Drummer Cafe Community Forum

Not to be a downer, but I was just wondering if there are any fellow cancer survivors here. It's so common nowadays that it doesn't come up much.

I had thyroid cancer at 17 (32 years ago - yikes), and my wife had breast cancer about 8 years ago. Both of us are recovered and cancer free (I hope!).

What brought this to mind is that my brother's ex wife (mother of his children, and still his close freind) was recently diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer and it doesn't look good. She goes to get the definitive prognosis tomorrow, and we're all praying for a turn-around. She's only 54, and has always led a healthy lifestyle as far as I know - not that that has anything to do with pancreatic cancer, to my knowledge. Very sad, though.

My dad survived prostate cancer that was diagnosed similtaniously with diabetes in 97ish, he survived and is in full remission (knock on wood)

My great grandmother was just diagnosed with quite a good bit of cancer.  She is 92, and instead of opting for treatment, she simply says that she has had a good run, and it's time for her to go.

You have to give her credit for a good outlook.  And to be honest, I can't personally blame her.  I think 92 is quite enough life for most of us.  Then again, I feel a bit akward saying anything on the subject, as I am only 18 right now...

Hodgkin's, twice...last chemo/radiation treatments were about 4 or 5 years ago.  I think at my checkup next year I'll officially be in remission.

From a drumming perspective, the chemo was pretty hard on my motor-skills and endurance.  I was about as close as you can get to giving up playing without actually giving it up.  I'm glad I didn't...this week I played every day since Wednesday with three rehearsals, a Catholic high school Baccalaureate/Mass, and two services at my church.  

I'll say one thing for playing at churches...your clothes don't reek of cigarette smoke when you leave. :)  I can always tell when one of the guitar players had a gig at some club and their amp hasn't had time to air out yet.  :P

--David

good point dmjung! Not nearly as bad now that they have banned smoking in bars here though.

My dad is doing well these days after a bout with bladder cancer.  His last round of post-op checkups came back with all tests negative.

I have several friends who have survived breast cancer.  I'm volunteering in a couple of weeks on the Lunch Crew for the 2-day Chicago Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  Its my way of helping, in some small way, to do what I can.

my pops and his woman both survived prostate/breast cancer... at the same time, no less. they're doing fine, as they caught it early.

docs thought i had hodgekins lymphoma a few years back coz the lymph node on my neck swelled up like a golf ball. turned out to be cat scratch fever. (but i drafted my will nonetheless.)

there are huge advances in medicine such that cancer outcomes are vastly improved. and pancreatic cancer is oftentimes misdiagnosed at first, so your friend may still have hope.

I had Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the right tonsil almost 6 years ago. After 6 weeks of radiation therapy and a close watch by my Doctors, I'm doing fine. I've been released from care and now I just try to take better care of myself. The only announce left by the cancer treatment is chronic dry mouth. But if that's all I have to deal with, I'm ok with that.  :) I'm glad they caught it early! There's not many Radio Announcers out there that don't have vocal cords! ;) I got to keep mine!

I watched my Dad go through a 4 year battle with prostate cancer....He died in August of 1982, the day after my birthday. The doctors told him with chemo and prostate removal he would do just fine. Instead he went through a living hell. I haven't trusted a doctor since..... Those were the worst years of my life watching a workaholic go downhill. Being an only child, plus he was my best friend didn't help. I've since decided that if diagnosed with cancer I'm just going to let it take it's course. I'd rather live a shorter life than put my family through another 4 years like those. If I go to a doctor it's a guy I went to school with and he doesn't tell me lies like my Dad's doctors did. Since those days the only way you get me to a doctor is not of my own free will. Which has happened....I've put on my clothes and walked out of hospitals 2 times since.   :-X  The mental pain of that experience never left me after all these years. Watching him die a slow, painful death at 62 was horrible. In and out of hospitals like a revolving door. As you can see, the trust is gone.  ::)  When my days are up, then that's it. But, on the flip side my Mom had her breasts removed 5 years ago and is doing fine. She's now 84, and doesn't listen to doctors much. She didn't even tell me, I found out 2 years later. I've since found out I've got Lupus, which can go any number of ways. No big deal, I rarely think about it. No cure anyway, so why worry about it.   ;)

chip, i can understand your sentiments. my boyfriend watched his mom and dad die of cancer, and it really traumatized him, as he was very young. he had distrust, too, but now he feels more regret, because the cancer that took his mother is so treatable today. and many times, treatment is much less invasive.

