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my cancer is worse than yours

1 Recommendation

a few days ago, a friend of mine, with a sister-in-law that has cancer told me that her cancer was worse than mine. i was diagnosed with stage 3a lung cancer three years ago. really got me to think, its cancer stupid!!!!!! they are all worse!!!! im tired of seeing pink ribbons, i cant understand why cancer needs colors, it needs a cure. it was so wonderful finding this website. im actually almost crying as im writing, all of you know and that makes me feel so much better. thank you

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Cancer Surgery Pain Lung cancer Breast cancer Skin cancer

29 replies

Wow, It almost sounds like a contest. But who in their right mind would want to win the worst of the worst diagnosis? Duh...

It must seem so trivial when things come down to this, and what seems like a great idea to educate society becomes just another marketing tool for someone to make money.

Sometimes you just have to let people be where they are, and let them grow on their own time. Just don't let stupidity on any level drain you of your energy and purpose. Stay focused on what matters, and positive in your thoughts, and keep getting healthier every day. That is the best I can wish you and any of us...

Peg

Sometimes I just say I had a mild case of lc, you know, like a mild case of the flu!

G

Yikes!! Turn it into a compliment. Hear it as "You are coping with your terrible diagnosis so well."

People say things, myself included, without having a clue about the pain they cause or the nerves they touch. Sometimes those clues get to be insights when the grenade of a cancer diagnosis is thrown into the middle of their lives, god help them.

Susan

You are sooo right!!!
We need a cure, not a color.

Carol

thank you all who wrote back, i wish for all of us gods blessings and some great doctors

Was her unsavory remark supposed to make you feel better about your cancer??? Yuk! Blessings! Brooklynda

All cancer is worse. My best friend in this world the kindest of kind hearted ladies, started abut 8 or 9 years ago with breast cancer, she was cured, so they said, it came back with a vengeance and went to her lungs, she died 8 short months later, she suffered horribly with fluid on the lungs and on the heart, she was in the hospital more than she ever was at home, I would say her breast cancer which turned out to be a recurrent one, was not so lucky as we seem to think. Breast cancer too is a deadly disease, the ones who suvive it and how long do they really survive it? We hear of the cures, but then again years later something else seems to pop up with them too. Lets face it, no matter what, we are all in this together, Nobody has to fight, and try and make the other one feel like shit, we all feel that way now! All on our own we can feel like shit. I do mostly everyday! We should help each other, not say rude and mean things to someone because they have a differentt pe of cancer, it is all the same thing, cells growing out of whack, and uncontrollably well. Where it will turn up later in life no matter where it starts it can still be deadly, we see it daily. So next time someone says their cancer is worse, let them have the glory, if this is all they are after, you can turn your face away, and know in your heart the truth, who knows what kind of cancer that poor soull will end up with next! It is just their own security blanket making them feel good enough to put you down. Let them, if it makes them feel better, why not, we are strong, we have one of the deadliest types of cancer there is, how much stronger do we have to prove we are??
God bless Sandy

Hi Susan:

Sorry you had to find us but welcome. One thing that many of us have realized about people is that there is no treatment or cure for "STUPID."

Have a wonderful day.
Love to all,
Marylou

I'm going to make a window cling or bumper sticker that says "Cancer doesn't need colors/It needs a CURE" Thanks for that one. And all cancers sucks. Yes some are worse then others, even when were talking about lung cancer. My 3A NSCLC might not be a painful as someone else, but we are all fighting the same battle here and the fact that I have everyone here for love and support really has made this fight so much more easier.

I work with volunteer hunter education instructors. In the last 2 months, two of my favorite instructors have been hit with colon cancer. One had his surgery and is on chemo, cancer only in the colon, the other just found out last Monday and is in the hospital today for surgery and did just fine, except for the fact that his cancer has spread to his liver and brain. Radiation is not an option. This sucks, these are two people I have know for over 10 years. And I will more then likely lose one of them. Yeah, some cancers are worse then others.

