Former Texas Governor Ann Richards has esophageal cancer, a different type than Mr. Mark's esophogeal cancer was.
Ann Richards has squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer attributed to effects of smoking and drinking which she admits to doing years ago in a difficult period of life. Ann Richards was the 45th Texas Governor from 91-95. Miss Betty took some student nurses to see the legislature in action during Governor Richard's term in office. One of the students had a wish to get her picture taken with the governor, so Betty asked governor Ann if she would mind posing for a picture. The governor talked with the students and posed for the picture. Not every governor has been as accessible as governor Richards was.
Mark did not have squamous cell cancer of the esophagus like Ann Richards. Mark had an adenocarcinoma of the esophagus at the junction of the stomach: a type of cancer associated with acid refux and not associated with smoking and drinking, although Mark comes from a line of smokers and drinkers. His grandmother smoked Raleigh cigarettes and saved the coupons in shoe boxes to get prizes. She turned the ceiling black with smoke and the plastic flowers always were covered with gum from the nicotine. When told "Mom, you will die from cancer if you keep smoking", she replied: "Lot's of people have cancer and don't smoke." and sure enough she was correct. She did not die of cancer and there are cancers not caused by smoking or drinking. Mark's grandmother also said she would not die from cancer because she had taken out cancer insurance and although the logic was faulty, sure enough she was correct in that she did not die from cancer.
Mr. Mark's type of esophageal cancer, adenocarcinoma, is often diagnosed late because doctors try to treat the symptoms with antiacids then more and stronger antiacids until they finally decide to scope the esophagus and by this time, the cancer is often metastasized. Mark's cancer had metastacized to the liver. Although Chemo and radiation caused Mark's esophageal tumor to disappear, the five liver tumors are still there and that is why he still gets chemo. In the right column are links to some cancer sites. Click on the one that says treatment for liver cancer if you want to know the various treatment options for liver cancer. Let's pray that Ann Richards does not have any metastasis to the liver or elsewhere. She is seeking treatment at M.D. Anderson in Houston.
Strangers Become Friends
George Wolff, from Ontario sent Mr. Mark a large package of licorice. He is a kind man that Miss Betty the mom talked to on an airplane crossing the Pacific Ocean Once more a stranger becomes a friend to Mr. Mark. The kindness of strangers, as well as that of friends, is again truly amazing.
Cancer Surrounds Us
Talking about strangers becoming friends, Miss Betty met Olga in water aerobics class. In a short conversation, it was revealed that Olga's father was a pathologist in Springfield, Illinois where Betty had worked for Dr. Tom Masters, an internist who specialized in diabetes, some 30 plus years ago. Olga's family had been friends with Dr. Masters. Olga had a brother die with cancer. She has a living brother, a psychiatrist, who is now waging a battle with cancer. Weeks and months after Olga and Betty met, Olga found out that she has cancer and she began her chemotherapy just two days ago. Cancer surrounds us. As we age, our chances of cancer increases. Get regular check-ups, so cancer can be caught quickly before it spreads. Eat lots of those vegetables and some fruit and keep your stress to a minimum. Giving up smoking and avoiding alcohol or keeping it to a minimum is best for putting the body in the optimum shape for fighting cancer, but we have to keep in mind that giving up smoking and drinking isn't the whole answer as some cancers are not attributed to smoking and drinking while others are.