2 Family Members & One Friend With Cancer

I heard today, Big John who I posted about earlier is in the hospital at Little Rock, he has Pancreas Cancer, I suppose its getting him down. I understand he had his 2nd chemo treatment last week. A neighbor of his told me he did not even have the energy to make one circle around his lawn on his riding lawn mower last week, he had to get off and go back in the house and lay down.

My son-in-law's grandmother went to her doctor the other day for a check up. She had cancer in one eye and thus lost that eye a few years back. The doctor sent her a letter, it stated you now have cancer behind your other eye, come for an appointment in September and we will discuss what will have to be done. Later found out they sent her the report for another person, It nearly scared the poor woman to death.

Glenda was doing better today, she seems to think that some medicine she was taking in the early morning caused her some problems with nausea, she changed the time she took it, this has helped her much. Still hoping the chemo will stop the Mesothelioma cancer or at least slow it down a whole lot.

I have a 1st cousin who has prostate cancer, he had surgery, now he is having radiation treatments, yesterday marked his half way point with these treatments. His drive back and forth 4 times per week are costing him $60.00 in gasoline. Gasoline is way to high, the companies are making way to much money.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Two Concerns

Today Glenda has been sick, throwing up, plus running fever, about 101 degrees from what I understand. But on the good side right now she is feeling a bit better. What she needs is several good days of feeling good, and an appetite to go with it, them maybe she could gain some strength.

But from what I understand its hard to gain ground with this type cancer eating at you. But that is what I am praying for, some good days where she feels like eating, them maybe gaining some strength.

A doctor who is a specialist Mesothelioma cancer in Houston has looked at her case, he to is saying that he does not think surgery, removing the right lung should be done, which agrees with her doctors here in Arkansas.

There was 2 concerns he had, and area around her esophagus, and a spot in her left shoulder is showing up on the PET scans. He advise that these 2 places need to be checked closely.

So we shall have shall becomes of these 2 concerns.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Pancreas Cancer & Big John

I found out a friend I use to work with has this deadly disease, we drove truck for Nashville Trucking back in the 70 & 80.

I always like to run with him, he is quite a nice fellow, plus he stands about 6' 8" of so and ever one has to talk up to him. One always want the big fellow to be their friend.

Seems that Pancreas Cancer is forth leading cause of cancer deaths in our country, from what I read 32,000 people die from this each year. Since finding out this month that my wife's twin has Mesothelioma cancer, seems I'm hearing of sever people who has cancer. The owner of one of our towns 2 newspaper's wife has some time of lung cancer. She over come it once, but it came back once again.

My friend John, his mother died of this type cancer, John has 2 daughters, since he came down with Pancreas Cancer his daughters has been check, seems that the eldest came back as a suspect, she is a bit over 40, the youngest came back clean. I haven't read up on Pancreas Cancer but some have said it tends to run in families.

Back to John, I have drank many a cups of coffee with him at truck stops between here and California some times running the same direction, other time just happened to meet up at the same truck stop going different directions. Several of us usually always stopped at the same truck stops on those trips back and forth from Arkansas to California. But now many of those good truck stops that we liked are gone making way for the new modern truck stops.

I remember laying over with him at the Orange Show Motel at Colton a few times back in the 70's. We had a grill that we truck drives had bought and kept there, many time we would go across the street to a big store that sold about anything one could think of, and buy us some steaks and cook on the grill. Some good memories are left out there with some of my truck driving friends.

Remember once he and several others were laying over, we went down to a go-cart track, wow did we have fun on those go-carts. But the owner was not real happy with us, for we would bump into each other trying to pass one another. I remember one was a younger boy, he had on a cap, seems the owner picked on him more than anyone, I think that was because he did not like the cap he was wearing and could spot him so easily.

