I'm new

[Lange]

I'm new to this whole thing, on June 19 2012, I was diagnost with adrenocortical carcinoma. It's very rare. Only about 300 people in the USA are diagnosed with it each year. I am at stage 4. I have had six operations 3 at Sloan Kettering in Manhattan. I've undergone chemotherapy, and am currently going through radiation treatment for palliative care. I still have multiple tumors and was told yesterday that this will be my last Christmas, statistically. I guess I am over whelmed. I've done it all and this thing just keeps coming and coming. I'm ok with dying I have a good relationship with Jesus Christ. I believe. I pray, I read the Bible, I find comfort. The hard part is all the people I leave behind. My beautiful wife of 22 years and my girls 14, and17. They are the loves of my life. Their pain is far greater than anything I have suffered. I love them, I just want them to be o.k.

[Kt77]

Hi there, I'm so sorry to hear about your cancer. It's such a devastating illness, you don't realise how much so until it affects you or someone that you love. I recently lost my mum to cancer. She was diagnosed and then gone within 3 months. I love her and miss her dearly. She is always in my thoughts in everything I do. I am sad a lot of the time but I am doing ok. You sound like you are at peace with whatever is going to happen, and whenever it is going to happen. Share that with your family, let them know how much you love them. I know my mum would want me to be happy, that's all she ever wanted for me, and that keeps me going. I have my moments, but I'm doing ok. I hope this for your wife and daughters. The love you have for your family will keep them going through the hard times. You and your family are in my prayers, Karolina

[#3]

Lance, cancer is horrible (I'd use stronger language except that I see you're a good Christian and I don't want to shock you). Not only does it take over our lives, it takes over the lives of everyone around us. We must worry about ourselves, and let other people worry about themselves. So we do whatever we can for our loved ones: update the will, let them know how much we love them, make sure that they have people to support them, and so on. And after that, we can be more selfish, and trust to them to be strong enough to cope. Incidentally, have you come across the "Ring Theory" of dealing with life's horrors? http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0407-silk-ring-theory-20130407,0,6378839.story#axzz2nloXHfZF I find it helps.