Cancer is a beeyotch...
 

It really is. :(

A few may recall that my uncle that was was previously diagnosed with stomach cancer had something like 90% of his stomach removed, then underwent chemo. Things were looking good after treatment, and he was back to normal - back at work, eating normally, and spending time with his family (though not with his wife, they had become distant).

Fast forward to ~3 weeks ago, and he was having abdominal pains again, and not able to eat... Went to see the doctor, and the cancer had come back - but this time with full force. It had spread to his other organs, and well... Not good. There's not much the doctors can do now, other than make him comfortable.

At the same time, my fathers sister (his only living sibling) was diagnosed with cancer ~a month ago. She refused to tell our part of the family (basically my parents and my 2 sisters out in California) until about a week ago. She was having coughing fits, which she told my father was caused by the meds she was on. Her daughter called my father ~a week ago and broke the news. Cancer. More f'in cancer.

She sat down and called my father a few days ago and spoke to him about it. Not good, she did 1 round of normal chemo, then 2 round of heavier chemo. No dice, it's spread, and she's getting tumors all over. Two on the face, one behind the ear, then many internal. Doctors are saying she doesn't have much time left (saying maybe 2 months).

To top it all off - docs thinking my mother may be in the early stages of leukemia. She's been having abnormally high spikes in her white blood cell counts, and has been going back and forth to the doc for tests. She hasn't been sharing much with my family (only because of all the other stuff going on), so she won't share much info other than the little about the doctors prognosis and what tests she is going in to have done.

****.

Anyways, to summarize. Cancer is a *****. Royal *****. Never have we been hit so hard at one time by medical problems. Thinking of going to church to pray that we make it through this, even though I'm not particularly fond of the church.

/rant

I feel your pain, went through this with my mom. Stay close with your loved ones, be there as much for them, tell them you love them, that's as much as you can do.

Sorry to hear that. It sucks.

I'm so very sorry to learn of this, Justin. Now it's your turn to be really strong here, the family needs you.

Besides offering my hopes and prayers, I'd offer that you may wish to talk to some folks in a Hospice facility, many of them are reported to be very very good, helpful, knowledgeable and comforting.

You are a fine and honorable young man, and there is no doubt in my mind that your family upbringing played a huge part in that outcome.

I hope you have time to be there with them. Believe me they will appreciate your presence at this time, and later on, I promise you will NEVER regret having done so.

Take care and be strong.

All too common today. I am not religious but pray and hope for real workable cures to increase as fast as possible. I have seen it get far too many people in my lifetime.

There are no words... I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.

If you are in the bay area, I can recommend a couple of good churches. Good ones are hard to find, I'll grant you that.

Ive experienced some of that in my family so I have an idea of what you are going thru. My sympathies to all of you.

- Peter.

Many of us here on the forum have dealt with similar situations, cancer really is a bi-atch. We are all pulling for you guys.

I can only offer that an extremely negative prognosis is almost always on the conservative side in my experience. Your aunt may have more time. 2 months may be 5 months or even 10 months. Not exactly the greatest news, but there may be time to see them both and let them know the family is there for them

Sorry to hear of this. It sure looks as if your family is being hit hard from all directions. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Crap, man. :( I'm sorry to hear that, Justin. We've got you all in our thoughts and prayers.

Be sure to tell them you love them. I was very close to my maternal grandfather. We did lots of stuff together for the 34 years I was lucky enough to have him for. He wasn't big on talking about feelings (and I admit that I don't verbalize my feelings well) but he was a big hugger and when I was little he would give me a kiss on top of my head.

I'll never forget the last time I saw him in the hospital, almost 10 years ago this month. I gave him a big hug goodbye and told him I loved him, the first time I remember saying the words to him even though I had no problem showing him that. He teared up, said he knew that and that he loved me too and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. I think I bawled the whole drive home.

He passed away mid-morning the next day. It's as though he knew he was on his way the big fishing lake in the sky but just had to get saying the words off his chest and held on just long enough to tell each one of us.

Jim is SO right. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. I went through it with my Dad a few years ago and we are immersed on all sorts of things for my Mom. Family first. I'm sure you will help them greatly.

Best of luck.

Golly, that's terrible. All of that so close in the same family makes one wonder. Have you gotten a genetic screening for cancer? There are MD's who do that and it could really help you protect yourself.

From the dept. of fwiw, I lost my mom and 3 other close family members in a span of less than a year. At some point you might want to look into some grief counseling. Losing family to cancer or anything else is a psychological beating. Losing multiple family members in a short time span is worse.

Ditto what Bot said. I lost a brother and my mother in similar fashion. Your family needs you. Be there.

Oof, that's really awful. I've been to 15 funerals, including two grandparents and an uncle, & lost two besides, so I can relate on a small level to feeling of being hit from all directions at once. I'll keep you in my prayers.