Lets see, Big John, Lazyboy, Grasshopper, and myself, Flintstone and several other was there. Oh, I even remember another one Dirty Dog, he use to live here and manage the local Fred's Store but move up around Forest City and starting driving for G & H Trucking I believe it was. Use to have so many friends out there on the open road, I do wonder what has happened to many of them. My main hope is they have found out the most important thing is not to get to the unloading dock on time, or have the fastest truck, or the shiniest truck, or the most chrome, or stop at the best truck stop, but to know Jesus Christ as ones personnel Savior. My prayers will go out to Big John and his battle with Pancreas Cancer and all my truck driving friends from days gone by.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Historic Wins for Mesothelioma Research Funding

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060815/latu009.html?.v=59

I just come across this article, maybe this will help find a cure for Mesothelioma or prolong some lives until a cure may be found.

With strong research, help for those who have Mesothelioma and or who may have it in the short future is a worthily project and well spent money.

Seems to me those companies who hid the health risk factors from everyone ought to be donating money to the research of this deadly cancer. For it is their fault many die at an early age for Mesothelioma and other related health problems caused by asbestos which made them rich.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

All Cancers Are Bad

I just recently found out a man who I use to work with has pancreas cancer. The first person I remember having this type of cancer was Little Joe of Bonanza fame, Michael Landon and of course he lost the battle against it.

But with my friend I found out that his mother died of this type of cancer and it is said that it can run in families. Since he was diagnosed with it his 2 daughters have gotten check out for this. It seems the report for his oldest daughter, she is about 41 or 42 came back as suspected, what ever that means. I suppose this means she may have pancreas cancer or may not have it. His younger daughter report come back clear.

So Mesothelioma which my sister-in-law, Linda's twin has is not the only deadly cancer in this world.

The other day while searching for Mesothelioma I came across a message board where a 20 year old had posted asking questions about a tumor found in his brain. I did a search for this type of tumor the biopsy report said it was and I find that most people who have that type of a tumor in the top part of their spinal cord usually die from in about 2 years.

So I suppose the major difference in Mesothelioma cancer and others is all the lawyers who are chasing people who come down with Mesothelioma and hoping to make many dollars off of what they got because of the greedy companies who withheld information that asbestos was very dangerous where they could fill up their bank accounts while sacrificing people lives.

They knew very well if all of their employees found out how dangerous asbestos was many would no longer work in this hazardous situation plus the public would no longer buy their product and their bank accounts would suffer greatly. Yes, they were greedy and all they cared about was the billions of dollars they were making.

On another note, I heard yesterday in a town not to far north of us a grandfather was riding his grand daughter on his 4 wheeler. He had attached a milk carton to the rack on back of the four wheeler and his grand daughter was in it. He tied this carton to the rack with hay string from what I understand. Anyway the hay string somehow got caught up in the rear axle at the same time getting caught around this young child's neck.

When he discover this her head had been completely cut off with her body still in the milk carton. I am told that when emergency workers got there they had to back track a long ways from where he discovered his grand daughters head cut off to recover her head.

Can you imagine this happening, the hay string is tight around this child's neck and she is unable to holler out to her grandfather what is happening and the grand father is happily going along on his 4 wheeler enjoying his self while his stupid idea is killing his grand daughter.

They say most of the family had to be hospitalized from the trauma this has done to their minds.

Why do people do such stupid things that cause the lives of the ones they love? Yes, I call it stupid, for that is what it is. We people put pleasures ahead of safety just as the companies dealing with asbestos put their check books ahead of human lives. This has cause much grief and many lives.

Yes, death comes to all, but many people suffer an early death because of stupidly and greed of mankind. And the only answer for mankind's stupidly and greed is Jesus Christ.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Chemo Therapy Today, 2nd Round

The shots worked, Glenda's blood count was back up and she took her 2nd round of chemo therapy today. Plus they said the tumors on her lung seemed a bit smaller. Maybe this chemo therapy sill knock the Mesothelioma back for a while.

