October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

[Hoffmoen]

I almost lost my Mom to it 10 years ago and almost my Sister last year. I think everyone at some point has been affected by this disease whether it's been the loss of a loved one or someone who has been diagnosed with it. I fully support this cause to fight cancer.

[Blazin Pyro]

Thanks again Andy for changing my avatar. Obviously this charity is very important to a lot of people and their families. My mom’s Aunt is a double breast cancer survivor and is still living into her 90’s. But cancer has hit our family with some losses. Last year my Mom lost her battle with colon cancer.

I now feel like I am at an AA meeting, having to stand up and address the class. First of all this is kind of difficult for me but I really think it is needed. Especially having to deal with the loss of my Mom not too long ago. I am a 50 year old male that was diagnosed with breast cancer the end of June. Had my first surgery to remove the lump on July 2nd. It was then confirmed I had cancer. Had surgery on the 17th to remove the mass and then had a port installed in the middle of August. I have never had surgery until these three times. I started chemo on Aug 26th, the day my Mom passed away last year. Yep I did it on purpose. I needed an edge and thought what better way than her right there with me. I have chemo every three weeks for at least three hours of medication. I am going for my third one this Tuesday. First time I got sick for a week but the second one kicked me in the head. The first five days after chemo I had to get booster shots to bring up my white blood count because it was so low. Three days after that session I found out I had a viral infection to top it all off. I think that is done with but I have the lingering affects of a nasty cough and stuffiness. I will have six sessions total plus one month off after that to bring back to some kind of normal attitude. That means I will have been out of work for almost seven months.

Breast cancer, as you can tell, is not limited to women. Her are some stats for you. Every year 1% of all breast cancer patients are men. But that being said there is no number for where I stand. I am so far below 1% of the men that no one knows what it is. I have dealt with six doctors and they have had six male patients all over 65.As I have said “I am a freak”. So I am sure they are looking at me and saying – how and why. So I guess I am a test subject for other men. Plus I always wanted to be number one at something, this just wasn’t something I thought of.

So I want to say thank you personally to all who are involved in this. If not for your own families but for those you have never met. I also wanted to say thanks to Andy (SingeDaddyof2 for who doesn't know who I am referring to) who has allowed me to vent in this forum and the other pm’s I have received from people here. They really do mean something.

lzuperku I am with you totally. Sorry to hear it might be there again. Hopefully it is not. Take care of yourself.

[sevencostanza]

I love the idea of the avatar. I lost my mother to cancer when I was 16, and 7 years later it's amazing how modern medicine has changed since then.

Blazin' Pyro: Cancer is cancer, and it's scary no matter how you look at it. I give props to you for being able to talk about it. Chemotherapy is something that literally sucks the life out of you, and I'm glad that you're getting through it. Take care of yourself!

[lzuperku]

Blazin: Im sure you already have been told this or already know it, but you gotta go in with the "its not gonna beat me "attiitude. it helped me through the chemo-radiation-scans ,surgery & everything that goes with it. Sorry to hear about your viral infection & low white count. KEEP FIGHTING!!! Pm me if you ever need to talk.
Leo

[Hoffmoen]

Blazin,
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I am a cancer survivor of 13 years, I was diagnosed terminal at first with doctors telling me the cancer had spread to my lungs and that I had less than a year left to live, a year and a half if I started chemo. I choose not to do chemo and let nature take it's coarse. I believe totally that the power of the mind is what cured me. I lived my life the way I did and even started traveling, something I rarely did in the past. Being surrounded by loved ones and the will to live for them kept me going and 3 months after I was first diagnosed I went back to the doctors for testing to find out there was no sign of cancer in my body and my lungs were clean. Whether it was misdiagnosed originally or a miracle I still believe to this day it was my will to live and the power of the mind that kept me alive. I know chemo is tough, I have watched loved ones go through it. You have to find the strength and the will to fight both the cancer and the effects of the cure, if not for yourself then for the people who love you. I wish you the best of luck and I know you will beat this.

[The Vikes]

Very nice work!

[leemozoid]

I knelt at the side of the bed of my late Father in Law as he took his last breaths having lost his all-to-short battle with lung cancer. I'm proud to change my avatar for this worthy cause. Life's about much more than 'things'.

[Blazin Pyro]

First sorry for all the loses that we have all have had to deal with and the people who we care about that have had to deal with this.

Thanks for the kind words from everyone. Hoff hopefully it will never have to haunt you again. Leo and Hoff I know the mind has to be strong to get the body working. But at times my mind is just drained. This is my fourth time I have had to do some kind of test, scans, blood work, or whatever for the C word. The first when I was 40 for possible bladder cancer. Then four years ago my chest had swelled up so much they thought it was a tumor -- just an infection. Then when my mom got colon cancer all of us had to be tested -- a colonoscopy to be exact. She had eight brothers and sisters still living, one died of pancreatic cancer in 1992, and three kids still living, my brother died when he was 19 from an MVA, that had to be tested. I was the only one that had anything. They had to take three polyps out and tested them and I was told "In three to five years I would have colon cancer." So now I have to have colonoscopy every three years. That was supposed to be in August but now I have to wait till my chemo is over.

I feel somewhat like I was destined for it. I focus on my four year old son, my wife, my 24 year old daughter and three grandkids when I have a bad day. It helps. I also am taking four college classes. I don't think too well at times to complete my work but I will. But mostly I want to go back to work. My goal as a firefighter was to never get anyone hurt on an incident that I was in charge of -- that is still intact and I wanted to walk away when I retired. I plan on retiring on my own time not on a medical.

Thanks again from everyone and my thoughts are with your families.

[SingleDaddyof2]

Robert (Blazin), I'm so glad to see you've posted here and shared your situation. That's huge. I know you've just underwent chemo session #3. It's great that you've got your family to focus on during the difficult days.

It's very heartwarming to see all the support everyone has for each other here. Gotta give props to Robert and everyone else here for sharing their situations and what they've done to cope.

[Blazin Pyro]

Thanks Andy. Well just had my third Chemo session today and I am feeling it already. Really tired today. Found out I only have to take four days of booster shots, for white blood count, starting tomorrow. WHOOPEE!! I hate those shots.

See ya all later. And thank again.