My Cancer Story - To help others.

[Red C220]

There are certain events in life that if you're lucky (or unlucky) enough to encounter provide you with a degree of clarity that you may not have experienced before.

These events can't be communicated fully to people that have not had one of these life events, or been closely associated with the same.

I found it liberating, but at the same time quite quite depressing. You are faced with your own mortality and it makes you take stock of who you are and how you behave towards others. Also how you accept others behaviour towards you.

At 47 years old and as a cancer survivor, I have never been more comfortable with who I am now.

 

[rockits]

It is good to see so much positivity come out of an initially negative situation.

I have changed a great deal over the years in a similar fashion. I was involved in a fatal RTA some years back in which it could do easily have been me. It was too long ago & I didn't have kids so didn't fully appreciate the situation or how lucky I was. It wasn't until my 5 year younger brothers school friend & friend I had played football alongside for many years pass on at 38yo a couple of years back with wife & 3 kids left behind that I started to change. I live much more for today now with an eye on tmrw rather than always living for so far in the future as before.

I have enjoyed reading this thread & it is good to see such strong people fight through this awful disease. Also with the attitude displayed. It is truly remarkable, applauded, respected and commendable. It does prove their are decent & amazing people left in this human race of ours. It does help to motivate & restore your faith in man kind. I thank you & wish you all the very best of health & happiness.

 

[optimusprime]

Bruce good read up on your fight .And its good to see you are on the mend ,also on the winning side . And enjoy every second of every day . I thought at the time you helped me, that you were one of a special kind . And i think you have someone above that thinks the same as i do..All the best for your future . I still ,,think i still owe you.. .So Bruce please ask if i can help you in any way . Trev

 

[brucemillar]

Trevor that is very kind. You absolutely owe me nothing, thank you. Every day I thank the wonderful and brilliant James Gossage and his medical team who fought to save my life. He is probably the most inspirational man I have met in my life. To the nurses and doctors at St Thomas's and London Bridge I can never thank them enough. People who didn't know me at all but gave everything to save me and look after me. That is dedication that is off the scale and brings absolutely everything else into perspective for me. So when I get grumpy (and I do a lot) I think of their kindness. When I get really fed up, I think of the young nurse who sat up all night holding my hand, when I was convinced that I would not see the morning.

I was so lucky when so many are not. What I have learned is that when we look around we have no idea what the person across from us going through inside. We see only the outer expression/skin. I try now to be more tolerant of others but still fail.

My wife and daughters who witnessed so many distressing times have not come out unscathed. As a family we are stronger I just hope as a father I am better.

 

[optimusprime]

Bruce that a very good post .And a big help for other people that may be on the same road that you had to take .
We all have a cross to carry , but some are larger than others .
My life is keept going with the help of drugs .I take 21 pills a day .
And i must cost the NHS a lot of money.
My problem ,for others that are watching and reading this is MG .No its not an english classic car but a problem with muscles .These are in every part of the body . Some respond as normal till i over use them. The illness is Myasthinia Gravise . Came home one night to my lunch .The wife had finished her lunch,and i was having problems with swallowing, I was chewing away but the food was going no place .It was that bad that i just gave up. And took a drink of water .This all came down my nose . Well that was the start of it all After all the tests, and after 4 weeks with no food ,unable to eat ,or , talk The reason was - .The brain sends a message to the muscle and it just wont work .But with the help of the right pills i can live a near normal life .With out them ,,, ,well i dont know that part yet .

 

[MissyD]

It is such a shame that we dont really look at life until we get a reminder of how precious life can be. When my son , 29 was given weeks to live after suffering a seizure having had no others symptoms, it's makes you stop and look at your life. Everyday is a bonus and we take it for granted that it will always come.

Be kind to each other, support and love each other and most of all don't be angry, you never know what's around the corner and dealing with, "if only I'd..." Will be with you for a long time.

 

[dinoy]

look at this biotech mino they have GENEICE which what chief medical officer wants within 5 years

your GENOM mapped and gene silencing of the cancer gene if u r effected. plus trials in lung porstate breast etc

yet pharams taking them down Home - Valirx

they are licensing the drugs for the third world as it is easier for approval.

we sometimes need to blame big pharmas attitude into drugs that r non chemo based on their profit magrins

 

[brucemillar]