That is good news, maybe this will give her a little more time, hopefully more than the 3 months they once said.

Said she felt pretty good tonight, but maybe that is because of the pain medicine, today they switched her to oxycontin.

Wow, what humans must go thru at times, death sure is harder on some people than others. I think many time our fear of death is the pain we may go thru to get there.

Of course on the other side of death for the child of God is a place with no more pain, sorrow, crying, nor death. But for the others it is the lake of fire, eternal death, eternal punishment. But we each make our won choice and God respects that choice.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Asbestos & Mesothelioma

Thinking about this deadly Mesothelioma cancer that is caused by asbestos, I wonder just how much asbestos is still around. As much of this stuff that was sent all over the United States, even some 3,000 tons of it shipped to my small town from Libby, Montana makes me think there's lots of it still around and people are still breathing asbestos into their lungs.

Why would I question this, the main reason would be because even while the people who was making much money off of asbestos knew this stuff was dangerous they were hiding these facts. So we know they will put profits before peoples lives. So maybe its still making its way into peoples life.

I found this on one web site site non-friable asbestos is not regulated and still may be around many people. Its in cement, vinyl, asphalt, or some other type of hardening binder, transite (cement) siding, vinyl asbestos floor tiles, and asphalt roofing shingles.

So maybe many people are being exposed to it right now and a few of them in years to come will catch deadly Mesothelioma cancer.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Chemo Therapy Tomorrow Or Not

As of this evening Glenda does not know if she can have the chemo therapy tomorrow or not, it will be her 2nd round. These shots she has to take to build up her white blood cell count are making her feel pretty bad, hopefully that is what they will do.

She will find out in the morning when they take blood if they have done their job or not, plus they will be taking another x-ray to see if the Mesothelioma cancer has shrunk or not. Hopefully this chemo has helped some.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Searching For Mesothelioma On The Net

Today I search some blogs for Mesothelioma, found a few which had this word in them. Some of them had already lost a loved one due to this deadly disease caused by exposure to asbestos. I left a couple of them a comment, I feel so much for those families touched by this cancer that is killing people just because greedy asbestos companies chose profits over peoples lives.

But it seem the lawyers, ambulance chasers, take up most of the space on the net and one has to wade thru all their stuff to really find anyone who has been touched by Mesothelioma.

Found one support group, they had a group for people with Mesothelioma, but it was locked down, I guess they could not keep the lawyers out who were trying to gee customers, so they shut it down, locked it up tight.

So one who has this kind of cancer can find a lawyer easily, but will have a hard time finding any support amongst all the lawyers, sad.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Linda Back To Work

Today is Linda's first day back to work at school. Today is not really a work day, they're going to serve them breakfast them tell them things about the new year. They always have changes, and on this day they are told about them. So this leaves me home alone, for I'm disabled.

Wish the summer was a bit longer for her this year, that would make it to where she could spend a bit more time with her twin Glenda who has mesothelioma cancer for which there is no know cure for.

Before Glenda took her first found out she had this mesothelioma cancer they had told her it was in the last stages and she might not have over 3 months to live. But the day prior to receiving her first chemo therapy 3 weeks ago Wednesday they did a new X-ray and a PET scan. The PET scans supposedly show where all the cancer is, from this they said the mesothelioma cancer was not as far along as they first thought, it was contained in her right lung. But there was a hot spot that showed up in her left shoulder which of yet I'm not sure what they thought or decided about that.

But hopefully she will have more time than the doctors first thought, I hope so. But of course like the doctor told her, I'm just a doctor, we doctors do not know everything which is correct even though some doctors will not admit it. But the final day of her life is up to God, not any doctor, for God is the author of life and He knows everything and His Son Jesus is the great physician.

