Robin Roberts
Did anybody see her interview Tony Snow this morning on GMA? It was kinda sad and I applaud her for interviewing him as he exits the White House to spend more time with his family. How brave of her to talk to him on camera. She was asking him about his treatments and he was giving her a 'pep talk' ... she said she starts treatment next week. I suppose it must be chemo if she is scared and talking about wanting to work vs wanting to and not being able to.
Comments
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I saw the interview and they are both courageous people for sharing their cancer with the world. The feeling I got from the interview is they are both wanting to encourage people to be proactive in the testing for cancer and also encourage those who are going through the treatments. As you said I could tell she was worried about starting her treatments. I wish her well.
Sheila
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I also saw it and felt so badly for her. Her eyes sort of welled-up slightly when she said to him 'But I want to (work)!' And then when they panned back to real time with her at the desk with Diane and they started that hand-holding thing again. I sure hope that she has enough support as she begins treatment and that she has a relatively easy time of it. She's truly a fine, courageous woman!
~Marin
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Actually, I understood, Snow was leaving to make more money in the private sector because of his cancer diagnosis. He needs it because of the diagnosis. (and maybe because of the prognosis?)
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Has Robin shared her treatment at all? By the timing of it, I suspect that she was very early stage and is starting radiation next week without chemo. It's been about a month since her surgery, which I also suspect was a lumpectomy. That was my treatment for small IDC and DCIS, but I had two excisions. I hope she can get off as easily as I did.
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I saw her interview Kenny Chesney today after he sung his new song "Blink" which was about a man who lived to be in his 100's. The song talked about different stages of the old man's life and how if you BLINK you could miss so much. After the song was over....Robin and Kenny were hugging....and she had tears in her eyes and mentioned her makeup running. I was crying when the song was being sung....because all of us breast cancer survivors know how precious life is.....just like the old man in the song. Then when Robin mention her makup running...because she also had tears from the song. That comment really expressed to me the emotion that she is experiencing with her breast cancer diagnosis......she feels just like us......my heart went out to her.
As far as timing.......6 weeks is standard before starting chemo......so who knows if she is getting chemo or not. I remember her commenting about bad hair days.....so that made me think chemo was in her future. If it is radiation only.......I would not be surprised if she is able to work.
Love,
Terry -
Terry, I agree, but we will see .... I think she is worried because chemo is part of her treatment. I had a mast and chemo, didn't do rads but I don't think rads alone is that debilitating. Now, rads after chemo, I hear that it can be exhausting especially since it's a 5 day a week treatment course.
My guess is that she is concerned about feeling ill due to the s/e's from chemo and hence all the coverage of women who worked during tx.
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I agree with Dottie when she said that Snow was going to work in the private sector for financial reasons. I saw him on O'Reilly last night and they talked about the reasons he's leaving the White House. He talked about doing speeches, writing a book, and I don't know what else his plans are. He's so upbeat. He says he feels great. He's now taking a pill form of chemo. He says his cancer is "stable" (my interpretation). He said if it started getting worse they'd fight it hard with another chemo. He's not giving up. He is truly and inspiration.
Shirley
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I think Tony is leaving for health reason. Good for him. stupid cancer. The white house has to be soo much pressure.
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I just saw Tony Snow on Glenn Beck's show and it was the first I had heard of him leaving. I googled him and there was an article from end of August stating he is leaving strictly for financial reasons. I always got the impression he really liked the job.
Glenn Beck also had Laura Ingraham on his show and she is a young (40 ish) breast cancer survivor, went through chemo and rads too (I think). She looked fabulous. I am pretty sure she had dx'd stage 2.
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I hope Robin does well, I know I could never have worked during my chemo, I am a nurse and the exposure to germs and bugs would have probably wiped me out. I tolerated chemo relatively well but had a ton of support from my husband and kids, in-laws and friends so I know I am one of the luckier ones. I felt more wiped out from the 5 surgeries in one year than the chemo I think.
In any event I hope it all goes well for her.
Tina
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Actually Tony didn't say that he needed the money because of his diagnosis/prognosis, but to put his kids through college and other expenses. He talked about being so fortunate to have great health care. He also said he wants to spend more time with his family. As much as I wish Snow well, I think in part the interview showed just how out of touch he is with the vast majority of americans. The man makes about $150,000 a year, a figure that many can only dream about.
As for Robin, I wish her well with her treatment. It sounds like she has as much support as a person could have, with a close family, the closeness she shares with her coworker, and thousands of viewers who email her. I'm sure she has excellent insurance and income, so she won't have some of the worries of paying for copays, insurance questioning treaments (as mine did when my oncologist recommended herceptin while it was still in clinical trials) or not paying for certain treatments-- so that will be less stress for her than some have.
I wonder how open she'll be during treatment about her condition and progress. I'm sure they're a fine line between being an effective journalist and reporting the story vs. being the story.
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If anyone wants to follow the story of a journalist who is going through BC, go to http://www.thebostonchannel.com/sponsors/10723820/detail.html. It is the story of Kelly Tuthill, a journalist for the station who was dx last December. She was interviewed by Robin when she first disclosed her dx. She is sharing everything, certainly a brave thing to do.
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I so admire Tony Snow. I also think that he IS in touch with the American people. He also mentioned on the O'Reilly Show that he had great health coverage and he knew he was fortunate. I doubt there's a transcript from that show, but I think he mentioned something about wanting that for all Americans. Heck, I coulda dreamed that one up.
In today's world $150,00 is considered middle income, isn't it? I would love to make that much, but he certainly earned it. I sure would hate to have answered all the questions thrown at him.
Putting children through college is very expensive. We put three daughters through college and had to borrow, beg, steal (just kidding)....not to mention all the other expenses that come with children. We also sent them to private school. So, I know all too much what it's like to make a LOT less that $150,000. I was a stay-at-home mom. And I wouldn't change anything.
