Healing thoughts

When I wrote the Dkos diary on cancer and the many sites and organizations to support, part of my inspiration for that was of course participating in the 3-day walk again. However, another part was the shock I got from watching Lance Armstrong host the ESPY awards and say that one half of those in attendance would be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime. One HALF. His Livestrong website says one third which is scary enough, but I really dont think that Lance would have been throwing out innacurate statistics. Of course, as your lifespan grows, your chances of getting anything increase so maybe you have to carry it out into your 80s or 90s to get to one half. Still. Its staggering. I know from talking to people who are involved in research too that no matter which particular form you give support to, it really benefits all types of cancer prevention and treatment research since they are very similar.

It’s on my mind today because it hit me that over this summer I have heard of quite a rash of cancer diagnoses within my social circle. Our family dentist was the first. I knew he was sick when we had out last appointment in April just from how he looked. I didn’t know how to bring it up though. Sure enough, I got a letter last week from him because he’s had to sell his practice due to a bone cancer diagnoses. He’s battled it since February and is just in too much pain to continue. Plus, the doctors dont know where it started – the bone cancer is a secondary spreading from *somewhere* but they dont know where. It does not look good for him. He’s in his early 40s and has three children in a local elementary school. He was a “family” dentist to people here in many ways since they also live here. One of the Barbies is good friends with them and is just heartbroken. (Side note, at a baseball event today I talked to another mom who knows the Barbies and she said she uses that term too! Now I dont feel so bad). Then there is a baseball family that I know very well. The dad just lost his mom very suddenly to lung cancer in early July. Diagnoses preceded her passing by about two weeks. At the same time, one of their dogs had to be put down due to cancer. The second one just had a tumor removed from the end of her tail. And now, the mom’s mom just found a lump in her breast and it was malignant. She goes in Tuesday to see if it has spread. Also on Tuesday, one of my Powerhouse board member friends goes in to have a malignant tumor removed from his kidney. This one is the most upbeat I supposed since all the doctors are assuring him that it was found quite early, is on its own (no spreading) and will be easily removed with laproscopic surgery. The only reason he found it is because he went in for a scan for something totally unrelated. The tumor is very small and not creating any symptoms. The doctors say he could have lived with it for up to 10 years with no signs of trouble, but that once it did start to spread, it would have been deadly. OH man! It’s a miracle it was found. He’s only 42 and is known around town as Grumpy (due to a jacket from Disney that he wears, but also yes, due to his disposition!) However, Grumpy is one of the best fathers I have ever seen and his two boys are just awesome. I am so thrilled that my son has been around their youngest since kindergarden. So please, on Tuesday think healing thoughts for a fiesty New Yorker grandma with her breast cancer and to my friend Grumpy with his surgery.

Oh yes – one other one! Mimi pointed out the Granny Gets a Vibrator blogspot to us awhile ago and just this summer she too has started quite the battle with what looks to be lung cancer. That is some very good reading though. She is tackiling it with such spirit and humor and realism.
Check her out http://grannyvibe.blogspot.com/