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Stage 4 lung cancer
https://mail.chicagofanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=77902		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  shakes [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:36 am ]
Post subject:  Stage 4 lung cancer
Unfortunately, another cancer post. Just found out yesterday that a good friend and teammate (he's pictured in my avatar) has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. In the 8 years I've known him I've never seen him smoke, but he did smoke when he was younger. But, I would never call him a heavy smoker even at his worst.

We're all trying to wrap our heads around this, but everything we read online is really bad. Its terminal and 50% of the patients don't make it past 8 months of the diagnosis. At best, 10% live 5 years. I've talked to a couple people who had family members who had this and both of them were dead within 8 weeks.

Does anyone here have experience with this type of cancer and is the prognosis as terrible as it appears?

To make matters worse, he has 3 kids all under the age of 4. Fortunately, they won't be at a loss financially after he's gone. His father in law owns a very large garbage removal business. Also, his dad won the Heisman Trophy and has done quite well for himself in business after a stint in the NFL so the kids will be taken care of from that aspect.

Right now he's not talking to any of his friends and is still at the hospital, we're just hoping at some point we get to see him and hang out before the end.
Author:  good dolphin [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
sorry to hear it
Author:  redskingreg [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
This is horrible, man. Wish I could provide some insight, but my cancer experiences are limited to liver and breast. Hopefully you get to share a few more memories with him.
Author:  Brick [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
That's terrible. Sorry to hear it.
Author:  Terry's Peeps [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
That's absolutely terrible shakes. Sorry to hear.
Author:  rogers park bryan [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Fuck, that's terrible.

Sorry, Shakes
Author:  T-Bone [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry to hear this. That is some awful news.
Author:  Frank Coztansa [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry to hear shakes. Feel bad for the kids.

Just another example of why to never smoke though.
Author:  jimmypasta [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry about your buddy. Each day of life is a gift but we don't think of that until somebody gives you an expiration date. I knew another guy in his 40's who got it. One day,I was visiting him and we went for a walk around his block. At the time,he was wearing some type of heavy vest underneath his shirt. I forgot why though,something to do with chemo.
He passed a few months later. It's strange when you see a younger man dying. He smoked heavily most of his life. He got mad at me once,because I asked him not to smoke in my house.My newbown son just got out of the hospital & nobody smokes in my house.

Basically,smoking is one bad habit.
Author:  donspiracy [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
You need to get off the board and go visit him. His time is limited. The chemotherapy will melt his organs. Sneak in his favorite drink and give him a sip. Do not have the expectation he will leave the hospital again.
Author:  Hank Scorpio [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry to hear it shakes.

This happened to my grandfather, at this stage it happens so fucking fast it blows your mind. Enjoy the time you have with him.
Author:  reents [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry tp hear Shakes.
Author:  jackref [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Awful news Shakes - so sorry to hear. I lost my aunt to aggressive breast cancer last month - she was 50. Its hard and nothing you say or do is going to "help" perse, but just being there makes all the difference.
Author:  spmack [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry Shakes.
Author:  W_Z [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
awful news. :evil:
Author:  Psycory [ Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
awful.
Author:  shakes [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Please watch the Hawks game tonight, Foley and Olczyk will be giving a shout out for Mark!


Also, some somewhat good news...he responded well to some meds and it looks like they might be able to prolong his life at least a couple years. So I guess that is good news considering it looked like a couple months originally.

He's still not talking to anyone, but he got moved out of ICU which is good news.

Right now I'm trying to organize all his hockey friends from all the different teams to get together and take a huge group photo with a banner of support that we will then get framed and give to him.
Author:  rogers park bryan [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
shakes wrote:
Please watch the Hawks game tonight, Foley and Olczyk will be giving a shout out for Mark!


Also, some somewhat good news...he responded well to some meds and it looks like they might be able to prolong his life at least a couple years. So I guess that is good news considering it looked like a couple months originally.
Quote:

That is outstanding news.

You hear about cancer all the time, but 8 weeks is a motherfucker. If that somehow becomes even one year, that's a hell of a lot longer.

