Remembering Dave

Darn Scans. You have something there, I have something here. Darn scans, darn scans, darn scans!!!!!!!! Hang in there and try not to worry. Keep the positive things in your mind. Just because the scan shows something it does not mean its there. Many prayers are coming your way. David C

Sandy, I agree with Ginny - prayer work just as well after the scan. I'm praying that it's a mistake! Keep us posted. Karen C. David and Faith

Rachel, that's great! You know, I was looking at your profile/signature and it looks like your diagnoses and treatment was alot like Dave's. He's now almost a year out from ENDING treatment and if his bonkitis is not cancer (see his "bone scan" post under General) he has been in remission since then, so I have every confidence you will do as well! YIPPEE! Karen C.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ANDREAAAAA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!! (ask David, you really don't want to hear me sing this for real!) Love, Karen C.

She's in denial. She doesn't want to know what is wrong with her. It might not be lung cancer, it could be empheseyma (sp?) or a combination of things, but whatever it is, it sure does sound serious. I don't know what to tell you. Maybe just put her in the car and drive her to the emergency room one day. If it's a good hospital they won't let her go until they've run every test they think they need to do to figure out what is wrong with her. Keep us informed and best of luck, Karen C.

Jane, that was a beautiful story of passing. What a gift you were given, to be there with your brother, and to see the butterfly. He was sure lucky to have a sister like you. I know you will miss him greatly but his love will live in your heart forever. God Bless, Karen C. and David and Faith

Curtis, my cousin, Cindy, died at age 38 four years ago July 18 from breast cancer. She left behind three small children. Her youngest was the only girl and was only three years old. Cindy fought the breast cancer hard for a year, I don't think there was one week during that time she wasn't doing some form of treatment, even a stem cell transplant. Anyway, her husband is not a bit like you. He never treated her with much respect, bossed her around, etc., and in general is just a very self centered SOB. Four months after her death he was dating a girl he met in a bar and seven months later they were married. The new wife is a pretty good mother to these kids, as far as I can tell (they live in another state so I just have to go by what my Aunt, Cindy's mother, observes). She is a bit of a drill sergeant but also keeps the SOB in line something that Cindy never could do so that is good. The little girl seems to be doing OK and doesn't have really any memory of her mother. But the new wife is really good at getting the kids to their various activities, helping them with homework, getting each of them through their catechism (sp?) and first communion, etc. etc. I'm not comparing you at all to this SOB, but I do think that, if you have the right perspective and I think you do, what you are doing is a good idea. Here's another perspective of why: I have two bosses, both 40 years old. My female boss was married with three small children, ages 1, 3 and 6 at the time three years ago this fall, when her 37 year old husband died suddenly of a heart attack. She took a month off from work to get all the affairs in order and I think to get her head back on straight. When she came back, she had a plan. She got a babysitter every Thursday night and went out. She'd go to a movie with girlfriends, to a bar, to a concert, whatever. After a few months she starting meeting and talking to guys and dating. She called this her "research" phase. Her intent is to eventually remarry, but since she had been with her husband for so long she didn't want to jump into anything, but she decided the best way to know what is right for her is to take her time and date and get to know people. She's doing great, and now, three years later, she's dating a guy she said she can see marrying, but not within the next year - but she can see herself dating him that long and it eventually working into something. From all of this, I think that if you start meeting and dating, it's good for you to have grown up activities without Katie on occasion, and it's also a good way for you, like my boss, to get a feel for what you are looking for in a future spouse. If you wait some prescribed length of time and then say, OK, now I'm ready to go find a wife, I think it will be disappointing because you're already behind in the game. I hope this makes sense, and sorry to ramble on for so long! Karen C.

Don, you're awesome, man. A devoted son getting through it calmly and with a sense of humor. Karen C.

Shelly, it's perfectly natural to feel this way. But I agree with Fay. Hang in there. Your sister isn't dead. She's been diagnosed. Be strong to help her fight! We love you, Karen C.

Geez, that would have shaken me up pretty bad. Don't think you're that safe in a K-Mart. We had a tornado hit a Wal Mart here last year and tear the roof off, right in the middle of the day. How about tele-commuting? Karen C.

Thanks, Bruce! We will! I'm actually laughing today and work and joking around. Karen

Daggone, Francine, I think we are sorta, right now, sharing this same sort of uncertain frustration. Hang in there. Sorry about the pain. I hope they can figure it out quickly - and that it is NOT a tumor! Karen C.

Wow, that is SO SWEET, Dean, you are one romantic! I sure hope Dave and I are both around to celebrate our 20th. We spent out 10th with him in the emergency room being diagnosed with lung cancer! Karen C.

Mary Ann, Mom just emailed to tell me she's getting all the tests for her anemia problems (Upper GI, colon stuff, etc.) done tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have everyone on the right track by the end of next week! Karen C.

