Re: Good to see you back Donna.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much Jennie ............ for the kind words and

support. It's a real blessing to be a part of this group .......

and I owe so much to everyone here.

It's odd though ...... now that I've crossed over to the " other

side " of this cancer caregiver journey ..... it's hard to know

what's safe to say about things and what shouldn't be said. What I

mean by that is that I want so much to encourage everyone

here ....... and yet by the mere fact that Rick is gone, I know that

it reminds everyone of ONE of the possible outcomes of this ugly

disease.

Let me tell you something ...... especially the people that are

newly diagnosed ....... caregivers and patients alike truly need to

focus on one thing and one thing only ........ MAKE THE MOST OF

EVERY DAY!! That's true of anyone actually, but when you are

dealing with a life threatening disease, it's more important than

ever.

The real lesson in Rick's story is that it's not what happens to you

in life, but how you CHOOSE to react to it. The doctors thought

Rick wouldn't make it 3 to 6 months when he was diagnosed in

September 2002. After all, over 60% of his liver was taken up with

tumors when they removed his colon tumor. As most of you know, he

lived 25 months and had a wonderful quality of life for 18 months of

that time.

Now, had we listened to those predictions we would have been moping

around each of those months .... worrying that we only had a few

months to go ...... staying in a deep depression because of the

impending loss. BUT .... we didn't do that ..... we took a positive

attitude and gave the treatments a try. I know you hear terrible

things about the side effects of these treatments .... but you need

to remember that everyone doesn't suffer them. Rick stayed on some

form of chemo for 24 months and NEVER threw up! Yep, you read that

right ....... NEVER, NOT ONCE. And he was never in pain from the

cancer, only the surgery. Now I realize we were extremely blessed

to have had that experience, but my point is that some of you could

respond the same way ...... so you shouldn't accept the statistics

the Doctors report and don't assume you have to live miserably to

fight this disease.

The drugs are getting more and more effective in the fight against

colorectal cancer ........ and there are many examples of people who

have beat the odds right here on this board. Please don't look at

Rick's ultimate result and see the bad news in that ........

instead, look at how wonderfully he lived and how much we would have

missed out on if we had believed what the Doctors did and if we

would have just given up. Don't rob yourselves of these precious

days, months and years ...... live them to the fullest and prove

these doctors wrong ....... like Rick did! )

Just ask Cliff ........ and Kaye ............ and some of the others

that have been around this board a while. I think they'll tell you

the same thing. While it's only natural to be scared and shocked by

the diagnosis of cancer ....... choose to fight it as a chronic

disease and focus on LIVING ........ it's always your best

option!! )

Best Wishes to all of you!

Donna

>

> Donna,

> I am so very glad that you are back posting and helping. I feel

> blessed that we have you still here giving us wisdom and advice. I

> wish for you this holiday season peace, joy, comfort and love.

Know

> that I am grateful for all of the information that you have

provided

> this board and myself and what information you still share with

us.

> Please keep up the wonderful presence you bring to us.

>

> Jennie

[Guest guest]

Donna - You mentioned just after you lost Rick that you had had an

experience with hospice that you would share later with the group. I've

been thinking about that and wondered if you are still planning to give

us your comments, concerns and opinions about your hospice experience?

It is so good to see you posting and thank you for the encouragement.

You are very much appreciated and a treasured member of this group.

Peggy

Donna Sisco wrote:

>

> Thank you so much Jennie ............ for the kind words and

> support. It's a real blessing to be a part of this group .......

> and I owe so much to everyone here.

>

>

[Guest guest]

You and Rick were and still are such an inspiration. And you are so right you

just never know what will happen.

Rick and now Phil seem to bear that out as well as many many others.

Rick taught us to LIVE and NEVER GIVE UP.

With Faith Hope and lots of Love we can all win this battle no matter what

the prognosis.

Take Care and drop in often

Narice

[Guest guest]

That's right ........ Phil IS a great example of hanging in there

and getting positive surprises! And I'm so glad for you both. You

need to stay in that " happy dance " mode and ride this wave with

elation and celebration!! )

Love

Donna

> You and Rick were and still are such an inspiration. And you are

so right you

> just never know what will happen.

> Rick and now Phil seem to bear that out as well as many many

others.

>

> Rick taught us to LIVE and NEVER GIVE UP.

>

> With Faith Hope and lots of Love we can all win this battle no

matter what

> the prognosis.

>

> Take Care and drop in often

>

> Narice

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Donna,

The word that always pops into my mind when I see your name

is " noble. " Both of you fought nobly and lived valiantly as hard as

that must have been at times.

May God bring you peace and comfort.

Sharon

> >

> > Donna,

> > I am so very glad that you are back posting and helping. I feel

> > blessed that we have you still here giving us wisdom and advice.

I

> > wish for you this holiday season peace, joy, comfort and love.

> Know

> > that I am grateful for all of the information that you have

> provided

> > this board and myself and what information you still share with

> us.

> > Please keep up the wonderful presence you bring to us.

> >

> > Jennie

[Guest guest]

Donna,

I LOVED your message! Thanks for taking the time to write it out.

Miracles happen!

Cliff H.

> >

> > Donna,

> > I am so very glad that you are back posting and helping. I feel

> > blessed that we have you still here giving us wisdom and advice.

I

> > wish for you this holiday season peace, joy, comfort and love.

> Know

> > that I am grateful for all of the information that you have

> provided

> > this board and myself and what information you still share with

> us.

> > Please keep up the wonderful presence you bring to us.

> >

> > Jennie

[Guest guest]

Thank you Donna for those true words of wisdom. I have taken them to

heart. But I must confess, Rick and you, from the get go, have

always been an inspiration to me and one that I passed on to my

Bert. I used Rick's scenario and made Bert realize that after such

bad odds, Rick was still here and now, as you say, survived 25

months....so therefore, being stage III was a darn good chance to

beat the disease completely and be rid of it. That is how we've

lived for almost a year now....beat it and do everything possible to

keep it from coming back. While we both realize that " it will be

what it will be " and yes, every test brings anxiety and fear, we live

each day as if this beast doesn't exist in our lives and are grateful

for the time we have together.

Donna, may the Lord bless you and keep you and I know that Rick is

smiling at all of us and rooting us on.

Happy, happy Holidays.

Hugs,

Monika

> >

> > Donna,

> > I am so very glad that you are back posting and helping. I feel

> > blessed that we have you still here giving us wisdom and advice.

I

> > wish for you this holiday season peace, joy, comfort and love.

> Know

> > that I am grateful for all of the information that you have

> provided

> > this board and myself and what information you still share with

> us.

> > Please keep up the wonderful presence you bring to us.

> >

> > Jennie