CancerCompass message board discussion started by Colin on 1/18/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,19870,0.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I wish I had found this message board several years ago, I lost my wife to this disease 22 months ago. Elaine was 47 when she died in March 2006, she was diagnosed in December 2004. We live in Scotland where I believe the treatment of the disease is as good as anywhere in the world. I have read through all the messages on the board and all I would say is that you support the patient as much as possible, if they are positive people you support that, if they need support you give them that support. I think a cancer care group if available to the patient and the family is a great help, when this was suggested to Elaine we were reluctant to get involved but she benefited greatly from the group and the feedback from the group was that they benefited from her. It is a horrible disease as everyone else has testified too and I feel we as a family were treated harshly to loosing Elaine so young but my heart goes out to other people on this board who are even younger. It is a shame that it is so difficult to get information on this cancer however it is very rare thank God, there is worldwide research going on all the time and I would suggest people support there own country's research programs as much as they can so this particular disease can be beaten, I would also encourage any patients to subscribe to any trials there doctor suggests as this is the only way that progress can be made, Cancer is a worldwide problem and needs to be attacked as such so the costs and the resources are spread globally. Elaine was very positive the whole period of her treatment, we entered one of the trials at that time (I say we because it is the whole family who lives through this disease, not just the patient), Elaine went through 6 Chemo treatments followed by a radical hysterectomy followed by 3 chemo's, this too us up to September when we had a wonderful 3 months of treatment free time, sadly the cancer re-ocurred in late December 2005 and she died in the March. We were told once Elaines diagnosis was confirmed in the January of 2005 that the expected survival period for a stage 4 was only 18 months, Elaine only got 15 of which only 3 was treatment free but she never gave up and neither did we and i hope everyone who reads this will also remain as positive as you can, don get me wrong, we had depressed and bad times as does everyone but this wonderful little lady battled harder than I have ever witnessed in my life and I will always be in awe of her wonderful gentle fighting spirit and even though she was feeling terrible herself would still give reassurance to any other patients she met and spoke to. My heart goes out to all patients and there friends and families, all I can suggest is that you stay strong and support each other, make the best you can from the good days and the bad, hold on to what ever faith you have, and know that you are not alone as all these replies testify. Nearly two years on now I still have an unfillable void from the loss of my best friend and partner but life goes on and things do get easier. Make the most of the time you are given and support and love each other. God bless you all and I will think and prey for you all Colin Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT