Oh, fuck you!

[WritingIsMyReligion]

Beloved Grandpa has some type of prostate-fucking-cancer. I'm not sure how serious it is--e-mail from la grandmere said it was "low stage" or something, treatable, and prostate cancer runs in that side of the family anyhow--but STILL.

:banghead::banghead::banghead:

How is it that we can spend so much fucking money in Iraq and on ridiculous pork-barrel things and yet not have cures for these diseases? (AIDS, cancer, etc...)

:grr:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. So sorry

My best wishes for a quick treatment and fast recovery. :hug:

[Taverner]

2. Prostate Cancer is curable

And sometimes they need not even remove the prostate - have him check into options like that.

[SPKrazy]

3. Take A Breath

while I agree with all your ranting at the bottom

lots of older men get prostate cancer and the chances are usually much greater that a person will die of something else when they are very old and have prostate cancer.

Sometimes they don't even recommend treating it as it grows so slowly. I'd check it out before I panicked, the word cancer sends terror through most people. (including me)

Sorry though!

:hug:

[WritingIsMyReligion]

4. That's good to hear.

Not being thus equipped, I'm not up-to-date on the issues of the prostate. :P

:hi:

[Liberal Veteran]

9. Yeah, I'll second what he said.

Generally speaking, most prostate cancers are slow growing.

[reyd reid reed]

5. I'm sorry, hon...

he's gonna be fine. They've caught it, now they're going to treat it and prostate cancer is one of the few types with a high cure rate.

Deep breath.

:hug::hug::hug:

He's gonna be fine. And just to make sure, I'll start sending positive energy his way.

And yours.

:hug::hug:

[hickman]

6. If a cure for cancer could increase the wealth of the obscenely wealthy,

we'd have it this time next week. Maybe less.

[thefool_wa]

10. Cynical? Yes.

True? Also yes.

It is a travesty of our society that treatement is preferable to cure because treatment is more lucrative.

:grr:

[seemunkee]

12. I doubt it

My wife works in clinical trials for cancer, she would love to be out of a job and so would everyone she works with.

[thefool_wa]

15. That's always true of the workers

But if Corporate America has proven one thing to me it is that the people in charge of any corporation are so far detached from what the company actually does and the workers who do it that their (the worker's) point of view is rarely even remotely similar to that of the executives in charge.

Not saying its true everywhere, just saying it has "truthiness".


IMHO - a cure for cancer will never happen, but not because of these reasons (I'm not quite that paranoid). It will never happen because the human body is one of the most complicated self-maintaining machines out there and it is, and always will be, prone to error simply by the very nature of its need to self replicate cells. Mutation leading to Cancer will always happen and the only thing we will ever be able to do is attack (i.e. treat) it or cut it out and hope it never comes back.

I pray desperately that someone will prove me wrong...

[seemunkee]

16. She's a govt contractor and works with NCI

That opinion runs all the way to the top

[thefool_wa]

18. Like I said

its cynical and not true everywhere, but it has been true in places.

I'm glad to hear that it is not true where she works...

[hickman]

26. Does her research get as much money as the advertising branch? ?

Does she work for someone who put's 50% into research?

[thefool_wa]

7. Life has a way of sucking

An sometimes all we can do is suck it up and roll with it.

:hug:

Prostate cancer in early stages is very treatable, so I'm sure that he will be fine. The best way to alleviate your fears is through information, so I would suggest talking to the grand-'rents and finding out what the full scoop is.

Then hit the internet and find out all you can. When my dad started having congestive heart failure I was terrified until I took what little we got out of the hospital to the internet and started finding out more. It still sucks, but knowing what is going on helps to at least drive away some the fear (as fear stems almost always from lack of knowledge or understanding).

:hug:

(and don't be too hard on the world for what they do with their time and efforts, the world is, after all, generally filled with idiots)

[bigwillq]

8. Hope grandpa makes a full recovery.

:hug:

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. My dad survived it

I forget if they removed his prostate, though they did de-cube him, since testosterone encourages growth of the cancer.

