Fuck Cancer

I've found the (free) movie Surviving Terminal Cancer to be really helpful. Sucks that so much of it is instantly familiar, but it's a strong collection of perspectives.

www.survivingterminalcancer.com

Keep fighting.

Ruby had another round of scans, tumors are still stable :)

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Ruby had another round of scans, tumors are still stable :)

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so awesome

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Ruby had another round of scans, tumors are still stable :)

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Good to hear.

Jono, what's new?

Fuck cancer.

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Ruby had another round of scans, tumors are still stable :)

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Good news!

Today is the 5th anniversary of my last radiation treatment. My endoscopy last week revealed no sign of any recurrence and the PET scan confirmed the same. 5 is the magic number and I have officially kicked cancer's ass (with lots of help from family, friends and medical providers). So, keep fighting! Fuck cancer!

My brother recently completed his treatment s for prostate cancer. He still feels crappy but getting better and his last check shows remission.

Fook cancer in the azz.

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Originally Posted by muted

Good to hear.

Jono, what's new?

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I'm just seeing that, guess I was in the surgery recovery phase when you posted. Since then all news so far is good, last week in particular: I did a sprint/MTB triathlon that I've done for a few years and improved on my last couple times despite slower transitions with no practice or training aside from the bike. Feeding tube was still in my gut until about 3 weeks prior, so just going was a win. (I'm slow anyway, but I think my 2015 performance was one of the first signs of disease.)

Followed that up with my first post-treatment scan and so far no signs of recurrence or metastases. Got a lot of those to go, I hope!

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Originally Posted by GetAmped

Today is the 5th anniversary of my last radiation treatment. My endoscopy last week revealed no sign of any recurrence and the PET scan confirmed the same. 5 is the magic number and I have officially kicked cancer's ass (with lots of help from family, friends and medical providers). So, keep fighting! Fuck cancer!

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That's awesome! This thread needs more win, thanks for posting that.

Good to see some positive updates.

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Originally Posted by GetAmped

Today is the 5th anniversary of my last radiation treatment. My endoscopy last week revealed no sign of any recurrence and the PET scan confirmed the same. 5 is the magic number and I have officially kicked cancer's ass (with lots of help from family, friends and medical providers). So, keep fighting! Fuck cancer!

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Don't let your guard down yet. My wife was cancer free for 8 years and hers still came back. In a different form and in more places. Not trying to scare you. Just want you to be ever vigilant.

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Originally Posted by GetAmped

Today is the 5th anniversary of my last radiation treatment. My endoscopy last week revealed no sign of any recurrence and the PET scan confirmed the same. 5 is the magic number and I have officially kicked cancer's ass (with lots of help from family, friends and medical providers). So, keep fighting! Fuck cancer!

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Awesome. Fuck cancer.

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Ruby had another round of scans, tumors are still stable :)

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I missed this in June. So awesome! Go Ruby!

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Originally Posted by Millsie

Don't let your guard down yet. My wife was cancer free for 8 years and hers still came back. In a different form and in more places. Not trying to scare you. Just want you to be ever vigilant.

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The likelihood that the same malignancy will return is quite low; something else is going to kill me. But I am at a higher risk of other cancers due to the amount of radiation I've received. I'm supposed to be particularly careful about keeping my neck covered in the sun. Oncologist pointed out that I don't want to survive a carcinoma and get a melanoma.

I'll still go back for an annual endoscopy for a while. Fact is, long term survival rates for head and neck cancers is not good, so there's not a lot of data on what I can expect. But I'll roll with being the best recovery they've seen and celebrate that.

First and foremost, respect to the folks fighting the good fight, no matter what the prognosis.

Second, we lost a good one a few weeks ago. Brain cancer took him at 45, married just over a year to my wife's best friend and the father of their six month old daughter. Any Seattle mags working in the outdoor industry probably knew of him or heard about it.

Last time I saw him was in July and he told me he was supposed to get killed doing something stupid, either by a bear or by a shark, drink in his hand--not by cancer. He was a consummate gentleman, passionate angler, self made unorthodox success story, and the kind of guy who wouldn't let me go fishing by myself....on the day of his own wedding.

Rest easy, Mike, and fuck cancer.

RIP Mike

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Originally Posted by GetAmped

The likelihood that the same malignancy will return is quite low; something else is going to kill me. But I am at a higher risk of other cancers due to the amount of radiation I've received. I'm supposed to be particularly careful about keeping my neck covered in the sun. Oncologist pointed out that I don't want to survive a carcinoma and get a melanoma.

I'll still go back for an annual endoscopy for a while. Fact is, long term survival rates for head and neck cancers is not good, so there's not a lot of data on what I can expect. But I'll roll with being the best recovery they've seen and celebrate that.

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Great attitude! I'll roll with you. One day at a time!

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Originally Posted by huckbucket

I missed this in June. So awesome! Go Ruby!

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No scans since then, but outwardly she's still completely asymptomatic :)

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Originally Posted by GetAmped

The likelihood that the same malignancy will return is quite low; something else is going to kill me. But I am at a higher risk of other cancers due to the amount of radiation I've received. I'm supposed to be particularly careful about keeping my neck covered in the sun. Oncologist pointed out that I don't want to survive a carcinoma and get a melanoma.