Another milestone yesterday. Myself and my Father in Law (who is recovering from Prostate Cancer (surgery and Radiotherapy). Made it out onto a local Golf Course. I had not hit a golf ball in two years, since I managed to break my spine in two places, forcing a complete absence from the game that I love. My FIL (a long time scratch golfer) a similar time away, thru Cancer surgery and treatment. It was rather comedic, with both of us refusing to admit to the other, we secretly thought it would be a disaster ending in tears and humiliation. This was made worse on the first tee when a four ball of very athletic looking young chaps, rocked up a few minutes early and refused our plea to "go thru", leaving us to tee off in front of them. To my compete shock I launched a beautiful drive followed by my FIL who did the same. Followed by nods of appreciation from our watching group. Without a word between us we just embraced, a real man moment ;^) On a "long Nine" Course (including a 635 yard hole) we managed two pars each and one birdie each. More importantly we laughed so much, it hurt. Our smugness was completed when a three ball called us thru on the 6th tee, a par 4 hole, that we we both birdied. I enjoyed every single minute including the slices (I always suffered from that) and one spectacular 'shank' that we just had to laugh at. We returned with the balls that we went out with (golf balls). I'll treasure that one. Next weekend we decided to go for eighteen. I am reminded of the old quote "If you are enjoying it? You are doing it wrong"

 

[optimusprime]

Good one Bruce i wish i could have been there .
Myself ,i had to give up on my sport shooting my guns. They are that heavy i am unable to carry any of my guns now .So shooting now would be laughable for me , i now.. After shooting for the county 3 times and won high gun for the county 2 times . Just an has been now. Most my guns have been sold now, just to put funds to spend on my W124 .Now i have about 6 more guns to go. And then i dont know where my funds will come from. But we will see, and cross that bridge when i get to it . Keep it up Bruce , and good luck golfing .And wish you both good health ...

 

[tangey]

Good to hear everyone is in good shape, long may it continue.

 

[chubbs111]

congratulations bruce you deserve to be one of the lucky ones,however i have been diagnosed with a non hogkins agressive lymphoma and unfortunately it was not discovered early enough to be treated sucsessfully,its now gone from a stage 2 to stage 3,the stage 3 can be treated,i have had 6 sessions of chemo and i have an injection 2monthly as a form of maintenance,however the oncologist has told me that the stage 2 is not treatable and will come back but no one knows when so it seems i am a ticking time bomb.

 

[markjay]

Edit

 

[markjay]

PM sent.

 

[chubbs111]

I was diagnosed with Non-Hogkins Lymphoma (Large B-Cell) in 2008, had chemo, was clear, it came back, had more chemo, then in October 2009 had Stem Cell Therapy from donor at UCH Hospital in London, full remission since all good now nearly 7 years on. So not great to have, obviously, but far from 'non- treatable'. Best of Luck.

i am only quoting from the oncologist he quoted that the stage 2 will come back and it is not treatable,he sent me a letter after my recent scan saying it was all clear then at the bottom it stated that it will come back and that it is untreatable

 

[markjay]

There are several types so no idea about what you have, but on a general note there's a whole range of treatments available for Lymphoma, google:

Immunotherapy

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT)

Autologous Stem Cell Therapy (aka self bone marrow transplant)

Alogenic Stem Cell Therapy (aka donor bone marrow transplant)

 

[markjay]

Perhpas he meant to say they won't be able to treat it again with same chemo as before...

I am aware of at least 5 different chemos for Lymphoma.

And that's before even getting to stem cell therapy.

 

[John]

Best of luck chubbs111 for a positive outcome.

It's a rotten stinking shi77er of a disease.

 

[Deleted96908]

i am only quoting from the oncologist he quoted that the stage 2 will come back and it is not treatable,he sent me a letter after my recent scan saying it was all clear then at the bottom it stated that it will come back and that it is untreatable

Hey chubbs111

Sorry to hear about your Lymphoma. Nasty illness as we all know, but much improved cure rates these past few years.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is that it may well be worth your while getting a second opinion on the diagnosis/prognosis. As Bruce and Mark Jay have illustrated there are some great oncologists around, but like all things, not everybody working in the sector is of the same very high standard. My 16 year old son in 2012, on being diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, was told to enjoy his 17th birthday some weeks away before starting the Gold Standard treatment for his condition. :fail

Long story, but in short, luckily he was taken under the wing of the Oxford Children's Hospital (OCU) who (dismayed at the treatment on offer at our local hospital - tardy and Gold Standard being inappropriate for teenagers!), promptly started him on a bespoke protocol the following day. And even then the NHS specialist responsible for interpreting his Pet scan, classified his cancer incorrectly and completely missed a secondary cancer growing adjacent his lungs.

Fortunately it all went well in the end - although I have my doubts as to where we'd be now had 'we' not been rescued by the OCU.

So best of luck and if you find yourself at a loose end and would like to chat and share notes (I went to everyone of my son's 100+ chemo sessions over 9 months), then please do drop me a line. I'm not here much these days, but happy to hook up outside - FB or wherever.

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[brucemillar]

Chris

Sound advice there and great to see you posting my friend.

MY surgeon told me in no uncertain terms, "it's your life and your body, get as many opinions as you need, but always seek at least one second one". I would urge you to do so. If for nothing else than to give yourself the knowledge that you have tried your best.

 

[optimusprime]

Only thing i can say is to make every hour of every day most enjoyable .And i am so sorry to hear of anyone with these complaints My thoughts are with you .