since it's now in the news, i can officially speak up about the work we've been doing at the little ad agency that employs me. we are producing the launch materials for the innovative [and fairly controversial] new vaccine, gardasil, that has shown 100% efficacy against human papillomavirus, which is what causes most cervical cancers. it's a huge deal, and will certainly improve the fate of so many women stricken with this awful disease.

nonetheless, our decisions about medical treatments we choose to receive, etc., are personal decisions, so i wouldn't necessarily suggest you have a change of heart. but i think it makes sense to understand your options.

Thanks Smoggrocks for the info.....I hope the new vaccine works out. Many times you don't know the final results from something new until years later. It may cure one thing and create another. I feel the same regrets as your boyfriend. It got so bad I couldn't go to the hopital for more than a little while. That image sticks with me to this day. I want to trust hospitals, but have seen enough death and suffering to reinforce my feelings. People I know in the medical field has told me many stories around motocross race tracks. A friend works at Mayo as part of a surgical team. He races motocross to take his frustrations out. Another  lady I know is a head nurse.... When the two get together after the races it can get both funny and gruesome with the stories they tell around the campfire.... I highly doubt I'll ever get hospital trust. My doctor friend has told me what I feel is quite normal and very wide spred. It takes a team to talk me into going to the hospital. Even if I'm bleeding profusly. I once sliced my hand/wrist so bad that I had to drive myself to the VA hospital while holding the open wound shut. No one was around to help. I got to the VA, went to the desk and told them what happened and kept the pressure on. Instead of stopping the bleeding they made me sit there. I then let go of my wound, walked out gushing blood. The trail was quite impressive and they knew I wasn't kidding. They stopped me at my truck over a block away. It was well over 20 stitches.... I had made up my mind I'd rather die than put up with their bs.... It may sound aweful, but that's the way I've gotten over the last 25 years. Up until my Dad's ordeal I had full faith in the system. After that, I never gained it back. That's 25 years....You people must be very good company for me to even talk about it. Drummer Cafe does more good than many people know.   ;)

Think of this though, Chip--very important. Not all doctors are dickheads. Working in surgery, I've seen some that make me scared, maybe 5%. Most are plain solid good--about 85%. The last 10%, I'd trust with my life, no questions asked. They have it all--bedside manner AND the skills. I've seen some complete sweethearts totally bollix up a surgery. And there's the (female) general surgeon who had the nickname "Ice Princess" from her patients, but I'd go to her anyday for cancer surgery, over her talkative, friendly surgical partner. Both cancer treatments and doctor's attitudes have changed a lot in the past 25 years. Use the knowledge of your medical friends to get a recommendation if you can. (Altho you mentioned the VA, so I don't know if you can go outside that system?)
 I think you might benefit from reading Bernie Siegel's book "Love, Medicine and Miracles"--incredible physician, fantastic speaker, very inspiring. There are good doctors out there! I've learned to be more of an advocate for myself and my family, thru a few bad experiences w/ both drs and veterinarians. Now I think of my relationship w/ dr/vet as an employer--I am paying that person to do a job for me (cure me/the horse/whatever) and not only do I expect quality work, but I expect to be a part of the decision-making. Like you discovered at the VA w/ your bleeding hand, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. And as Dr. Siegel says, the most difficult patients are usually those that survive their cancer the longest (or are cured), b/c they demand information and good care.
 Rethink your stance.

robyn