I'll still go back for an annual endoscopy for a while. Fact is, long term survival rates for head and neck cancers is not good, so there's not a lot of data on what I can expect. But I'll roll with being the best recovery they've seen and celebrate that.

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Wow, congrats man. Better live your second life to the fullest.

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Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater

First and foremost, respect to the folks fighting the good fight, no matter what the prognosis.

Second, we lost a good one a few weeks ago. Brain cancer took him at 45, married just over a year to my wife's best friend and the father of their six month old daughter. Any Seattle mags working in the outdoor industry probably knew of him or heard about it.

Last time I saw him was in July and he told me he was supposed to get killed doing something stupid, either by a bear or by a shark, drink in his hand--not by cancer. He was a consummate gentleman, passionate angler, self made unorthodox success story, and the kind of guy who wouldn't let me go fishing by myself....on the day of his own wedding.

Rest easy, Mike, and fuck cancer.

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Damn :(

Checking in. Going through this for the first time in my life ever. Everyone I've lost it has been a surprise; from heart attacks, car crashes, to avalanches. Dad was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in January. It was in his throat and bones. 78yrs old and did 6 rounds of chemo followed by radiation. At 6'4 he's shrunk quite a bit. Been 2 months since the last treatment and he is up to 105lbs. Docs tried to talk to him about hospice last Friday as the cancer is now in his liver. He was having none of it. This morning you would have thought he was down to a few days but he's perked up since returning from another doc visit. They gave him a round of obdiva (sp?) and he was in a room with a woman who was on her death bed until this drug. Mom and dad are all full of hope since hearing this woman is back to work and maintaining. Without hope you got nothing right?

Fuck cancer and this fucking ride.

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Originally Posted by Sicks

...Without hope you got nothing right?

Fuck cancer and this fucking ride.

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Right, and right.

Wishing you and yours the best.

Some of Ruby's tumors have been growing for the past 4-5 months. The largest one has grown the most, going from about 25 mm in diameter at her June scan to about 60 mm in diameter, and a couple others have also grown but less so. She's still outwardly asymptomatic, and the rest of her ~40 <10 mm tumors are still stable and no new tumors have appeared which is good news. Her doctors are still pretty concerned though and they've enrolled her in a trial of another experimental drug (entrectinib) which she starts taking today. The new drug is likely to cause side effects, so we're hoping they aren't too bad.

They've also been seeing another team of doctors at St. Jude who have been re-examining some of the biopsy samples and genetic data. While it still looks "mostly" like melanoma, it's missing some trademark melanoma mutations and shares some mutations common to infantile fibrosarcoma. Frankencancer.

ETA: Poor girl has had a lot of hospital time lately for the lead up to this new drug. Full body PET CT scan, full body MRI, port access, labs, ECG, eye test, urine sample, physical exam, and more. So hard for a 4 y.o.

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Some of Ruby's tumors have been growing for the past 4-5 months. The largest one has grown the most, going from about 25 mm in diameter at her June scan to about 60 mm in diameter, and a couple others have also grown but less so. She's still outwardly asymptomatic, and the rest of her ~40 <10 mm tumors are still stable and no new tumors have appeared which is good news. Her doctors are still pretty concerned though and they've enrolled her in a trial of another experimental drug (entrectinib) which she starts taking today. The new drug is likely to cause side effects, so we're hoping they aren't too bad.

They've also been seeing another team of doctors at St. Jude who have been re-examining some of the biopsy samples and genetic data. While it still looks "mostly" like melanoma, it's missing some trademark melanoma mutations and shares some mutations common to infantile fibrosarcoma. Frankencancer.

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Sorry to hear that Dan, we're all pulling for her.

Looking back through this thread... I think I'll give my folks a call, just to say hi.

Fuck cancer. Pulling for Ruby.

Some friends have a 4 year old with leukemia. That shit just ain't right.

Should have to fight so early in life. My brother had it at a very young age, but 40 years later he is alive and well. Hoping for like results for Ruby. As said, it just doesn't seem right.

Thanks everyone. I hate to do this, but as you might imagine her medical costs in the last year and a half have been substantial. If anyone is in the giving mood, they have a GoFundMe you can donate to: https://www.gofundme.com/rallyruby

Don't have much but sent a little on through.

Just donated. Go Ruby!

Breaks my heart to see these stories. Keep being good folks, dantheman and co.

This stuff breaks my heart.

My patient I saw in consult.. 60s.. Completely healthy on no meds.. One week later we've finally diagnosed stage 4 prostate cancer. Couldn't be a nicer guy and family. How the family will wrap their heads around it..I don't know

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One of the most mellow calm docs I ever knew was a pediatric oncologist. How can someone do that job?

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Originally Posted by old goat

One of the most mellow calm docs I ever knew was a pediatric oncologist. How can someone do that job?

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Indeed but glad they do

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Originally Posted by old goat

One of the most mellow calm docs I ever knew was a pediatric oncologist. How can someone do that job?

