As we all know there has been a special "cheerleader" on this site named "Kitten". She has been, and still is, as far as we know, in a battle for her life. I've copied below some of the information from her "About Me" page. For the newcomers, there is a section on this link where you can answer personal questions regarding exactly how you came to be diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer. It gives us a deeper insight into each one's personal battle.
Kitten has constantly been an encouragement to all of us whose names you see on this site. She hasn't posted anything lately, which leads me to think that she is in "deep water" and in great need of our prayers. The Lord has answered us in some mighty ways recently.
Understandably, we don't expect "Kitten", now age 24, to be chatting away and giving us daily updates. I just want to take this opportunity to say to Kitten, "We haven't forgotten you. We know you're really pleased to see such good reports. You encouraged us in our darkest hours. So many of those that you encouraged to fight on and keep hope alive have indeed been blessed with victories.
We just want you to know that we are still asking God to do one more miracle and grant you an extension of life. We know we can't place demands on God, but He wants us to bring all our cares to Him. So once again, we are praying that God will shower Kitten with His peace and comfort in these tumultuous times. We know that Kitten has never let up in her quest to beat this cancer. If it were entirely up to her positive attitude, she would be back teaching her Second Grade students. Her husband Patrick has been a constant companion. I know that she has family that are by her bedside as well. We need to say a special prayer for Kitten's mom as well. No doubt she has wished that it were she instead of her precious daughter who has the cancer.
Kitten has motivated us to not feel sorry for ourselves, but to take the good with the bad and move on with the hope of being winners in this EC battle. We don't know what God's plans are for Kitten, but we know that she has prayed that God would give her victory over this cancer. None of us have promise of tomorrow, but we know Who holds tomorrow in His hands. So Lord, make Your presence real to Kitten in this hour. Grant her Your peace in this hour. She has been up and down for such a long time now, we pray she might find some rest along the way.
As you can see she has been caught in quite a whirlwind, yet found time to give so much good information and encouragement to other EC patients.
We also remember her motto for life's battle. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass--it's about learning to dance in the rain".
October 20th- Diagnosed with esophageal cancer
October 30th- Esophajectomy
December-Port placed in chest, First chemotherapy Treatment, EOX
Beginning of January- Began radiation/chemo treatments. Radiation (1X a day/ 25 sessions, with Xeloda)
After radiation treatments ended, I then had 3 more rounds of EOX scheduled, Epirubicin and Oxiplatin by IV every three weeks,
Xeloda in pill form daily at home.
May 28th, 2009- CT scans are clear, port removed the next day.
August 12, 2009- CT scans show fluid near lungs/liver, need further testing.
August 13, 2009-Fluid Drained and tested
August 14, 2009- Given the results, the cancer cells are looming in all the fluid, chemo begins in a week.
August 21, 2009-Chemo began, Taxotere and Irinotecan, once every three weeks.
Setember 7, 2009- Emergency surgery for blocked colon, colostomy in place.
September 27, 2009- Went to ER for trouble breathing, needed a central line and chest tube due to pneumonia and fluid around my lung.
October, 2009- two small surgeries to put in different tubes, a bile drain tube, a feeding tube, and a tube to drain the ascites.
We all just want to say we love you Kitten and are praying that God will see fit to give you the victory over this cancer. You've bounced back so many times that we've dubbed you "The Cat with 9 Lives". Hope and pray this storm will pass, even though you've learned to "dance in the rain".
Prayers from all of us,
William W. Marshall (& Loretta)
AKA "William66"
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
