Father in Law passed away last night after a protracted 3 year battle with pancreatic cancer. I am flying out early tomorrow morning to be with my wife and her family. OK, I miss a few days of training, but there are so many other things in life more precious and important. Its something to ponder while we debate the value of tilting your aerobars up.
peace out
Kevin
I’m there with you. My wife was diagnosed with leukemia two days before Christmas and is going in for a bone marrow transplant next week. With two young children at home and my wife’s recovery, my training is on an as able to fit in schedule right now. Probably no races this year.
In the “misery loves company” sweepstakes, here is my pile on. About a month ago my Dad had what we thought was a minor stroke. A week later he has a seizure, turns out it is a stage 4 cancerous brain tumour. Two weeks later he is dead at 68.
So yes … Cancer does suck. My condolences to you and your family.
I am sorry to hear of your loss. (((((hugs))))
I was diagnosed. It sucks, but I got through it. But I tear up just thinking about my fiance’ or family being diagnosed, I don’t know if I could deal with it. God Bless you, god bless your wife, and most importantly-god bless the doctors. Fu*k!!! LiveSTRONG.
Best thoughts, wishes, and prayers to you and the other posters. We have had a good bit of that nasty deamon in our family. Our thoughts are with you,
david
I am sorry that your family member past away!
My wife was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s On November 3rd of 2008. After 8 rounds of Chimo she is in remission. She started radiation last week and will do that M-F for 5 weeks. It was the worst time for me. It sucks when you consider yourself the provider and fixer of all issues that come up in your family, yet there is nothing you can do to take away the pain that your loved one has. I spoke with my wife and told her I needed to do something in order to deal with what was going on. I could not just stand there helpless. I was there for her every step of the way with support and love. We shaved our heads together when her hair started to fall out and even let our 7 year old take the cutters to us first.
I also signed up for LLS team in training (TnT). I figured if I could not take this away from my wife, I was going to help the people that come up with cures for what she has. Since I am not a dr. or researcher, I raised a bunch of money for them and did a Tri in honor of my wife. It worked out well, Lavaman in Hawaii was right in between her last Chimo and first radiation. We went to Kona and got some sun tans on our bald heads. Enjoyed ourselves like nothing had been going on for the last few months and then did a very emotional tri. When we returned to San Diego, we got in at 7:45 am and my wife went right to the radiation clinic and started her first session.
After seeing all of the TnT people there and hearing all of the stories that were like mine or of people that were lost because of it. I decided that I am going to do a TnT event every year until a cure is found. If any of you are having a hard time dealing with people you love having cancer. Try this outlet out. I worked for me!
KCB (KICKING CANCERS BUTT)
Kevin,
Sorry to hear about your loss. Yes, cancer does suck. My Dad passed away from Esophogeal cancer almost four (4) years ago. He was only 69 years young. It’s tough not having him around. He put up a courageous fight for the last ten (10) months of his life. I am sure he would have fought on if he could have for us. I am thankful that the good Lord took him when he did. He’s at peace now and we have had time to heal. Tell your wife that it does get easier with time. The old saying that “Time Heals All Wounds” is correct. Wounds will heal but you will never forget. I think of my Dad every single day.
There is a song by Mercy Me that I listened to about a thousand times. The name of the song is Homesick. It’s the most profound song about losing a loved one that I have ever heard. Have your wife take a listen to that song. Hopefully she’ll find as much comfort in it that I did.
Again, I am sorry for your loss. May the Lord grant your and your wife’s family during this time.
Bruce Gennari
I ran a TnT marathon in Alaska 12 years ago. Really great and fun experience. Hopefully the good karma will be passed our way.
Cancer Sucks for sure and it touches all of us. Lost 2 friends this year, one lymph one brain, both within 6 months of diagnosis. They were both younger than me. I am 38. Blows.
I miss a few days of training, but there are so many other things in life more precious and important.
So true…
Thoughs and prayers with you and the family. I lost both a mother and grandmother to pancreatic cancer. It does suck!
So very sorry for your loss.
As the only one in my immediate family that hasn’t had cancer, I have to agree - it does suck.
It always brings me to tears when I hear of someone losing their fight with cancer. I hope that you and your wife support each other through what is obviously a tough time. I, like many on this board, have seen cancer close up. And it sucks. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago at age 30. We still feel the emotional, physical and financial set backs that resulted from her 8 months of treatment. I like to tell this spring cleaning story when people ask how her cancer affected us in the year after her treatment was completed:
We were spring cleaning a year after she had completed her treatment. We were throwing away as much crap as we possibly could because we live in a smallish house and it was beginning to feel even smaller with all the stuff we had accumulated. When we got to her closet, I was curious to see what would be thrown away and what would be kept since much of her “cancer clothes” were still in the closet. When she was diagnosed she had a double mastectomy and could only wear button up shirts for a while due to the surgery and she also had the requisite load of bandanas for when she had lost all her hair. When I got to that section of the closet, she was going through the other side of her closet. So, I simply asked her what she wanted to do with the clothes and the bandanas. She paused and then told me to put it all in the top corner of the closet. That was all we said to each other about it and I put it where she told me to and we went on with the cleaning. As I was putting it in the corner, though, I thought to myself how symbolic it was of what we had just experienced and how we were dealing with it. We would rarely talk about it and would avoid anything related to cancer, but it was always there in the corner.
Today though, my wife and I (especially my wife) have tried to use our experience to positively influence other people. My wife continues to reach out to people that are diagnosed or people that have lost loved ones to cancer. It is an amazing gift that she has to comfort people that have just suffered a tremendous loss. Going through the process with my wife and having come alongside others that have lost the fight, please understand that it will be a rollercoaster for both you and your wife for a while. You may be doing well with it while she is in what I like to call a “sinker” and vice versa. These ups and downs affect all areas of your life and I pray that you and your wife can be patient with each other, work hard to communicate and understand each others emotions, and then get to a point where you can use this painful experience in a positive way to impact other people’s lives that you come in contact with in the future, especially those that have lost someone to a horrible thing like pancreatic cancer.
Training and debating clinchers v. tubulars can be a healthy distraction when the dust settles. Praying for safe travel and some comfort for all of you.
Kevin,
Yes, Cancer sucks. My mother had no major health problems at 76. In Nov she developed a cough, wheezing, SOB…DX lung cancer. She passed Dec 20 less then five weeks from DX. Even after DX I thought I would have some time to spend with her…It did not turn out that way.
I’m still not over it.
Sorry for your family’s loss.