Posted: 10/4/2001 8:15:32 AM EDT
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I know that most of you big brauny tough guys will never be personally afflicted with this disease. However, I'm betting that each and every one of you has a woman or two in their life that they couldn't imagine living without. I'm engaged to a woman who fought and beat Lymphoma four years ago. We're waiting to hit year five when she can be truly classified as a survivor and the odds of it never reoccuring soar dramatically. Last week Shelby went in for her annual mammogram. On Tuesday she got a call from her oncologyst asking her to come in today for another battery of tests. Fortunately everything came back clean. Cancer is a very real fear in our lives, heightened by the fact that I lost my aunt to breast cancer last month and two of my uncles, my godmother and one of my cousins are all fighting serious battles with this insidious illness. Some of them won't make it. the prospect of losing Shelby so soon keeps me awake at night. So, if there is a woman in your life you truly care about encourage her to be tested and to do a monthly self-exam. If you want to do a little more, buy the breast cancer awareness stmaps from the post office which will remind people of these disease while helping to raise funds to eradicate it. |
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My step-grandfather died of cancer, and I lost a very dear friend to ovarian cancer. She was only 28. It's a horrible disease, but they'e had some luck with successfully fighting cancerous tumors by shutting off their blood supply. Most of the trials fail in human tests, but it looks like this latest one I read about might do the trick. God Bless Texas |
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Hey, Hiram. Congrats to Shelby, she sounds like a true warrior! I, too, have personal experience with this disease, and can not emphasize enough the importance of a positive attitude and a never-ending supply of faith and hope. Of course, some prayer can NEVER hurt. It kind of helps you to realize that every day on earth is a gift, not to be squandered or taken for granted (which I'm sure we're all guilty of at one time or another). Best of luck, bud. P.S. I'm still working on obtaining that info you requested at the gun shop this past weekend. Take care. Cloak- |
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cloak-n-carbine? What's with the new handle? did you get banned for picking on imbroglio too much? I TOLD you that would happen! You by any chance going to the Springfield show this weekend? I haven't made up my mind whether to or not. And yeah, Shelby is a trooper. |
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I appreciate the cause for breast cancer awareness, but here's my opinion. Ever here of testicular cancer awareness week? Colon cancer awareness week? Neither have I. Equal time should be devoted to many different types of cancer. Breast cancer is a very important disease to address, but no more so than many others. How about equal time for cancers that afflict men too? And yes, I have had both genders afflicted with different types of cancer in my family. The fight against cancer is a vital cause, I'd just like to see resources equally divided among different cancers. Allocating funding to the types that effect the most people, regardless of gender. |
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Quoted: I appreciate the cause for breast cancer awareness, but here's my opinion. Ever here of testicular cancer awareness week? Colon cancer awareness week? Neither have I. Equal time should be devoted to many different types of cancer. Breast cancer is a very important disease to address, but no more so than many others. How about equal time for cancers that afflict men too? And yes, I have had both genders afflicted with different types of cancer in my family. The fight against cancer is a vital cause, I'd just like to see resources equally divided among different cancers. Allocating funding to the types that effect the most people, regardless of gender. I agree 100%. Prostate cancer (a male cancer) is one of the biggest killers of all the cancers. |
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Quoted: The fight against cancer is a vital cause, I'd just like to see resources equally divided among different cancers. Allocating funding to the types that effect the most people, regardless of gender. I believe lung cancer and heart attacks also kill more than breast cancer. |
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One year ago today, my wife had her LAST radiation treatment (which was preceeded by four months of chemotherapy) to beat lymphoma (Hodgkins) At least, she has been cancer free for one year. She is 34 years old. Let me offer up praise to God for His mercy, which my wife and I BOTH beleive He did NOT owe us. Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow. |
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Quoted: My daughter brought up a good point, we men get breast cancer also, just that is not so highly publicized. Good point. My wife used to be a full-time mamographer and she said doctors are recommending guys getting checked for breast cancer now after a certain age. |
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Quoted: ...Plus...It's a wonderful excuse to go and feel your wife up!!! It seems a local radio personality made a similar offer, on-air, for "free breast exams" a year or 2 back during BCAW. The program director was not amused, nor were many listeners, judging from the crow the DJ had to eat to keep his job. |
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First off, I'm thrilled that your fiancee is looking good, HiramRanger. Luckily, I can't imagine what it must be like to have something like that hanging over the head of someone that close to you. I'm a cancer survivor. When I was 15, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, cancer of the lymphatic system. I got a bunch of really fun tests: upper and lower GIs, lymphangiogram, CAT scans, staging, etc. They took out a few glands from my neck, then I got radiation treatment for 4 months. As much as radiation treatment sucked, I prayed to God thanking Him that I didn't have to get chemo. On the oncology ward where I went for my treatments, I saw the folks who were taking that poison...poison that kills the cancer cells just a touch faster than it kills the patient. I've heard a lot lately about breast cancer funds, breast cancer awareness, pink ribbons on newscasters and celebrities. There are a lot of different kinds of cancer out there. Hey, I had never heard of the lymphatic system when I was 15, let alone knew you could get cancer in it. Why is it that breast cancer gets all this attention, and so few others are ever mentioned until you get the bad news from the doctor? Is it that it's primarily a disease that affects women rather than men, and therefore some kind of "special" cause, more easily and nobly espoused than any old cancer that kills irrespective of gender? God forbid a cancer develops that affects only gay, left-handed, right-eye-dominant Sudanese tap dancers. No other medical condition will be able to get a dime or a minute's airtime. Again, so the real gist of this thread isn't lost, I'm very glad your fiancee is all clean HiramRanger. Give her our best. |
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Ever here of testicular cancer awareness week? Colon cancer awareness week? Neither have I. I understand what you are getting at, but there is a difference. Among the other aims of this "awareness", the need for self exams is spotlighted. The only similar one for men is testicular cancer, and that is MUCH less common. |
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Thanks guys, I appreciate your support and I respect your opinions. Here is my theory as to why it gets such high billing over other cancers. First, it affects far more women then men affected by prostate or testicular cancer. Second, it is primarily an affliction of the female gender who we as a society have a very protective approach to. Call it sexism, call is chauvanism, call it chivalry. I call it reality. Third, every single one of us has a mother who we suckled on. Not to sound crass but the female breast is the fountain of life for a child, it defines womanhood and fertility as much as the uterus, if not more. The idealized vision of a maternal figure throughout history is one with an ample bosom to nourish children. These are the reasons I think breast cancer seems to have predominance. Now, I sent Shelby an electronic greeting card this morning from www.bluemountain.com and that was how I learned it was breast cancer awareness week. Surprisingly there were a coiuple other cancer awareness weeks as well this month. Check it out. |