Family History of Cancer

I'm feeling pretty good today, but I'm anticipating being sick later. Usually the vomiting kicks in when my chemo pump stops administering the medicine. It's the strangest thing, but it's almost instantaneous.

In the past, men in my family usually died of heart attacks. No one really ever had cancer or at least we didn't know about it. As the years progressed cancer has definitely become well acquainted with my family.

1. In 1971 my father's mother died of a liver disease that we now believe was cancer. Her symptoms were almost identical to the ones my father had years later.

2. My father got prostate cancer in the late 80s and he went through radiation. The radiation damaged other parts of his body, but they considered him cancer free. He refused to have surgery.

3. My sister Susan got breast cancer and they did a lumpectomy and radiation. She was then cancer free.

4. In 1996 my dad got pancreatic cancer that later spread to his liver. He passed away in 1998. It's interesting because my dad had taken my mother to the hospital because her heart was racing. While they were testing my mom, my sister noticed my dad looked yellow. She insisted he see a doctor and by the end of the day we found out he had cancer. I was out of town, and when I got home both my parents were in the hospital. We were later told my dad had 4 months to live. Not satisfied with that answer, we forced him to go to Houston and he lived 2 years.

5. In 2006 I got prostate cancer and had surgery. The surgery was a success and I was then cancer free.

6. My mother got breast cancer in 2007. She had a lumpectomy and radiation and was considered cancer free.

7. Then, of course you know I have stomach cancer.

Now, my family is definitely taking being tested seriously. Hopefully everyone will continue to get tested on a regular basis. I can not stress the importance of getting your regular checkups and tests done. You never know, you could be the first one in your family with cancer!

For a family who never had cancer before, we sure have had our fair share. You know, every one has been affected with cancer though. Everyone knows someone with cancer.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4