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Another Life impacted by cancer
Posted by GKLINE on February 17, 2012 at 9:19 pmSad 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
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New Man! [/size]GKLINE replied 12 years, 11 months ago 9 Members · 21 Replies21 Replies-
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]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} :)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, BetsyNancy
Nancy S
Ta CIS
dx Ta 11/06
dx Ta CIS 10/07This 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… CatherineTURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Nashville, TNFANNNNNNTASIC 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.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]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.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.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… CatherineTURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Nashville, TNGood 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} :)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]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} :)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]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
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
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