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#CancerUpdate
Time for another update. For those of you who are new to the site/my work, I donate a portion of my book sales to the American Cancer Society. As to why, my mother-in-law passed away from bile duct cancer. She was an amazing woman, and her name was Lynn.
Yes, same as mine!! That’s because I picked hers to be my pen name.
She was an awesome writer (unpublished) and read my very first novel–and it was seriously lacking. Somehow she found the positives and encouraged me to jump into this crazy-awesome world of writing/publishing.
So now, every book of mine that gets published has her name on it. And that just makes me smile!
Cancer has touched almost everyone’s life in some fashion. And within the past two years, cancer has crept into my life through my family and friends. Even taken a few of them away from me. I figured donating part of my proceeds was the least I could do to try and help.
Every month I try to do a little update. Some aren’t so fun—like this one.
A dear writing friend, who I met within the first year or so I began writing, has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. It’s treatable through chemo and radiation, though, so that’s good. He starts treatment next week. Such a brilliant, caring, encouraging, strong man.
My uncle received a stage four lung cancer diagnosis a few weeks ago. Scans show it’s spread to his bones and various other parts of his body. The prognosis isn’t good, even with chemo.
On a brighter note, my Mum is still receiving clear scans. Did fantastically in the race she walk-jogged last month too! It was that same race last year that caused her enough pain in her back to go to the hospital where they found the 4-inch tumor in her spine.So, coming back to that race, cancer free, and mostly walking again, was an awesome feat. Especially since she was rendered immobile from that tumor in her spine for quite some time.
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Is cancer touching your life somehow?
Feel free to leave your story in the comments or email it directly to me (LynnRush {at} lynnrush {dot} com) and I’ll add you to my cancer prayer wall.
Thanks for your support everyone. You guys ROCK!
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#CancerSucks Update
Hey, fellow readers and friends.
If you’re new to the blog–first, I want to say HI!!–Second, I usually do a little update on the whole cancer thing since I give a portion of every book sold to the cause.
This month, unfortunately, has been a bit of a bummer on the cancer front. Another family member has been touched by the ugly disease. My uncle received a stage four lung cancer diagnosis within the last week. It just breaks my heart.
Another friend received a diagnosis of a brain tumor within that last couple of weeks as well. They’re not sure it’s cancer yet, but he’s starting the process of finding out soon.
My dear friend, Sandy, had a check up scan, and they found a little “spot” that is curious. So….they’re watching that now, too. The other cancer is gone, so we’re sad to see this tiny spot show up.
But with the bad, there is good….
My Mum received another all clear blood test! In the end, the four-inch tumor that rendered this former marathoner and mountain climber immobile for months was no match for this amazing, tough woman!! Mum has made HUGE steps forward. She’s walking ON HER OWN. No walker, elbow crutches OR canes!!
And guess what? This is such an awesome story, I tear up when I type this. One year ago, this month, Mum was running a 10k race and during it her back hurt really bad. She finished the race in tons of pain, which was weird for her. She’d run over 20 marathons in her life, hiked mountains, had endless energy.
Needless to say, within a few weeks, docs found the four-inch tumor in her spine that was causing the pain, and she underwent surgery and started intensive chemo.She lost all her hair, lost the ability to walk unassisted, and had every reason to be sad.
But let me tell you, she wasn’t.
And now, THIS month, exactly one year later, she’s participating in that SAME RACE that revealed her cancer. Yep. ONE YEAR LATER she’s going to walk/jog that race.
She’s such an inspiration. Yeah, she’s never going to be the same. May never get her full capacity to walk/run like she used to, but she’s fighting. Moving forward. She’s going to show up at the very race that she could barely finish because of a tumor and kick that race’s BUTT! Cancer free!
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If you guys have any cancer stories to share, please do. If you have anyone you want me to add to my cancer prayer wall, please let me know by either leaving the person’s first name in the comments section or emailing me LynnRush (at) lynnrush (dot) com.
Thanks again for all your support. You guys ROCK!
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#CancerSucks
Happy 2013. Here’s looking to a cancer-free year! **crosses fingers**
First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has purchased ANY Lynn Rush book since July, when I started donating a portion of all my proceeds to the American Cancer Society. YOU are helping make a difference. So thank you!
I will continue to donate for 2013 as well. Cancer is an ugly, ugly thing, and I just want to try and help some little way since I’m blessed enough to get to do what I love–write!!
So, onto the cancer update!
See for yourself:
Doesn’t MUM look amazing? She was beautiful bald, but look at her hair growing back? She’s so beautiful.
She’s getting stronger and stronger each day. Can even walk across the room unassisted.
Mum has run 20+ marathons, climbed mountains, so I knew she’d kick this no-walking-thing in the butt!
Bigtime!
It was my second Christmas without my mother-in-law, Lynn, who I call Mom II. I still felt the void, but it wasn’t as difficult as last Christmas. And with 2013 coming up with lots of new releases, Lynn’s name will be out there and she’ll be close to me through all the excitement.
Thanks for all your prayers and support! Remember, if you want a name added to the “Prayer Wall” that I keep on my computer, let me know, I’ll be praying!!
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#CancerSucks
As you know, a portion of all my proceeds goes to the American Cancer Society. So, I thank you for your support. Each book of mine you buy helps a little bit! So, spread the word and remember, books make GREAT Christmas gifts!!
Onto the update.
I have mixed news today. I’ll start with the good, because sometimes it’s just hard to see it through all the cancer YUCK out there.
My dear friend made it through intense radiation for thyroid cancer. She’s on the mend and will check in with her docs in six months. I’m thanking GOD for that bit of good news. My friend is such a tough, wonderful, beautiful person. I pray 2013 will be CANCER FREE!
My step mom is doing well! Radiation ends this Thursday, but she’s responding well. Her leg strength and ability to walk hasn’t improved as much as we’d all hoped, but she’s still fighting. Doing that physical therapy, strengthening every chance she can!
My dear friend, Sandy, is facing more chemo and/or radiation for the recent spot of cancer found in her abdomen. She’s already gone through quite a few rounds of both for the other cancer…that, thankfully, is gone. But this new bit popped up and she had to have surgery. So, she’s healing up for that, and they’re making plans for her next bout of treatment. So, say a quick prayer for her.
I have a prayer log started for those who are dealing with cancer, or know someone. If you want a name added to it, please, leave a comment below so I can be thinking and praying about you guys. Doesn’t have to be full names, just first names. Or even initials. But if you want me praying for someone, please, let me know and I’ll add it to the list. I call it my Cancer Prayer Wall! It’s on the desktop of my computer, so I see it all the time!!
Thanks again for all your support!
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#Cancer Update
Most of you know that I donate a portion of all proceeds to the American Cancer Society because of how cancer has touched the lives of so many people close to me. Well, I try and give a little update each month on that whole deal.
And this time, we have good and not so good news.
My dear friend who was diagnosed with stage 4 uterine cancer last year went through all the chemo and radiation. They thought they’d gotten it all, but another blip showed up. She just had surgery last week to remove the cancer in her abdomen. And now we wait to find out what the next step is. More chemo? Radiation?
I’m sad to say, yet another close friend has been thrust onto the cancer path. My heart broke last month when I heard the news. I met her through my writing a couple of years ago, and we clicked right away. Such a great person with a huge heart. I haven’t met her in person, but I’ve talked with her on the phone and we chat online a lot. She’s had surgery to hopefully remove that little bugger, so we’re in a holding pattern for her, too.
I’ve learned how to wait being in this publishing world, and I’m now learning it’s the same in the cancer world, as well. 🙁
On the good side of things, my stepmom’s tests for her lymphoma came back GOOD. All her numbers look good. They’re going to to two weeks of spot radiation, which might start next week, but then that’s it. She still can’t use her legs that well yet, but she’s working on it.
Heck, she’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, she’ll conquer this summit, too!
So, that you, my dear friends, for your thoughts and prayers. Here’s hoping there is more good news next month as my dear friends & family fight on and face their treatment!
And if you’re struggling with something or your family/friends are. Feel free to leave their names in the comments. I’ll add them to my list of those to pray for!
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#Cancer Update
Most of you know by now, I donate a portion of my proceeds to the American Cancer Society. I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and your support! Here’s a little update:
Cancer struck my life with a vengeance November 2010 with the announcement of my Mother in Law’s Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) diagnosis.
She died October 24th, 2011.
She was my inspiration and the reason I took LYNN as my pen name. A brilliant writer who never pursued publication, she constantly wrote. I found out at my wedding when she read something she’d penned for the wedding specifically.
Not a dry eye in the church!
So, I found it fitting she’d read the first thing I ever wrote (bless her heart). Despite how horrible it was (it really was, too!) she was a pillar of encouragement and support. Of course she said it needed a lot of work, but still, she encouraged me to pursue this.
She got to see my first published book before she died. It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever. I was in Iowa, helping care for her, when my author copies of WASTELAND arrived in Phoenix. While I was sad to miss the newbie author experience of me opening the boxes of my first ever pubbed book, my sweet hubby shared tons of pictures with me as he opened the boxes.
Then he quick UPSED me a few.
The day my books arrived to Iowa at my in-law’s house was exactly the right timing. We’d just received some pretty hard news about how her cancer had spread and that the outlook wasn’t promising.
And then the doorbell rang.
I got to share the first copy of WASTELAND with her. We shed tears of joy amongst the tears of sadness. But at least she got to hold the book she helped inspire me to write.
She died less than two months later and hadn’t been able to read the book due to the symptoms of her cancer. She’ll never see another one of my books release, but every book milestone I experience, she’s in my heart sharing it with me.
Just after Lynn died. A dear friend was diagnosed with uterine cancer (stage 4). She battled through it and is now on a monitor every few months status. Praise God.
This past May, my Mum–she’s technically my step-mom and is from England, hence the MUM part :)–was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. A four-inch tumor in her spine rendered her to a wheelchair/walker. This mountain climber & marathoner battled through surgery, just finished up the last of her chemo and is now facing radiation. She’s gained some mobility back in her legs but has a ways to go.
It’s a mountain she will summit!
Over this past summer, a dear friend’s father died less than two months after his cancer diagnosis! That was such a shocker and ripped my heart out. Especially since this dear friend had also lost her mother to cancer over 10 years earlier.
But, from the sadness good shall rise. We raised over $3000 for the American Cancer Society on our Ragbrai bike across Iowa! It was an amazing experience biking 407 miles in five days. Our next event might be a half-marathon in January…we’ll see how things roll out.
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Thank you so much for your support!!
