Super happy being a cancer survivor!

G

GP44

Member
They just told my son in law that he is cancer free after being treated for lung cancer for the last 3-4 months.
About 4 years ago I had bladder cancer and I was cured.
I don’t like to use the term that “I beat the cancer” because I know that the doctors and everybody who has studied and researched ways to find a cure for cancer are the ones who beat the cancer along with the team who treated me.
I am forever grateful for all of the advances in cancer treatments that allow so many of us to go on with our lives after contracting cancer.
Another guy that I know who was being treated for bladder cancer at the same time didn’t make it.
You might think that I would have some kind of guilt complex from being the one who survived but if it had been the other way I would have been happy for him if he survived and I would want him to be happy.
I can see where people can have mixed emotions because being diagnosed with cancer can be a very emotional experience and even all of the while you are being treated you have so much hope.
Many of us can be grateful that they have the ability to cure some of the cancers that used to just be a death sentence such a short time ago.
Me-I’m forever grateful!
 

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I have found my cancer doctors to be fully dedicated to a cure, and not in it for the money, as they have been accused. I have had cancer twice. All the professionals I encountered were as one in their desire to cure, not to profit. And they should profit, they should be well paid; years of study, years of work, years of caring for others deserves a lot more than minimum wage, don't you think?

So, for those who claim these professionals are not dedicated to a cure, are undeserving of a major salary, my wish for you is you never have cancer and never find out how wrong you are.

Congrats to you and SIL GP44; years of health to you both.
 

I too would have been near the end of life were it not for advances in modern medical science.

Each day swallow my only medicine each day, hydroxy urea for my blood cancer neoplasm, polycythemia vera my mother likely began with before that evolved into acute myeloid anemia, AML. Now my lifespan ought not be affected.
 
Pepper said:
I have found my cancer doctors to be fully dedicated to a cure, and not in it for the money, as they have been accused. I have had cancer twice. All the professionals I encountered were as one in their desire to cure, not to profit. And they should profit, they should be well paid; years of study, years of work, years of caring for others deserves a lot more than minimum wage, don't you think?

So, for those who claim these professionals are not dedicated to a cure, are undeserving of a major salary, my wish for you is you never have cancer and never find out how wrong you are.

Congrats to you and SIL GP44; years of health to you both.
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Bonnie wasn't billed for any of her treatments, and she went out-of-network to get treatment, so her oncology team didn't know if they'd ever be compensated. But that didn't seem to matter to them at all. They did absolutely everything they could for her, right up to the end.
 
GP44 said:
They just told my son in law that he is cancer free after being treated for lung cancer for the last 3-4 months.
About 4 years ago I had bladder cancer and I was cured.
I don’t like to use the term that “I beat the cancer” because I know that the doctors and everybody who has studied and researched ways to find a cure for cancer are the ones who beat the cancer along with the team who treated me.
I am forever grateful for all of the advances in cancer treatments that allow so many of us to go on with our lives after contracting cancer.
Another guy that I know who was being treated for bladder cancer at the same time didn’t make it.
You might think that I would have some kind of guilt complex from being the one who survived but if it had been the other way I would have been happy for him if he survived and I would want him to be happy.
I can see where people can have mixed emotions because being diagnosed with cancer can be a very emotional experience and even all of the while you are being treated you have so much hope.
Many of us can be grateful that they have the ability to cure some of the cancers that used to just be a death sentence such a short time ago.
Me-I’m forever grateful!
Click to expand...
@GP44, glad to hear that both you and your SIL beat cancer!

We just heard today that an 89 yr. friend of ours had a very successful lung cancer surgery, much to be thankful for.
 
I am currently undergoing immunotherapy for cancer and apparently will for the rest of my life-unless treatment has to be stopped due to side effects. No terrible side effects so far,four treatments in,just mouth sores,fatigue and bone pain. No cure possible for me but I could be one of the lucky ones and get 5 more years.

I am still a cancer survivor though-I had breast cancer in 2015 that has not recurred.
 
