new member and glad

ralphie322

my name is ralphie i am a seven year survivor and i never told my story cause i just didnt think that people would understand.it was right after christmas when i found a lump on my collarbone, then after xrays ihad three tumors in my chest and one in my neck. it was hodgkins and i thought i was gonna die i had a 2 month old, a 2yr old and a 7yr old and was so afraid there daddy wasnt gonna be there for them and my wife was gonna get stuck raising them all alone. then i said to myself and god this crap isnt takin me out im no punk chemo and radiation was so tough it won some battles but i won the war it wasnt easy but i am here.i have seen my kids first days of school,graduations,communion,taught them all to ride bikes, and im here for when they skin their knees, and help them with there homework everynight . i just hope that if someone reads this story and it can motivate them and let them know this crap is beatable with prayer and some maxi cause i feel i looked the grim reaper in his eyes and he backed down .one day he will be back but i got round one. just these posts i have been writing has been makin me feel a bit better cause i hope it may help someone cause i really did feel alone but im realizing im not and its seems like i have been carrying a huge burden around but the more i read and write the burden is getting seems to be getting smaller god bless p.s. go phillies

ldot123

You are already winning
Good for you Ralphie. That is the attitude. I am grateful for all the time I have had with my kids. I was just like you 20 years ago. A 6 year old and a 9 year old. Now they are all grown up and doing great. Enjoy and cherish each and every day.

Lance PS Go Leafs

slickwilly

ldot123 said:

You are already winning
Good for you Ralphie. That is the attitude. I am grateful for all the time I have had with my kids. I was just like you 20 years ago. A 6 year old and a 9 year old. Now they are all grown up and doing great. Enjoy and cherish each and every day.

Lance PS Go Leafs

Enjoy each day
Ralphie. 6 years ago I asked God to allow me to live long enough to see my three daughters graduate from high school. I didn't sit here and make a promise to do anything other than fight as hard as I could. I have now watched my daughters grow into great young women and I have a deep appreciation for each day I have been given. I remember looking through insurance papers and trying to get my life in order so my family would be secure. Cancer can make a person get a whole new perspective on life and what is important. And as I am from Michigan, Go Red Wings. There is not much sense rooting for the Tigers or Lions ha ha. Slickwilly

beachgypsy

ralphie
I LOVE your attitude. Today is my 8 year aniversary. I was stage 4 and they said I wasn't going to make it. Guess I showed them! On my second visit to Dana Faber my doctor couldn't understand why I was so up beat after all the grim news and asked if I was afraid. I told him I was for about 5 minutes and then I looked in the mirror and said "cancer, you have messed with the wrong one this time, I am gonna kick your ****!" We had just lost my dad and oldest brother 2 years prior, and on the same day. My dad had Multiple Sclerosis and my brother a large cell lymphoma. My youngest was 15 at the time of the deaths and took it very hard. There was no way I was going to leave him too or let my mother bury yet another of her children. They were my motivation. I don't have alot of faith in doctors and am always reading and looking for information on my side effects and ways to fix them on my own. And so far so good. I know that someday we must all leave this plain, but if I can help it it will be on my terms. Congratulations on your 7 years, and lots of luck in your future.

winthefight

You go ralphie!
Thank you for sharing your story. It is an inspiration. I love hearing these warrior stories.....How we all are winning our battle with this discusting disease. I too can say, it is beatable with prayer. I also discovered the first lump on my collarbone. I just absolutely love your attitude! It is just what I needed right now. So, a million times thank you for sharing your story. I reallllllly appreciate it. Take care and continue to be blessed! Seven years is awesome!!!!

win

winthefight

beachgypsy said:

ralphie
I LOVE your attitude. Today is my 8 year aniversary. I was stage 4 and they said I wasn't going to make it. Guess I showed them! On my second visit to Dana Faber my doctor couldn't understand why I was so up beat after all the grim news and asked if I was afraid. I told him I was for about 5 minutes and then I looked in the mirror and said "cancer, you have messed with the wrong one this time, I am gonna kick your ****!" We had just lost my dad and oldest brother 2 years prior, and on the same day. My dad had Multiple Sclerosis and my brother a large cell lymphoma. My youngest was 15 at the time of the deaths and took it very hard. There was no way I was going to leave him too or let my mother bury yet another of her children. They were my motivation. I don't have alot of faith in doctors and am always reading and looking for information on my side effects and ways to fix them on my own. And so far so good. I know that someday we must all leave this plain, but if I can help it it will be on my terms. Congratulations on your 7 years, and lots of luck in your future.

congrats beachgypsy
LOL

Happy anniversary to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Wow 8 years. How coollllllllllllllllllllllll. Yes, you definitely showed them you are not to be reconned with lol.