I've got to get moving, I need to replace our kitchen faucet today, I've got the faucet already, but will have to make a trip to town to get a couple of parts that I will need. But before going I need to make a phone call to the VA to get a prescription refilled and who knows how long it will take me to get and answer at the VA out clinic where my doctor is to where I can get the doctor to write this months prescription and get it going and helpfully get it before my med runs out. Yes, sometime they let me run out, they are not great about getting things done one time and it seems they are getting no better.

Oh, I could leave a message with the VA clinic, but have found that most times they will not return my call, even if the message I leave is that I am out of a certain kind of medicine, so I have to keep calling till I get an answer and talk to a human being, at times that takes several tries.

Oh, a funny thing about our kitchen faucet, a hole has come in it, out on the end of the spigot where it bends down, every time you turn it on it sprays water in your face. At least its an eye opener early morning, maybe more so than a cup of coffee, for when you turn to the water on to get water to make the first pot of coffee for the day you get cold water sprayed right in your eyes.

And yes, the first time it did that to Linda she was very surprised and thought it was some kind of gag I was playing on her and did not think it was funny, but after realizing it was no gag she laughed about it. Even after over 38 years of marriage we still can laugh at funny things, water spraying in our face at the kitchen faucet was kind of funny.

Back to my original thought, if the summer was a bit longer, them maybe Linda could spend more time with her twin sister before the end comes when ever that will be, she lives in another town, with her back working it will be a bit harder for her to make the trip to visit with her. I wish they cold have much more time together during this time.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Mesothelioma & Chemo Therapy

Glenda's blood count is all messed up now, and she has to take 5 shots to try and get the blood count back up. If it is not back up she cannot have the 2nd treatment of chemo therapy this Wednesday. I sure hope and pray that this takes care of the blood count problem and she will be able to continue her chemo therapy.

Yes, its been 3 weeks since she had her first chemo therapy treatment, 4 weeks I believe since she go the results saying it was definitely Mesothelioma which is caused by asbestos.

After finding out she had this deadly Mesothelioma I searched the net, found that Steve McQueen had this type of cancer and it cost him his life at the age of fifty on November 7, 1980.

http://www.mesothel.com/pages/mcqueen_laetrile_pag.htm

http://members.tripod.com/~stvmcqueen/meso.html

http://members.tripod.com/~stvmcqueen/McQbio.html

Seems to me he made a mistake trying the alternate treatment offered in Mexico, perhaps with out that treatment he might have lived a bit longer, but of course there is still no cure for Mesothelioma as of August 13, 2006. It has took ever life it has invaded and a cure for it has completely evaded all research so far. But I have read that a few have lived as much as 20 years after being diagnosed with it. So maybe they are getting close to find a cure for it.

I pray that few will be affected by this deadly disease caused by asbestos.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Thinking About Glenda & Mesothelioma

Last night Linda spent the night with her sister, I feel it did both her and her sister good to spend time together. Linda wanted me to go with her, but I declined. I though with just Linda and Glenda they could really have a much closer visit as twin sisters.

Oh I know that neither Glenda nor Linda would have objected one bit for me being there, I think very much of Glenda, have grown to love her much over the years with her being my sister-in-law. But still I thought and hoped they could have a great visits together.

I remember my first date with Linda, I knew she had a twin sister, but when Glenda opened the door as I knocked I was kind of surprised, there stood someone who looked like Linda who I had a date with, there she stood in an old pair of blue jeans, and a faded out shirt.

Before I realized this was Glenda, not Linda, I though, surely she is not going to wear this grab on her first date with me, what's going on here, should I leave?

About that time Glenda said, "I'm not Linda, I'm Glenda, want you please come in, Linda is nearly ready."

As I walked in, there come Linda out from the hall way, when I saw her I though, yes, that is the way you dress for the first date. That following May Linda and I got married.

We have had fun and laughs about that moment many times. It tickles Glenda to think about the expression I had on my face when she answered the door, I'm sure it was quite a surprised look.

