|
Justin’s Fight Club Kicks Cancer’s Butt |
|
|
|
Written by Karin Goodhue
It was a crisp morning October 11th, 2008 when my family and I entered the parking lot of WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC for the annual Cary Walk For Hope to benefit the LUNGevity Foundation. My two-year-old nephew Jeffrey sat in his car seat between my sister and I in the back. Justin drove while my father rode as front passenger. All five of us wore matching yellow shirts reading the team name, Justin’s Fight Club on our backs and white rubber bracelets on our wrists. Jeffrey played with one of the bracelets etched with his father’s team name and a slogan reading “Kickin’ Cancer’s Butt”. Signs for the event lined the edge of the pavement pointing us in the right direction. It was our first time at a cancer walk and the first of many for Justin Andrews, my brother-in-law recently diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. |
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Karin Goodhue 
A lot of kids start smoking because they think it is cool or trendy or might attract the attention of a love interest. But they don’t think ahead to what the action could do to their health. Even if they do recognize the dangers of smoking and want to quit, the nicotine has already sparked an addiction. So people smoke a little longer, thinking the chances of smoking-related health problems are so far down the road, it is simply not a concern right now. Well my brother-in-law thought all those things like most people and loosely entertained the idea to quit smoking many times. On his 28th birthday, April 22, 2008, he laid down his last pack of smokes and never looked back. Soon after his decision to change his life for the better, he started feeling intense pain in his neck and then in his shoulder. Four months trickled by with some doctor visits, but the pain kept increasing. Finally my brother-in-law insisted on an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of his neck. The MRI revealed a soft-tissue mass close to the spine. Further tests showed approximately eight tumors present throughout his body, the largest being a mass on his lung, and the majority of the tumors existing in his bones. Justin Andrews from Creedmoor, NC smoked 14 years. He has a two-year old son, a beautiful home and family, a fantastic job, and Stage IV inoperable lung cancer at age 28. Justin was diagnosed on September 5, 2008. The news was a hard blow to the family. Loved ones immediately pulled together to think positive and embrace the illness. The morning after the diagnosis, my sister (Justin’s wife Kristy) created a tribute page on CaringBridge, a website that offers support and updates for patients who are ill, undergoing treatment and recovery. In two weeks, they have had over 7,000 people visit their page and over 350 guestbook submissions from people offering prayers and encouragement. My sister has written a journal entry on the website every day since the diagnosis to provide updates on Justin’s progress, and she continues the journal postings daily. **Photo Submitted by Karin Goodhue |
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by L. D. Lee
Every time this commercial comes on the tv I literally cringe. I grit my teeth so hard and cause such pain I actually emit a sound much like that of a mother whale who has just witnessed the shark attack of her calf. You know the sound. It’s a high pitched whine; really hurts your ears, and if I’m correct can only be picked up by sonar. Yeah- that’s the one.
I can never quite figure out if I’m mad about it or just in a stupefied state of disbelief when I see it. Why are women’s issues so trite? Ha, ha, ha. Where's the commercial proclaiming "Prostate problems? Walk it off."
I swear I’d have preferred the announcer say, " Look we know you’re miserable and we’re not gonna do a damn thing about it, so pull your big girl panties up, get on with your life, oh, and while you're out there, buy our product”.
Someone came up with this idea and couldn’t wait to get to the Monday morning think tank with this gem. They huddled around their corporate boardroom table, gorging themselves on the free bagel tray and all agreed this would be a neat way to advertise their product? Where can I locate this group of rocket scientists? Please, somebody hold me back.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
If you don't know me personally, I was married for 7 years and at a young age, I had my kids. My ex & I split, divorced. I moved away, then he did. He found someone new and got married and I didn't exactly find someone new. Those were the toughest years of my life and they were filled with a lot of pain but also a lot of learning about myself and my kids. My kids have been thru a lot and I had too.
In 2000, I moved back home (I had a year stint in Fla-to find myself!) with the help of my dearest friend who had always loved me and supported me thru it all.
I fell in love with him and our relationship blossomed. We married in June 2002.
During that time, I was having some female issues. Pain in my lower back, didn't exactly know what was going on. I went to the Gyno-they did an ultrasound and it showed that I had a mass on my left ovary. They watched me for 3 months and it did not go away which they do normally. I was in so much pain and cramping, doc said they could go in andexplore and try to take the cyst off. In Feb 2003, I had to have my left ovary removed.When I awoke, doc said the cyst was so intertwined with my ovary-he had to remove it. I was so disappointed.. Doc said he was going to take it to pathology and have it tested however elsewhere, I looked fine. Two weeks later and I go for my post op-doc said that the cyst was what they considered Non Serous Carcinoma or in other words-confined to the ovary. He set me up then with a Gynological Oncologist.
Soooo...here I go.........every six months I had to get vaginal ultrasounds, CA-125 tests then appointments with him. I didn't need any chemo of which I was glad. He would just follow me up.
Things were going great until...........
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
