Please see Styx thread on the Registered Shipmates consultation for the main discussion forums - your views are important, continues until April 4th.

Cancer SUCKS

12829313334125

Comments

  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Bravo, @Robert Armin!

    I saw my oncologist yesterday. He's hoping to get me into a study. I'd like that; it might help me, and even if it doesn't, the knowledge gained will help others.

    If not, it's back to chemo with me. I must enjoy my eyelashes whilst I still have them.

  • That sounds so positive Ross, look forward to hearing more news about the study!
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    <candle> Ross
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    I seem to have not only buried but actually neglected to mention the lede: The cancer has mutated, from hormone-positive to triple negative. This is a Bad Thing, because nothing works against it (for a while) but chemo. That's why getting into a study could be my best hope. Dammit.

  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    I wish we could storm the gates of the people doing the study on your behalf.. I've always wanted to chain myself to railings or something equally dramatic.

    More seriously - Good luck with getting into the study.
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Good luck, Rossweisse. Prayers streaming out.
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    @Rossweisse, praying you get on the study soon!
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    Gosh - did you find that in the biopsy? I dint know that was even possible. I mean mutations, yeah, but category changes???
  • StConfusedStConfused Shipmate Posts: 14
    Well all I can say is "fuck cancer". My (now) 21 year old daughter is undergoing a year's worth of chemo, which followed 30 days radiotherapy, which followed brain surgery last July to remove a grade 3 tumor near her movement centre, which followed a sudden seizure out of the blue. I really thought this kind of thing would be something myself, my wife or our parents would be dealing with instead of a child. Hey ho.

    Some days are OK-ish, others.... not so much... trying to keep things "normal" for everyone can be *really* hard work.

    Anyway prayers for others in similar situations - it does help to check into this thread from time to time.
  • Praying for all.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Thank you all. The fun just never stops with this stuff, until, of course, it does.
  • St Confused, prayers for your young daughter and her whole family of support. I often think it is as hard on loved ones as on the patient.
  • StConfused - prayers for your daughter, and you and your family.....
  • Fuckety duck. It's a bastard disease. Prayers for all.
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    Prayers ascending ...
  • Thinking of all here.
  • Dormouse wrote: »
    Fuckety duck. It's a bastard disease. Prayers for all.

    I meant "fuckety fuck" but the duck makes me smile.🦆
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    <candle>
  • Relating to nothing at all above, I was having lunch with a friend who is a recently retired GP and asked him what he thought of the theory that cancer survivors can experience PTSD. "What do you mean, theory?" he asked. We left it at that.
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    A close friend’s nine year old granddaughter has been having treatment for a brain tumour for about 6 months - surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Just heard that the doctors say nothing more they can do, just make her comfortable. Feel like just screaming at the moment. To say the whole family are in bits is an understatement, plus giving my friend a hard time as she’s a Christian and, quite understandably I know, but they are scathing about a belief in a loving God.
  • When I was first diagnosed with a brain tumour, at the age of 64, one or two people did ask me (in effect) how I reconciled that with my belief in a loving God.

    Quite where they got the impression that I possessed such a belief, I know not, but let that pass.

    I could afford to be philosophical about it, having lived a fairly full life, but a child dying of a brain tumour?

    Fuckety fuck (or duck) indeed.... :rage:

    And I was lucky/blessed (delete as appropriate) enough to survive, and live on (albeit somewhat disabled nowadays).

    <votives galore> for all with the Big C, especially children.
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    Thank you, @Bishops Finger, you’re a tonic as always!
  • Well, it's easy to be philosophical at my age, but it must be hard for those younger than I...
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    prayers please - am just so weak and fatigued - it's the drugs, not to do with cancer.
    Happens every so often
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    Galilit industrial strength prayers going out now from a cold winter's morning where there is snow on the Alps and a cold south westerly blowing.
  • Prayers for you Galilit.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    edited August 2019
    ...I...asked him what he thought of the theory that cancer survivors can experience PTSD. "What do you mean, theory?" he asked. We left it at that.
    I remember when Medical Science™ finally declared, "Whaddya know? Chemo brain is a Real Thing after all!" when I was in the middle of my first treatments eight-and-a-half years ago. Even if they didn't think they needed to pay attention to the collective experience of their patients, how could they not say to themselves, "Gee, chemotherapy affects every single organ in the body. Do you think it's possible that it could affect brain function as well?"

