Disabilities

NeverGivingUp

It has been said that you cannot look at someone and tell that they have cancer. It's also said that someone always has it worse. Has anyone else been phycially diabled by cancer?

Survivor, Crystal - Baltimore, MD

lawslegal

Disability
Hi, Yes, my son, Michael, has been disabled from cancer. He is 18 years old and walks with a walker. He doesn't let that stop hiim though. He drives, works and attends college. How are you doing?

Laura (Michael's Mom)

slickwilly

lawslegal said:

Disability
Hi, Yes, my son, Michael, has been disabled from cancer. He is 18 years old and walks with a walker. He doesn't let that stop hiim though. He drives, works and attends college. How are you doing?

Laura (Michael's Mom)

disability
I had lymphoma cancer in my face in 2003. I returned to work a year later and managed to make it two years. During that two years pain in my neck progressed from a couple days a month to a full time battle. I kept working while taking a bunch of pain drugs and then lost the use of my left arm. I still kept working another month as I knew in my heart that going to a doctor would end my working career. It did! At the age of 50 my working life ended with a crash. My spine was full of arthritis and the vertebres were falling apart. 25 shots of radiation had made things brittle and nothing could be done to fix the problem. 3 months of therapy got some use of my left arm back. I get the most out of life that I can. Everything I do has what I call my pain price. If I push things far enough I lose my left arm for a while. Or the pain works up my spine and into a migraine that has me bending over a toilet. Weather changes are not a good thing for me. But sitting on a couch is not an option I can live with. I will pay the pain price in order to have some sort of life. Like everything else in life it seems to be about balance. Do the best you can with what you have. Oh, I also have a small brain tumor, half a face I can't feel, half my saliva glands and taste buds, a torn knee legiment and a blown disc in my lower back. It kinda gets hard to figure out what hurts worse on a given day. But I am alive and that is what matters. Best of luck Slickwilly

NeverGivingUp

lawslegal said:

Disability
Hi, Yes, my son, Michael, has been disabled from cancer. He is 18 years old and walks with a walker. He doesn't let that stop hiim though. He drives, works and attends college. How are you doing?

Laura (Michael's Mom)

Hi! Sorry to hear about your son. I'm 25 now but when I got out of surgery at 17 then I was wheelchair bound. I pushed myself to the walker and then, stubbernly, refused the cane and went right to my two feet. I am off balance today but am too proud to use the cane. I have accomplished 2 college degrees but in this economy am still trying to get a job. I just applied to my local ACS and am keeping my fingers crossed (real tight). I'm glad that your son has such a drive for life.

Crystal

NeverGivingUp

slickwilly said:

disability
I had lymphoma cancer in my face in 2003. I returned to work a year later and managed to make it two years. During that two years pain in my neck progressed from a couple days a month to a full time battle. I kept working while taking a bunch of pain drugs and then lost the use of my left arm. I still kept working another month as I knew in my heart that going to a doctor would end my working career. It did! At the age of 50 my working life ended with a crash. My spine was full of arthritis and the vertebres were falling apart. 25 shots of radiation had made things brittle and nothing could be done to fix the problem. 3 months of therapy got some use of my left arm back. I get the most out of life that I can. Everything I do has what I call my pain price. If I push things far enough I lose my left arm for a while. Or the pain works up my spine and into a migraine that has me bending over a toilet. Weather changes are not a good thing for me. But sitting on a couch is not an option I can live with. I will pay the pain price in order to have some sort of life. Like everything else in life it seems to be about balance. Do the best you can with what you have. Oh, I also have a small brain tumor, half a face I can't feel, half my saliva glands and taste buds, a torn knee legiment and a blown disc in my lower back. It kinda gets hard to figure out what hurts worse on a given day. But I am alive and that is what matters. Best of luck Slickwilly

To Slickwilly
I am so sorry to hear your situation. "pain price" reminds me of a college term that I learned "opportunity cost." You always have to give up something for another thing. I agree that I rather be in pain then just watch life pass me by. I wish you all of the best.

Crystal

lawslegal

NeverGivingUp said:

Hi! Sorry to hear about your son. I'm 25 now but when I got out of surgery at 17 then I was wheelchair bound. I pushed myself to the walker and then, stubbernly, refused the cane and went right to my two feet. I am off balance today but am too proud to use the cane. I have accomplished 2 college degrees but in this economy am still trying to get a job. I just applied to my local ACS and am keeping my fingers crossed (real tight). I'm glad that your son has such a drive for life.

Crystal

Disability
I wish you well on the job search and in life. Michael is amazing and is in college studying political science. He wants to be a lawyer and/or sports agent. He has just been voted Vice President and Class Rep of his freshman class. I am continuing to get his inspiring story out to other families and have just published a book called, "Michael's Journey". It is our hope to help other families going through similar situations. If you would like, you could visit www.michaelsjourney.net to see a litte more about Michael.

Best of luck to you!!!

Laura (Michael's Mom)