OT: The Great Big C Word
 

Over the years many of us on IOW have talked openly and honestly about family, friends and/or their own battles with cancer. The past three weeks have been a reminder to me that we need to have that talk again. Burying one of our closest friends last week at 58 was a reminder that early detection is key to beating this disease. And along with early detection comes the need for a yearly phyiscal, no one can detect there is a problem if you don't go to a doctor and make them aware of your family history.

In my family cancer is on both sides of the family with nineteen family members having twenty-six episodes of cancer over the years; Dad's side of the family has involved five generations, Mom's side three generations.

My friend that died last week was 11 days away from dying before any of us close to the family knew he was sick. His Dad has had cancer before and actually this week will get test results back that will confirm that he has cancer again in another part of his body at the age of 89. The doctors have all ready told them the type of cancer they are sure he has without the test. My point even though my friends Dad had cancer he himself hadn't seen a doctor since 2006 until it was too late to do anything for him.

31 years ago this month my Dad's sister was just six weeks from dying when we found out she was sick, she more than any other family member has taught me the importance of a yearly phyiscal. Yes, I know the doctors can miss something and you can still go undetected even if you are having a phyiscal. But, I personally believe starting the routine of a yearly phyiscal at a early age for me is what has allowed me to live 13 years longer than any of the females on my Dad's side of the family before me.

So I am asking all of you to take a look at your family history and if you all ready don't make a yearly phyiscal a part of your normal routine......start today. The life you save will be your own. If you see a friend loosing weight and you know they aren't dieting question them when the last time they saw a doctor was? Pay attention to the warning signs.

A few weeks before learning our friend was ill I met a remarkable young 11 year old, Brandon was hosting a Make A Wish event I attended with some friends. None of us really knew Brandon's story nor did we know Brandon or his family, during the event I made a point of talking to Brandon's Mom and learned he not only had never had cancer but he and his family had never known anyone that had cancer. Brandon had set a goal at his young age to raise $6000.00 for Make A Wish and back in March he had raised $3000.00 on his birthday, he then came up with the idea to hold the event I attended all on his own. Brandon touched my heart on this day, he personally went to everyone in attendance and thanked them for coming, helped them in any way he could and was so impressive you just knew in that first meeting he was a young man that had learned compassion for others at a young age. I will admit both Brandon's Mom and I were tearing up before our conversation was over, she should be so proud of the young man she has raised. I hope Brandon's life is never touched by having a friend or family member diagnosed with cancer.

I invite all of you to share your stories on how cancer has touched your lives and help get the word out about how important early detection is.


Patti

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One person here has fought this fight for years, and touched all of us here. They say sometimes you fight the good fight, and he has. Bill , we have had some discussions at different times about this fight. You really are one of the bravest and toughest people I know.

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Patti,

Thank you for again raising the flag for getting a yearly physical. Early detection can make a remarkable difference in how they are able to treat this dreaded disease. Part of our story has been well documented on the IOW board with my grandson Andrew. Age makes no difference so don't think that it can't happen to you.

I lost both of my grandfathers, my father and my mother all to early in life to cancer. RacinBabe lost her mother three years ago also at a young age. It seems to affect everyone that we know through relatives and friends.

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3 1/2 yrs clear & make all the dr. App.as they are scheduled.i fully understand what this terrible sickness will to to you and all of your family.
Thank you for the story

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It will be 5 years this October since we lost my wife’s sister to cancer. I've also lost a Grandmother and an Uncle. Seeing your doctor ever year and getting the testing done is important. It's also important to help when and where you can. I've been working with the American Cancer Society for 7 years doing Relay for Life events. It's something my son and I have been doing together also since his Aunt passed.

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I have another story to share with you in line with what Mudpacker said, cancer can and does strike at any age. This past weekend the Oswego Firefighters organized a benefit for 7 year old Julian Ross. A year ago Julian was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer where painful tumors develop from nerve tissue. Just two weeks after Julian's diagnosis a year ago his Dad lost his job and health care benefits. The family has had to sell their home and just about all of their wordly possessions to help meet the cost of Juilan's treatments. Tomorrow Julian will return to Children's Hosppital of Philadelphia for his next round of experimental radiation therapy for neuroblastoma.