Good thoughts to your guy
Author:  Terry's Peeps [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Good to hear he's doing a bit better.
Author:  donspiracy [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Ok. Have you gone to visit him?
Author:  Krazy Ivan [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Sorry about your friend, shakes.
Author:  T-Bone [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Any positive news is good news. Also very nice gesture on your part to try to put a smile on his face.
Author:  shakes [ Mon Mar 25, 2013 3:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
donspiracy wrote:
Ok. Have you gone to visit him?


No, he's not seeing or talking to any friends yet. Just got out of ICU yesterday and sat in a chair for the first time. When he's ready to see his friends I'll go see him, but I'm not gonna go to the hospital and try and barge my way into his room against his wishes.
Author:  shakes [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
UPDATE: Some good news, actually great news. The docs discovered some genetic abnormality in my friend's lungs and because of that he can take this wonder drug (forgot the name of it) which will not only prolong his life, but also make it possible for him to beat the cancer. Considering that at first it looked like he might be gone within 8 weeks this is unbelievable.

Stopped by to visit him last week at home and he's doing good. Lost about 30 pounds and his hair is starting to go, but he's off the oxygen and no longer coughing up blood. Bought an exercise bike and is riding it 10-15 minutes every couple days. Also bought a new grill which he is excited to start using.

I went ahead and organized a meeting for a bunch of his old hockey buddies, guys he played with in high school and guys from his various men's league teams over the past 10 years. Managed to get about 50 of us together at the Skokie rink where we posed for a couple pictures, the first one being all of us in our jerseys holding up a sign that said "Stay strong Beebs..." and the second one with all of us fighting each other with a banner reading "and keep fighting!" Also passed around the hat and raised $950 cash that night. Took the photos in yesterday and got them in a frame one on top of each other.

We're having a ceremony for him and his family at our game tomorrow night where we'll give him the photo, a box of Omaha Steaks for his new grill, 4 tix to the Hawks game monday and a check for a donation to the lung cancer walk we're all participating him April 28. Also going to have a ceremonial faceoff.

We made helmet stickers for everyone a couple weeks ago and we're trying to get pucks made with the logo from the sticker on it. Hoping to have those by tomorrow so we can use them in the game.

He's looking forward to the ceremony, but has no idea about any of the stuff thats planned or the photo so can't wait to see the look on his face tomorrow night.
Author:  Hawg Ass [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
shakes wrote:
UPDATE: Some good news, actually great news. The docs discovered some genetic abnormality in my friend's lungs and because of that he can take this wonder drug (forgot the name of it) which will not only prolong his life, but also make it possible for him to beat the cancer. Considering that at first it looked like he might be gone within 8 weeks this is unbelievable.

Stopped by to visit him last week at home and he's doing good. Lost about 30 pounds and his hair is starting to go, but he's off the oxygen and no longer coughing up blood. Bought an exercise bike and is riding it 10-15 minutes every couple days. Also bought a new grill which he is excited to start using.

I went ahead and organized a meeting for a bunch of his old hockey buddies, guys he played with in high school and guys from his various men's league teams over the past 10 years. Managed to get about 50 of us together at the Skokie rink where we posed for a couple pictures, the first one being all of us in our jerseys holding up a sign that said "Stay strong Beebs..." and the second one with all of us fighting each other with a banner reading "and keep fighting!" Also passed around the hat and raised $950 cash that night. Took the photos in yesterday and got them in a frame one on top of each other.

We're having a ceremony for him and his family at our game tomorrow night where we'll give him the photo, a box of Omaha Steaks for his new grill, 4 tix to the Hawks game monday and a check for a donation to the lung cancer walk we're all participating him April 28. Also going to have a ceremonial faceoff.

We made helmet stickers for everyone a couple weeks ago and we're trying to get pucks made with the logo from the sticker on it. Hoping to have those by tomorrow so we can use them in the game.

He's looking forward to the ceremony, but has no idea about any of the stuff thats planned or the photo so can't wait to see the look on his face tomorrow night.

That is all very cool and extremely nice on all of your behalfs. All the best to your buddy and his family.
Author:  T-Bone [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
That all sounds really awesome. Hope it all goes off without a hitch. Sounds like a solid group of guys.
Author:  doug - evergreen park [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Very cool.


wish i had friends like this.
:P
Author:  Terry's Peeps [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
Excellent news.
Author:  Krazy Ivan [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
:cheers:
Author:  Frank Coztansa [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stage 4 lung cancer
No, doug. You don't really wish you had friends that were hockey players.
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