Prayer needed for my friend!

[beth66335]

I have a friend that started nursing school with me on August 27th. Last week they found out she had a tumor in her chest growing in her left lung and around the greater vessels of her heart. It has grown from the size of a fist to a melon in 7 days! They got pathology back and it is AML leukemia. They took bone marrow too. She has 4 kids, her youngest is only 6. I am scared for her, she wants to be a nurse so badly and she has fought so hard to get this far in school, now we have to worry if she can come back and if she will still be around in a year. I have known her for 23 years and we were so excited to fulfill our lifelong dream together....I miss her so much. I can't even go see her because she is in ICU and I'm not family. Besides they are keeping her asleep after surgery to do a biopsy and place a chemo shunt, because of the pain. Please pray very hard for her, I want as many people in the world lifting her up as possible. Thanks!

[samclaug]

I will pray for Kelli and all those including you that are affected by her illness.

[Nurmom86]

I shall hope for the best and pray to the lord for kellis recovery and for everyone whom knows her and is by her side during this time to have the strength to have hope. god bless

[loricatus]

my prayers are with you and her family especially at this trying times. We can only pray and live everything in God's hands. God's blessiings and wishes for a good prognosis.

I cannot express my thoughts for you, your friend and her family any better than laura11 has.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Both of you are in my thoughts and prayers. Be strong.

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

Not only will I keep your friend and you in my prayers and hope for the best, now is a very good time to remind all of us to become tissue and organ donors.

Giving blood is not difficult at all. It is easy and if you give whole blood it can take as little as 20 minutes. Aphoresis lets you give blood components and depending on the component you give, you can give way more often than for whole blood. It takes longer--which is a great time to study! (Or snooze)

And becoming a marrow donor is also important--though a little bit more complicated.

I'm in the registry as a marrow donor. I've never been called, but I'm ready to do it if I'm needed. There are a lot of people who don't get marrow because they don't get matched. The more of us on the registry, the higher the probability of a good match, the fewer people will go without.

Prayer + action = unbeatable combo!

[southernbelle08]

I am praying for your friend, and also for you. We're here for you. **HUGS**

[kukukajoo, LPN]

You are both in my thoughts in prayers.

Getting on the bone marrow registry is as simple as swabbing the inside of your cheek. I urge anyone willing to get this done.

[Achoo!, LPN]

Thoughts and prayers are with you, your friend, and her family. * hug*

[beth66335, BSN, RN]

Update for all, they took her off the vent and let her wake up today. She is susceptible to pneumonia now, so we are praying for protection for her lungs, and that she will be able to do deep breathing to keep that from happening. The ICU doctor made me mad today!:angryfire He told my friends family that the Oncologist was a sunshine and roses kind of gal and he didn't see Kelli even leaving the ICU ever, if you know what I mean.:angryfire What does he know, he's not a cancer doctor! How dare he take away hope like that! BTW, I have been looking at websites for Cancer Treatment Centers of America, anyone know someone who was treated there, or maybe some member here works at one? I would love to ask some questions of anyone about them. I've heard good things, for one they keep a positive outlook! Thanks for the hugs and prayers, keep them coming. I have a major Foundations test on Wed. and I am having big problems concentrating!!!

[southernbelle08]

My goodness, I am sorry to hear the ICU doctor was so matter of fact. I know we all have different beliefs, but I believe in my heart medicine only goes so far and the rest is up to God. I think it is great that you have such a positive outlook and are trying to keep her spirits up, that is the best thing for her. I don't know of anyone who has been to the Cancer Treatment Centers but I have also heard nothing but positive things about them. Good luck on your quest for information and good luck on your test. If you ever need to talk, I'm just a PM away and willing to lend an ear. **HUGS**

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

I have been looking at websites for Cancer Treatment Centers of America, anyone know someone who was treated there, or maybe some member here works at one? I would love to ask some questions of anyone about them.

There is a cancer nurses forum on allnurses; you might want to post this question there.

As for the ICU doctor, sometimes I think they get so busy and forget about "people" and their feelings. Perhaps he feels he's doing everyone a favor by not getting their hopes up. I don't know, but I'll tell you a little story about a young sister-in-law I had who had developed breast cancer which metastasized to her brain, bones, everywhere....she was taken to City of Hope in CA and one of the docs there told her she had 6 months to live. Quite upsetting to the mother a 1 year old.

She was taken to another off-site oncologist who had successfully treated my mother-in-law's breast cancer and who was president of one of the cancer associations. He got angry and told her, "Those doctors are not God. They can not tell you how long you have. Go; enjoy life." While I am sorry to say she did not live forever, she was able to spend 5 more years with her son and family on the east coast.

Don't ever give up hope. As has been mentioned here; only God has the power to make the decision of how her life will go.

[xNursePinkx2b]

you, your friend, and her family are in my prayers!