When our daughter told us she had breast cancer, and throughout her ordeal I never felt so helpless in my life. She bravely dealt with that insidious disease and is now a two year cancer free survivor. Even knowing she is safe today that feeling of total helplessness lives with me. A father wants to always protect their children. My recourse was to pray for her knowing that was all I could do.
 
I hate to post it but cancer is a funny thing, you can be given the all clear, no evidence of disease but the truth is that one cell still left in your body can become active again. Cancer survivors must be ever vigilant in their health, to watch for any sign something is wrong. You must monitor your own body, be aware of any tiny change. Continue to check the lymph nodes in your body, neck, armpits, groin areas. If you lose weight without trying. Experience pains without explanation, headaches, belly pain, bone or joint pain. All signs to get straight to the doctor.

I don't want to rain on a parade but my husband suffered from many cases of basal cell skin cancer, all removed, not something to worry about, it was not melanoma. Basal cell cancer does not mestatisize.
He had many surgeries, mohs surgeries where they go in deep to get it all out. This started when he was forty.

Age forty five, sitting in the den with the family, sons says to Dad, why are your jeans wet? He was apparently leaking fluid from his arm. I got up and looked and his forearm was swollen and was sweating fluid. That was strange, son says, Dad you got to go to the Doc. So on Monday we were of to the GP. A Tiny pea sized lump under his arm, infection, lets take antibiotics. No change, lets send you for a biopsy.

The surgeon come out and says he doesn't know way it is but it is not good. His lungs were filled with tumors from the presurgery xray. Here we go, weeks of waiting, samples sent all over the country, MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Something the had not seen, Mestatizised Basal Cell to the lungs, unbelieving rare, no treatment, no idea what to do.

Meanwhile at home we had went thru a lung biopsy and the cells were traced to a basal cell that had been removed from his back years prior. Since there was no treatment we started with the best guess of chemo drugs which were hard. Believe or not this man did his treatment on Thursdays and felt well enough to work the following Monday. We did everything at home to boost his immunity at home, low carb, hi protein diet with 3 huge veggie smoothies a day.

So that is how it went until the chemo was not having any progression against the disease. Sent to UT Dallas to get in trials. They had nothing, condition to rare, to slow growing, to fast growing, we just did not fit anywhere. In the mean while I had been doing research online thru the NIH and they actually had a trial specifically for basal cell in Phoenix.

I contacted them and they asked for our records and then called to set up for us to come out for an interview. We were accepted into the phase one trial. Flew out, did all the paperwork. These people were great, they paid for all the flights, hotels, rental cars, food and all the medical tests/surgeries for the trial. We were in the trial about 18 months before it stopped working.

We started traditional treatment at home hoping to find another trial but my husband had a pulmonary embolism and bad fall at home that caused a brain bleed. We got through brain surgery but his health turned a few weeks later. The visiting nurse came and said his blood was not right and to take him to the hospital. Mind you, he seemed fine but they put him in ICU, the next day he went into Respiratory failure. We had already discussed this and had a plan that he was not to be intubated. I lost him that day at 12:34 pm. I still have not recovered and never will.

So teach your children and your grandchildren that the sun is dangerous, to always wear sunscreen, to see the doctor for any strange bumps or lesions you develop!!
 
Murrmurr said:
Bonnie wasn't billed for any of her treatments, and she went out-of-network to get treatment, so her oncology team didn't know if they'd ever be compensated. But that didn't seem to matter to them at all. They did absolutely everything they could for her, right up to the end.
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much of my husbands treatment was thru clinical trials. All of those cost were covered by the trial, they also covered the cost of air travel, hotel, rental cars and food costs. When we were back home and started with regular treatment, I know there was some of that was never billed. All I know is after his death I received no bills for his care. The insurance covered it or the doctors/facilities ate the cost of care. It was quite the surprise to me because I had seen the charges for the brain surgery, the rehab stays that ran into the hundreds of thousands.

I would give you a number but I have long since shredded all the copies of bills, xrays, mris, cat scans. I just could not bear to keep them after 7 years. The only blessing that I hold onto is that his trial got a drug approved for glioblastoma in children, not a cure but gave those kids extra time with their families without the ills of regular chemo.
 
