Fuck Cancer Thread

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Celemo, Jul 20, 2019.

  1. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    Thank you for all your well wishes guys. Brother took my parents dinner last night and said my dad is in the best mood he has been in this year.

    I am guessing it is because he has known something is wrong for about 3 months now and has had a battery of tests done and now at least they know and can formulate a game plan.
     
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  2. CUtigers

    CUtigers Well-Known Member
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    I'm so sorry, man. My dad had to decide between Emory and MD Anderson. Ultimately went with Emory because he lived in GA, but would have definitely went with MD Anderson if it was more feasible. Praying for the best and if you need anyone to vent to just know there are a lot of us who have been through it. Every situation is different but it can be hell on family members throughout the process. Take care of yourself as best as possible so you can be there for him. Fuck Cancer.
     
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  3. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    Thank you. I am already venting and taking out my frustrations on some fucksticks in the BBQ thread bigred77 jbr . :awesomeface:
     
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  4. Rabid

    Rabid Fan of: DQ Treats
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    Was he tired/lack of energy? My dad’s was bile duct which is obviously very close to the liver and it impacted his liver. The only red flag was his calcium level in his blood was high because the liver wasn’t functioning properly. High blood calcium levels make you tired and when he was undergoing chemo it was the biggest tell for whether the current treatment was working.
     
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  5. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    He was tired, and for about a weeks from just before Christmas until just after New Years he could hardly keep any food down. All of his lab results have been great and they did biopsies on some spots on his (either prostrate or colon) and they turned out to be non-issues. But he has still been worn down. Further imaging showed a non-conclusive mass that they biopsied and here we are.
     
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  6. Emma

    Emma
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    Had to put Dierks down a month ago on the date due to hemangiosarcoma.

    Favorite aunt almost assuredly has hepatocellular carcinoma. Symptoms just presented themselves now. 11 months average from the date of diagnosis.

    A bottle of wine deep and bawling my eyes out. You always understand that people and dogs pass from cancer. Until it finally comes to fruition cancer is simply just a word.
     
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  7. Daniel Ocean

    Daniel Ocean I only lied about being a thief
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    sorry buddy
     
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  8. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
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    I would like to use this thread as a PSA to make sure everyone goes and does their regular exams/check ups/blood work etc. I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma before Christmas and had surgery to remove part of my kidney on Valentine's day. I'm 35. I had zero physical symptoms because the mass was small. It was only found because I started using the VA for primary care and the blood work was a part of my initial appointment and it all kind of spiraled from there.
     
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  9. Emma

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    seanofthedead86 I'm happy that the change of primary care helped you identify the carcinoma and also appreciate the PSA. At my age (30) you typically don't consider what's happening deep down in your body until there are concerns.
     
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  10. Boo MFer!

    Boo MFer! No longer a cog in some powerhouse machine
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    Thank God they found it. Out of curiosity, what was abnormal in your results?
     
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  11. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
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    Creatinine was slightly elevated over the normal range.
     
  12. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
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    Urine tests were clean. The creatinine was high on multiple blood tests over the course of a month or so which triggered an ultrasound which triggered an MRI and then the diagnosis.
     
  13. Boo MFer!

    Boo MFer! No longer a cog in some powerhouse machine
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    Damn. Long-term, they think you’re good?
     
  14. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
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    96-97% chance it doesn't come back BUT someone my age with none of the prereqs for RCC (old, overweight, smoker) it could be genetic and a sign I could have a greater chance of another cancer.
     
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  15. Boo MFer!

    Boo MFer! No longer a cog in some powerhouse machine
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    Damn, man. Thinking of you and yours but happy for you that all looks good right now.
     
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  16. Wicked

    Wicked Next One's Comin' Faster
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    Glad it got caught early. I guy on another board I frequent got diagnosed with the same thing a few years back. Starting pissing blood clots and was diagnosed stage 3. He fought it for a few months, caught pneumonia and ultimately passed. Like I said, good thing you caught it early.
     
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  17. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
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    Sorry man
     
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  18. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
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    seanofthedead86 Thanks for posting this. As I said, when I was diagnosed, I went to the doctor because I was 45 and peeing every hour and thought it was a prostate issue. Glad it worked out for you.
     
  19. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    So update on my dad. Not much to update unfortunately but what there is, not good. Turns out most likely not liver cancer.

    Poorly differentiated carcinoma. MD Anderson pathology has had all the test/labs/slides since the 17th and still has not been able to pinpoint primary origin of cancer.

