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New To This

Hey, my name’s Kyle, and I’m new to this. If you haven’t figured that out from the title. I have stage IV Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, I’m 17, and doctors give me a 5% chance of living more than 3 years or so. I deal with that alright- I’m not afraid of dying, and I have a strong faith in God. What I struggle with, is that I have no one to relate to. It’s been two and a half years, and I’m…tired. I’m hoping this website will help with that. No one else I know that’s my age has cancer. So to a lot of people, I’m just the kid with cancer. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people like me out there though.

February 23, 2011 by  
Filed under Community, Coping with Cancer

9 Comments

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  • Marie Hand

    You might benefit from seeing my son, Carson Hand’s cancer journey slide show. Search on youtube for Carson’s Cancer Journey. Carson had liver cancer at 16 and is now 5 yrs in remission. The narrated (at the end of it) slide show shows how family, friends, and faith helped get Carson through a devastating time. He produced the slide show for a 5yr cancer free celebration. You can also check him out on Facebook. Blessings-

  • http://www.facebook.com/LeahAShearer Leah Shearer

    There are a lot of people like you Kyle. That’s the hardest part about this experience, it makes you feel so alone, but you are not.

    Your honesty and the strength you communicated in words tells me a lot about you. All the cliches about cancer can’t really sum up all it is to that person in their own individual life.
    This is your journey—and what you feel is yours alone…but many of the things you feel are likely shared by so many of the teens and young adults here in this space.

    I have this feeling you will find lots of peers to relate to here.
    We are here for you. I’m a 2x young adult cancer survivor myself.

    Were you diagnosis recently Kyle?

    Come on my teen crew! Let’s show him he is not alone.

    Leah Shearer
    TLC Program Coordinator
    Rochester NY

  • http://www.facebook.com/LeahAShearer Leah Shearer

    Sorry about that…I had a typo and can’t change it…meant to ask if you were diagnosed recently?

  • http://www.facebook.com/LeahAShearer Leah Shearer

    Hi Kyle,

    We’re here for you…and I think you have found a place where people CAN relate to what you are feeling.

    But I totally understand what you mean. The kind of strange thing about going through cancer is feeling alone—when really you are not. I’m a two time cancer survivor myself.

    I feel the fear in your words–but I also feel the courage. When doctors give you such a scary number like 5 percent–how do you find the hope to walk forward? But you are…and here you are writing to all of us.

    I don’t know you…but it’s a guess that you might just be the kind of person to take that number and make it count. This site makes me feel power with every time I log in. That’s because it is filled with young people who make everything count.

    We are here to help cheer you on. Everyone join in…let’s send love.

    Leah Shearer
    TLC Program Coordinator
    Rochester, NY

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=649752570 Kyle Chown

    I was diagnosed a couple weeks after my 15th birthday, went into remission 15 months later after I was 16, and then was rediagnosed a couple weeks after I turned 17, and I’m still going through treatments. I really would like to relate/interact with people about this… Would you reccommend a support group or a psychologist? I’ve had exactly two years worth of treatments, with no one to relate to, no one asking me anything beyond, “How are you feeling?” and it’s getting old. I’m tired, I know things aren’t going to change cancer-wise, but I’m tired of waiting on the people around me to even remotely understand what I’m going through. It seems like they don’t even try, but I know that that’s because they’re afraid/intimidated. I might’ve been the same way. But anyways, I want something to change. I hardly ever complain, and I’m not going to beg people to ask me more questions about my cancer- nothing they would say would be sincere then. But one way or another, I need to talk to somebody. So I think I’m going to go for a psychologist. I hope the insurance company doesn’t give us grief about that.

  • http://www.teenslivingwithcancer.org/ Leah Shearer

    Hi Kyle,

    When you are talking about supports out there… there are many.
    You’re on one of them–lots of teens here who know a lot about what you’re feeling.

    But I’d like to take a minute to point out to another one that might also be helpful for what you might be looking for.

    There is an organization called Imerman Angels that provides free one on one peer matching for cancer survivors of all ages. If you are seeking someone with the specific issues that you are now dealing with they can match you with a person that fits as many categories as possible (age, gender etc) based on what would work for you. Then you can interact with that person over email, phone…

    http://www.imermangels.org

    A psychologist is a very good idea but I hear what you are saying about wanting to interact with someone who “gets it”. Oh boy, do I know “How are you feeling?”
    On my best days going through treatment I had a pent up answer that I never said out loud.

    Peer support…soak it up and you can find it. It’s here. And in 2011 you have every reason to feel connected. The internet and resources tied together with the help you might get from a counselor can help.

    In the meantime—I want to send you an e-hug.

    Leah Shearer
    TLC Program Coordinator
    Rochester, NY

  • sparks101angel

    hey im maxine :)
    It sound a bit wierd but this really touched me..Im almost crying. I had a friend…and it was so unfair that she got taken away from me…I still feel the pain and wish she hadn’t left this world. But thats the thing about life isn’t it…Its not fair and I know that now…
    Forget what the doctors say…they have knowledge about cancer yes but they know nothing about the human will to live…just you watch!! >hugs< stay strong…you are not alone :)
    If you want to talk to me im a great listener and I know more than the average person on this subject, my e-mail is Klemax10@rghs.org.za
    all my love…

  • Giggles

    Hey if you need a shoulder leave your email. I’m always here to help.

  • Rebecca M.

    Hi. I know this is 2 years late, but I had to leave you a comment and contact you somehow. Please email me if you can. I’d really like to talk to you. I’m Rebecca and I’m 17, by the way.

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