Sorry to hear the diagnosis, but glad you've at least caught it early enough to make the best of it. Best wishes for good outcomes to treatments.

quote:

Originally posted by P226RN:

So without further ado a couple examples of why the Dr's prognosis may not always be set in stone.

The doctors know a lot, but they don't know all! Hang tough, lbj!

My wife I just watched a movie called called The Fault In Our Stars.
Talk about hitting home, geez.

It did lead to some really good talk between us which was really great.

The actress in the film talks about how she feels like a grenade and the collateral damage she wishes not to cause to those around her. Wow, but that is exactly how I have been feeling since the news.

I would recommend the film.

LBJ, I hope you keep us updated, I know you may feel sometimes that no one wants to hear about your troubles but I do and I imagine a lot of folks on here do as well. I know typing about it on your keyboard to us can be very therapeutic for you. So post away and know folks are praying for you.

LBJ,
Whatever you believe, know that miracles or whatever you want to call them do happen. I am the recipient of one of these events about 4 years ago. I was not supposed to survive per all the experts and if I did would surely have lots of issues to deal with.

Well, it is now over 4 years later and except for not walking as fast as I used to I do pretty darn well for a 68 year old.

Take it a day at a time and know you have lots of folks who do care and are pulling for you, even though they are just typed words on a website.

But these folks do care and are praying, thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way.

I will keep you and yours in my prayers each night.

I am continually amazed at the kind words you all are posting.

I am in a holding pattern for 2 weeks waiting for the hospitalization and kidney removal.
It will be good to remove it as my abdominal cavity seems pressurized in some way.

The operation itself isn't all that complicated but my brother and sister will be flying in anyway.
One daughter lives locally so no problem there.
The other daughter is in Dallas, and in order for her to have more one on one time with me, we will fly her in once I get home a couple of days after the surgery.

I have spent much time contacting old friends and such the last few days, and the list is now pretty short fortunately.
I feel the need to have notified them because I do not want them hearing about my issues second hand because some of them may feel slighted that by me not informing them that they are somehow second tier friends.

I worry that I may have forgotten a few people that should be on my mind's list.
As I say, I am a grenade causing collateral damage which is unintentional.
I still figure personal contact is the best option.

It would seem to a Tee that once notified they say they admire how I am handling things. It's a nice compliment but again, I am not sure how I am supposed to feel and react to what has happened to me.

I would not call myself courageous or brave in any way whatsoever. I have had a fine full life IMO, which is better than a long empty one for certain. I do have my moments of doom, just that they do not see that. They don't need to and it's unfair if I did show that to them.

Plus, I still have time to go, I am not dead yet, and maybe things still work out better than I am thinking they will currently.

My wife has been stoic in front of me and when I am in some other part of the house she breaks down. Now that I have had several days to work things through, I have told her it is OK to break down in front of me, which she did do a little bit yesterday.

lbj

I commend your courage to come here and continue to share updates. So many people go thru similar (or worse) situation and tell no one. Not family, not friends, no one. In the end, all who cared about them are left feeling even worse because they could not "be there" for there for their friend.

Most of us have not met you, but all of us care about you.

God Bless.

Having been alone and a bachelor most of life until the age of 50, I have a ready made family.

My wife brought with her 2 daughters when we were married.

Now, 10 years later, I think I am reaching the older one finally, and it is for sure the younger one and I have a true father daughter thing going.

I cannot imagine me getting the news regarding my health at the age of 60 and being alone as I was most of my life.
Having my family and knowing I have changed their lives in a positive way is sustaining for me.

Perhaps that was God's plan for me.
I mean, who am I to argue.
I am happy to have the opportunity to look out for and guide my family all these years, and to be honest IMO, they have needed my guidance, I really believe that.

I suppose such idea may be viewed as an inflated view of myself, but nonetheless, I really think I am correct about this.

That is not to say there was anything wrong with them in any way before I met them, or to say they wouldn't have been where they are right now without me.
It's just that I think I have been helpful, or that I have helped speed up the time table.

The younger daughter knew all the details about me first.

Today was time for the older one. She did OK but it is hard.
I did not sugar coat the truth but also told her there is hope.

I asked her about her belief in God and she said she believes something, some higher power is out there but doesn't know what.

I hope to get her going soon regarding being Christian if possible and she said she is willing to listen over time. That's a start.

I must make sure they do not get angry with the Lord when and if my time comes.

I did that once at the age of 20 when my father died. I quickly realized my mistake in real time and asked forgiveness.

I don't want them to repeat my mistake.

The following realization only arrives late in life.

At some point, somehow, somewhere, sometime, we might have helped somebody, somehow, somewhere without realizing it.

And it's all good. We just don't know about it.

That, I think, is the great meaning and mystery of life.

I don't pretend to know the meaning of life itself or our own lives.

All I know is what I have told them both today and that is that life and love is a many splendid thing.

I hope I am getting it right with what I have said to my family members.

quote:

I hope I am getting it right with what I have said to my family members.

You answered your own question.

Why would it be wrong?

quote:

Now I am being told to eat all I can for the next 3 weeks to be in better shape for the road ahead.

This will be very important in the future. You are building up energy stores for the coming fight. Nausea, and vomiting are the most common side effects of the cancer fighting meds. Whatever you do make sure you keep up with nutrition, if you needs meds to control the nausea/vomiting - take them. Even if food has no flavor/taste (another poss side effect); eat.

This is the same advice I gave my aunt after her diagnosis of breast cancer, she is now a 20 year survivor. It CAN be beat.

Good luck!

LBJ, you are in my heart and prayers. You can over come this , fight it, SCARE the living shit out of it with that Shelby of yours. Laugh at it, and show it who's boss! God and you! Get several opinions... Kick it's ass Brother!

I do intend to fight this after surgery.
However, I do wish not be militant and do what I do in my own way, which is to not give up.

I do not see though that I would wear some weird shirt, march and collect money for the pet cause.

I do not want to be like that. It has always pained me when I see people react that way and I see no reason for me to change now.

Tabitha's mother beat terminal breast cancer last year.

The surgery was tough, the chemo and radiation, tougher, but she came out the other side and doing extremely well now.

Don't despair, I hope you will do well and beat this.

My father-in-law beat pancreatic cancer - that's among the ones 'no one' beats. He did. My MIL cried when the doctor came into the room after treatment and said..."well, I'm afraid your going to have to live thru your retirement!"

Stay strong

Those first 3 words he said would have scared me.

I would prefer something like "Great news...".

Still sending Prayers your way

Roy

quote:

Originally posted by lbj:
Those first 3 words he said would have scared me.

I would prefer something like "Great news...".

It's OK to be afraid.

You can still fight, and do everything you need without wasting energy and focus on hiding the fear.

Everyone is afraid of something.

Continuing prayers.