    So if my understanding is correct, we are up against a metastatic cancer with grade 3-4 cancer cells that do not closely resemble the cells of the origin of the cancer. Also, grade 3-4 is more aggressive.

    Parents are starting to get frustrated at lack of progress. Almost a month since contacting MD Anderson, 2 weeks since they have had all the info the previous doctors/hospitals have/had, and still no diagnosis, treatment plan, or even orders for more tests to help pathology pinpoint the primary area.

    Is this fucking normal? This does not seem normal. I guess the bar I had set it my head was a lot higher for what everyone says is the premier cancer treatment center in the world.

    Thanks for letting me rant and share.
     
  20. newengland

    newengland pahk the cah in hahvahd yahd
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    That isn’t normal. My dad got diagnosed with poorly differentiated carcinoma with METS to the liver in February of 2021. Dana Farber had treatment started and genomic profiling done for any actionable mutations within two weeks . If it is poorly differentiated, a treatment plan should be started fairly quickly.
     
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  21. CUtigers

    CUtigers Well-Known Member
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    Not normal pre-covid times, but everything is all messed up these days. I can't imagine going through all of this on top of covid lurking around.
     
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  22. gus_chiggins

    gus_chiggins Hey where you goin’ with those clubs punk
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    So, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 colon/liver cancer about 2 years ago and has been taking chemo over since. He pretty much battled this thing to a stand still, but told me over the phone a couple of days ago that he has decided to stop taking chemo. The last couple of treatments have been especially hard on him and he really couldn't get out of bed. Also, with the liver being in such bad shape, he's having to go to the hospital every 1-2 weeks to have his stomach drained due to all the fluid building up. The only chemo options left are especially hard on the liver, per his Dr, so he has decided to call it. I knew this was coming, but it still didn't make it any easier to hear. What he has been doing isn't sustainable, so eventually, I knew he was going to run out of steam. He just has no energy and therefore, very little quality of life. If he walked to the mailbox, he would have to stop and take a break on his walker before he could walk back inside, so that's extremely shitty for someone that's only 67. I assumed it was just because he had Covid a few weeks ago and it was his immune system taking forever to get over it. I think if he could just somehow gain some energy back, he could keep going, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. My family and I would certainly appreciate any thoughts, prayers, etc. No idea how much time he has left. I'm guessing around 6 months? Maybe more? Maybe less, I couldn't tell you. Either way, fuck this goddamn disease and I feel for anyone else who has to go through this with someone they love
     
  23. Greybeard

    Greybeard Livin' the dream.

    Not what you'll want to hear, but hospice makes the time left as comfortable as possible for the patient. They can focus on time with family and being (hopefully) at peace with things rather than the ongoing uphill fight and the disease and treatment beating the absolute hell out of them. I wish you and your family the best going forward... Hang in there.
    Reference- I'm 53 and have no immediate family left older than me, 6 have been cancer deaths way too early.
     
  24. gus_chiggins

    gus_chiggins Hey where you goin’ with those clubs punk
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    Thanks. Hospice started coming on Monday of this week
     
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  25. Duck Smoker

    Duck Smoker Cheekbones like geometry and eyes like sin.
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    I don't know about normal, but my diagnosis took weeks. We almost got on a plane for Des Moines b/c a family friend said they would get me in at U. of Iowa. Mine is also metastatic abdominal. The frustration is real - you want actions and answers so bad. The problem is complicated cases need testing, study, and tumor board review in many cases. Our desperate need for information ignores complexities the doctors want to sort out, and we don't really grasp that getting treatment to a tumor doesn't really depend on whether the treatment starts today or three weeks from today. Most tumors are much older than we appreciate, and they'll still be just as treatable in three weeks after a careful plan is formulated. Really want to avoid things like harsh treatment if they can determine it's not worth it, or may not be considered worth it by the patient.

    Also, there isn't much normal for us in healthcare now - we have huge patient volumes and short staff. They're probably really behind where they want to be, like we are.

    Sorry for you're family is going through, it's hellish at the start.
     
  26. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    Fuck. Cancer. Godspeed bro.
     
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  27. Rabid

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    I’m sorry for you and your family. My dad’s was pretty similar to what you described with the bloating, no energy, etc. Best wishes.
     