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I'm guessing the ones they save give hope and determination to try and save everyone

Sent from my SM-G930F using TGR Forums mobile app

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Originally Posted by old goat

One of the most mellow calm docs I ever knew was a pediatric oncologist. How can someone do that job?

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One of my daughter's oldest friends is a survivor and applying to some elite colleges so there are some great moments to be had. If they weren't around there would be some sad fucking parents.

I'm certainly glad they do it and they have my admiration--I just know it's not something I could have done.
There is an excellent book written by the British neurosurgeon Henry Marsh called "Do No Harm" in which he describes cases which haunt his memory. The patients are mostly cancer patients, adults but mostly relatively young. Marsh is by all accounts a brilliant surgeon and undoubtedly helped many, many people, but he is very hard on himself and the toll taken on him by the misery and lives cut short is obvious.

I by no means would equate the suffering of a doctor carrying for cancer patients with the much, much worse suffering of the cancer sufferers and their families. The toll on the doctor does have an effect on those patients and families though; the callousness which some physicians treating cancer patients are justifiably accused of is often a way to suppress their own pain and fear. Doctors need to be aware of this and work to overcome it.

A little over two years ago my wife came home from her job as a substitute teacher feeling disoriented and nauseous. She felt so bad that she decided to retire at age 64. A couple months later the disorientation was affecting her enough that she stopped driving. After 6 months of chasing a lot of seemingly stomach related problems she fell a couple times at home and we went to the emergency room. It seemed as if she had aged 30 years in the 6 months. MRI showed a brain tumor and CT confirmed. Surgeon said to operate the next day. Glio Blastoma Multi whatever. After a couple months recovery and missing #1 son's wedding (she watched on skype), she gained about 20 of those years back and was well enough to start chemo and radiation. The treatments kept the cancer under control for a while. After a year and a half the chemo didn't seem worth the effort. We stayed local and low stress with doctors, and I am convinced that she got the best of conventional medical treatment even though the hospital and clinic was only a few miles from our house. We both knew she was failing by this time and after a bit she gave up on her therapies. Community Hospice took over at this point with mainly comfort care. She had been mostly pain free and getting around the house on her own, but after a week and a couple of falls she was stuck in a hospital bed. Three weeks later she was gone.
Months later, I think that I'm ready to get on with living.

Jeez Sallcat, that was a tough one to read. So sorry for your loss and best of luck moving on from here.

I popped into this thread to mention a 35 yr old women who my wife babysat for when she (both really) were little kids just had a dbl mastectomy the day before xmas in hopes of getting all that damn cancer out of her body. Our entire family is tight with her family and it's obviously been a tough go. She is divorced recently on good terms (she wanted kids, he did not) and then this hits. Just hope she can move forward and be cancer free. 35 is way too young.

Sail ... tough stuff for sure. No way anyone can ever be prepared or understand from the reader perspective unless you go through it. I hope that over time things get better for you and that you always remember the best parts of your wife's life.

For those who want to learn more about cancer: past, present and future, Siddhartha Mukherjee's Pulitzer Prize winning book called The Emperor of All Maladies is something very special. Was turned into a documentary too. Links below.

Part 1
https://youtu.be/EoIPtsu83VQ

Part 2
https://youtu.be/sRfvphdvITg

Part 3
https://youtu.be/pGWt8JM9yg0

Part 4
https://youtu.be/N_j0i_mI8IM

Part 5
https://youtu.be/z2P4kJw5l8M

Part 6
https://youtu.be/SARjyxPccZ8

Fuck cancer, indeed.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jcZjDuJQmQ0

Saw one of Jimmy LaFave’s final performances last spring - and a few weeks later he was gone.

SailCat that's rough man. I hope you're able to move forward and get on with your life now.

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Originally Posted by SailCat

A little over two years ago my wife came home from her job as a substitute teacher feeling disoriented and nauseous. She felt so bad that she decided to retire at age 64. A couple months later the disorientation was affecting her enough that she stopped driving. After 6 months of chasing a lot of seemingly stomach related problems she fell a couple times at home and we went to the emergency room. It seemed as if she had aged 30 years in the 6 months. MRI showed a brain tumor and CT confirmed. Surgeon said to operate the next day. Glio Blastoma Multi whatever. After a couple months recovery and missing #1 son's wedding (she watched on skype), she gained about 20 of those years back and was well enough to start chemo and radiation. The treatments kept the cancer under control for a while. After a year and a half the chemo didn't seem worth the effort. We stayed local and low stress with doctors, and I am convinced that she got the best of conventional medical treatment even though the hospital and clinic was only a few miles from our house. We both knew she was failing by this time and after a bit she gave up on her therapies. Community Hospice took over at this point with mainly comfort care. She had been mostly pain free and getting around the house on her own, but after a week and a couple of falls she was stuck in a hospital bed. Three weeks later she was gone.
Months later, I think that I'm ready to get on with living.

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So very sorry for your loss.

Tomorrow my has chemo and we are meeting with the oncologist. Heard he is retiring and want to find out our future program.