Julian's family maintains a website to help raise money for his treatment and help raise awareness of his condition, this rare form of childhood cancer afflicting only 650 children in the United States and just over 1,000 globally. If anyone is interested in helping the Ross family out you can do so on line at www.juliansjoust.com.

Over the weekend someone started a thread making today a day of no complaining, I challenge you even further when you are feeling low because you don't think the racing conditions that weekend are what you thought they should have been; think about someone you know that has battled cancer, go and donate your time at a cancer event or treatment center for cancer patients. I think you will find you don't have a care in the world compared to what they have or are going through.

I have lost both of my grandmothers, a granfather, my father, three great aunts, three aunts and two of my my Mom's cousins to cancer.

An still believe early detection is the best way to beat cancer.

Thanks for listening!!!

Patti

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bill; I have been thinking about you all day hope everything goes good

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I always schedule a yearly physical because my doctor told me to after I had successful prostate cancer surgery. At that time he told me I would have at least another 10 years and that was 13 years ago last April. I am thankful for every day and please, please schedule a physical today for yourself. Early detection is the difference between life and an early death.

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Im 20+ years getting an annual physical.
With Father passing from Colon cancer at age 42.
The last thing us 3 kids remember is him waving down to us on the sidewalk from his 3rd floor hospital room, on that cold November day.
He passed the next day.
We were just 6, 9 and 10 yrs old. That was 1963.
Good or bad I never got to know him as an adult.

Anyway, I decided I should keep on top of it when I was in my early 30's.
This was on my dime too before health insurance felt forced to pay for some of it.
Still I have no regrets. Knock on wood I have never had the disease.

I had my first colonoscopy at age 38.
I can tell you compared to today. Those were archaic exams and the prep was pure hell.

All I'm saying is, don't wait. No matter how much you may dislike doctors and such. Do it for your kids, family, if not yourself.

We have come along way with treatment but we are far from beating it and still archaic in treating it. Still no matter what it takes, I am on schedule for regular exams and screenings.

Thanks for the thread INDYBOUND.

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Maybe something to look into is a blood test that can be done and sent to a hospital in Florida. Suppose to detect a cancer problem 5 yrs in advance. Suppose to be the most accurate test. When I looked into it, it cost $450.00 and that was 4 years ago. Your doctor won't tell you about it, you have to ask, and some may not know about it. Cancer cells give off a hormone similar to what a woman pregnant will have. It can be detected before the tumor pops up, just like a woman knows she's pregnant before her belly swells. Some of you will think I'm crazy and that's fine, but maybe you should take your health into your own hands instead of just giving it to your doctor. Study up and don't just go to Medical sites that are controlled by the FDA, they only protect their protocol.

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J.D., I don't think you are crazy I think you bring up some good points must important is that we do need to take our health into our own hands. No one knows your own body better than you do. Back in 2001 I paid $1000.00 to have a complete body scan that insurance didn't cover, I was approaching the age that all of the females on my Dad's side of the family died at and thought it was the best Christmas present I could give myself that year to have a bench mark to go by. I have been lucky by starting the routine of a yearly phyiscal early in life any problems I have had have been found in the pre cancerous stage and taken care of before becoming cancer.

My next door neighbor was diagnosed with cancer this pass spring, they said it was early stages of lymphoma that came out as a growth in the hair line of her forehead, rather uncommon. Removal of the growth and radiation completed they are now telling her they are 80% sure cancer will present it self some where else in her body in the future.

I am not sure if the cancer screening blood test I have had in the past is the same one you are talking about. I do know that they had you sign a paper if your insurance wouldn't cover the test you would pay the rather large fee.

Patti

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If you really want to reduce your risk of cancer... Find a nutrionist, become a vegetarian (or at least eat healthier and stop eating all the processed chemical filled foods we eat every day.) and exercise daily and even then... there are no guarantees.

