Cancer sucks

Okay, so the word "sucks" isn't very lady like...or that intelligent.

I couldn't think of another word...stinks, bites, blows...not much better.

Maybe what I should have said is...

GRRRRRRRR!

That's how I feel.

What I want to say is, "I hate cancer." (Yes, I know this may sound odd, especially if you've heard me say that I now wouldn't change the last year for anything. I am a much better, stronger person as a result.)

Cancer just doesn't seem to want to go away.

Maybe it would help if I put up a "No Cancer Allowed" sign?

What do you think?

So, what's gotten me all riled up? Why have I seemingly - temporarily - lost my good humor? (I haven't. I'm just frustrated.)

I got an email yesterday from a gal I met at the Cancer Conference in February, and it wasn't good news. The cancer has spread. I knew that they had found three new spots after the conference, but they had started her on a new drug, and I thought it was working.

She started on another new drug yesterday. Pray for her...if you're the praying kind. She certainly is the fighting kind.

Then, I had another friend start radiation today...which is good news, I suppose. She had clean margins on the lumpectomy. I'm not bummed about her news. It just seems that cancer's everywhere...doesn't help that it's breast cancer awareness month.

As I shared in a post a couple of days ago, I'm very aware, all the time. Right now, it seems I can't escape being aware - and this is the "up close and personal" kind of awareness.

This is the IMAX version.

This is the holodeck experience. (Yes, I'm a Star Trek fan, and yes, I long for one of Bones' cure-it-all gizmos.)

(I hadn't shared this on the blog because I was away in Tuscon at the time...)

My mom had a recurrence scare...two months into her fifth year. One month after my mastectomy. Talk about worn out. It was like cancer didn't want us to rest or even to be able to enjoy being cancer free...we held our breath, and frankly, expected the worst.

The calcifications were at the previous surgery site and just to the side of it. It sure looked like the cancer had returned.

Mom dodged it, and it was welcome news. Talk about breathing a sigh of relief.

It was at this same time, that the friend I mentioned above was waiting for her diagnosis.

I just wanted to yell at it, "GO AWAY!" Or at least, "Give us a break, already!"

My friend, Babette, was diagnosed with DCIS earlier this year. She had clean margins and chose not to do radiation at the time. The recent lumpectomy was her second. The fact that the news was LCIS made it good news...could have been a lot worse. Thus, the radiation.

She started radiation today, and I've asked her to post about her experiences so that you get it first hand from her as radiation wasn't necessary for me because I had the mastectomy.

Keep an eye out for that info.

Maybe if we all get together and chant like we did as kids when we wanted the rain to go away so we could play:

Cancer, cancer go away!

Never come again, not another day!