Any Dyes cancer survivors?

[kryptonite]

With the recent death of Elizabeth Edwards and today's news about Aretha Franklin, all this has got me thinking about cancer. Has anyone on Detroit Yes had a past cancer diagnosis? I was diagnosed with bone cancer 2005. I had my treatments at Beaumont. Sometimes it's nice to hear from other people going through the same experience.

Any replies? When/what type of cancer/where did you 'treat'?

[maxx]

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/0...he-food-chain/
"..."We know that BAP is carcinogenic," says Diaz, adding that "Anytime you burn, barbeque, blacken [food] or burn fossil fuels," you release similar chemicals..."
I wonder how much barbecue Aretha ate.

http://www.medifasthealth.org/blog/2...h-carcinogens/

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/foo...led-water.html

http://www.preventcancer.com/consume...ogens_home.htm
"According to the EPA, indoor air pollution is one of the nation's most pressing personal health concerns. Peak concentrations of 20 toxic compounds - some linked with cancer and birth defects - were 200 to 500 times higher inside some homes than outdoors, according to a 5-year EPA study that surveyed 600 homes in six cities..."

With all the ways we are poisoning the biosphere and ourselves, soon people not contracting some kind of cancer will be the anomalies.

[eriedearie]

I've not been diagnosed with cancer, but my mother is a breast cancer survivor who has been cancer free for the past 14.5 years. She was operated on at Crittendon, and dealt with one of their top cancer surgeons. She went through chemo and took the drug Tamoxifin.

My sister-in-law is brain cancer free for a year. She had a cancerous tumor removed last December without complication. Doctor has given her a clean bill of health. Her surgery and treatments were done at Hotel Dieu in Windsor. As far as I know she's only taking a pill. She refuses chemo. So far, so good...

All the best to you kryptonite. Keep on keepin' on.

[Jimaz]

... but my mother is a breast cancer survivor.... She ... took the drug Tamoxifin.

Why the past tense of "took"? Was there some problem with the Tamoxifin? I seem to recall that there was some problem with that drug but I don't recall the details.

Sincerest thanks.

[eriedearie]

Thanks for the question. The doctor said she didn't need to take it any longer. She is perfectly fine. We will celebrate her 82nd birthday this coming Friday!

Fifteen years ago, we weren't so certain she'd make it for another year!

[Magnatomicflux]

I havn't, but I lost my father to it. 2 years previous his doctor had seen these black spots on an x-ray....."don't worry about it" he says. Huh. Then my Mom remarried and to a childhood freind no less.......my step-dad got it.
It was in his lymph noades, which can spead really fast. Forutnatly he's a hypocondriac and was paranoid about this lump on his neck.
It was cut out, but not all of it. He did his kemo and is alive and well thank God.

Best of luck kryptonite. If there's one thing I've learned, is attitude has alot to do with your recovery. If you truly, truly beleive you WILL beat this, you WILL.

[gazhekwe]

My mom survived breast cancer. She had radical mastectomy at New Grace and followed up chemo and tamoxifen at Henry Ford. She got to stop the Tamoxifen after five years clear, I think it was. What was hard for her was the lymphedema that followed since it went untreated for several years. I am not sure if it was because of the state of medicine at the time, or because she and the doctor couldn't get on the same wavelength or what. My lesson from that was, learn all you can on your own, don't completely rely on the doctor for the information that will help you. Get a second opinion, and a third if you feel the need.

[Jimaz]

The doctor said she didn't need to take [Tamoxifin] any longer. She is perfectly fine. We will celebrate her 82nd birthday this coming Friday!

Fifteen years ago, we weren't so certain she'd make it for another year!

That's great to hear. I think we're okay too.

Thanks.

[mikefmich]

My ma had a mastectomy in '79, and lived nearly 21 yrs. free from cancer. In retrospect, it would've been the lesser of two evils.

[sumas]

Just wanted to note that VanEslander institute provides free Pap smear and mameograms to uninsured women. It's a wonderful program. Cancer detected early is much more likely to be curable.

[kryptonite]

Oops, I had to take some time away from the computer to sort of help babysit a friend from France on a visit to Detroit. She loved us and our city by the way. But how could you not love Detroit??

It's interesting and inspiring to hear cancer stories from others, something about them help take one's mind off such things. Thanks for all the great posts. The world is full of well-meaning people, which is something that is very easy to forget in a world that can be greedy, violent and mean at times. Thanks for the replies.

[tkierpiec]

I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 32, a rare and very nasty form. Thanks to the *amazing* staff at University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and an aggressive clinical trial I participated in, I have been in remission for 11 years. I feel very fortunate and count my blessings EVERY DAY. I met quite a few other cancer patients while undergoing a year of treatment and most of them have since passed. It's not uncommon for this type of cancer to come back in other parts of the body, years later ... again, I am so very fortunate.

[kryptonite]

I know what you mean. Mine has been in remission almost four years. It is an uncommon bone cancer. Every ache and pain now becomes a bit worrisome. But most cancer survivors are thankful for every good day.

Do you have permanent side effects from treatments? I have poor hearing from the chemo and radiation, facial damage from the surgery to remove the cancer, burning in the right eye from radiation, dry mouth from radiation, etc. I read a book where someone referred to it as 'the new normal'.