Thursday, December 11, 2008

Live Strong

Tuesday afternoon we lost a family member to cancer. She wasn't actually a blood relative, but she may as well have been. She walked my mother to kindergarten for her first day of school and they stayed friends ever since. She was the woman my mother chose to raise me if anything happened to her. I was married in her house and she helped me to buy my own.

Over the years Randy fought off cervical cancer, breast cancer and bone cancer. With the help of chemo, radiation, experimental drugs and willpower she kept them all at bay. Cancer doesn't fight fare though. They did what they could once it entered her brain, but there is only so much you can do once it gets up there.

I wasn't planning on posting about this. I deal with grief in my own way and I'm not one to share it, but while I was browsing the web tonight I found this video from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. You may have seen it before, but if you haven't, I hope you'll watch it. Even if you have to wait until you get off work.



Fuck you, cancer.

44 comments:

  1. I'm so, so sorry. That's all I can say. Cancer is such an asshole.

    Big hugs for you and your mom.

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  2. i'm so sorry ((((hugs to you & your family)))) i've had an uncle and my sil's mom pass away from it. my uncle was only 38 at the time. i know how hard it can be. and yeah, fuck you, cancer!

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  3. I'm sorry for your loss.. Thank you for sharing that video.

    I lost my beloved gram 3 years ago after a 5 year battle with cancer. She taught me how to fight with dignity and grace and how to die with dignity and grace even as her body was ravaged in pain and horrible discomfort. Cancer is an ugly ugly disease.

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  4. god dammit. I knew this was gonna make me cry. Someone pass the tissues.


    I am so sorry for your loss.

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  5. My sympathy to you and yours, she sounds like a wonderful lady.

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  6. Lost my dad to cancer. So sorry, Cap'n. Hugs to all.

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  7. (((Captain)))
    Im so sorry.

    I will watch the video when I get home. Have to get the girls to school and the boys to the dr. Thanks for trusting us enough to share :)

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  8. CD:

    All I can say is I'm sorry. I'll set up an extra prayer flag for you and yours;the wind is blowing pretty strong here today.

    Peace,
    IG

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  9. I've had to say this WAY too many times in my life already... and I'm not that old! FUCKING CANCER.
    I'm so sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family (blood related or otherwise).

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  10. I am so sorry for your loss. May you find comfort in your memories of this wonderful woman.

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  11. I'm so sorry. My sympathies with you and your family.

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  12. Sorry to hear about this. I'm so glad to see you have such great memories of such a wonderful lady.

    I'm on the FUCK YOU CANCER bandwagon with ya, my friend. Sneaking up on my 38 yr old hubby. Fucking yellow bellied snake. Let's meet up in a dark alley.

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  13. I am sorry for your familys loss.
    I cannot believe there is no cure! After all this time!

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  14. I am so, so sorry. As a 4 year cancer survivor I know only too well what a bitch she is. Sending hugs!

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  15. I am so sorry for your loss. I give a big resounding FUCK YOU CANCER shout as well. My thoughts are with you and your family. HUGGGGSSSSS!

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  16. Both of my parents had bouts of cancer in the last two years.. My mother's was very minor, but my father's kidney cancer is almost guaranteed to come back.. and next time it will kill him.

    I hate cancer.

    I'm so sorry for your loss.

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  17. I'm sorry.

    I lost my mom to cancer almost two years ago.

    It starts with us and them. *hug*

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  18. I'm so sorry about Randy. She sounds like a hell of a lady.
    You're right, fuck cancer. It took my uncle in under a month (from the time he found out) and it's just pure evil.

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  19. It's an awful crushing diagnosis to get or to hear a loved one get. My thoughts are with you and your family. You are soo right... Fuck Cancer.

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  20. I lost my mom to cancer too. My heart goes out to you and her family. It's a vile disease. We'll beat it someday.

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  21. I am sorry for your loss. Cancer needs to take the hint and get the fuck out of dodge. My family has lost many to various forms of cancer and my father was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer, so I know how hard it is to deal with.

    ***HUGS***

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  22. I'm so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.

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  23. I am so sorry for your loss. I agree, fuck cancer.

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  24. I am so with you on the FUCK YOU cancer. Why does it take the awesome people we know and love!!
    My sympathy to you and your family....... She sounds loved by all.

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  25. I lost my best friend from high school to melanoma about five years back. She was thirty-three and one-half years of age.

    I found out a few weeks ago that one of my tiniest patients, all nine months of him, has leukemia.

    Stuffed in between those two are two-handsful of friends or their family members who have died from cancer of the lungs, the pancreas, the brain, the intestines. It is a horrible, nondiscriminatory, overwhelming and ugly disease.

    Just typing that out makes me want to beat my head against the desk continuously. I'm all, SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING.

    I'm very sorry for your loss; I too have 'non-blood kin' and know the profundity of those ties.

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  26. As someone who has ALSO lost someone to cancer (my mom) I can totally identify and empathize.

    Thanks for posting about this.

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  27. I'm so sorry - my heart goes out to you and your extended family.

    Cancer does suck - my MIL is currently battling cervical cancer. I just wish she was a fighter like Randy.

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  28. My dad died of lung cancer last Christmas. Fuck cancer, indeed.

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  29. Ah shit. That's a great video. And best to you and your family as you deal with losing Randy.

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  30. Can I give a HUGE fuck you to cancer as well.. we just lost our 18 year old cousin this morning to Overian Cancer.. she was 18!!18!!! I still cannot get over it..

    I am so sorry for your loss.

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  31. Cancer scares me to death. Will wait until tonight when I can watch the video in private.

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  32. I agree, cancer took my father so quickly even though he was young and strong.
    Having my own brief dance with cancer at 32, I know one thing for sure:
    Cancer can kiss my ass.

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  33. Sorry to hear it, my friend. Cancer blows, it eats you from the inside out. It'll be a cool day in the not-so-distant future when we're all cancer-free.

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  34. I am so unbelievably sorry... many hugs to you and your family.

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  35. I am sorry to hear of it. Grief sucks. And cancer sucks too. Stay strong.

    This past summer, my birth mother was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer that had spread (and almost completely replaced) her liver. The primary tumor has been reasonably responsive to chemo, but the cancer is all through her bloodstream and lymph nodes. She's trying natural remedies too. We hold out all the hope that we can muster at this difficult time.

    Yeah. Fuck you, Cancer. Fuck you right in the ear.

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  36. Cancer does suck!
    I am so sorry for your loss.

    I have been an oncology nurse for 12 years -it's a crappy disease that can devastate a family but oncology patients and their families are some of the most amazing, couragous, and brave people I have ever met. I am humbled and honored everyday that I get to take care of them.


    Great video - thanks for sharing the message.

    Again, so sorry for your loss.

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  37. (Showing the big middle old finger to cancer.)
    So sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.

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  38. I'm so sorry! I big fat fuck you, you fucking evil bastard cancer! I've lost a few to it as well...fuck you cancer!

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Come on, sailor. I love you long time.