    <votive> For Galilit, as always.
    <votive> For the 9-year-old. God damn it.

    This week I have gone in very short order from having no pain in my liver to having fairly consistent discomfort there, as well as noticeably increased swelling. This worries me. I may nag my oncologist about that study in the morning.
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    Thanks all - feel a bit better
  • I had good use from a T shirt (https://www.choosehope.com/store/product/i-have-chemo-brain-what-s-your-excuse-t-shirt) before passing it on to another deserving friend.
  • Sorry to hear about the discomfort and swelling in your liver Ross, and good luck with speaking to your oncologist about the study.

  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Thanks, @caroline444. I reported it to his nurse today; I recommence chemo on Thursday. I'm still hoping for the study, but it takes time to get approval from the insurance company to send it to the special lab, and a couple of weeks for them to test it. This is a very aggressive cancer, hard to treat since it's mutated, and we can't afford to wait.

    I'm really going to miss my eyelashes (again).

  • OhherOhher Shipmate
    {{{Ross}}}
  • ((Ross))
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    Ross ... try to enjoy the next few days ... before the chemo starts
  • Prayers for Ross, for the forthcoming chemo and the waiting for the study.
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    Today I go for a gastroscopy, where the doctors will have a look inside me to see if my treatment has worked or not. Officially I won't get the results for another 10 days, but I'm hoping for some feedback anyway.
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    (Robert)

    (Galilit)

    #teamRossweisse
  • A stressful day for you Robert. All best wishes that the outcome of your gastroscopy is positive, and you get feedback sooner rather than later...
  • {{ Doone's friend's granddaughter }}

    {{ Galilit }}

    {{ Robert }}

    {{ Rossweisse }}

    {{ for all }}
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    <votive> Robert
    <votive> Galilit
    <votive> For all suffering from this monstrous disease

  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    I forgot to link this article. I found it gave me something to consider seriously (prone as I am to pushing ahead against the odds); others here might find it useful as well. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/well/live/cancer-treatment-at-the-end-of-life.html

  • Prayers for all here, and particularly for the parents of children with cancer, because I just can't even imagine the terror and heartbreak.
  • I had run across an article (sadly forgotten now where but probably NYTimes) that stressed the importance of beginning palliative care early, before discontinuing treatment-with-a-view-to-a-cure. It made the point that people deserve to be as comfortable as they can be, and that there is no reason on earth why they should be forbidden to seek that goal at the same time as they are still seeking other goals. But even some medical professionals make the mistake of thinking palliative care is only for those who have discontinued everything else, and thereby rob their patients of some comfort they might have had otherwise.
  • OhherOhher Shipmate
    May all here who suffer have relief and peace. May all here who desire it have comfort and hope. May all here who need it have love and rest.

    {{All}}
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    Ranjana Srivastava an Australian oncologist had a good article in The Guardian recently:
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/04/lets-talk-about-the-art-of-living-and-dying-well
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Thank you, Galilit. That's helpful.

    The friend who has volunteered to take my cats when the time comes stopped by to meet them. Armed with some of the Dreamies hand-imported by @Margaret, she interacted with them, and they seemed to get along well. I think it's going to work out, although I really want to finish up at home, with my furry darlings on the bed beside me.

  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    Surfing the Ship on my phone in bed, with my own two favorite furry ones right here by me ... praying for you, Rossweisse.
  • caroline444caroline444 Shipmate
    edited August 2019
    Ross and Galilit - thank you for those articles, both excellent. For me they really emphasised that we are all individuals, with individual approaches to death and bereavement, and how much our wishes need to be respected. I remember that my parents (both doctors) took part in experimental trials when they were in the last months of the illnesses that killed them - and I think that was because more than anything they wanted to contribute to any research that might help future sufferers.

    Ross - so pleased to hear that you have a friend who is going to take your beloved cats....
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    My gastroscopy went well! According to the nurse the probe went down easily, without hindrance, which suggests that the cancer has gone. However, samples were taken for biopsy, and I won't get the official verdict until the 16th. Still it is looking promising.
  • Robert - glad to hear that the gastroscopy seemed promising....
Sign In or Register to comment.