Effing cancer is an effing effer, frankly

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Dibble said:

I also saw an interesting view a few days about John McCain having cancer and people saying he would "beat" it and "win the battle". It was an interesting point of view that people with cancer who didn't "beat" it hadn't fought hard enough or that it was a battle the patient would always win. I know I've thought of people fighting illness in the past, but life is never that simple and sadly bad things happen to good people...

The whole "war/battle/fight" talk seems more prevalent with cancer than other illnesses, and have always left me feeling uncomfortable.

People that survive are naturally euphoric, but you hear comments like "no way was I going to let it beat me" which kind of gives the impression that those who lose the battle somehow didn't fight hard enough. Or "I had to survive, I had too much t live for." Well most people have too much to live for. Also a lot of talk about "bravely battling". John Diamond alluded to this in the title of his book,.....Because Cowards Get Cancer Too.

I'm no expert, but surviving or not seems to me to be a combination of treatment and luck. Start your treatment this week, you live. You can't start until next week, you die. Or a cancer that would have killed you 5 yrs ago is much more survivable today.

Not had cancer myself, but like most people in their 50s, have known plenty of family/friends/ colleagues who have.

[bexVN]

Tumbler, I hope you are continuing to recover and feeling much better now!

I haven't been in this thread for a couple weeks. Two weeks ago last year was the last time I got to see my friend before the cancer took hold. I recently found out her Mum has ovarian cancer , part of me (not just me who thinks this) is relieved my friend isn't around to have to deal with it, she was so very close to her Mum this would have broken her.

I really hope everyone undergoing treatment doesn't go through to tough a time and gets an all clear very soon.

[ClaphamGT3]

It was the funeral of Mrs C's friend today. I've been around enough death to have the script off pat for those closest; I can always say something at least tactful, if not necessarily comforting but, Christ on a bike, it's hard to know what you say to a seven year-old girl who's just buried her Mum...

[bexVN]

ClaphamGT3 said:

It was the funeral of Mrs C's friend today. I've been around enough death to have the script off pat for those closest; I can always say something at least tactful, if not necessarily comforting but, Christ on a bike, it's hard to know what you say to a seven year-old girl who's just buried her Mum...

So tough. A friend of my husbands (he helped my hubby a lot with work when he was back at uni as a mature student) dropped dead of a torn heart valve whilst mountain biking. He was 46, had regular checks (BUPA men's health care checks) as his Dad died suddenly at 39 due to his heart. He left behind a 4.5yr old daughter. The most upsetting thing was to open the memorial booklet and find a note asking for memories of her Dad for her .

[FlyingMeeces]

Thought there might be a few here who'd appreciate this: Fascinating Aïda take on the big C.

(Possibly not one to watch with any prudish types around, if you're not already familiar with their work…)

[Tumbler]

It appears I'm not out of the woods just yet, tumour is aggressive grade three, so 6 rounds of chemotherapy required.

Good news, I am returning to work next week.

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Tumbler said:

It appears I'm not out of the woods just yet, tumour is aggressive grade three, so 6 rounds of chemotherapy required.

Good news, I am returning to work next week.

Sorry to read. Good luck with the joys that are Chemo.

[motco]

Tumbler said:

It appears I'm not out of the woods just yet, tumour is aggressive grade three, so 6 rounds of chemotherapy required.

Good news, I am returning to work next week.

Really sorry to hear that Tumbler. I wish you the very best of luck with the chemo. Be very very careful of infections - sepsis (neutropaenic sepsis) is not good at all. You will be very vulnerable while you're on the courses. A very close relative on mine had to be isolated in a positive pressure room while being pumped full of antibiotics. Watch your temperature carefully.

[Dgr90]

Sorry to hear that tumbler, hopefully the chemo all goes ok. As said, keep an eye on temperatures, it can turn nasty quite quickly.

[Tumbler]

Thanks for the tips, hoping to be able to continue working as five months off is going to drive me crazy.

[ali_kat]

Tumbler said:

It appears I'm not out of the woods just yet, tumour is aggressive grade three, so 6 rounds of chemotherapy required.

Good news, I am returning to work next week.

