at 3:51 pm

    Glad you are there for them George — I know it is harder than your words let on but you know the way!


    Age 72 had radical 9/11/10 have conduit everything is fine, grateful to be a cancer survivor. Lost Dad and Brother to Cancer both in their 50’s.
  • mmc's avatar

    mmc

    Member
    March 2, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    Any update George? How did it go?

    Mike


    Age 54
    10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
    9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
    10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
    2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
    9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
    1/2014 ct scan results….distant mets
    2/2014 ct result…spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph system

    My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of ABLCS or anyone else. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.
  • catherineh's avatar

    catherineh

    Member
    February 28, 2012 at 3:46 am

    I sincerely hope her surgery goes well and can improve her outcome. So glad they persisted and got a third opinion. Sometimes the right doctor is out there just waiting to be found!


    Best wishes… Catherine

    TURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
    Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
    Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
    Vanderbilt Medical Center
    Nashville, TN

  • upnorth's avatar

    upnorth

    Member
    February 27, 2012 at 9:51 pm

    Good luck. And we will keep her in our prayers.


    Age 55
    Diagnosed BC 12/20/2011 Ta No Mo 0a Non-Invasive At age 48
    “Please don’t cry because it is over….. Smile because it happened!” {Dr. Seuss} :)
  • gkline's avatar

    gkline

    Member
    February 27, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    Update
    After being told she had an inoperable brain tumor, and going to 2 hospitals that specialize in brain cancer, (does this sound familiar) and finding a Dr that was positive and supportive, Betsy is having surgery tomorrow (Feb 28th) and they hope to remove about 90% of the tumor. They hope to get the rest with chemo and radiation.

    Finger crossed! Eyes and toes too!

    George


    Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
    Light a man ON fire and he’s warm forever.

    08/08/08…RC neo bladder
    09/09/09…New Hip
    =
    New Man! [/size]

  • upnorth's avatar

    upnorth

    Member
    February 22, 2012 at 9:34 pm

    I think just seeing a freind when I was diagnosed, was the greatest feeling ever. There truly is strength in numbers.

    I didn’t want to feel left out. I wanted to talk and laugh again. You can only do this with freinds that understand you and what you are going through.

    Once again your showing the right way to do things, isn’t always the easiest way.

    Your a good freind George!

    Mark


    Age 55
    Diagnosed BC 12/20/2011 Ta No Mo 0a Non-Invasive At age 48
    “Please don’t cry because it is over….. Smile because it happened!” {Dr. Seuss} :)
  • gkline's avatar

    gkline

    Member
    February 22, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    John
    Thanks a bunch. We’ll see where this goes.
    George


    Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
    Light a man ON fire and he’s warm forever.

    08/08/08…RC neo bladder
    09/09/09…New Hip
    =
    New Man! [/size]

  • John14108's avatar

    John14108

    Member
    February 22, 2012 at 9:43 am

    George, I just checked and the link I posted takes you to the Dr search page. The Doctor’s name is Gene Barnett.

    I hope this helps.

    John

  • John14108's avatar

    John14108

    Member
    February 22, 2012 at 9:32 am

    George, Steve has been under the care of Dr. Barnett at the Cleveland clinic since the onset of his cancer. We consider him our hero. I’m posting a link for him, I hope it works for you.

    http://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff_directory/physician_name_search.aspx

    Tell your friend that we’ll pray for her and we wish her the best.

    John

Page 1 of 2

Sign In to reply.