@GP44 I don't know if you have read your replies yet. I just want to make sure that you and your SIL will take extra care with your follow up care. My husband's cancer was super rare, we knew that from the beginning they gave us a 8 month time line, we got 5 years,1 month with the clinical trials.

I would suggest that you both stay vigilant and even look at the NIH trials that are investigating the types of your cancers and the treatments you have had. Too often these cancers return some years later. There could be treatments, trials that could help prevent from happening in the future. Cancer does not run in my side of the family but many types are prevalent in my husband's side.

I try to stay on top of this through research to have answers or possible early treatments that would be preventative measures for my son and his children. Cancer does have genetic related possibilities and it is better to know and act before illness if we can. Medical care is advancing every day, I want to make sure to know everything I can to protect my son.

God bless the both of you and keep you safe but do everything you can do to make sure your good outcome is protected.
 
My wife had skin cancer in six areas and those have been cleared. The Oncologist was very afraid that one of them would metastasized, but that didn't happen. My sister has Leukemia. It's at stage 3 right now and the Oncologist said it's one of the forms of Leukemia that are not aggressive, but it will probably take her in about 4-5 years.
 
oldman said:
My wife had skin cancer in six areas and those have been cleared. The Oncologist was very afraid that one of them would metastasized, but that didn't happen. My sister has Leukemia. It's at stage 3 right now and the Oncologist said it's one of the forms of Leukemia that are not aggressive, but it will probably take her in about 4-5 years.
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All three of my sisters succumbed to cancer, the history came from my wife's side of the family as well. We made our children aware of the potential for them based on that combined history. With that in mind, our daughter elected to have a double mastectomy, in her quest to end her immediate diagnosis and drastically reduce the odds of reoccurring. Without a doubt she is bravest and strongest person I know.
 
TennVet said:
All three of my sisters succumbed to cancer, the history came from my wife's side of the family as well. We made our children aware of the potential for them based on that combined history. With that in mind, our daughter elected to have a double mastectomy, in her quest to end her immediate diagnosis and drastically reduce the odds of reoccurring. Without a doubt she is bravest and strongest person I know.
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I'll ad one point. Her son graduated from a prestigious school in May as the president of his class, one of the top two gpa's earned. In his commencement address he attributed every success he has had up to that date to his mother. The full meaning of that was not lost on us in anyway, and tells me we are blessed.
 
Blessed said:
@GP44 I don't know if you have read your replies yet. I just want to make sure that you and your SIL will take extra care with your follow up care. My husband's cancer was super rare, we knew that from the beginning they gave us a 8 month time line, we got 5 years,1 month with the clinical trials.

I would suggest that you both stay vigilant and even look at the NIH trials that are investigating the types of your cancers and the treatments you have had. Too often these cancers return some years later. There could be treatments, trials that could help prevent from happening in the future. Cancer does not run in my side of the family but many types are prevalent in my husband's side.

I try to stay on top of this through research to have answers or possible early treatments that would be preventative measures for my son and his children. Cancer does have genetic related possibilities and it is better to know and act before illness if we can. Medical care is advancing every day, I want to make sure to know everything I can to protect my son.

God bless the both of you and keep you safe but do everything you can do to make sure your good outcome is protected.
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Thank you for that information. I had never heard of cancers coming back years later.
I will make sure that everyone in my family know that.
As a matter of fact I will try to inform everybody that I can about everything that you stated.
Even those who have never had cancer never know when they might be next.
One again Thank You Very Much!
 
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GP44 said:
Thank you for that information. I had never heard of cancers coming back years later.
I will make sure that everyone in my family know that.
As a matter of fact I will try to inform everybody that I can about everything that you stayed.
Even those who have never had cancer never know when they might be next.
One again Thank You Very Much!
Click to expand...
Yes, those who have had cancer should be super aware of any illness, have regular checkups. They say once you have had no evidence of disease (NED) in 5 years you are considered cured.

