Hi my name is Carrie Sue Snelgrove. I'm 34 years old. I live in western Massachusetts in a town called Greenfield. I was diagnosed with a rare cancer called Neruoendocrine cancer of the pancreas with metastasis to the liver in August 2004. Later in 2006 they found more cancer in the duodenum.

This cancer is also called carcinoid cancer. 1 to 2 people out of 100,000 a year get this cancer. It is a slow growing cancer and doesn't take to chemotherapy to well. In my case operating on me isn't going to change anything. I have been battling this for 5 years and will be battling this for the rest of my life. I will go on and off chemo as the tumors grow.

Right now I am on a "break" from chemo because I was at chemo for 2 years and it was showing signs of wear on my system, however the good thing from it though it was working! My tumors were responding slightly and they were shrinking! I go to Dana Farber in Boston MA to get my treatment. I see a specialist in this cancer, which I am fortunate to live 1 1/2 hrs away from a cancer place that has a specialist. I go there at least once a month for an injection to keep me from having a syndrome caused by the tumors secreted too much hormones into the body.

It's hard for me to rationalize all this even after 5 years, knowing that I will never get rid of this cancer that I will always have unless I receive a miracle. Knowing that I wont live to be old like everyone else it is scary. I just take it one day at a time. I even have taken up 2 classes at a local college. That is proven to be difficult too, I have missed three days for being sick! But I shall try and keep my spirit up. I don't like asking my boyfriend whom I live with or my family for much because I don't like to burden them. I am sure they are scared themselves and I don't know how to handle that and mine too.

But I'm feeling lonely on my journey and I'm putting together a scrapbook and would love to receive cards from people and letters of hope and encouragement, it brightens my day, it really does. I love anything to do with quotes (hand written, stickers, little books, books, signs, cards, etc.) I live for them and I want to put as many cards from as many people in it as I can that is a little dream I have. I love note cards that are blank on the inside so I can write to people and pens. I have a collection of pens and magnets of anything with a state logo on it. I love knowing I am somehow not alone with this. Thank you for giving me the chance to share this with you.

One of my favorite quotes "God gave us 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say THANK YOU?"...Thank you...Thank you...Carrie Sue S.