I Relay for LIFE
Saturday, February 4, 2012
By: Carley St. Clair

We've been beaten TOO many times

The first run in with cancer that I remember was just over 8 years ago, just before I turned 16. My grandparents lived with us and my grandpa had gotten a phone call, and left the house immediately. He came back and he looked really upset, he wasn't the type of person to show much emotion - especially if he was upset/sad. We found out he had cancer in his lungs and bones. That was the middle of August 2003, he started radiation in September but didn't make it to his 5th appointment. He lost his battle in October of 2003, 2.5 months after diagnosis. - I RELAY IN HIS MEMORY.
My other grandfather has had multiple carcinomas removed from his face over the years. Skin cancer, he celebrated his 88th birthday at the beginning of Feb 2012 - I RELAY IN HIS HONOR.
2004, my mom had a mole removed from her abdomen, stage 0 melanoma. She never had her midriff showing and wore sunscreen daily, including in the winter. Considered 'cancer free' after our dermatologist removed most of the surrounding tissue and left her with a scar the size of the ones she had from her c-sections when she had us 3 kids 18/17/14 years prior.
My grandma (the one that lived with me) was told she had breast cancer in June/July 2008. A mere 5 years after she lost her husband. It was devastating for us to even think of what may happen, let alone to hear the 'C' word again. Those were a couple stress filled weeks, until we found out that the mammogram didn't show anything - we all breathed a sigh of relief. -- I RELAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HAD THAT FEELING.
The middle of November of 2008 (the 17th), my mom is complaining of a sore back/neck - nothing unusual since she slipped a disc 10 years prior and they were now considered 'bulging'. It had gotten to the point that she couldn't handle the pain that was weird. She then started complaining of a headache and couldn't keep anything down - a 'thunder cap' headache the nurse on the phone called it. Dad called an ambulance, as per the nurse’s instruction, and took her into the hospital. She had a MRI, shortly after we were told her brain was full of Mets. The same type of cancer she had removed prior - melanoma (SKIN CANCER). We were also informed that for the amount of tumors in her brain she shouldn't have reflexes/sensation in her extremities (she did), she should have blurred vision (she had perfect vision), she should have slurred speech (she didn't). She started radiation in less than a week. 15 treatments over 3 weeks, the maximum they could do on her head. When she reached her 5th treatment we all cried because grandpa (her dad) didn't make his. 2 weeks into treatment, they found a mass at the base of her spine - they started ten radiation treatments on that consecutively with the treatments on her head - they went through the abdomen to reach her spine. She lost all of her hair. She was discharged from hospital Dec 22/08 - just in time for Christmas. She was home for a month, we had to take her to the hospital because she wasn't 'herself' and was constantly tired, etc. She had a blood transfusion and came home on oxygen. Things were good. Valentine's Day 2009, mom had a scheduled CT scan at the Cross to see the progress after radiation and to talk about started Chemo. She didn't even make it out of the scanner and they had a room for her upstairs, we later found out that the radiation only slowed to process down. We were told she would be gone by the end of the week. It was 2 weeks later, the doctor came in the room and couldn't get over how strong mom's heart was. She passed away the next day, a mere 3 months after diagnosis. Coming up on 3 years on Feb 28. I RELAY IN HER MEMORY! Miss you mom.
Summer of 2009, my Great Uncle's girlfriend of 30+ years is diagnosed with cancer, in her lungs she never smoked. She passed away 2-3 months later. I RELAY IN HER MEMORY!
Spring of 2011, my dermatologist removes a mole from my back. It scarred well, and skin color then started turning black, not less than 3 months after it was removed. I go back to see my dermatologist, he informs me that the test results came back with 'irritation and inflammation'. He informs me it could have turned into something, especially with my family history he’s glad we took it off before that happened. Scary moments for me, with everything I had previously been through.
December of 2011, 2.5 months after she lost her baby, my Aunt has her appendix taken out. It is sent away for tests, and comes back with abnormal cells appendix cancer. One in a million gets appendix cancer, that's what we've been told. Hasn't she been through enough, with the premature birth of her baby and then her losing that baby? She has to travel to see someone who knows anything about appendix cancer, that's how RARE it is. She has an amazing circle of friends and family fighting WITH her, and she knows it. We still don't know a whole lot about it, but no matter what, it is frightening. I RELAY IN HER HONOUR!