Paws remain crossed & thoughts with you


As one that has laughed with you & your friends at your fun antics; you mean crazier surely?? and that can only be a good thing

[johnxjsc1985]

Tumbler said:

It appears I'm not out of the woods just yet, tumour is aggressive grade three, so 6 rounds of chemotherapy required.

Good news, I am returning to work next week.

Good for you going back to work is exactly the right thing to do. I expect at this point you are sick to the stomach about talking about being ill.
Get back to work and get your life back and deal with the Chemo as and when.
keep strong and let us know how you get on at work.

[Tumbler]

Going back to work for a couple of days has been lovely, tough but managable.

Met the oncologist today, they have found a rare small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, which at present they can offer no cure for, so I start Carboplatin and Etoposide chemotherapy ASAP to try and get this cancer to fk off.

[motco]

Tumbler said:

Going back to work for a couple of days has been lovely, tough but managable.

Met the oncologist today, they have found a rare small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, which at present they can offer no cure for, so I start Carboplatin and Etoposide chemotherapy ASAP to try and get this cancer to fk off.

sorry about your troubles Tumbler. Nothing to do with HPV then, I assume? Very best of luck whatever.

[Tumbler]

motco said:

sorry about your troubles Tumbler. Nothing to do with HPV then, I assume? Very best of luck whatever.

As I understand it there just isn't enough data for them to know if it is HPV related.

[Riley Blue]

O/H came home from work in tears, she bumped into a former work colleague. His wife has been given six months. They have two young daughters and his wife is writing letters for them to open on their wedding days... bd cancer.

[motco]

Tumbler said:

motco said:

sorry about your troubles Tumbler. Nothing to do with HPV then, I assume? Very best of luck whatever.

As I understand it there just isn't enough data for them to know if it is HPV related.

No doubt you've been trawling the 'net, but I have found a lot of information about breast cancer (family member had it for twenty years on and off) on Medscape. You might need to concoct a profile to join as it's a professional site in USA. Much of the stuff is very technical and requires further research, but it's surprising how quickly jargon becomes almost vernacular.

[Tumbler]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Dibble said:

I also saw an interesting view a few days about John McCain having cancer and people saying he would "beat" it and "win the battle". It was an interesting point of view that people with cancer who didn't "beat" it hadn't fought hard enough or that it was a battle the patient would always win. I know I've thought of people fighting illness in the past, but life is never that simple and sadly bad things happen to good people...

The whole "war/battle/fight" talk seems more prevalent with cancer than other illnesses, and have always left me feeling uncomfortable.

People that survive are naturally euphoric, but you hear comments like "no way was I going to let it beat me" which kind of gives the impression that those who lose the battle somehow didn't fight hard enough. Or "I had to survive, I had too much t live for." Well most people have too much to live for. Also a lot of talk about "bravely battling". John Diamond alluded to this in the title of his book,.....Because Cowards Get Cancer Too.

I'm no expert, but surviving or not seems to me to be a combination of treatment and luck. Start your treatment this week, you live. You can't start until next week, you die. Or a cancer that would have killed you 5 yrs ago is much more survivable today.

Not had cancer myself, but like most people in their 50s, have known plenty of family/friends/ colleagues who have.

For me it certainly feels like a battle, one I will admit I'm not sure I can win, I've gone from an active, healthy 46 year old, to someone whose had to call in work sick...never done that before.

Having to put chemicals in my body that make me feel dreadful in the hope they might make me better is no easy task, and one I could all to easily just stop if it wasn't for the nagging part of my brain telling me to keep going and to be strong in front of my daughters.

All the healthcare professional from oncologists to surgeons to nurses all allude to a positive approach giving you a better outcome.

[johnxjsc1985]

I think it is a battle and maybe that's the way to successfully fight it.

[mp3manager]

Just thought I'd do a small update.

Had a right hemicolectomy operation on July 4, was only supposed to spend a couple of days in HDU recovering but spent 10 days after catching pneumonia. Apparently I was given the wrong medication, as oramorph just didn't agree with me and I was violently sick and ruptured something inside which caused an infection.

The last few weeks have been spent recovering and my wound is almost healed and yesterday had a Hickman line fitted in preperation for the start of chemo on Monday.

Happy days.