2 year gruesome anniversary

I_Promise
I_Promise Member Posts: 218 Member
in Brain Cancer #1

Hello,

 

This month markes my sister's two year anniversary for having being diagnosed with an anaplastic astrocytoma. A diagnosis that I will never accept as something that a good person should have to endure if this world makes any sense. 

In some respect I am relieved that she does not have any long term deficit that she was able to graduate and is very successful professionally. A local TV station wanted to do a segment on her but she declined for now. She is looking forward, not back. 

Foe anyone out there who just has been diagnosed, it is possible to survive. You need top notch medical help, a will of iron (my sister works out every day, will live every moment to the fullest) and just plain... luck.

I use to come on this website a lot, but lately I have been taking a break. I keep coming back because I am still hurt by everything that has happen to our family. 

 

Julia

Comments

  • connsteele
    connsteele Member Posts: 232
    #2
    So glad to hear the good news of your sister

    I am so glad to hear how well your sister is doing. May she continue the same for ever and every!

  • mccindy
    mccindy Member Posts: 81
    #3
    2 year anniversaries are always good news

    Don't think of it as a gruesome anniversary.  Think of it as a reaffirmatoin of your sister's will to live.  Her strength is obvious, and I'm glad to hear she is able to work out everyday. How often is she having repeat MRIs done, has she had any recurrence?

  • I_Promise
    I_Promise Member Posts: 218 Member
    #4
    mccindy said:

    2 year anniversaries are always good news

    Don't think of it as a gruesome anniversary.  Think of it as a reaffirmatoin of your sister's will to live.  Her strength is obvious, and I'm glad to hear she is able to work out everyday. How often is she having repeat MRIs done, has she had any recurrence?

    No reccurences

    I know the word "gruesome" is not appealing. I am sorry, I did not want to be negative. It is just that I still cannot accept all that has happen. I hate cancer.

     

    She has MRIs every 2 months. I am so proud of her courage and her determination to not only live but be an exceptional scientist. 

    No recurrences. No deficits. 

     

    J.

     

     

     

  • sadinholland
    sadinholland Member Posts: 248
    #5
    I_Promise said:

    No reccurences

    I know the word "gruesome" is not appealing. I am sorry, I did not want to be negative. It is just that I still cannot accept all that has happen. I hate cancer.

     

    She has MRIs every 2 months. I am so proud of her courage and her determination to not only live but be an exceptional scientist. 

    No recurrences. No deficits. 

     

    J.

     

     

     

    Good to hear she is doing so

    Good to hear she is doing so well. You are one if the few that were on this site when I originally joined. I don't often see too many post from familiar people here anymore. I know many of them lost their loved ones. My husband is still in the fight! He's taking chemo again, after his gamma knife treatment but seems to be doing well. Please pray for us! I will continue to pray for everyone as well.

     

    God Bless

  • mccindy
    mccindy Member Posts: 81
    #6
    I_Promise said:

    No reccurences

    I know the word "gruesome" is not appealing. I am sorry, I did not want to be negative. It is just that I still cannot accept all that has happen. I hate cancer.

     

    She has MRIs every 2 months. I am so proud of her courage and her determination to not only live but be an exceptional scientist. 

    No recurrences. No deficits. 

     

    J.

     

     

     

    good news

    How wonderful to hear that she has not had any recurrence.  It gives the rest of us hope to hear about people like her, who are still doing well and living life to its fullest!  I find her inspiring and hope that things continue to go well for her for years to come.

  • I_Promise
    I_Promise Member Posts: 218 Member
    #7
    mccindy said:

    good news

    How wonderful to hear that she has not had any recurrence.  It gives the rest of us hope to hear about people like her, who are still doing well and living life to its fullest!  I find her inspiring and hope that things continue to go well for her for years to come.

    hi

    Hi Holland!

     

    I remember you joining at the same time. I am glad your husband is doing well. I am glad to see that you still post here once in while. It feels empty since Cindysuetoyou lost her son and consteele hers... and so many others...

    McCindy: yes there is hope. I remember feeling so lost and drowing in a well of sadness when my sister was diagnosed. I need positive stories as well.They exist. People survice AA3 and GBMs. I will continue to give updates about my sister hopefully all my life, so that even in 20 years, people will always have hope. However in 20 years, I think research will have accomplish many things and a lot more will be available to treat cancer. 

