Thinking about you too - my spouse is in the blood cancer camp. It's a ride, but a year and a half from diagnosis we've found a lot to experience joy in.

I wish I could've acquired the knowledge of this experience without the physical toll on my best friend - There's a clarity of purpose and appreciation we have for simple things that we just ... I don't know. You become different people, and I think in a lot of ways better people, but at a fucking cost no one should bear.

Much love, Gramsci. I'm glad you can share about it here.

PASTA wrote: Wed Oct 18, 2023 5:38 pm FUCK!

You're in my thoughts Gramsci. PM me if you need. My father-in-law is now all clear of Multiple Myloma after 6(?) years of treatment, including a clinical trial that should be going into regular use soon. It makes perfect sense you would first share about it here. I shared the news on the old board the night I was diagnosed. I hope you know you have infinite support in this corner of the world.

In other news. I had my 6month MRI today. Still No Evidence of Disease. It's getting to be surreal.

Incredible. Stuff like this is so helpful. I’m about to do all the various diagnostic tests. No symptoms other than some mild kidney damage so far. That’s how they picked it up. The consultant was very clear that it’s treatable and they’ve caught it early. Part of my brain still goes to dark places. Hearing the word “cancer” really messes with you. Especially with this out of the blue type. I’d expected to have to deal with skin cancer at some stage. This still feel very abstract.

This little corner of the internet is a godsend.

Thanks to all of you.

It’s been about a year since my prostate cancer diagnosis and it was at first a bit like the stages of grief stuff with some denial/bargaining going on. Fortunately I had a good team, which means not only competent, but had a calming demeanor. It may be different for others, but moving into the planning and treatment phase was good for me because I had a clear path and my mind didn’t wander into freak out mode.

I also have an old friend who went through almost the exact thing a year prior, and was able to basically predict the next 6 months of my life. That almost didn’t seem like a big help at the time but looking back, it provided a lot of structure to my life and I’m super grateful.

It’s worth keeping in mind that what you feel now is part of a larger journey, and what you feel today isn’t what you’ll feel next week or the week after. For my own experience, I would say it was traumatic, but I was able to work through it and had tremendous help (and appreciation for) my family, friends and medical team.

Gramsci wrote: Thu Oct 19, 2023 4:35 am Incredible. Stuff like this is so helpful. I’m about to do all the various diagnostic tests. No symptoms other than some mild kidney damage so far. That’s how they picked it up. The consultant was very clear that it’s treatable and they’ve caught it early. Part of my brain still goes to dark places. Hearing the word “cancer” really messes with you. Especially with this out of the blue type. I’d expected to have to deal with skin cancer at some stage. This still feel very abstract.

This little corner of the internet is a godsend.

Thanks to all of you.

It's not easy but as best as you can try to only focus on the things that you know for sure - diagnoses are ripe for going to dark places and I spent a lot of wasted time worrying about things that never came to fruition. Even when there is a risk of something, and then that does happen, you suffer twice by first worrying about it, and then again when you grieve that it did. Easy as pie to say, but once I got into the habit of hearing something, and then tucking it away until it was necessary I was able to get through the day a lot easier.

Fingers crossed for you!

I fucking love this place. Been here 20 years I think and I’ve never seen anything like this community anywhere

I love every one of you.

Hugs to all.

@twelvepoint - they offered to tattoo my dad during radiation during his stint with PC so they didn't have to mark the spot each time. The old coot declined lol - staunch conservatism I suppose.

You don't have to reply, just wanted to share a funny bit. He beat that cancer, and a few others along the way.

I gotta go to the doc, y'all. Getting to be the age where it really matters to keep up with the inner workings of my inner workings.

Yeah. Solid advice man. Folks, regular blood, pee pee and poo poo tests.

My new “condition” was picked up as a routine test. Catching it early is probably going to save my life.

Best wishes to you fm Gramsci, and everyone.
Glad to hear that it's helpful to share stuff here.
We are listening.

I turned 48 on Sunday, I'm about to schedule a bunch of appointments, let's not fuck around...

Day Four

I have a haematologist appointment on Wednesday. That one week after potential diagnosis. So that’s very positive. I’m still hoping for a false diagnosis from the nephrologist because beyond the kidney damage I’ve got none of the regular symptoms… I’m allowing myself a little denial until a full confirmation.

I’ve avoided going down too deep of an internet hole but it seems highly treatable especially as it will have been caught very early due to lack of the usual obvious physical symptoms.

No idea yet but I can only err on the side of optimism.

Going to Quicksand tonight.