Blessings,
Barb

I agree with all said but Marylyn says it best.Cancer is evil but being stuck on stupid means you miss half of lifes joy's.I hate your friend put her foot in her mouth.I don't think any body here is missing the small joys of life more than illness prevents.Sadly cancer does change us to a new way of seeing things.Maybe her sister in law can teach her by example.I doubt she feels she is in a contest.I am sorry it made you sad Andi B

Cancer is cancer, it is so insidious, it doesn't discriminate and it often hits people right out of nowhere! No one deserves it and no one deserves to be made to feel that their cancer is less than someone elses because when it hits any of us or a loved one it is often the worst thing that has happened in our lives and everything is turned upside down. The last thing any of us need is to be expending energy trying to be the sickest or the neediest. It's cancer and it needs to be erradicated all around so that our grandchildren can grow up in a world where they can say "remember when people used to get cancer"!

I'm getting off my soap box now. (I'm finding that my new routine of steroids is making me very moody.

Blessings to every one of us,

Donna

I too like "Cancer Needs a Cure Not Colors!"

I have to to think on if some cancers are actually worse than others, I dont want to make an uneducated statement. I do know the survival is much higher for Breast.
One of the reasons for that is all the money that is poured into Breast Ca compared to Lung Ca.
Lung Ca does not get celebrity attention, therefor we dont get all those dollars everyday for research for a cure.
I was told the above statement by a Cancer Treatment Center staff member.

Colon ca is another terrible one with poor prognosis, but there is screening, and I can tell you that "I" am over due for a screen. Does that mean I deserve to hear I brought it on myself.....?
There is no detection or screen for Lung. You cough, you find out you have Lung Ca, and that is why its usually Advanced when its found, because its had so long to grow and spread.
This did bring one question to mind, when we find out someone has Breast , Colon, Prostate....and if we say anything at all but how terrible it is and how sorry we are to hear that, we may ask if the person has kept up with Screening and Early Detection. "Do we say " You brought that on yourself ". I know I would Never! Yet, the FIRST question everyone seems to ask , "Did you Smoke". As if to say......
Just a thought....BUT ALL Cancer Sucks! It attacks regardless of age, race, gender. social status....its an equal opportuity Host!
Holly

Well, that comment just gave the word "stupid" a whole new meaning! OY!

I don't know to many people that feel having one cancer over another is a reason to party. Just when you think you heard it ALL....................

Hugs to you,
Connie

Not sure what's funnier, what your friend said or stage4survivor's embarrassing physical ... *rollin' my eyeballs*

Peace ... Dana.

Cancer sucks - no matter what stage, what type- nuff said.

holloy jack: i get asked did you smoke everytime someone finds out about my cancer, the first thing i say is i havent smoked in over 20 years, so if you ever smoked i t could happen to you, you should watch the faces fall to the floor

I wonder if your friend could get the other foot in if she opened her mouth wide enough?

Ahh, what can you do. Ignorance truly is bliss - just forgive her.

On a lighter note, I've had breast cancer and now I have lung ca. Yes, the first thing people ask me is "Did you smoke?" (Or, "you never smoked, did you?") The first thing people asked me when I had breast ca was "Which breast?"

No one has ever asked me "which lung?"

I'll write more later about activism and funds, but now I have to rush to the surgeon about my upcoming procedure for skin cancer. (as Gilda Radnor said, "it's always something."

The world is full of ignorant people. And we are all ignorant of one subject or another as no one knows everything.

Barb, I'll buy one of those bumper stickers if you make them.

Linda

I just got in the mail my Lung Cancer Awareness braclets that I ordered from LCA.

I ordered 10 of them and will share them with my family and friends who are Lung Cancer Supporters as well.

Any kinda of cancer is horrible regardless of what stage. I can't wait for someone to ask me what my braclet represents I will tell them in honor of Lung cancer awareness and did they know that it happens to nonsmokers as well as smokers and that we must find a cure.

AWARENESS is the key!
B :)

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