I am happy to you did kicked the lymphoma's booty! Keep fighting the good fight buddy.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Take care.

Win.

blueroses

It doesn't have to come back.
Hi Ralphie, What a great inspirational story you wrote. I am glad you found the site and have been able to feel better through getting it off your chest. You should like a true fighter and that will get you where you want to be with this beast. I am a 20 years survivor of NHL and although I did have one recurrance in the beginning I have been considered a cure by my doctors after 18 years disease free. It isn't coming back, period. And yours doesn't have to either. You said that you knew that 'one day he will be back (the grim reaper)' but he doesn't have to come back with another round of cancer. Don't think like that. Cancer can be beaten, I am among the thousands and thousands who have in fact been called cured by their docs, so think positive and although one day we all have to face the end, it doesn't have to be cancer that takes us out at all. Not anymore. Continue to live for your kids, I too had very young children when I fought the battle and I truly believe that prayers from parents to please allow us to live to raise our children are very powerful prayers indeed. My children were 2 and 5 when I was diagnosed and I know that my prayers and those of my church led to a miracle cure for me, your prayers can do the very same thing for you. No, the reaper DOES NOT have to be back with the hodgkins for you. You have won the battle for sure. Blessings, Blueroses.

sheliameeks

Thanks for the post, it is
Thanks for the post, it is very inspiring. I am currently undergoing chemo but I am in remission after 3 cycles, just finishing up cycle 5 and have 1 more cycle to go. I was in Stage 3BS and did not have a good prognosis but I had 3 children and the fear of leaving them made me want to really fight. I just pray it never returns because I do not want to go through this again.

lambylight

family and cancer
hello im a mother that came down with cancer two yrs ago i know what u are going through but in reverse my husband was worried that he would be stuck with the kids we had 6 yr old a 4 yr old a 2 yr old still to raise it was very hard during that summer i was going through chemo with 3 kids at home some days i would fall asleep trying to watch them my husbands parents had to move from san diego to help us out with kids i had hodgkins lymphoma in my chest at least one miracle came out of it i did not lose all of my hair cut it really short that was really a shock with long hair all my life just got pretty thin the days right after chemo were the worst right after i got better i had chemo again lol the dr kept my chemo port in way too long and it broke inside me when they tried to flush it i had in me about a yr and a half thank god that's over my middle child that's six now is still very clingly everytime i don't feel good she gets so worried. after 2 yrs after chemo im still cancer free but still feel very tired and fatique i got to take many breaks just cleaning the house my long term memory is good but my short memory sucks really bad lol lol chemo brain i guess now 32 yrs old praying to god the cancer does not come back for me and my family

Dwalk15

Awesome!
Ralphie,
Glad you are doing well. Your story reads like so many and yet is just as special. I was diagnosed one month after my daughters 1st birthday. She's 19 now and has 2 brothers. I remember the first thing I did after I was diagnosed. I called my insurance company and attempted to increase my life insurance before they got word of my cancer. Silly, but I had decided that I was going to die and needed to get things in order.
Well, when I figured I was going to beat this enemy, I turned an important corner. I wanted to live for myself of course, but more so I could see my dauughter graduate, fall in love, get married, and give me grandkids. Well, she has graduated and now my goals have changed again. I'm living to see her and her brothers do the same and more.
I love telling people, "I saw cancer and I kicked its a#*!" Heck, as far as I'm concerned, I died once. No need to worry about that...just live. It feels like driving down a long straight narrow road, taking a look in your rearview mirror once in a while and way off in the distance is cancer...getting smaller and smaller with each mile.
I'm happy for you and your family. WE ARE SURVIVORS! Take THAT cancer!!!

Dwalk15

sheliameeks said:

Thanks for the post, it is
Thanks for the post, it is very inspiring. I am currently undergoing chemo but I am in remission after 3 cycles, just finishing up cycle 5 and have 1 more cycle to go. I was in Stage 3BS and did not have a good prognosis but I had 3 children and the fear of leaving them made me want to really fight. I just pray it never returns because I do not want to go through this again.

How's it going?
How are things going for you now? Just remember that remission is medical terminology for, "I'm to scared to tell you you are cured." I've been in remission for years. Uh, I am done. There is no sign of cancer, just some scare tissue that makes the doctors look twice once in a while. But it never changes. I truly hope you are doing well. God bless.