September 17, 2004

[Kasey]

..................is the day my LC journey began. It started that day with a chest x-ray. It was a Friday. Monday, September 20 was the CT scan and the day my GREAT PCP told me it looked just like lung cancer . I had a very dismal 2 months dealing with bad scans/reports/doctors. Then in November I found LCSC and two women who saved my life ~ literally. DonnaG and mhutch reached out to me with the info I needed to find my way to the wonderful doc who performed what I was told was the impossible.

So either today, the 17th, OR the 20th I consider myself a FIVE year survivor. I was told I wouldn't be here by the spring of 2005. I do not know why, as a stage lll(a or b - depending upon which doc you ask) who was deemed inopeable, I am still here and so many of my friends and relatives (niece Tracy) are not. I go from ecstatic to the pits of guilt. However, it just goes to show you - especialy those just starting out on this ominous journey, that stats schmats - they are meaningless .

There will be no celebration over this anniversary - just some quiet time with the love of my life - looking at each other, holding each other, maybe even do a little crying together as well. Celebration will come when there is the MAJOR breakthrough that will enable most advanced stage LC folks to achieve long term survival. Now THAT will be a celebration .

For now, just a thank you tho those of you who remember me from that long ago and have stood by me, thought of me, prayed for me, have become friends with me. You have all played an important part in this journey and I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you.

Love and gratitude,

Kasey

[Treebywater]

I am so glad for you Kasey. And *I* am going to celebrate. I'm SO GLAD that your doctors were SO INCREDIBLY WRONG. And I'm so glad for the opportunity to get to know such an amazing and incredible woman as you.

[Muriel]

(((((Kasey)))))

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy for you! This is just the best news ever.

Muriel

[Patti B]

Kasey-

And I will celebrate, too. You are an awesome woman who always knows just the right thing to say to everyone. We love you here and I am so glad to have the privilege to call you my friend.

Heres to many, many, many more 5 year anniversaries!!!

Hugs - Patti B.

[Calintay]

YOU ARE AWESOME! So glad your doing well Kasey.

[barbvh]

Kasey,

Thanks for your always positive attitude and support you have given to me and so many others. You certainly have payed forward what others gave to you. I agree about stats. But, I need to do a shout out to FIVE YEARS! YEAH

((Hugs))

Barbvh

[Snowflake]

Kasey,

FIVE YEARS! FIVE FREAKIN' YEARS! Girlfriend, it's time to celebrate! You are no longer living on that "borrowed time," you can move on with your life and stop wondering if you're going to die within five years of diagnosis - you're NOT!!

This calls for chocolate cake, and a tall glass of milk! I will be holding a celebration for you, as well. You're a wonderful addition to this board, I am SO GLAD you stumbled on to us and found a life line in Donna G and Mary Ann. You've always been a ray of sunshine, even through your own trials and tribulations. I'm so happy you've stuck around.

xxoo,

Becky

[Geri]

I'm so glad you're still around, my favorite old broad!

I'm saying happy anniversary (I celebrate my dx and all the other cancer beating dates)

This is certainly a time to give thanks, my thanks to you for putting up with me and all my trials too. I've enjoyed your love and support for what seems forever and know that our friendship will go on.

You've it beat kiddo, now go snuggle with my favorite old broad's wonderful man.

Love you both

Geri

[RandyW]

Congrats Kasey!! I will celebrate that you are here to share this with us. You have wonderful support always in Human and Pet Form!!! This is wonderful news to hear. It is stories such as yours that give hope and encouragement to folks just getting to know us here!!!!

[millie's girl]

you are such an inspiration

[recce101]

WAY TO GO, KASEY!!

Ned

[Bud Baker]

Five years. Those are some pretty magical words around here. Big congrats, Kasey!

[carolhg]

God Bless you Kasey! Thank you for all that you have been for me! It is time to celebrate in whatever way you choose! I am thrilled for you!!!

Carol

[Barb73]

(((Kasey))).

You are tops.

September 17th or even the others - are awesome dates to celebrate. Any date that reminds us that you are a survivor is fantastic. Five years is wonderful.

Happy dances being done (have to be careful though) gingerly moving feet under chair to the tune, HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN.

I am celebrating with you in my heart. And yeah....to helmet stats.

Barbara

[Donna G]

Wow Kasey, it has been 5 years! That is great news for you to share with us. I am happy hearing it!

Donna G

[chloesmom]

Kasey,

Congratulations on your successes! I am so happy that you are doing well and I wish you many many more years of good health and good times!

Cindy

[AnneM]

Kasey,

I'm so happy for you! You've been an incredible support to me and so many other people. Thanks for giving us all hope.

Anne

[ginnyde]

What would I do without my Lex buddy? Now we just need to get that back fixed.

Kasey, you know I am thrilled for you and grateful for your friendship.

[Jyoung20]

You are beautiful inside and out!!!

(((Kasey)))

Here's to many many more!!!

Blessings,

Jamie

[michellep]

I'm sorry I missed the post earlier.....congrats dear one! I'm proud of you!

(((((HUGS))))

[Debi]

Wow Kasey ---- 5 years!!!!!

I get the survivors guilt - and understand how your anniversary is particularly poignant. But I also remember sitting across from you at Katie's table in Texas and listening to you talk about how you made your funeral arrangements because everyone was so sure you were going to die, including yourself. How you had no hope --- how the doctors had given you no hope and how you set out to make things easier on your family.

I don't have great recall -- but I remember listening to you and not even breathing because you painted such a vivid picture of your hopelessness. And here you are to give hope.

Congrats-

[Kasey]

Thanks all for such wonderful support of me. It's great to see some 'old' buddies along with new ones as well. It takes WAY more than a village to get us through a LC diagnosis ~ and the folks here sure are ready, willing, and able to step right up.

The past few days have been spent trying not to relive those dreadful times of 5 years ago, yet those memories were just too strong to repress. So we embraced them and gave thanks that it is now, and not then.

October 16, and 17 will be my next scan appointment. Of course there is scanxiety, but whatever the results ~ I have been blessed with FIVE whole years and have all of you part of my life. Five years ago I could not accept what most docs were telling me. I think now, although I'd love to be here 20 more, I could deal much better with a bad report than back then. Because of all of you I feel stronger and braver. I have seen such heroism on this board, true heroes who have taught me how to rise up and deal with each and every roadblock thrown in our way. Heroes who were dealt such terrible hands and played them out with a dignity I could only dream I had. So to all................continue to do what you do so well. That is to be here for those that (unfortunately) find their way to our board.

Love,

Kasey

[Connie B]

Here I am better late then never!

This honestly IS a CELEBRATION!!!

I never pass up a day I can celebrate. They don't come that often so we have to eat them up when they DO come!

I wish for you my friend, many 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, more years.

This is YOUR DAY and only YOUR DAY, go with it and be proud of how far you have come and all the walls you jumped to get here. (and you wonder why you have a bad back?)

Congratulations! You Made it. It was/is God's Plan!