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  28. gus_chiggins

    gus_chiggins Hey where you goin’ with those clubs punk
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    It’s a bitch. Hope you’re doing alright
     
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  29. oprostaj

    oprostaj Well-Known Member
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    It'll be 5 years soon since Glioblastoma took my pops. He was only 54. For anyone fighting, my sincere thoughts are with you. Having been there for every radiation treatment, every chemo drip and pill, every steroid... fuck cancer. Truly hell on Earth.
     
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  30. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    Update on my dad. mD Anderson just called and scheduled for 29th. Cholangiocarcinoma in bile ducts. 5 year survivability only 10-15% if found only in bile duct. Drops to 2% if outside of ducts. We need a miracle. Fml….
     
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  31. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
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    Sorry man. All this stuff really hits home. Prayers for you and gus_chiggins
     
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  32. jbr

    jbr Well-Hung Member
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    Very sorry to hear this. I just went through a family emergency week with my dad’s health so I understand the shock/tidal wave of emotions. Feel free to reach out.

    I’m not crying…you’re crying.
     
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  33. newengland

    newengland pahk the cah in hahvahd yahd
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    Hang in there and take it day by day. It is brutal to have a family member going through it but don’t neglect your physical and mental health as well.
     
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  34. Rabid

    Rabid Fan of: DQ Treats
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    Fuck. I’m sorry. That is the cancer that my father had. I’ll send you info via PM.
     
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  35. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    That is an entire wall of words. Thank you so much. I will read it this evening.
     
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  36. Greybeard

    Greybeard Livin' the dream.

    So sorry. Hang in there...
     
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  37. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    My mother-in-law never got to be my mother-in-law, but much worse she never got to spoil her grandson rotten the way I know she would have

    I hate it
     
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  38. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    So my old man finished his first 4 rounds of chemo. He is a machine. The only thing that has bothered him is the constipation. The chemo has not really slowed him down.

    he had scans done and got the results in the day of his last treatment in the 4th round. As good of news as we could have hoped for. His stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma in the bile ducts has shrunken. He does has some elevated markers that he never had before so that is a little concerning. They are doing more tests to try and pin that down.

    But at the start of his new 4 rounds of chemo (every round is a treatment a week for 2 weeks and then an off week), he had actually gained some weight back. Was down last weekend and he looked great.

    So here is hoping his body continues to respond to the treatment.
     
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  39. Rabid

    Rabid Fan of: DQ Treats
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    I’m glad to hear he is responding well.
     
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  40. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
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    Just found out that the biopsy that my dad had done on Monday came back positive for cancer. Don’t know much yet but need to start looking for an oncologist.
     
  41. Rabid

    Rabid Fan of: DQ Treats
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    I’m sorry
     
  42. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
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    So sorry man. Hopefully it’s treatable.
     
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  43. southlick

    southlick "Better Than You"
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    Former smoker here and quit about 10 years ago.

    My dad passed away from lung cancer so I had a lung low dose CT scan done last week on doc's recommendation.

    No abnormalities!
     
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  44. Owsley

    Owsley My friends call me Bear
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    My wife and mother in law drove up to say goodbye to her aunt/sister today who they are both extremely close to. She was first diagnosed well before I came into the picture, had a double mastectomy, did chemo, and was in remission for 20ish years. It came back about 18 months ago and seemed to be under control, but things took a really quick turn after the holidays and this is it. I’ve gone through the same with close family and it sounds insensitive to say, but it’s at the point where her passing is the best scenario for everyone and I told my wife that. Shit fucking sucks.
     
  45. Greybeard

    Greybeard Livin' the dream.

    It's amazing how it seems to have a mind of it's own. Prayers for your wife and the rest of the family. May it be quick and as painless as possible.
     
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  46. Owsley

    Owsley My friends call me Bear
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    Thanks, that really means a lot. She passed away last night surrounded by her family and best friend. It’s an enormous weight lifted and honestly we’re just very thankful she’s finally free from pain. I honestly think she held on just long enough for the entire family to come up and surround her with love, and after that she was ready to go.
     
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  47. a.tramp

    a.tramp Insubordinate and churlish
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    Sorry for your loss Owsley
     
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  48. Greybeard

    Greybeard Livin' the dream.

    So sorry... but I'm glad that everyone got a chance to say goodbye. And glad for all involved it was mercifully quick.
     
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  49. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
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  50. Tommy Callahan

    Tommy Callahan Well-Known Member
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    Such a hard thing to realize but a noble thing to say. Hope your wife and mil can find the same peace even though it will obviously be harder
     
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