  • mccindy
    mccindy Member Posts: 81
    #8
    I_Promise said:

    hi

    Hi Holland!

     

    I remember you joining at the same time. I am glad your husband is doing well. I am glad to see that you still post here once in while. It feels empty since Cindysuetoyou lost her son and consteele hers... and so many others...

    McCindy: yes there is hope. I remember feeling so lost and drowing in a well of sadness when my sister was diagnosed. I need positive stories as well.They exist. People survice AA3 and GBMs. I will continue to give updates about my sister hopefully all my life, so that even in 20 years, people will always have hope. However in 20 years, I think research will have accomplish many things and a lot more will be available to treat cancer. 

    positivity is so helpful

    I_Promise, you are so right.  The positive stories and survival stories I find give me a lot of hope, which is so much better than the feeling I get when I look at statistics like median survival time!

  • Kees van Beelen
    Kees van Beelen Member Posts: 11
    #9
    Right on!

    This is a great story.  You may be surprised at the depths of your courage and will to survive.  Two doctors initially gave me 12-18 months In June 2009.  I'ts been a fight but I'm still here.  Loving life.  

  • mccindy
    mccindy Member Posts: 81
    #10
    Kees van Beelen said:

    Right on!

    This is a great story.  You may be surprised at the depths of your courage and will to survive.  Two doctors initially gave me 12-18 months In June 2009.  I'ts been a fight but I'm still here.  Loving life.  

    congratulations!

    How wonderful to hear that you are beating the odds!  It's always inspiring to hear about someone who is doing well after a prognosis like that.  Doctors can guess, but they just don't know how strong each person is, or how long we can hang on.  I plan to fight as well, and stick around for as long as possible!

  • Kees van Beelen
    Kees van Beelen Member Posts: 11
    #11
    mccindy said:

    congratulations!

    How wonderful to hear that you are beating the odds!  It's always inspiring to hear about someone who is doing well after a prognosis like that.  Doctors can guess, but they just don't know how strong each person is, or how long we can hang on.  I plan to fight as well, and stick around for as long as possible!

    Stay positive

    Medical advances in neuroncology are happening so fast that hopefully they will soon be able to treat brain tumours like a chronic condition.  Keep in mind that Temador has only been widely in use for only about ten years, so the statistics you read do not take into account the successes in treatment there.  And they won't for a while.

    The practice of medicine, in the right hands, is as much art as it is science.  Everyone will respond differently to treatment for example and that is also not in the statistics. 

    Some of the best advice we got from my doctors was to avoid researching my condition on the internet, mainly because the information is dated and sometimes inaccurate.  And scary!  Really, if you think about it, this makes sense. 

     

  • I_Promise
    I_Promise Member Posts: 218 Member
    #12
    2.5 years since diagnosis...

    and still going strong! No news is good news! But I figured I might as well give an update after posting this trend six months ago. My sister is doing great. 

    I have not heard any big new discoveries on the brain cancer front. I know of a few clinical trials but I don't have those results. Anyone found anything interesting? I like to keep myself informed even if we don't need any treatment now. 

    J.

  • sadinholland
    sadinholland Member Posts: 248
    #13
    I_Promise said:

    2.5 years since diagnosis...

    and still going strong! No news is good news! But I figured I might as well give an update after posting this trend six months ago. My sister is doing great. 

    I have not heard any big new discoveries on the brain cancer front. I know of a few clinical trials but I don't have those results. Anyone found anything interesting? I like to keep myself informed even if we don't need any treatment now. 

    J.

    I_Promise

    Good to hear from you, especially with great news! I am so glad to hear your sister is doing so well. My husband is on his 4th cycle of CCNU and he is doing well. Tolerating it very well, fatigue is his only issue right now, but he as been that way since his diagnosis. Overall, he is doing well! God Bless and keep in touch!

  • dietmarlh
    dietmarlh Member Posts: 3
    #14
    This December 2014 will make 7 years

    My family and I are thankful for each day. I am 54 years old and my MRIs that I do now twice a year have been clean.

     

    There is hope and God numbers our days!

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