He had a great attitude about that. Said, "Well, I'm not gonna be usin' 'em anymore." :7



But, yeah — the reason there aren't cures for a lotta stuff is the treatments are so profitable.

:grr:

[crim son]

13. In older men when it's caught early

it is very treatable. My FIL was not so lucky because he refused to go to the doctor with his early symptoms, so be very thankful that your Grampa did.

[BarenakedLady]

14. So sorry.

I've lost my in-laws, and 2 of my grandparents to various cancers. :hug:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

20. Well hello

again. Welcome back from your Christmas journey. Hope the new year is treating you kindly and all is well. :bounce: :hi:

[BarenakedLady]

21. Hello back

I've been home for about a week now. I'm hanging in. Hope all is well with you too. :hi:

[WestHoustonDem]

17. My dad regretted getting radiation treatment

if your grandpa has the option, you can PM me for details, but there were long term side effects he didn't anticipate.

[thefool_wa]

19. As a man

with a family history that leaves me open to this type of thing, I am interested to know what the specifics of the "unanticipated" side effect are.

Please share in PM if you don't want to post publicly...

[WestHoustonDem]

24. I just pm'd you n/t

[S n o w b a l l]

22. I understand

My mom was diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma a few months ago & I've watched her deteriorate daily...I've been struggling with the anger myself. My dad died of the same thing in '88.

I do know that from '88 when dad died to now, there have been many developments in treatment & things look hopeful. So, progress is being made in all areas of cancer treatment...there is hope. Please don't despair.

I'm sorry for you & your Grandpa and wish you the very best.

[MissB]

23. It'll be okay.

Both my gramps and my dad have suffered from prostate cancer.

Dad had stomach cancer back before I was born - and I'm in my 30's. Which means that he had treatment for stomach cancer back in the freakin' dark ages. Then about six years ago, he had an early case of skin cancer. Then, prostate cancer. By the time he'd reached the prostate cancer diagnosis, he'd reached his lifetime limit of radiation so that wasn't at all an option for treatment. He had some sort of treatment (and there may have been several ones they used - I know he had to take horomones for awhile there and he ended up getting night sweats just like any menopausal woman would).

But he is alive and kicking and prostate cancer isn't even an issue.

It will be okay.

[Mrs.Matcom]

25. I'm so sorry!

:hug: :hug:

The others are correct, if caught early it is treatable with a very high recovery rate. A friend of mine in Canada who was in his late 40's was diagnosed with Prostate cancer. They removed the prostate and he is fine. My step grandfather was diagnosed and he had the radioactive pellets inserted, he is also fine. I know it is scary and frustrating. Could you go with him to the doctors and ask questions and see what his options are?
Good luck and best wishes!

L

[Haole Girl]

27. I want to curse with you...

...but I don't think it would help you feel better.

I *do* know, at least in some ways, what you are feeling right now. I've had three different people, fairly close to me (including my best friend at work) diagnosed with cancer within the last 10 months.

:hug:

[ellisonz]

28. This Too Shall Pass

Sunrise doesn't last all morning,
a cloudburst doesn't last all day.
Seems my love is up
and has left you with no warning.
It's not always been this grey.

All things must pass,
all things must pass away.

Sunset doesn't last all evening,
a mind can blow those clouds away.
after all this my love is up
and must be leaving.
It has not always been this grey.
All things must pass,
all things must pass away.

All things must pass
none of life's strings can last.
So I must be on my way,
face another day.

Darkness only stays at nighttime,
in the morning it will fade away.
Daylight is good
at arriving at the right time.
It's not always
will to be this grey.

All things must pass,
all things must pass away.
All things must pass,
all things must pass away.

[SammyWinstonJack]

29. Hmm, well, my BIL had prostate cancer and he died from it, and my dad

was scanned for it and he has it but it is treatable and he seems okay. so sorry for your grandpa! I hope he beats it!