Shirley
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Well, I get a little angry when I think of Tony Snow. His mother died of colon cancer when he was just 17. Why is the world did someone not clue him into regular colonoscopies? Just so stupid. Now he has metastasized and will die, and I think his doc, his family, someone could or should have told him with his family history it was vital to have the tests. This cancer is the ONE AND ONLY cancer that can be stopped before it starts. No chemo, no surgery, no radiation, just a test and a painless snip. Makes me sad and so angry. Like, somehow, somewhere, someone dropped the ball big time, such a waste.
Hugs, Shirlann -
Shirlann, did his cancer start of colon cancer? Has it spread to his lungs? I'm confused. I thought he had lung cancer. Of course, what do I know? LOL
You are so right. He should have had colonoscopies at a very young age. That is too sad.
Shirley
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Shirley, he has mets ......
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I just looked it up, it is colon cancer ..... sad, sad.
People might think that his salary is enough but they don't know his mortgage, the price of tuition, etc. People think that I earn a lot of money but when you start out later in life buying a house and planning for the future, instead of planning in your 20's, it's hard to put enough away for college and that of a spouse. I am sure that he wants to make enough for his wife to continue in their lifestyle. -
According to a republican, conservative paper http://www.watchblog.com/republicans/archives/004925.html from March 2007, "If you used simply income, the middle is $46,326 and if you take the 60% of Americans in the middle and it would stretch from $19,178 to $91,705. " so either way you cut it, Snow is higher than middle class income, even if his life style, mortgage or the amount he's saving for his children's college or wife's life style is excessive to the amount he earns.
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Shirlann, I am not so sure we can be so quick to judge Tony Snow on not being diligent with his screenings. When he was first diagnosed at an earlier stage I believe it was during a routine screening and if I remember correctly the report said he had been getting his screenings often due to his family history. Colon just like breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body when caught early. We see enough of that here on these boards. I am sure there are women on these boards who had a family history of breast cancer and were diligent with screenings and caught it early and still got mets a few years later. Colon cancer like breast cancer is a crap shoot. Some early stage recur and some later stage don't. My heart goes out to him and his family.
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Ya know, some men think they HAVE to TAKE CARE of their family. That that's their job (traditionally). We as parents ALWAYS want our children to do better thay us. I'm not gonna pat myself on the back (oh, yes I will), but we did without so our girls could have a good education. We have one who's an attorney and makes a bunch and she's single and now is ready to leave this firm and start on her own with another lawyer. Then we have one who she and her DH sold everything and as you probably know have been traveling throughout Africa for almost two years. Then we have one who is married, has two kids and she and DH do fine.
If my DH found out he had a life threatening disease while our children were growing up he wouldn't have had the option to quit the job he had and move on to a better paying job like Tony Snow seems to want to do. I hope it works for him. He wants his wife and children to have what they want and need. Not everyone can do this, but I am happy for those who can.
I believe for him planning the future for his family is so very important. Once you get those kids educated and out on their own and hopefully successful you can sigh a breath of relief.
Shirley
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Well, as I'm sure many of you saw on GMA this morning, Robin will begin her chemo tomorrow, followed by rads. I'm assuming she'll get the standard AC + T and she did mention that she'll lose her hair. I was happy for her to note that this is the first time I thought she seemed very directed and at peace with the course ahead of her. Her eyes looked clear and hopeful (not scared & worried as in previous discussions about her dx) and her voice was strong and steady. She & Diane still did the hand-holding thing, but it just seemed it was because she felt loved and supported.
Robin mentioned that someone emailed her and advised her eating lots of bacon
before chemo. So fess up, y'all....who did that???!
Best of luck, Robin! We're all here for you!!!!
~Marin
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Saw the show.....and then they do a topic on China and HOOTERS.
LOVE,
TERRY -
OMG, Terry...I saw that and didn't make the connection! That's hilarious...or tasteless..?!
~Marin
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Perhaps she's more at peace because she has a plan now. I hope she does well.
Bacon? Never heard of that.
Shirley
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Sad...but true......just the many topics that Robin will find herself dealing with and of course many of those topics we have discussed right here on BC.org. What amazes me is how everyone sitting around her did not seem to have a clue to the Hooter Connection and her BREAST CANCER..........but I imagine Robin felt it........but just went right along with the Hooter Humor.
Love,
Terry -
I did not see the hooter part of the show, I had to leave for work just after her talk about starting chemo.
I also felt her peace about her plan of attack.
I don't know who said bacon, after I got to work, my mom called to have me send Robin a message to eat a little something every two hours for nausa . . . but not bacon.
Sheila
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I craved bacon and hamburger while on chemo. Go figure.
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BACON?????
The salt would kill me with the edema I got from chemo!
Robin, if you read this: stay away from high sodium!
BTW- did she mention if she is tripleneg? If she is I hope she lets the African American community know how vital it is to be screened EARLY because of the increased risk of aggressive tripleneg disease!
( I know I have said it before- and I am going to keep on saying it!)
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Earlier I had said that I thought that Robin was only going to do radiation because she seemed to be progressing on a timeline similar to mine. I did not do chemo, so I really didn't know that timeline. She kept saying how early it had been caught and yet she needs chemo. I am going to show my ignorance here, but if it were caught so early, wouldn't just about the only reason she would do chemo is because she is tripleneg?
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As far as I know, she hasn't given details on HOW early it was caught. I was just reading the new Women and Cancer magazine and there is something that says "for early stage bc (I-III)". I was dx at III and my onc calls it "advanced" not early. Guess it depends on who you are talking to.
So..even if she was dx at StageII..it's considered early stage, but would still need chemo.
Bugs
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