Hi Pat! I am new to this site also. My son has CML and is only 11 years old. It is so comforting to me to hear of all you folks who have been living with CML for years. It encourages me that you have continued to live full lives in spite of your CML. I hope my son will live a long full life too!
I thank God every day for those who were on the original trials for CML. I thank God for the researchers and doctors who so diligently are trying to cure this disease. I thank God every day that I still have my son, and that there is hope for people with CML!! Please don't get discouraged, or feel embarrased by your smoking habit, your depression, or your frustration with the other huge conflicts in your life. Sometimes we feel we have had all we can take, and then we learn we can take a little more than we thought!! Please try to keep a positive attitude! You are doing the best you can, and every day is a new beginning. If you have failed to quit smoking before, that fact won't make you fail again. You are a survivor, and you are stong!! You can beat CML and you can beat smoking! Your side effects sound awful, and I will pray for you today to find a doctor that will take the time to listen to you, and start to heal the whole you. You need confidence in your doctors so if he is not working for you, you have to find someone who will. You have needs beyond healing your body, you need to heal you mind and your heart!! I hope you are seeing a therapist to help you with all your challenges. And please don't forget your spiritual self. You need the peace and joy and hope that you can find when you let go, and let God! I have never been a very religious person, but you would thnk I am with my advice above!! I have found that I need to believe that someone else is in control, and will do what is best for me and my son. I hate losing that control, I hate letting go, but I have learned that I have to! I didn't cause this cancer, and I can't cure it, so I have to believe that it is here for a reason, even if only He knows why right now. Pat, we are all praying for each other, and we understand that we all need each other to get through some tough days. Please don't hesitate to write back. Hugs to you and your family! Sue in MA On Sep 29, 4:50 am, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Just wanted to check in with everyone. I am saddened that there is > such little communication amongst the group these past months, but I > guess I shouldn't be one to complain because I have not participated > near enough myself. What is going on? I know there was some conflict > sometime back and someone started another group. Has everyone deserted > this one and went to it or what? Something happened to our computer > and I've lost some things but my hubby has been working relentlessly > and has recovered some things. > Anyway, I still have not reached my zero mark.I am basically at a > standstill. I am having other health problems. I think I've told > everyone already I am now battling COPD. My appetite decreased so much > when I started taking Gleevec and now it is non-existent. I have to > force down what little I do eat. I basically live off of cereal and > soup and as soon as I take 2 or 3 bites and it hits my stomach, I > can't even make it to the bathroom. I have dirrhea constantly. If I > take my lotomil, then I'm constipated. I was having so much trouble > with my stomach, my primary doctor ordered a cat scan which found > nothing. I am a smoker and I am constantly quitting and restarting. > I've been on and off of the chantix(the quit smoking pill) and the > nausea from it was just horrific. None of my doctors can tell me if > maybe I shouldn't be taking it with the Gleevec. Not being able to > quit and stay quit is causing me severe depression. I know how > extremely important it is for me to quit. I'm also going through early > menopause which I am told is probably caused by the leukemia and this > too has been a terrible experience. I am under so much > stress...fininacial problems, a sick husband and a grown son who is > bipolar just to name a few. I broke down at my last visit with my cml > specialist and he wants me to try the sprycel, wrote me a script which > I haven't filled yet as my primary doctor was wanting to see what > issues I had with my stomach and I wanted to see what come of that > before I changed over. I really wanted to tough it out with the > Gleevec in spite of all it does to me so I would have the sprycel to > turn to should the Gleevec stop working. I'm just a basket case. I'm > now sleep deprived. Just cannot get in that 3rd stage of sleep...I > don't know if this is related to the COPD or what? My primary doctor > who 3 years ago was so wonderful has so many patients now, he might > spend 5 minutes with me, walks out while I am still talking, doesn't > get my scripts right...he's just in such a hurry all the time. I just > feel like giving up sometimes. I would love to hear from all of you > and know how you are. I really could use some comforting > encouragement, support right now....or just to hear how well your > situation is going would give me inspiration. I know I can expect some > criticism about the smoking...it won't hurt my feelings...I've heard > it all already. I've never asked this question before but are there > any smokers among the group, if so would you please email me > privately. I know if you are a smoker, you may fear ridicule, but it > will be kept private between the two of us...and I'm not fearful of > ridicule. I know only too well how I am killing myself. I've already > been told COPD will probably be my death sentence rather than CML. > I've never been a drug user, smoked a little weed back in the day, not > a drinker but I have a horrendous addiction to cigerettes. I'm > shameful but I'm honest. > Hope to hear from some of you soon. If you think of me,please pray for > me. I'm starting the patch tomorrow. It is not the first time, but I > pray this will be the last time I have to wear them. > Love, Peace, Hope & Prayers, Pat Reynolds --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ [CMLHope] A support group of http://cmlhope.com ------------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CMLHope" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
