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Comment by Norm Tindell on January 3, 2013 at 10:23pm

Kendra, I certainly hope you still have good news to report. It's been six months since what we hope was your last treatment. It is my sincere hope that you will enjoy 2013 and many more years and decades after that!

Comment by Kendra Eastwood on July 25, 2011 at 4:40pm

Well, I posted here in December of 2009, that my CML was not requiring any treatments. Not the case now. About 8 weeks ago I went for my 6 month check up and was told that my white count was 38,000. So I was started on chemo. My Doctor says that i will need 6 to 8 treatments. I take my 6th treatment this Thursday July 28th. I have been praying that I only need 6 treatments. My counts are starting to show signs of improvement. Doctor says if my counts are better Thursday, then I will only need 6 treatments. I will be celebratingif it is my last treatment. I have been very strong throughout the chemo. I haven't missed a day of work. Extremely nauseated most days and feel rundown but I have to work to survive. I'm postive I will beat this and my leukemia will go into remission. My fire department family has beeen so caring, supportive and helpful. I am very lucky to be a member of such a great fire department family. With God's blessings, my family and fire department family support and love I will beat this!!!!! God bless all the firefighter's and their families that are struggling, coping and surviving cancer!!!!!!

Comment by Norm Tindell on February 27, 2011 at 8:10pm

Our local Relay For Life to benefit American Cancer Society is coming up in May. If you don't know yet when yours is I encourage you to find out about it and participate.

Comment by Norm Tindell on August 22, 2010 at 8:47pm

I've been hesitant to join the group because I don't like to complain. I'm said by my doctor to be "cancer free" now so maybe my story will be an encouragement to someone who is just getting some bad news (starting chemo, etc.). I was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in November of '08 and underwent surgery. The surgery was successful and we followed that with 6 months of chemo. Everything went as well as possible considering the circumstances. I feel extremely lucky. I was completely out of work for 2 months, then on light duty for about 2 more months, then finally got back into the routine. The support was amazing. I hope anyone who is diagnosed with cancer will fare at least as well.

Comment by Kendra Eastwood on December 1, 2009 at 1:40pm

Hello. I was diagnosed with the pre-stages of Leukemia(CML) in 2000. My white fluctuates so much that my Doctor's do not want to start Chemo. Which I am thankful for. The Doctor's say because my white count changes from 12.8 to 28.1 often that I am not full blown with CML. That is truly a blessing for me. My mother died from breast cancer in 1995. I had it in the back of my mind that I would get breast cancer not leukemia. Every now and then I receive IV iron treatments. I can live with that. I can fight and live with CML also!!

Comment by Mariah McLean Lightner on September 22, 2009 at 9:29am

My dad, a retired Lt. for Cobb Co., GA, passed away from cancer on 9/10/09. He was a firefighter/EMT for 33 yrs and was on Cobb's Hazmat Team. He seemed perfectly healthy just a year ago. Whereas I'm happy that he didn't suffer with the disease for many years, I miss him terribly. I fought my first fire last night (or this morning rather, at 3:45am) that he actually fought WITH me in spirit....it was the first one I've been on since he passed. I could almost feel him looking over my shoulder. But it's still so hard not to be able to call him and tell him all about it....I will forever pray for firefighters with cancer and your families.

Comment by Terry Smith on June 8, 2009 at 9:27pm

A few years back I was diagnosed with (AML) Leukemia. It was rough and I was near dead with pneumonia when my wife took me into Emergency. And as is usually the case, blood test's found the AML, which had weakened me into contracting the pneumonia. Then came the Chemo, which can be rough on its own! Lucky for me, AML is curable. I've been in remission and hopefully, will soon be declared cured! As Rhino said; never lose hope and never give up! Best of luck, and ton's of prayers for all that have been diagnosed with a cancer. It can be beaten!!!!!

Comment by Dan irvin on November 15, 2008 at 7:19pm

Just diagnosed with esophageal cancer on halloween this year, retired firefighter of 26 years, just looking for all the support that i can get here, I will start chemo and radiation next week, then surgery in about 6 weeks..really over whelmed here any advise support and advice will be greatly appreciated. t3 N1 M0 is my staging if anyone else has had this similar diagnosis thank you
Dan

Comment by Reverand James C. Bliss on June 20, 2008 at 8:51pm

I have cancer due to my being in vietnam in 1967-1968. I got mine from agent orange. But i am not letting it get me down, that is why i am still a fire fighter.
jim

Comment by Rhino on May 30, 2008 at 12:15am

In june my dad was having some medical problems and got checked out and they found something that did not look like anything but some scar tissue but to be safe they took a biopsy of it and it came back cancer. then they said lets do a ct of the other organs to see if there are any other cancers. Got the ct back and there was what looked like a fatty mass in the right side of the liver and backto the hospital we went to have a biopsy on his liver. About a week later the results were back and you guessed it CANCER. STAGE 4 ,Primary liver cancer and Lung Cancer , my dad was devistated and we all were but after more test we got some good news the cancers were 2 different types and cause of that he was a surgery candidate so he went from Albany Ga to Boston Mass Dana Farber they sent him back to DR Marty Sellers at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and December 17 they removed 1/2 of his liver due to a 5.7 cm cancer mass and his gall bladeder cause it was in the way , it was all contained in the liver so they got all of it with surrounding nodes came back negitive. On march 31 they we went back to Piedmont Hospital and they removed about 1/2 of his right lung and several nodes and they came back negitive. He is now cancer free and with all our PRAYERS he will stay that way. He will be 74 in July and this will be a very special one for him and us.. Do not ever loose hope cause there is hope for everyone. I really feel in my heart that prayer works. God Bless every fire fighter and their families.