Comments on: I Loved Christmas…Until Cancer Came Along

By: EFO from ST Joe's and CCHS 62'

EFO from ST Joe's and CCHS 62' — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 08:05:05 +0000

I started praying for you the first time your name was published in our parish (SJA) bulletin. I am sure you thought you were alone much of the time, but I know and believe He necver left your side, and that His plan for you continues to unfold.
Your faith has guided you and served to give a great example to myself and others. I am truly blessed to know you and to follow your example in times of extreme stress and challanges to our faith.
Warmest Regards,
EFO

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:27:41 +0000

Hi I read your story thank you, thought I had it bad but you made me see we are not alone/ I had grade 3 breast cancer went through the Chemo badly collapsing twice then the op and rad. The treatments nearly killed me and I am still in pain all the time two years down the line. But in all the thick of it I visited a web site called http://www.healthwise-global.com read their stories and bought a cd which helped me every day that I listened to it. From time to time I still take it out when I feel low and it helps

Thanks you for sharing your story visit the web site see my story there
Jenny

By: Lois Tedeschi

Lois Tedeschi — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:13:06 +0000

I’ve always been pretty healthy. I have four children, 6 grandchildren, and one on the way. Then, from out of nowhere, I was hit hard by stage 4 large diffused B cell lymphoma last year.

It started with double vision, which was determined to be idiopathic 6th nerve palsy. Then, about two weeks later my back started to hurt and got progressively worse with each passing day. By the time I was finally diagnosed, I was taking so many drugs that I didn’t know what was going on.

After all the tests were done, and the diagnosis was in, they started with chemotherapy, bone marrow biopsy, and spinal tap with chemo infusion. There was a port placed in my head because this disease was everywhere, even in my head. I had chemo for 4 days every three weeks, which left me kind of weak and weird all over. I didn’t get nauseous, which was great because everyone said I would. Thank God I had such nice people taking care of me. I don’t know what I would have done without them.

When the doctor told me I was in remission, he suggested I harvest my stem cells just in case I needed to use them one day, so I agreed. In my opinion, it was as bad as the chemo. I had to have a catheter put under my collarbone and before they began the regiment, I had to have 40 injections in 20 days of a white cell building medicine called Neupigin. That made me achy and sore all over. Then my platlelets and hemagloben went way down, so they had to stop, just short of what they needed. That process wiped me out for quite awhile.

It has been a long road, and one that I’ve had to walk alone, except that I had very powerful company. From the very beginning I knew He was walking beside me, holding my hands. I wasn’t afraid because I knew that. I had very little discomfort, and what I did have didn’t last. Many people say that I’ve been brave through all of this, but I can tell you that Jesus hasn’t let go of me and now that I’m done and in remission, I can say with calm assurance, that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

This past Christmas was the best one I’ve had. I was surrounded by my family and loved ones, and Jesus, who is the reason for the season, was in the center. I lost a very close relative in December, and I will miss him a lot, but he was very spiritual and I know he is resting in the arms of his God, in ecstasy.

By: Carolyn Vachani, MSN, RN, AOCN

Carolyn Vachani, MSN, RN, AOCN — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:49:57 +0000

Do you have a holiday experience you can share? A situation you encountered that you can help someone else learn from? Share it here!