O/T My friend passed away this morning.

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Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Sat Sep 15, 2018 5:32 pm

Back in January, I asked for your prayers for a man who was going into surgery for a cancerous tumor on his neck. Doctors were unable to remove it due to size and location. In the beginning they did not want to do radiation and I understand why. After surgery, they did radiation it in hopes of shrinking the tumor.

While is did shrink it, not enough for surgery, but the worst part, it also destroyed pretty much all his taste buds. He could not taste food anymore, not even salt. Everything tasted like cardboard. To me, this was the beginning of the end. He went into hospice a few months back. The last time they weight him, he weighted 120 pd, he had lost over 100 pds and was skin and bones.

He was a good family man. He was 67 yrs young. The kids he raised were not his own, but he raised them as if they were, because in his heart they WERE his kids. Some of the grand kids are named after him today. The first time he took my walking partner on a date, to a movie, her youngest son went with them, sit between them. A Star War movie because this is the movie her son wanted to see. She knew then she had found someone special. A keeper as most would call it. And he was.

Rest in peace, dear Tom, your battle is over.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

bitchslapped
Posts: 1538
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:23 pm
Location: PNW/USA

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby bitchslapped » Sat Sep 15, 2018 8:04 pm

It's really hard to watch decline like that Lee. Your walking partner is going to really need those power walks right now & talking. Don't let her skip. You are just the person she needs...and those walks.

My condolences,
BS
DSS,35YO,unresect mCRC DX 7/'14,lvr,LN,peri,rib
FOLFOX+Avstn 4 Rnds d/c 10/'14
Stent 9/'14
FOLFIRI+Avstn 10/'14
Gone From My Sight 2/20/15
Me:garden variety polyps + precancerous polyp, diverticulitis
Carergver x2 DH,DM dbl occupancy,'03-'10
DH dx 47YO mCRC,'04-'07, lvr, billiary tree fried x HAI
DM dx CC 85YO,CC,CHF,stroke,dementia,aphasia

User avatar
CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby CRguy » Sat Sep 15, 2018 9:10 pm

Very sorry for your loss Lee

Sending Love Peace and Harmony

CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

AppleTree
Posts: 267
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:16 am

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby AppleTree » Sun Sep 16, 2018 12:20 am

I am sorry. You have given him a very nice tribute.
Diag Feb 5, 2016 Age 45
3 cm tumor 5 cm from verge
Radiation + Xeloda pills - 3000mg 5x week
3/14 - 4/16 - 25 sessions
Shrank just over 50% L nodes 0/13
Remove rectum with temp Ileo 6/17
Reversal 7/20 due to infection
Acute hepatitis August. Chemo cancelled
June to September 2016 - 58 days in hospital

2017
6/16, MRI shadow in lung
Pet - 6.6mm Met in Upper R lobe
7/30 VAT surgery Mass General/Boston
8/24 port
8/30 - 4/28 Folfox. 12 rounds
2018
June CT shows new lung Mets.
July/Oct PETs...CLEAR!

ams5796
Posts: 2298
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:07 am

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby ams5796 » Sun Sep 16, 2018 5:26 pm

A beautiful description of your friend. I'm sorry for your loss.



Ann
Stage 3C (or 4?) Rectal Cancer 01/07
2/10 lung mets
3/11 VATS
6/11 VATS
7/13 lung met
2/14 SBRT
NED 8/14
5/17 scan and MRI found treated spine met

teri3
Posts: 405
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:03 am

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby teri3 » Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:01 pm

So very sorry for your loss Lee. Sounds like the world lost a good man. Hopefully his "children" will carry on his legacy of love.
Hugs
Teri
58 yrs old female
MSS KRAS mutation G12V
adenocarcinoma sigmoid colon dx 11-14
sigmoidectomy 11-14
Stage 3A
3 out of 20 lymph nodes involved
started FolFox 1-27-15
11 rounds FOLFOX last one 6-30-2015
7-29-2015 PET clear
5-14-2016 CT 2 nodules one in each lung
Confirmed pulmonary metastasis stage 4
FOLFIRi + Avistin started 8-16 11 rounds complete 12-16
CT 12-16 nodules shrunk chemo break wait and see :?
CT growth
VATS l lung 4 10 17
VATS r lung 4 24 17
CT 2 nodules r up and l low :(

jmn
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:20 pm
Location: New York/Philadelphia

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby jmn » Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:23 pm

So sorry for your loss, Lee. The death of a loved one is never easy. Just yesterday we bid farewell to our 69-year-old cousin who died of pancreatic cancer. She was an incredible person—always positive, loving, and courageous. At her funeral yesterday, we were reminded that through a life rich with blessings and challenges she left an indelible mark on her family, friends, and countless young people that she mentored and inspired. Even the late Maya Angelou recognized her service to others by sending her an autographed copy of Phenomenal Woman.