Another little update: The radiologist took a look at the facial CT scan Dave had and said he definitely has a sinus infection, but also said there could be something going on in the bone as well but can't see it that well because of the sinus infection. Now, Dave doesn't feel at all like he has a sinus infection, so this is weird. The plan is to get him to the ENT as soon as possible - they got him an appt. for next Wed. but are trying to get him in sooner - for treatment of the sinus infection AND to needle biopsy the bonkitis. I don't see how a sinus infection that you can't even feel can cause a raised area on your forehead. But the bonkitis is right on top of a sinus cavity. The roller coaster ride continues. I am starting to feel a little silly worrying so much about this when most of you are going through bigger problems right now. My Dad is having heart catherization on Monday and my Mom is so anemic she needs a blood transfusion, they think she might have a bleeding ulcer, also has nerve pains in her legs so has to see a neurgologist for that, but doesn't want to do anything until after my Dad's thing on Monday. I think everything will be OK. thanks for letting me vent it all out! Karen C.

You know, Ry, I read something not long ago that if you don't drink enough water you could be damaging your organs, but it didn't say WHY. This says WHY - thanks for passing this on. Getting enough fluids is very important! Karen C.

Yeah, waiting is hard, I hope you learn something by Friday. In any event, please keep us posted. Karen C. and David C.

When my 95 year old grandmother died six years ago, my mom (her daughter) said she felt like an orphange. My mom was 66 I believe at the time. My mom's brother got my grandmother's house, I always loved visiting that house, it was in the country up on a mountain in a beautiful part of West Virginia, but after she died and we were in the house, I mean just after the funeral, the house felt empty. I thought I would love that house and all the antique furniture and fancy fenton glassware no matter what, but after Grandma was gone it just felt empty and nothing had the sentimental meaning I thought it would have. I got her bedroom furniture from the "front room" (the guest room) and put it in my guest toom. The first time my mom came over after I set it up she sat on the bed and cried. Anyway, I think I understand how you feel. I'm not sure about the dreams, but just reach into your heart and you will feel your dad's presence there always. God Bless, Karen C.

This is Karen, David C's wife. I have been on Celexa for several years and it works well with me. I had a severe case of clinical depression after five years of infertility treatments and three miscarriages. David, who has about the strongest disposition you'd ever see, went on a couple difference anti-depressants after his diagnoses and got some side affects from them. I think he was on Paxil and Zoloft. His insurance wouldn't cover Celexa, so we put him on my insurance plan and then the doc prescribed Celexa. It seems to be working with no side affects for him. Karen C.

p.s. - Ginny - thanks for the tip on the chemo pill. If it comes to that we will certainly ask the doctor about it. Especially since Dave just got his porta-cath removed! I am REALLY sorry to hear about the Duke's brain mets. That is so so disappointing. I will be praying for you two, a very special couple. God Bless, Karen C.

We saw Dave's radiologist yesterday. He said he's not convinced it's cancer, he can't tell anything really from the bone scan, so Dave is going for a CT scan of his face today and we see him again Friday morning. If he still can't tell anything, he's going to send him to an ENT doctor to biopsy the bonkitis bump. Hopefully it is just a case of bonkitis. He said it's an awfully strange spot for a mets to go. He also said the PET scan got his brain but doesn't get the skull that great, so he can say with a degree of certainity that it's not in the brain, but can't say for sure about the skull. So the facial CT scan will pick up the bone and tissue behind it (I think it's the same CT scan they order to look at the sinuses). So we still don't know, but at least it's looking a little better in my opinion. God Bless and thanks for the prayers, Karen C.

I've wondered about Jane and Alan as well. I believe she did say she wouldn't have easy access to the internet. Prayers are with her and her family. Karen C.

Hi, everyone. This is Karen. I got a call yesterday evening from our family doctor who ordered Dave's bone scan. She said, basically, it doesn't look good - in that it probably isn't a case of Faith induced bonkitis but that the evil beast has returned. We see Dave's radiologist today 2:00 for a game plan and maybe further testing. I'm thinking we oughta do a MRI of his head to see exactly what's going on but we'll see what the good doc says. Not what we wanted to hear, but we will, once again, beat the beast! God Bless, Karen C. p.s. prayers requested and appreciated!

I looked at the link to the curly fuzzy hair cap and I love it - really cute! I'd make green and lots of other fun colors if I were you! You need to come on down to hot and humid Virginia - you'll be glad you're hair free! Karen C.

This is great! Gotta love Ronald Reagan's optimism - but when did he have colon cancer? I didn't know that. I also didn't realize Nancy had breast cancer. With all the talk of his optimism last week during the funerals, I think that he died so we could all be reminded of that. He went a long way in life with the help of that optimism. Makes me very aware that I need to try harder for that! Karen C