Linda and I have spent every Christmas with Glenda except for the first one after being married, for in December of 1968 I spent Christmas at Anderson AFB, Guam. I sure hope and pray that this Mesothelioma cancer does not get her before this Christmas, I hope we all have at least one more together.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Mesothelioma Thoughts

Today I talked with my sister-in-law on the telephone. She called and Linda was not here, she had gone with a friend to see her doctor in another town.

In ways she seems is holding up to this fairly well, but I still feel she does have some depression. I just don't believe a person can have such a thing as Mesothelioma cancer of which there is no cure for and not be depressed.

I feel she is ready to meet the Lord, so that part is taken care of. And it is the most important thing for anyone, for we never know when our time will come, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, of maybe next week. Recently a friend left home early one morning going to town, he was 55 years of age, just about 1/2 mile past our house his time came. For some reason he crossed the center line and hit a log truck nearly head on. So we must be prepared to meet the Lord, for it can come unexpectedly at any moment for all of us. I feel assured as he left home and said bye to his wife, she had no idea that would be the last time she would see him alive.

Which with all of those who come down with Mesothelioma cancer there is usually a law suit. Which I'm not much for lawsuits, but it tears me up inside with theses companies who made so much money while knowing the dangerous health risk it posed for those who were around asbestos, plus those who were around it because a family member worked in it such as is the case with my sister-in-law. To maybe other who were around it because it was in their house or products they used or repaired.

They chose to hid these facts for many years as they took their millions and billions of dollars all the way to the back and enjoy this money very much putting money ahead of people's lives, now 3,000 to 4,000 people per year come down with this Mesothelioma cancer of which there is no cure for it. But also, there are many who sufferer from lung disease and struggle to breath because of exposure to asbestos.

I do have the answer for such problems, its Jesus Christ, Jesus will change the hearts of man, with a changed heart they will not be so greedy, and thus not willing to sacrifice lives for money and material possessions.

Yes, to much greed is the problem, and a heart changed by Jesus Christ can take the greed out of mans heart.

Many of these companies who are responsible for people having been exposed to asbestos have declared bankruptcy, reorganized and are still enjoying the very rich life that millions and billions of dollars will furnish them, feeling they owe nothing to those who they took advantage of and are suffering because of their greedy hearts.

With 3,000 to 4,000 people coming down with Mesothelioma cancer per year perhaps as many as eleven people will be diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer today, but lets not forget the millions who will be struggling to breath because their lungs are messed up from breathing asbestos into their lungs. These people are the legacy left behind by the greedy men who chose to tell a lie over telling the truth and thus sacrificed people for their pleasures. The thing is many of them still think it was a very wise decision, sad. And the medical community says that in the future the rate of Mesothelioma cancer will probably increase dramatically. Just think how much suffering there has been in the past and will be in the future for the people who come down with Mesothelioma cancer and their families.

Sure hurts to see what my sister-in-law is going thru as well as her loved ones.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1

Visit With Linda's Sister

Yesterday the wife and I went to visits her sister. Since getting out of the hospital, after having had surgery, she has not gotten much strength back.

I suppose it shall take a while, being as she had the trouble with her digestive system shutting down, had to recover from that as well as the surgery.

Plus on top of that the cancer is eating at her body, having under gone her first chemo therapy session. At least so far it still has not made her sick.

With her know she has this Mesothelioma cancer, that there is no cure, I find myself watching her to see her reactions to conversation that deal with this.

Her daughter had just got off the telephone, from talking with a Nurse practitioner, who is a good friend and is helping them out, Ashley was telling all of us what she had just learned.

During this part of the conversation, it seemed to me Glenda was just locking this out, hearing but not hearing, her eyes seem to be looking off in space.

After this part of the conversation was past, and we got to talking about other things, she was back with us, heavily involved in the conversation.

I wonder how I would deal with such a thing, as we know we all deal with life matter much differently, but I know many times when people face such thing as being terminally ill, they try to lock it out, I wonder if Glenda is trying to do that.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1