To encourage all of us living victoriously despite our cancer diagnosis, here’s an excerpt from one of my favorite poems:

When it's over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world

Mary Oliver
When Death Comes
DX: CC, 7-9-18 @ age 61, male
Severe anemia (4.5 g/dl), 5-11-18; colonoscopy, 6-29-18
Lap-assisted right hemicolectomy, 7-16-18
G2, cecal adenocarcinoma, 4.2 x 3.7 x 0.7 cm
Stage IIB, pT4aN0 (first pathology DX: pT3N0)
0/24 lymph nodes, LVI present, PNI present, surgical margins clear, MSS
CEA: 3.0 (pre-op, 7-10-18); 0.7 (post-op, 8-8-18)
TX: Xeloda (capecitabine), 10-16-18 to 4-21-19
5 years of clear scans and colonoscopies :D
Released from MSK surveillance, 7-20-23 - NED :D

Eleda
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:28 am
Facebook Username: adele Morgan
Location: Ireland

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Eleda » Mon Sep 17, 2018 2:47 am

So Sorry Lee to hear this,,,
it's hard to watch anyone suffer so badly pictullarly a good friend, esp I think when u have the same (Somewhat) disease,,,
Hopefully he's in a fun place now wherever that may be..................... :?
Adele X
SWF, 47
Mom to 3 sons 6/8/12
Dec4th 2017 colonoscopy for minor intermittent rectal bleeding during Summer
CEA 4.4
DX T3 L3C M0 2.5/3 cm above AV.
JAN 3RD started 1650mg Zelda 2xday, with 28 radiation
Did tagamet 800mg daily and 75mg IV VIT C WEEKLY UNTIL SURGERY and
Tumor reduce by 80% 1 LN still remaining
TATME May10th, temp illeostomy
10/07/2018 CEA 3
MMR INTACT
Began FOLFOX July 10th
24/08/2018 Allergic reaction so next infusion lucovorin and 5fu
CEA 4
Second attempt with oxi aug 12th

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:03 am

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your friend!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:57 pm

bitchslapped wrote: . . . Don't let her skip. You are just the person she needs...and those walks.

My condolences,
BS


Thank you everyone, yes, she was out walking today. Considering everything, she's doing great. When her husband went into hospice, her kids stress she would continue with her walks. Towards the end, the only normal part of her day. The grandsons started taking turns spending the night with her, so that if she needed help with Tom, they were there. Also this allowed her to go walking in the morning.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:59 pm

jmn wrote: . . . So sorry for your loss, Lee. The death of a loved one is never easy. Just yesterday we bid farewell to our 69-year-old cousin who died of pancreatic cancer. . .


So very sorry for your loss as well.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:04 pm

AppleTree wrote:I am sorry. You have given him a very nice tribute.


Thank you, like I say, it was a good guys. Guess one of the grandson put on Facebook, he was the best grandfather ever. Biological grandfather is very much alive, but has had no contact with kids and grand kids for many many years now. Biological grandfather's 2nd wife is a Facebook buddy. I'm sure she read that message.

Lee
Last edited by Lee on Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:11 pm

Eleda wrote:So Sorry Lee to hear this,,,
it's hard to watch anyone suffer so badly pictullarly a good friend, esp I think when u have the same (Somewhat) disease,,,
Hopefully he's in a fun place now wherever that may be..................... :?
Adele X


Yes, we did talk about our connection on a few occasions. Many times, my friend would say something, and I would follow up with a possible suggestion. I assume he is in a better place today, and probably chowing down on donuts and burgers and every other food that he once loved.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:12 pm

AppleTree wrote:I am sorry. You have given him a very nice tribute.


Thank you,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: O/T My friend passed away this morning.

Postby Lee » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:12 pm

CRguy wrote:Very sorry for your loss Lee

Sending Love Peace and Harmony

CRguy


thank you,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!


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