EC Awareness

Bobs1wife
Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
in Esophageal Cancer #1
With April being EC Awareness month I had written to our local newspaper, tv stations, and had no response. Nebraska's Governor Heineman did sign a proclamation and we were so happy for that. I had given our local GI doctor some of the items from the ECAN kit that I received. I had been feeling kind of down that I should have been able to do more and just didn't seem to know how to do it, or what to do. Well, my husband was in to have a dilation this morning, and while waiting outside the doctor's consulting room at our hospital's GI Lab, I looked up to see the BIG ECAN POSTER right there on the front of the consultation room door. Maybe a small step, but it made my day! Linda

Comments

  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #2
    EC Awareness
    Hello again Bobs1wife
    Thanks for being a part of spreading the word! Great to know that the dr. actually put the poster up!
    I have gotten my ECAN kit as well, passed info out to local drs. I still have to bring info to GI dr. I wear my ECAN bracelet daily! Together....we can make a difference....we can save a life! Good work :)
    Tina in Va
  • K_ann1015
    K_ann1015 Member Posts: 500
    #3
    I see the bright side of your efforts!
    Linda

    you need to know---that you did PLENTY!---being a caregiver takes so much energy--that it is amazing that you did ANY of the awareness stuff!!
    But it is so great that you saw the poster! I have had a harder time sharing those---but you have gave me the incentive to try harder to get the few posters left distributed!--so--thanks to you at least 2 more posters will be up in the Louisville KY area!
    Kim
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #4
    I participated in the
    I participated in the 'relay for Life" last Fri. I took the awareness kit with me and set up a table with all the information on it. If only one person responds then it will be worth it.The whole event was a great celebration with people walking that are suvivors of all kinds of cancer.
    I still have some of the pamphlets that I am going to give out.
    Sandra
  • tanker sgv
    tanker sgv Member Posts: 124
    #5
    media only responds to physically altering & celebrity diseases
    That is great that awareness was provided do to your actions. After being a caregiver to my mom and loseing most my family to ALL DIFFERENT CANCERS, it bugs the hell outta me that we let cancer divide us! When we hear "you have--?--cancer" the word cancer is all we pay attention to. When I sat with family members in the chemo unit it was just called cancer and when the battle is lost the obituary reads ____died of cancer. But when we win the fight its all about what type of cancer we beat. That is why awarness lies in o she lost her breast or he has a bag for bowel movements or this famous person has this; people suport cause we don't like looking or hearing about it. And its a real shame we don't remember the dark and hard times, and fight for an ALL CANCER MONTH or push for equall fedral funding and reasearch. Cancer is cancer if we can cure the least life threatning one then we have a key to cure all. I'm 27 and go for a scope in 8 hours to see if I might have EC. So I will continue my moms fight for purple ribbons onlyand october to be CANCER MONTH. I started a cause on facebook called "a ribbon for all cancers" it might be small with only 300+ members but its in 13 countries world wide. Keep raiseing awareness and if u would like to join my cause we my family would be gratefull, I know because when they let me know its not just me and my bro left they move the clouds and give warmth to me while britting my day with the morning chirps of singing birds...
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    tanker sgv said:

    media only responds to physically altering & celebrity diseases
    That is great that awareness was provided do to your actions. After being a caregiver to my mom and loseing most my family to ALL DIFFERENT CANCERS, it bugs the hell outta me that we let cancer divide us! When we hear "you have--?--cancer" the word cancer is all we pay attention to. When I sat with family members in the chemo unit it was just called cancer and when the battle is lost the obituary reads ____died of cancer. But when we win the fight its all about what type of cancer we beat. That is why awarness lies in o she lost her breast or he has a bag for bowel movements or this famous person has this; people suport cause we don't like looking or hearing about it. And its a real shame we don't remember the dark and hard times, and fight for an ALL CANCER MONTH or push for equall fedral funding and reasearch. Cancer is cancer if we can cure the least life threatning one then we have a key to cure all. I'm 27 and go for a scope in 8 hours to see if I might have EC. So I will continue my moms fight for purple ribbons onlyand october to be CANCER MONTH. I started a cause on facebook called "a ribbon for all cancers" it might be small with only 300+ members but its in 13 countries world wide. Keep raiseing awareness and if u would like to join my cause we my family would be gratefull, I know because when they let me know its not just me and my bro left they move the clouds and give warmth to me while britting my day with the morning chirps of singing birds...