Early detection is very important. The treatment options available now are far more advanced than they were 18 years ago. If you find cancer early your survival rate increases.

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My best friend (in my avatar) lost her decade long battle with breast cancer on January 14th of 2010. She knew she was going to be a grandma for a week when she passed away. In the beginning her doctor told her she didn't need a mammogram for the two hard marbles in her breast because she was only 32. Even if your own doctor tells you all is well if you have doubts see someone else right away. Don't wait!
She didn't drink or smoke but she did not eat healthy. As Bill said nutrition is a big part of it.
Thanks for listening.
PS I appreciate every one's prayers on here when she was redianosed last year!

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After losing my Mom to cancer just three years ago, hearing Dad had it too wasn't a great day for me. Dad had his last radiation treatment for prostate cancer on July 27th. He's doing everything the doctors tell him...eating right, excercising, and getting rest. We were lucky that they caught it early. Now we wait and hope they got it all with the radiation!

My doctor has been adamant with me about regular screenings and mamograms. Even though my Mom wasn't diagnosed until after 60 and my female doctor said I shouldn't be at risk because of heredity, my family doc insists on regular exams. He said if they won't get me the orders for it, he will!

I agree with Patti...taking care of yourself and getting regular screenings only helps. Not to say you couldn't still end up with it, but at least you stand a better chance of getting it early and beating it.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.

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Hi there, my heart goes out to all who suffer with cancer and the loss of loved ones and friends.

I agree with Bill, some alternative healers just want your coin. I also agree with Patti, get yourself checked out often.

As far as trusting the medical society to fix my body, that gets limited with me. I feel they're very good for diagnosing but typically have tunnel-vision with their modalities. Usually it's surgery, chemo or radiation, they normally don't entertain any other way of reversing cancer.

For those of you who may be interested in alternative therapies here are some things to check out.

Youtube, punch in "Cancer, The Forbidden Cures." This movie gives a bit of the history of how the medical society has been against someone fixing their situation with home remedies. Of particular interest is the modern story of the Italian doctor using baking soda to cure terminal patients. He's been arrested several times.

You may be interested in Mr. Ty Bollington's book called "Cancer, Step Outside of the Box!" This book is full of tips on how to cure yourself at home. It can be purchased from Amazon.

Please check out this website, www.phkillscancer.com. Using extremely affordable items from his grocery store this website owner cured his terminal cancer from home, no radiation or chemo. This gentleman used an ingenious "Trojan Horse" concoction to kill his cancer.

You may also wish to search the web for Mr. Bob Beck's Protocol, several videos on this modality. Amazing technology, affordable and able to cure HIV apparently. I have one of his designed machines and I don't get colds or flues.

Also, please investigate info on the web for the "One Minute Cure for All Diseases". Using this protocol I cured myself of a life long affliction of eczema. I had it for 50 years and every doctor I ever saw for it told me I'd die with it 'cause there wasn't a cure. It's been eradicated from my body for 3 years now.

As I have R. arthritis, recently I learned about a process called "Oil Pulling" while researching cures for arthritis. What you do is on an empty stomach, you take one tablespoon of either sesame seed or sunflower seed oil in your mouth but you don't swallow it. You swish it around your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes, pushing and pulling it through your teeth. During the swishing time enzymes will be released in your mouth pulling out diseases and heavy metals out of your bloodstream. After the 15 or 20 minutes you spit it into the sink, DON'T swallow it as it's become toxic with microbial diseased matter "pulled" from the blood circulating through your gums from the last 15 to 20 minutes. Rise your mouth out and carry on with your day.
I've been doing this now for 4 days, first thing in the morning and I'm not as sore as I was and I'm definitely more flexible. In the lists of diseases that this protocol is supposed to cure is cancers. All I know is that this is definitely backing off my arthritis. It's worth a try.

Again I must say my sympathies for all who have this awful disease and to those who have lost those they loved. Cancers don't have to be a death sentence, fight it with every piece of armament you can get your hands on. Ken Bayliss, OTS.:)