I don't agree with that as I have seen cancer come back many times in my husbands family. Almost all of them have died due to some type of cancer. My generation of the family now understands their risk for cancers in their genetic lines and make sure to have regular checkups Seems that they have elevated risk for colon, prostate and the ladies seem to have cancer of the breast, ovaries and uterus.

My husband started having problems with basal cell cancers when he was about 40. Had many removals and the doctors said it was not to be worried about. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common cancer for all people. It does not spread they said. Well, he won the lottery of cancer at 46 years old, it got into his lungs, he passed 5 years later at 51. People do not believe it, I often have shown his death certificate. I want them to know it is possible and to have a dermatologist do a full body check once a year!!
 
Blessed said:
I hate to post it but cancer is a funny thing, you can be given the all clear, no evidence of disease but the truth is that one cell still left in your body can become active again. Cancer survivors must be ever vigilant in their health, to watch for any sign something is wrong. You must monitor your own body, be aware of any tiny change. Continue to check the lymph nodes in your body, neck, armpits, groin areas. If you lose weight without trying. Experience pains without explanation, headaches, belly pain, bone or joint pain. All signs to get straight to the doctor.

I don't want to rain on a parade but my husband suffered from many cases of basal cell skin cancer, all removed, not something to worry about, it was not melanoma. Basal cell cancer does not mestatisize.
He had many surgeries, mohs surgeries where they go in deep to get it all out. This started when he was forty.

Age forty five, sitting in the den with the family, sons says to Dad, why are your jeans wet? He was apparently leaking fluid from his arm. I got up and looked and his forearm was swollen and was sweating fluid. That was strange, son says, Dad you got to go to the Doc. So on Monday we were of to the GP. A Tiny pea sized lump under his arm, infection, lets take antibiotics. No change, lets send you for a biopsy.

The surgeon come out and says he doesn't know way it is but it is not good. His lungs were filled with tumors from the presurgery xray. Here we go, weeks of waiting, samples sent all over the country, MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Something the had not seen, Mestatizised Basal Cell to the lungs, unbelieving rare, no treatment, no idea what to do.

Meanwhile at home we had went thru a lung biopsy and the cells were traced to a basal cell that had been removed from his back years prior. Since there was no treatment we started with the best guess of chemo drugs which were hard. Believe or not this man did his treatment on Thursdays and felt well enough to work the following Monday. We did everything at home to boost his immunity at home, low carb, hi protein diet with 3 huge veggie smoothies a day.

So that is how it went until the chemo was not having any progression against the disease. Sent to UT Dallas to get in trials. They had nothing, condition to rare, to slow growing, to fast growing, we just did not fit anywhere. In the mean while I had been doing research online thru the NIH and they actually had a trial specifically for basal cell in Phoenix.

I contacted them and they asked for our records and then called to set up for us to come out for an interview. We were accepted into the phase one trial. Flew out, did all the paperwork. These people were great, they paid for all the flights, hotels, rental cars, food and all the medical tests/surgeries for the trial. We were in the trial about 18 months before it stopped working.

We started traditional treatment at home hoping to find another trial but my husband had a pulmonary embolism and bad fall at home that caused a brain bleed. We got through brain surgery but his health turned a few weeks later. The visiting nurse came and said his blood was not right and to take him to the hospital. Mind you, he seemed fine but they put him in ICU, the next day he went into Respiratory failure. We had already discussed this and had a plan that he was not to be intubated. I lost him that day at 12:34 pm. I still have not recovered and never will.

So teach your children and your grandchildren that the sun is dangerous, to always wear sunscreen, to see the doctor for any strange bumps or lesions you develop!!
Click to expand...
Oh I am sorry, what a terrible time for you. Life can be so very cruel. I hope you don't mind me saying, I do understand your grief, having lost loved ones myself to cancer. Grief that never goes.
 
I received my last round of chemo on 13 August 2021, and so far so good, I'm feeling stronger every day I do have a persistent pain in my cheek, but my blood tests are clean and doc thinks it's a sinus infection I've got my fingers crossed. I was sick, but I saw other people in the clinic lobby who looked much worse than I, I know that they probably didn't make it and I feel some kind of weird survivor guilt. Congratulations to you keep an eye out though.
 

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