Proleukin

I was recently contacted by a representative from Proleukin to make this information available on my blogs and websites. 

PROLEUKIN, a prescription medication, is a form of immunotherapy that uses the body's natural immune system to fight cancer. PROLEUKIN has been used for over 10 years in the treatment of metastatic melanoma and over 15 years in the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). Find out how PROLEUKIN can help and ask your doctor if you are a candidate for treatment with the medication.

This link will take you to their site.  There is a link on the site for you to sign up for PROLEUKIN information, updates and inspiring treatment stories.   I hope that something you find there will be helpful.

http://www.proleukin.com/index.jsp

How to Dance in the Rain

I'm not sure who authored this, I got it in an email today, it's just one of those things that has to be shared...beautiful.

It was a busy morning, about 8:30 , when an elderlygentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said,

'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought,

'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic.

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.  Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

                                          Sing Loud, Laugh Often, Give Thanks,
                                       Hug Long, Live Simply, Love Generously,
                                   Care Deeply, Speak Kindly & Daydream

Safe Flight donates $50,000 to CAN | General Aviation News

Image via Wikipedia

Posted by Janice Wood · September 10, 2009
Safe Flight Instrument Corp. has contributed $50,000 to support the work of Corporate Angel Network, the public charity that coordinates free flights to treatment for cancer patients using the empty seats of business aircraft.

The organization, which has received dozens of honors for its humanitarian work, has arranged flights for more than 32,000 cancer patients.

For more information: 914-328-1313, CorpAngelNetwork.org or SafeFlight.com

August...not my favorite month.

Image via Wikipedia

Well, here it is August again...August 5th to be exact.
So that makes it 11 years, 11 months, and 5 days.
She died the same day Princess Diana died.
This is always a reflective month for me.
I think of Kelly every day, but August is different. August usually brings back the really bad memories. The memories of illness. Chemo, surgery, radiation, wigs, total loss of her independence, do not resuscitate, hospice...
And a trip to Sea World. Our last try for some normalcy. We pushed her around in a wheel chair. She laughed. She had fun. She didn't want to leave Shamu. We had to go the the clinic. For the first time the pain meds weren't working. They said give her more, it's OK.
I think we all knew that day the end was near. I wonder if deep down she knew too. We never talked about death, not really.
One time, she said "when" I die I think I'd like my ashes scattered at Honeymoon Island. But she wasn't talking about her imminent death. We were talking death in general. Niether one of us could ever bring ourselves to talk about the possibility of her dying. One time she said "what will happen to my kids if I die"...I feel like such a coward, I couldn't have that discussion...I said, "you're going to be fine, but you know I'll always be here to take care of them". I wonder if she wanted more than what I was offering.
I haven't officially "announced" this blog. When I do I'd really like to hear from others who have lost a child. I'd like to know what it's like for others a "decade" after losing a child, or anyone you've loved and lost.
I think now, almost 12 years later, losing her is something like 'background' music...it's always there, but you don't always notice it. I still long for a second chance.

If anyone stumbles across this feel free to tell me your story. I think it feels so good to write it down. I always feel even now, that when I tell someone about what happened to Kelly in some small way it keeps her here with me.

New DNA Vaccine Inhibits Deadly Skin Cancer In Mice

Image via Wikipedia

New DNA Vaccine Inhibits Deadly Skin Cancer In Mice

Shared via AddThis


This is what it's like after losing a child, for me anyway. I never stop looking and trying to figure out how this happened. If a sunburn when she was little was to blame (me), or could it have been genetics? I wonder if there will be a cure. I have a very hopefull feeling when I see news stories like this one.

Read the article here: http://www.blogger.com/www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721110609.htm
"In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time that immune responses which are elicited by a novel anti-GRP DNA vaccine suppress the proliferation and growth of melanoma tumors in mice," say the researchers. "The antiangiogenesis and antimetastastic activities of this DNA vaccine suggest a novel approach against various cancers, especially malignant melanoma."