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • tanker sgv
    tanker sgv Member Posts: 124
    #7
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    my good friend Mr.Marshall
    I have a feeling if you were to write a book it would be a novel. Your kindness is sincere, that puzzles me, in a good way, it is odd to find that still around. Well unfortunately I wound up not getting the scope do to an error. I was sent the endoscopy directions and that's what was supposed to happen, I guess when it was put on the computer it was put in wrong way, the computer scheduled me for GI xrays. After some choice words, I calmed down and listend to the solution they came up with. So the doc said go head with the xrays and reschedule the scope. My anxiety shall continue.... As for my mom she died of colon cancer at 47, its my aunt who is battleing breast cancer, my dad died of brain cancer@37, that's the short version of the family tree...lol __Your words sounded like something my grandparents would of said if cancer hadn't taken them so early also, I smiled & cried as I read ur post, but I felt for a brief moment that my family was surrounding me, the warm feeling in my heart made my eyes scan the room looking for them.. for Mr.Marshall I THANK YOU.
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #8
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    William
    William, What a beautiful, sincere reply. Your love of your own family, and your EC family shines through in your words. Linda
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #9
    tanker sgv said:

    my good friend Mr.Marshall
    I have a feeling if you were to write a book it would be a novel. Your kindness is sincere, that puzzles me, in a good way, it is odd to find that still around. Well unfortunately I wound up not getting the scope do to an error. I was sent the endoscopy directions and that's what was supposed to happen, I guess when it was put on the computer it was put in wrong way, the computer scheduled me for GI xrays. After some choice words, I calmed down and listend to the solution they came up with. So the doc said go head with the xrays and reschedule the scope. My anxiety shall continue.... As for my mom she died of colon cancer at 47, its my aunt who is battleing breast cancer, my dad died of brain cancer@37, that's the short version of the family tree...lol __Your words sounded like something my grandparents would of said if cancer hadn't taken them so early also, I smiled & cried as I read ur post, but I felt for a brief moment that my family was surrounding me, the warm feeling in my heart made my eyes scan the room looking for them.. for Mr.Marshall I THANK YOU.

    tanker sgv
    What is the rescheduled date for your scope? Hopefully not too far out. The waiting is so hard.

    My husband's parents both died of cancer. He father at 51 of melanoma, and mother at 47 of brain cancer. It is very hard, and we understand completely what you are going through. There were 6 kids in the family, my husband being in the middle had just graduated from high school, so there were 3 younger ones still in school and at home when their dad passed away, and then their mother not too long after. It was quite a challenge for all of them, but we had the witness of their parents strong faith, and that they were simply going "home" to no more suffering.

    Two sisters were diagnosed early with melanoma, so my husband was diligent about being checked and treated for skin conditions many times a year. He also worked outside all of his life, so had all of that sun exposure. We never gave a thought to esophageal cancer, actually we had never heard of it. We did know about Barrett's, but had never been diagnosed with it.

    Our son, who is now 31, has had reflux since high school. Our grandson was not even a year old yet, and our son was having food get stuck in the throat and would have to throw it up. Of course, having just been through an esophagectomy with his dad, we were pretty upset. And that is putting it mildly! Well, good news is, he had a ring in his esophagus that had narrowed and they clipped it open when they did the biopsies. Everything came back fine, and he is doing well today. So, it isn't always cancer, but if it is it doesn't do any good to not find out. The sooner you get it done the better.

    Please let us know when you are having your scope and know there is support here every step of the way. You are not alone. Linda
  • linda1120
    linda1120 Member Posts: 389
    #10
    Bobs1wife said:

    tanker sgv
    What is the rescheduled date for your scope? Hopefully not too far out. The waiting is so hard.

    My husband's parents both died of cancer. He father at 51 of melanoma, and mother at 47 of brain cancer. It is very hard, and we understand completely what you are going through. There were 6 kids in the family, my husband being in the middle had just graduated from high school, so there were 3 younger ones still in school and at home when their dad passed away, and then their mother not too long after. It was quite a challenge for all of them, but we had the witness of their parents strong faith, and that they were simply going "home" to no more suffering.

    Two sisters were diagnosed early with melanoma, so my husband was diligent about being checked and treated for skin conditions many times a year. He also worked outside all of his life, so had all of that sun exposure. We never gave a thought to esophageal cancer, actually we had never heard of it. We did know about Barrett's, but had never been diagnosed with it.

    Our son, who is now 31, has had reflux since high school. Our grandson was not even a year old yet, and our son was having food get stuck in the throat and would have to throw it up. Of course, having just been through an esophagectomy with his dad, we were pretty upset. And that is putting it mildly! Well, good news is, he had a ring in his esophagus that had narrowed and they clipped it open when they did the biopsies. Everything came back fine, and he is doing well today. So, it isn't always cancer, but if it is it doesn't do any good to not find out. The sooner you get it done the better.

    Please let us know when you are having your scope and know there is support here every step of the way. You are not alone. Linda

    Tanker you are in my prayers
    Tanker, you are in my prayers, and know there are many here who care about you. I pray that this test will show something minor that can easily be fixed.

