Cancer

This is a subject that really gets to me lately. It seems like everyone I know has someone in their family who is battling cancer or has recently passed away from it. When I was little I used to get babysat by a couple that lived across the street from us. My dad worked two jobs most of the time so I spent most of my time with this family and my grandparents. Their daughter Jen, was my first friend and we remained great friends until she passed away in a car accident in 1993. I was very close to her family and they accepted me as their own. I learned the other day that her dad has stage 4 throat cancer. This was very upsetting to me, as I have drifted from the family over the years and have not made a visit to them in years. Still he is like a second dad to me and it is horrible. I spoke with his wife Noreen last week and learned all of the details. It seems that the cancer was caused by acid reflux. Acid reflux??? Half of America has this right?? Well it appears if you let the acid reflux go for a long period of time, it eats away at your esophogus and bacteria gets in there and causes cancer. The other upsetting thing is, he has not felt good for a few years and when he started feeling horrible he began to go to the ER. He went twice here in Salt Lake and they sent him home with the diagnoses of the flu or a sinus infection. The last time he went in August, Noreen rushed him to the Vernal Hospital. They were going to release him on a bogus just a cold disgnoses, but she refused to take him home until they found out what was wrong. They did a full body scan and found a mass on his esophogus. More tests were run and they found that it was indeed cancer and it had already spread to his lungs and liver. He is currently battling it and I hope he can beat it.

Two weeks ago I went to a funeral for my sister in laws mom. Her mom has been battling cancer for the past year or so. It was a sad time and I feel for her and her dad. The cause of her cancer, hormone pills that she was perscribed many years ago. Ladies are any of you taking these??

My first taste of cancer loss came in July-August, when I found that my good friend Juel was in the hospital battling breast cancer. Her cancer had spread to her spine and brain, by the time they knew that she was sick again. (she had beat the cancer 18 months before this) I dont know all of the specifics of what was going on with her, because I tried to keep the conversation positive while I was there. But apparently she had some strokes and it caused paralasis in her hands and legs, so she was confined to a bed. She would always talk about how we were going to have a big party when she got better and how she needed my help getting back to tip top shape so that she could go back to work. Her passion was cutting hair and she wanted to be able to that again within a year. She started doing better and her cancer count got lower and lower with each chemo treatment, but she still wasnt getting any movement back in her arms and legs, no matter how much physical therapy she did. I could see this wearing on her, but she did not give up. If it were me, I would have given up so she was alot stronger than I am. One Saturday in August I was getting ready to go see her and introduce her to Dan, when I got a call that she passed away. It was devastating. She had gotten sick 2 days prior and they rushed her to the hospital and began treating her for pneumonia. The autopsy confirmed that she passed away from a urinary tract infection that had spread to her vital organs. It wasnt even the cancer that killed her. I cant get that out of my mind.

Where is the cure fo cancer? I know its out there. So why dont they use it?