Aa
why do we complain about inteferon and cancer patients don't complain about chemo??
"Chemo is a horrible treatment for many, radiation isn't much better. I wonder why people get angry about a rough hep C treatment that, to date, is the only chance for a cure, but don't about chemo?"
Someone recently sent the above to me in a discussion.
I thought it'd be interesting to see what you all think??
Someone recently sent the above to me in a discussion.
I thought it'd be interesting to see what you all think??
Hmmm. I posted this as something someone else wrote to me in this mornings email.
I thought it was an interesting topic worth discussion.
My friends who've had cancer, including one of my closest who died of it just a year ago, went through chemo.
The one who survived is happy to be alive but the question of why chemo? why radiation? never arose.
Why isn't there research into better cancer treatments?
My thought about the difference may come from the mental side effects of interferon as found on the web site o:f irritation, depression, etc.
To the coward who thinks they have to write via nygirl to me:
It is unlikely a coward can enlighten one who is fearless.
Enlighten thyself.
I came close to dying from ESLD.
According to my surgeon I had 6 weeks of life left in me before my tp.
I know what its like to spend more time prone, exhausted wasting away.
My friend with the tumor undergoing chemo, and I spoke on the phone and commiserated. While I recovered post tp, her cancer returned aggressively.
The great thing is now, I fear not death. I've looked my own mortality in the eye.
NYgirl: In the future tell that chicken to write to me herself.
I thought it was an interesting topic worth discussion.
My friends who've had cancer, including one of my closest who died of it just a year ago, went through chemo.
The one who survived is happy to be alive but the question of why chemo? why radiation? never arose.
Why isn't there research into better cancer treatments?
My thought about the difference may come from the mental side effects of interferon as found on the web site o:f irritation, depression, etc.
To the coward who thinks they have to write via nygirl to me:
It is unlikely a coward can enlighten one who is fearless.
Enlighten thyself.
I came close to dying from ESLD.
According to my surgeon I had 6 weeks of life left in me before my tp.
I know what its like to spend more time prone, exhausted wasting away.
My friend with the tumor undergoing chemo, and I spoke on the phone and commiserated. While I recovered post tp, her cancer returned aggressively.
The great thing is now, I fear not death. I've looked my own mortality in the eye.
NYgirl: In the future tell that chicken to write to me herself.
For the same reason ugly chicks look good at 2AM. Last chance. Hail Mary.
Diagnosed with cirrhosis I had little trouble getting through tx. And I've occasionally considered chewing off my arm in the morning.
Diagnosed with cirrhosis I had little trouble getting through tx. And I've occasionally considered chewing off my arm in the morning.
Will, There is no need to apologize to me ever for digressing besides I started this just as food for thought, it sure got me thinking when I read it this morning.
Mike: I think you may have it right. Although many people act crazy when they hear they have hep C, they don't immediately think of death.
I wonder if the fact that cancer is such an old accepted disease while hep C is relatively new, and still kept in the dark, has anything to do with it, or not.
Mike: I think you may have it right. Although many people act crazy when they hear they have hep C, they don't immediately think of death.
I wonder if the fact that cancer is such an old accepted disease while hep C is relatively new, and still kept in the dark, has anything to do with it, or not.
I think the largest difference is the acceptance of mortality. For most folks treating hcv, it's not a life or death choice... suffering with treatment often feels "nastier" than suffering with the disease. For most folks diagnosed with cancer, it's a life or death decision to do chemo, radiation, etc. or not; suffering with cancer treatment often feels "better" than succumbing to the disease.
My instincts incline me to guess that you probably complained less about transplant than you do about treatment :).
My instincts incline me to guess that you probably complained less about transplant than you do about treatment :).
I kept in touch with a forum member after they'd cleared HVC and they, within the year, had to do chemo. A comment made from her may shed a little light in that there is a lot of money, fund-raising, extra support and social acceptance around chemo for cancer, and cancer has affected more people so more people are willing to be supportive, financially or other ways.
Reading her blog, there was absolutely no doubt that the chemo was very very hard, and I can't comment about the comparison. But certainly, many folk with HCV on this forum alone are facing a life or death situation and certainly those who have researched know it.
There is a stigma still with HCV - there is not the same level of sympathy, or comprehension of what we're facing when we treat. God knows, who of us here would've known what we were facing without this forum, and, of course, the differing stages of HCV complicate it.
GoofyDad - there's no such thing as an ugly chick in a happy hen house; I hope you don't wake up one morning minus an arm :-).
Reading her blog, there was absolutely no doubt that the chemo was very very hard, and I can't comment about the comparison. But certainly, many folk with HCV on this forum alone are facing a life or death situation and certainly those who have researched know it.
There is a stigma still with HCV - there is not the same level of sympathy, or comprehension of what we're facing when we treat. God knows, who of us here would've known what we were facing without this forum, and, of course, the differing stages of HCV complicate it.
GoofyDad - there's no such thing as an ugly chick in a happy hen house; I hope you don't wake up one morning minus an arm :-).
AND.... (lol), on the forum, at least, I don't think it's complaining; it's asking for help and understanding - it's perhaps a little easier for a chemo patient to get that - more health professionals are up to date with cancer treatments than with HCV.
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