    Linda
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #11
    sandy1943 said:

    I participated in the
    I participated in the 'relay for Life" last Fri. I took the awareness kit with me and set up a table with all the information on it. If only one person responds then it will be worth it.The whole event was a great celebration with people walking that are suvivors of all kinds of cancer.
    I still have some of the pamphlets that I am going to give out.
    Sandra

    Sandra
    What a great thing to do at the Relay for Life. I have been leaving some pamphlets around town, and I think after your post I might try to see about doing something at a Relay for Life event in July. You had a great idea there! That has been my thought, also, that if the message just reaches one person and helps them, their family, or a friend, then that is good!
  • tanker sgv
    tanker sgv Member Posts: 124
    #12
    Bobs1wife said:

    tanker sgv
    What is the rescheduled date for your scope? Hopefully not too far out. The waiting is so hard.

    My husband's parents both died of cancer. He father at 51 of melanoma, and mother at 47 of brain cancer. It is very hard, and we understand completely what you are going through. There were 6 kids in the family, my husband being in the middle had just graduated from high school, so there were 3 younger ones still in school and at home when their dad passed away, and then their mother not too long after. It was quite a challenge for all of them, but we had the witness of their parents strong faith, and that they were simply going "home" to no more suffering.

    Two sisters were diagnosed early with melanoma, so my husband was diligent about being checked and treated for skin conditions many times a year. He also worked outside all of his life, so had all of that sun exposure. We never gave a thought to esophageal cancer, actually we had never heard of it. We did know about Barrett's, but had never been diagnosed with it.

    Our son, who is now 31, has had reflux since high school. Our grandson was not even a year old yet, and our son was having food get stuck in the throat and would have to throw it up. Of course, having just been through an esophagectomy with his dad, we were pretty upset. And that is putting it mildly! Well, good news is, he had a ring in his esophagus that had narrowed and they clipped it open when they did the biopsies. Everything came back fine, and he is doing well today. So, it isn't always cancer, but if it is it doesn't do any good to not find out. The sooner you get it done the better.

    Please let us know when you are having your scope and know there is support here every step of the way. You are not alone. Linda

    Bobs1Wife
    I was just telling my friend I never felt a real pain in my heart caused by sadness.I feel so sad and feel my heart hurting so much. I'm the strong one, the caretaker that the doctors gave me their home numbers and invited me to round table meetings with her team of drs I set up. Then in November my mom passed, I was doing fine till a month ago then bam outta nowhere I realize my whole family is gone, growing up watching my family die didn't prepare me to accept death it just helped me ignore it. I can't believe I helped my parents accept death, I told my dad when I was 14 I love you and its time to let go I UNDERSTAND then at 26, last year I said the same to my mother. I have one aunt and one brother left. Cancer has left me lonley and now this pain. I'm mad at myself for lieing to them by telling them I understood, I didnt. For thinking that because I lived a life in the shadow of the reaper, that I figured out death. It was nieve for me to think something so stupid about such an important issue. So I gotta know how do I stop this phyical pain in my heart. I can live with everything else........And the scope hasn't been rescheduled yet, but hopefully soon. Thankyou for shareing u&ur husbands story with me ,
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #13
    tanker sgv said:

    media only responds to physically altering & celebrity diseases
    That is great that awareness was provided do to your actions. After being a caregiver to my mom and loseing most my family to ALL DIFFERENT CANCERS, it bugs the hell outta me that we let cancer divide us! When we hear "you have--?--cancer" the word cancer is all we pay attention to. When I sat with family members in the chemo unit it was just called cancer and when the battle is lost the obituary reads ____died of cancer. But when we win the fight its all about what type of cancer we beat. That is why awarness lies in o she lost her breast or he has a bag for bowel movements or this famous person has this; people suport cause we don't like looking or hearing about it. And its a real shame we don't remember the dark and hard times, and fight for an ALL CANCER MONTH or push for equall fedral funding and reasearch. Cancer is cancer if we can cure the least life threatning one then we have a key to cure all. I'm 27 and go for a scope in 8 hours to see if I might have EC. So I will continue my moms fight for purple ribbons onlyand october to be CANCER MONTH. I started a cause on facebook called "a ribbon for all cancers" it might be small with only 300+ members but its in 13 countries world wide. Keep raiseing awareness and if u would like to join my cause we my family would be gratefull, I know because when they let me know its not just me and my bro left they move the clouds and give warmth to me while britting my day with the morning chirps of singing birds...

    tanker
    Yes, I agree, it is discouraging that some cancers don't get much attention. A ribbon for all cancers is a wonderful idea. 300 members doesn't sound so small. You are raising awareness through each one of them!

Discussion Boards