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A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 11:03 pm
by H
I've been involved with various 'radiation' equipment much of my life: miltary, civilian and, yes, UFOs (perhaps "out-of-this-world" but not necessarily "from-out-of-this-world"); repair and/or operations of radar units, radios, power-coils, televisions and microwave-ovens (radar-in-a-box; some bored radar unit operators actually tried to cook [feathered] birds out of the sky). What many are unaware of or, at least, apathetic to, is that we are all exposed to various types of radiation, ever-increasingly of our own design (cellphone, wifi, etc. are on the list) -- and whatever amount of a signal isn't bounced off, penetrates. Of course, the weaker the signal and the shorter its duration, the weaker its effects -- certainly on the short-term -- and some can be beneficial: some sunlight is good but a sunburn is not.
I was 8-years-old when my paternal grandfather, then 76-years-old, finally taxied to our farm to inform us he was dying (of colon cancer but it wasn't certain when it started) -- he lasted another three years and had no chemotherapy. When my mother died last year, I tried calling my uncle to let him know the oldest, and last remaining, of his four older siblings had passed. Shock upon shock, my aunt informed me that my uncle, 80-years-old, recently had his annual physical and, although he said he was feeling fine, he was told he had cancer and they wanted him to start chemo right away. He died about a week after diagnosis and chemotherapy. I must contend that his almost immediate death was not from the cancer -- it was from the chemo! Chemo directly bombards the cancer but we suffer peripheral damage; effectively, we now have another assault to confront. The older we get, the less effective our body is in repair, maintenance and defense; regardless of age, there are many variables: we are not all exactly the same in these abilities and there is a such thing as unintentional suicide.
Only 1½ years ago was I finally told cancer was suspected but the most notable symptoms started in 2014. There have been times I was so fatigued I slept through most of two days, except when I staggered my way to the toilet and back. I'm feeling better right now, was out in the sunshine a while today, but there's still some weariness. I have no intention of ever accepting chemotherapy. I may have to deal with cancer, perhaps put it in total remission (as a taxi driver recently told me she did) -- but I'll live on for quite some while, even in spite of it.

I wish all of you good health and the best of choices.



8-)

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:33 am
by Flacke
Hello H, I am sorry that you have to deal with this. It does of course happen to people and we have had it in our family as well. It can be disruptive to say the least. I wish you the best of luck, and with your good attitude about it you may just beat it. Keep smiling and take good care of yourself.

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 2:03 am
by pete
Sorry to hear this H. Some cancers can be pretty slow and non aggressive ...... It is something that can happen to any of us at almost any time. As Flacke says it can be beaten.
Keep us informed.

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:17 pm
by jphespe
Every day of life is a gift...don't waste it. When the Lord is done with us he will let us know. Enjoy every day and leave no regret when He calls us home.

Take care,
Jim

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:00 pm
by yancovitch
yep........that's the way...........

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:38 pm
by H
Thank you for your concerns.
The main reason I posted was because I wanted all of you to realize that you need to understand all aspects when facing a health situation. You may have had the same doctor for years and, especially if you're not at all religious in belief, his/hers is the only advice and support you'll seek. In some circumstances that may not lead to the best choice. If you make a wrong choice it may well change the direction -- but curing the problem is mute if you and it just dropped over a cliff.
When I told one of my main VA doctors how long my uncle lived with chemo (1 week) vs my grandfather without it (@ 4 years), he said, "So, how long do you want to live? One week or four years?" I doubt I'd have gotten the same response from a radiologist. If you still have the resolve along with the physical stamina, something the cancer is usurping, chemo may, at least, seem to work. Just do your best to have a full assessment of your condition.

jphespe wrote:Every day of life is a gift...don't waste it. When the Lord is done with us he will let us know. Enjoy every day and leave no regret when He calls us home.
I don't live by just faith alone, having had a 'death experience' in 1987 and sent back. In 2015 I was given a dream of an old man on a tree stump (seems to represent passage of time and the old man probably was an even older me); he said, "21 years," but I (the current me in the dream) made a reference to another time frame.
I've had many brushes with death, shouldn't be here. Many in the Christian realm are fixed upon a world-wide rapture 'soon'. I'm not discussing that here but we'd do better to put our focus elsewhere -- the final end of our time here will come soon enough for each of us.



8-)

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:39 am
by Roypcox
H; I wish you a very speedy recovery If you have to have chemo they tell me it is not as hard on men as it is on women. A lot of men don;t even lose their hair. Keep you chin up and follow the doctors advice. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers!!! Roy

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:42 am
by expat
Very sorry to hear this H, some of the equipment that we are expected to use in the course of a career can be rather nasty. I look back at my time in aviation over the last 30 years and all the chemicals I have used, it is certainly in the back of my mind the potential effect they could have. Health and Safety only kicked in about half way through my time.......

Matt

Re: A Rather Serious Matter

PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 6:44 pm
by Nighthawk117
My thoughts and prayers are with you H. May you find peace in this rough time.