I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Enjoyful

Susie -



He's off to boarding school to start his training under saddle. Both he and my sister's horse (my horse's full sister) are there and settling in nicely.

1Athena1

Awwwwweeee. E, you look ever bit the rightfully proud mother. Beauiful picture.

Great to hear about markers - those fish-mouthed, neck nipping, wish-they-were-as-good-as-worms, would-bePacMans may indeed be gone!

Wabbit

More horsey porn ... starring Sampson and Enjoyful

suzieq60

E - that sounds great for him - you are both lovely.

Wabbit

Still waiting for that phone call Rosemary?  The wee hours of the morning are the favorite times for those calls aren't they?   

Enjoyful

Thank you, Susie!



Yes, Athena, there just aren't enough bad words to describe the soul-sucking blindly gaping garbage-filled stinkhole of a maw that is cancer. I will keep trying, though. ;-)

1Athena1

Little mo fos haven't messed with your beauty, though, E.

Enjoyful

Thank you, Athena! Nice of you to say. Early morning sun doesn't do much for my complexion ...or expression! Ha!

208sandy

Loving the horsey porn - he's just beautiful (like his owner).

Enjoyful

I'm just his minion, Sandy. The treat-bearing, food-giving, butt-scratching minion.

1Athena1

In other news, sad to see someone run off the boards because they did not express a positive view of Tamoxifen. I thought we'd gotten to the point where people were free to speak honestly about treatment - or to bash our meds if we bloody well wish to! Haven't seen that much loyalty expressed for people.

Enjoyful

Someone was run off the boards for not liking Tamox? Does any of us like ANYTHING we're on?



I sure as hell don't.

Anonymous

Seriously???

pupmom

I'm thinking it was more like she didn't like, and wouldn't take tamox, but could be wrong.

1Athena1

Equally outrageous.

I say we agree on the following formula - at least most of us).

This is cancer:

$#^%&$&$*&$&&$&*^$$*&$%^

This is treatment:

$#^%&$&$*&$&&$&*^$$*&$%^ -0.1

The equation is JUST on the side of treatment. Just. Many have a better equation, I know, but not everyone, and some die from treatment.

I'm sick of folks acting as though we should be grateful for the slash/poison/burn option. As though we somehow didn't have the right to demand more research for better.

kira1234

1Athena1, I haven't been seen around for a long time for much the same reason. I seem to be allergic to all the meds to the point of eczema breakouts. I miss you all, but hate the fighting!

1Athena1

I am sorry to hear that, kira - I thought you had left because of us liberals -lol!

It just makes me wonder whether the feminists of the 60s wasted their time - I am exaggerating, but you get my drift. Women continue to censure women who question the status quo even while people are dying both because of and in spite of treatment. Many stage IV-ers are receiving life-prolonging care. For others, the treatment hastens death and for many it makes not an iota of difference. People who don't treat till they dropped continue to be criticized. Death rates from cancer for those who get cancer haven't budged much in decades and yet we still have this crowd of people who hail paulty findings as great advances, criticize women who question the validity of the research system and do not understand the differences between epidemiological studies showing effects for large groups and INDIVIDUAL outcomes.

And, actually, I should say tx was better than 0.1 for me - I GOT NICE NEW SMALLER, YOUNGER PERKIER BREASTS - YEY!!! And I am NOT "offended" by that most unexpectedly wonderful outcome. All for a copay, too!

And, hey, if people tell me "you are strong" "I am proud of it" I will take that, thank you.

Sick of the poor-me, but I trust-my-treatmnent-blindly attitude.

How about: no, not poor me. Unlucky me, yes, but, oh well. Cancer establishment, stop the copycat drugs and safe trials and go back to the microscope to find a cure. That big hue and cry over the Atlas trial showing a satistical 2-3 percent survival benefit is a joke, IMO.

Remember the groups ActUp for AIDS? That's showing what men can do -and what women can emulate. ActUP said :"hell no," they figuratively threw Molotov ccktails and took to the streets, and AIDS research and treatment and legislation made amazing strides.

The breast cancer schoolgirl cheerleaders, OTOH, said ""Smile, be nice, dress it in pink and say there is a 98 percent cure."

I say, F that.

Loads of money for BC - obviously not being put to good enough use.

Rant not over, I'm afraid. :-)

bluedahlia

bluedahlia

Cancer needs to be eradicated!

kira1234

Leave because your all  liberal never!  I just seem to be off all the meds, and had to quit chemo, so sort of feel lost!

IllinoisLady

Wow !!  Sorry to hear that Athena.  This is a difficult disease, but with so many people there are bound to be those who will have a lot of negative reactions/se's.  I think there must have been a lot more do it.  I wish her well. 

Jackie

1Athena1

((((kira))))

That's exactly what infuriates me. You are STILL a cancer patient.

I was shocked the other day when a woman who had DCIS said she was choosing active surveillance, only to be told by someone else that if that was so, she belonged in the alt. section.

I'm sorry, but any course of action a person takes medically as a result of cancer is tx, as far as I am concerned. Whether that is surgery, chemo, rads or active surveillance, or prayer (considered alt by NIH). It is a measure taken in the hope of easing or curing a condition and the cheerleaders/bullies have to understand that.

I was also amazed, the other day, to see criticism of an article in the Washington POst. It was a beautifully written piece by a stage IV patient who had decided on palliative care. This means she was treating to avoid progression - NOT for NED. On the Post's site, the article got a lot of warm supportive comments, but it was lambasted here.

I think people have to be less selfish and stop projecting. Just because YOU wouldn't react that way to cancer don't criticize others.

I chose to treat my cancer and I did what I a) believed in scientifically and b) could tolerate. That is MY decision, but I don't have the right to tell another woman what to do with her body (remember, pro-choice anyone????)

Some women, including one wonderful one on BCO are saying "f that," enough suffering, I want to be well and have rejected treatment. They deserve support.

ESPECIALLY because the tx we currently have going are incapable of curing this disease.

YramAL

It didn't look to me like she was "run off" the boards. It looked like she was looking for people to agree with her, and there weren't any, or very few. Unless someone on that thread has since edited their post, it looks like it was a very civilized discussion to me. The OP deleted all of her posts, so I have no idea what she said. 

Mary

1Athena1

I will just say that if I had received some of the responses she did I would not want to come back either. She changed her name in a meaningful way. No one told her to leave - she just got a rather chilly reception. She is hardly the only OP who has looked for people to agree with her - haven't we all, in a support board?

YramAL

I just don't see it, sorry. And I've seen some pretty nasty reactions on these boards. There have been postings that make me want to cry, they were so nasty to the OP. But I just didn't see it this time. Which is not to say that you, Athena, are not perfectly justified in feeling like you do. It just didn't trigger that response in me.

Mary

1Athena1

I agree that there absolutely has been worse, Mary! Glad those days are over.

Chickadee

Took me a bit to find the thread but I didn't see any major dust up either. Certainly nothing that would make one walk away from the discussion. Then again by the time I found it the OP's posts were gone so I have no idea how she responded.

scuttlers

Just wanted to say that I am REALLY happy to be alive today! It was a great day!

Enjoyful

Yay Scuttlers! Me too!

suzieq60

Scoot and Scuttlers - we love you!!!