My story

jami
jami Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Emotional Support #1
I do not know how to begin this, so I will just start. About two weeks ago (Feb 13), my father was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer called choroidal melanoma. This cancer is a tumor that is found behind the eye and usually shows up when there is cancer elsewhere in the body. Luckily they haven't found any more caner in him. In a week he goes into surgery to have a radiation plaque inserted behind his eye on the tumor to shoot radiation at it for three days and then it is removed. Even though this treatment will probably kill the tumor, they say that cancer elsewhere in the body may still appear 5 years down the road.

What makes this so hard so that when I was 8, my mother and my father's only wife, died of ovarian cancer.

You see, I am only 22. I never thought I would have to watch another parent deal with cancer. I would love to here from anyone who has had someone very close to them be diagnosed with cancer.

Comments

  • marcy
    marcy Member Posts: 58
    Jami, I am so sorry to hear about your father. I know it's very hard for you to have to deal with this especially after the lost of your mother at such a tender age.
    My dad was diagnosed in October with small cell carsinoma of the lung. He is about to receive his 6th a final chemo next week. The tumor started out in his lung about the size of a quarter. Also, several cancer lesions showed up in his liver. After the 5 chemo sessions..(he could not have radiation because they can not radiate the liver)..Anyway..He had a scan a couple of weeks ago. The cancer did not even show up! So, hopfully, he will stay in remission for a while!
    Perhaps your dad will be very lucky and not have cancer anywhere else! Please keep up your hope and faith. It's a very good tool for fightin this awful Disease.
    Marcy
  • rmpc
    rmpc Member Posts: 4
    I have been dealing with sickness between both of my parents since I was 18. My father had a heart attack when I was a senior in high school, had triple by-pass surgery that same year. 9 years later his heart acted up again and on top of that they found a tumor in his lung which was removed. They said he didn't need chemo. 3 years later he had a seizure and was diagnosed with brain cancer (he was only 62) and just retired. They gave him up to 6 months to live and he lasted two months. It's been 12 years since he died. This past December my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer, had her entire stomach, spleen and part of her esophogus removed. She still is not able to eat or drink, has a feeding tube inside of her and a drain which collects the leaking secretions that are occurring because she still is not completely healed. We were told that if she didn't have the operation she wouldn't last the year (she is 76) and that even if she does have the operation (which she did) she could last 6 months or maybe 5 years or more. I am 43 now with my own family and I feel for you, especially since you are 22. Just try to make the best of each day with your Dad and let him know how much you love him. I hope you have other family around for you and wish you strength and courage. Sincerely, rmpc
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator