It seems like cancer has been a part of my life forever. When I was a kid, my great aunt died of cancer. I don't remember much of her except that she was completely bald the last I saw her.

When I was in high school, my step-dad was diagnosed with a kind of lymphoma in his throat. He found a bump while shaving. When he went into work (he worked maintenance at a hospital), he had it checked out. He battled for a couple years, thinking he had beaten it. He was outside splitting wood for our wood-burning stove and the swinging of the splitting mall was enough to break his collarbone. When he went back to get it fixed, they found that he had cancer cells throughout his chest cavity and into his collarbone. Through many trials along they way (another thread perhaps), he passed away on June 12, 1990, one day after my youngest brother's 9th birthday, one month before his own birthday, and less than a month after my high school graduation.

Mrs (to be) Pup's late husband died of cancer, similar in age to my step-dad and similar in the way it progressed. She has since been tireless in fund-raising through ACS Relay for Life.

After she and I began our life together and I had moved into her home, our neighbor was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. He died less than one year later.

It's even to the point that our neighbor's Doberman Pinscher, Jazzy, died of cancer recently.

Of course, we have tons of acquaintances who have suffered the same fate, and I know that most, if not all of you have very similar stories to tell.

I am asking for prayers for my "new" step-father, Denny. Denny came into our lives shortly before I began dating my ex-wife, in 1992. He is one of those "self-made" men. You know, the ones who simply always find a way to build up a business and make it profitable. They've bought and sold houses in different states because the economic climate looked right, and it has always worked out. He works harder than anyone I know, roofing, remodeling, helping friends pour concrete, etc. He has shown my mother a completely new way of living, something she richly deserves. Years ago, Denny was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy. Although it caused quite a scare as we learned more about the disease, he has adapted very well, knowing her can't get too cold or too hot and taking it easy when he absolutely has to, which was a bit tough for him to do.

This morning, my mom called to chat. Her birthday is in a couple days, and my youngest brother from Sacramento is visiting her in Iowa. My middle brother lives nearby. She was waiting for everyone to get back to the house to go to my brother's acreage for a BBQ. She asked for prayers and got that sound in her voice (she's a cryer). Denny had gone in to have some cancer removed from his ear, nothing major, but his PSA levels were triple what they should be. She went on to say that they don't have any official results back from the battery of tests he went through, but the doctors do know that he has prostate cancer, on some level.

My understanding is that Colon Cancer and Prostate Cancer are very aggressive, evil diseases, so Iam more than a little concerned.

I don't want my mother to have to go through this again, and I certainly don't want Denny to have to go through this at all. Please remember Denny and my mom, Pam, in your prayers. They could use them, and I certainly would appreciate them.

Thank you and sorry about the long read.

Of course you have my prayers...and a (hug) for you. I know it's hard to be so far away from those you love at a time like this. Hang in there.

Prayers going up for the successful treatment of Denny and for your mom, Pam and the rest of your family to have the strength you need.

More hugs and love and lots of prayers!

Prayers & (hugs) of-course.

Prayers for you and your family Pup. My brother died of prostate cancer last year. He was diagnosed with it 5 years before that. He lived a very full life up until the last three months before he passed away. Hopefully they will find a treatment for your step-dad. I have heard of several new treatments since my brother died.

Thoughts and prayers from ME.

Prayers for your mother, Denny, and the rest of your family Pup. Hopefully Ready will be right and there will be a treatment for your step-dad.

I lost my mother to breast cancer and my grandfather to prostate cancer. My father and brother have both battled prostate cancer and are in remission.

Thoughts and Prayers from Florida.

My heart is with you Pup!

My grandfather just battled prostrate cancer. He had surgery and went through months of raditation therapy and just last month we got the awesome news that his PSA levels were back to normal. So there is hope for your step father. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

So sorry to hear this, Pup. Prayers are with your family as Denny battles this.

It would take a book to list my experiences with cancer. Suffice it to say that I currently have a brother, a friend and a dog going through chemo...

BIGhugs, Pupster. Prayers going up for Denny.

We have several friends and relatives who've had prostate cancer and beat it. They have very good results with it now. You and your family are in my prayers Pup.

You and your family are in my prayers.

Prayers Pup. I can give you some information on colon cancer, as it is fairly common in my family. It is definately beatable. The earlier they catch it though, the better. Colon cancer can be treated with any number of techniques. It often results in some sort of surgical removal (if it is far enough), and possibly some othe courses. Both of my grandparents beat it, my aunt beat it, and my boss' wife beat it.

My father in law also beat Prostate Cancer. So, if they are on the same level, I think there is a lot of room for optimism.

Besides, I have always heard its best to be optimistic.

Of course, my prayers are headed up your way.....Keep the faith..The battle may be long and hard, but with the prayers to the Lord and the love of family and friends, he will find comfort......

Add my prayers to the others. Also, keep the faith because many people do beat prostate cancer. I know several personally.

Keeping you, your family and the doctors in my thoughts and prayers Pup! :hugs: Hang in there!

More prayers coming from Florida.

Best of luck with your step-fathers diagnosis and treatment, my husband was diagnosed with Prostate cancer 6 years ago, he chose to have brachytherapy, and then followed up with 5 1/2 weeks of external radiation, he and my uncle were diagnosed within days of each other, my uncle is now cancer free my husband is not, he sees his doctor every 3 months they are maintaining and aggressively monitoring his health, he receives hormone shots when his PSA gets too high and when it is in a normal range they stop the shots for a few months until his PSA rises. There are many new treatments for Prostate cancer including cryotherapy. Along with his PSA level they should give him a gleason score which is how aggressive his cancer is.

adding to the prayers here. my thoughts are with you as you work your way through this episode.

With the way that our neighbor went from bad to worse in such a very short time in his quick bout with Colon Cancer, I immediately went into "very concerned" mode.

Ater I started this thread, I went to a movie with the Mrs (to be). We saw "Warrior", which on the surface is a movie about MMA (mixed martial artist) fighters and an action flick. In reality, it's a freakin' tear jerker. I, like my mom, am a bit of a cryer. So, a tear hits here and there toward the end of the movie as I'm picturing my own brothers and my mother, knowing in the back of my mind that I have other bad news to pass on to the Mrs, who truly does get overconcerned about everything, the credits start rolling and I can't hold back.

So, knowing that I can't leave the theater quite yet, I move to the back to let our row out, sit back down (which really confused the Mrs), try to collect myself and pretty much break down. Good timing, eh? So, we made our way out to her vehicle (we met at the theater) and I told her the news, cleansed (a "manly" way of saying "bawled like a baby") and went on with the day.

All of the collective optimism on this page, however, has snapped me back to that state as well. I'm sure Denny will be fine, and until I hear worse news, I do believe that we'll find that this is at the beginning and very treatable.

I'll share what news I receive once I do.

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers....and OPTIMISM!!

God bless Pup, you and all your family...

Adding my prayers too for you and your family.