I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT I HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH THIS MESSAGE BOARD. IT HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY DURING MY TIME OF ANGER AND SORROW OF LOOSING MY SISTER. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF LUNG CANCER AND MANY DIFFERENT EFFECTS. SOME ARE FAST SPREADING (LIKE VICTORIA'S) AND SOME ARE SLOW ENOUGH TO FIGHT TILL ITS GONE.I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE WHO MENT THE WORLD TO ME AND TO WATCH HER WAIT TO DIE. MY SISTER HAD NO OPTIONS BUT TO MANAGE HER PAIN. DURING HER FIGHT I STARTED POSTING MESSAGES AND RESEARCHING DIFFERENT MEDICINES THAT WOULD HELP HER. I HAVE SINCE THEN BEGAN CLASES TO BECOME A REGISTERED NURSE. WORDS WERE THE MOST COMFORTING THING I COULD OFFER VICKIE. SOMETIMES IT WAS HARD TO EVEN REMMEBER THAT SHE WAS SICK.SHE LOOKED AS PRETTY AS A PICTURE UNTILL HER LAST THREE DAYS. PICNICS WERE BIG IN MY FAMILY, WE ALL LIVE HERE IN FLA, WHEN VICKIE WOULD MEET US AT THE PARK SHE WOULD BE IN ALL WHITE AND MAKEUP ON. WHEN WE WOULD PACK UP TO GO HOME SHE WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE TO LOOK JUST AS PERFECT AS WHEN SHE WALKED OUT THE DOOR.I DONT THINK THAT ANY AMMOUNT OF TIME IS ENOUGH TO PREPARE YOURSELF TO LOSE SOMEONE OR, TO PREPARE YOURSELF TO LET GO. THE BATTLE IS SO HARD. I REMEMBER SITTING UP WITH VICKIE AND TALKING ALL NIGHT LONG LIKE WE DID WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER. VICKIE WOULD HAVE BEEN 33 YRS OLD, AND HER BOYS ARE 11 AND 12 NOW. THEY JUST HAD THERE FIRST BIRTHDAYS WITH OUT THEIR MOTHER. I CANT FIND ENOUGH GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HOSPICE. IF YOU HAVNT CONTACTED THEM FOR HELP THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD. THEY HELPED OUT WITH VICKIES MEDICAL EXPENCES AND ALSO FOUND HER A CASKET.WE ARE HARD PRESSED PEOPLE AND NEVER EXPECTED TO HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH MONEY IN SO LITTLE TIME AND IT WAS VERY HARD FOR US. HOSPICE PAID FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PAY FOR. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO PICK UP VICKIES PERSCRIPTIONS, THE BILL CAME UP TO $5,000.40 THAT WAS FOR 7 DIFFERENT MEDS. HOSPICE ALSO HAS A GREAT COUNCELING PROGRAM ALSO, TO HELP COPE WITH THE BATTLE AND LOSS OF LOVED ONES.AND THEN THERE IS YOU, ALL OF YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT AND WORDS OF KINDNESS AND LOVE HELP SO MUCH. I COULD NEVER THANK ANY OF YOU ENOUGH.YOU ARE LOVED AND I KEEP ALL OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS THAT YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS HARD AND TRING TIME. I PREY THAT YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES GO INTO REMMISSION AND HAVE THE CHANCE TO FIGHT THIS TERRIABLE CANCER, ALL FORMS OF IT. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THAT HELP TO FIND A CURE. I NEVER KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THOSE WALKS FOR CANCER WAS OR TELETHANS AND PLEDGES WERE, UNTILL NOW.KEEP FIGHTING AND BE BRAVE.I KNEW ITS NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS BUT IT IS ESENTIAL TO YOU. I PROMISE.
I LOVE YOU ALL,
ANGIE

Angie,

I just wanted to send my sincerest sympathy on your loss. It must be very hard for you. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Barbara