Pipfitz Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Hi everyone, Just to introduce myself as I've been lurking on the boards for quite a while now! Darling husband has been living with a diagnosis of NCLC for nearly 8 months now and seems to have been progressing slowly through all that time. He's still reasonably well: working part-time, walking a mile or two a day, eating with interest if not relish, but is also losing muscle and not sleeping well. We live in Cambridge England and have five wonderful daughters between 3 and 16. Just a little warning - I personally find the language of "battle" with this disease uncomfortable. I'm sure lots of people want to fight it out and need to believe that's what they're doing. But that metaphor leaves those of us who know that the "fight" will be lost eventually marked as somehow "failing" or "giving up" and therefore guilty of not trying hard enough. We're all doing what we can - and for me that's to live the life we have as well as we can in recognition that life is very finite and the good days won't come by too often with this disease. Best wishes to everyone from a foggy autumnal Cambridge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laban Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Pipfitz.... Welcome to the boards. You will find many wonderful people here to help with questions and comfort during this time. I've seen your posts to Dr West as I also have been there often. Blessings to your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyoung20 Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Pipfitz, Glad your not a lurker anymore!! Welcome!! God Bless!! Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary colleen Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trish2418 Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Welcome. You'll find lots of support here. Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Welcome Pipfitz don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Pipfitz, Welcome to the site. I am sorry to hear about your husband. My cancer was very similar to your husbands. I am so sorry that you believe that you will loose to cancer. There are many of us here that have hope. Hope that we can survive. Hope that a new treatment is just around the corner. Hope that the drugs we are taking will work. I was told by one doctor that I had 18 months tops. I was told that I would be very sick from the treatment. I elected to take the treatment and not believe the prognoses. It has been 30 months. I have not had a sick day and feel great. None of us know anything for sure when it comes to cancer. Each one of us may have a different result from our treatment. I don’t believe any of us can know for sure what God’s plan is for our lives. I do not wish to be critical of your beliefs. I only want to share with you the hope that many of us on this site have and how it has helped us survive. I will pray that they find the treatment that will reduce your husband's cancer. Stay positive, Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Welcome Pipfitz. Some people "battle", while others do not. To each their own. No judgements here... just support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Hi, Pipfitz, thanks for unlurking! "Pipfitz" I personally find the language of "battle" with this disease uncomfortable... I'm also a bit uneasy with the term, but for a different reason. It implies that we're fighting a foreign invader in the same way that we would attack a virus or bacterial infection. Many people find it helpful to think of cancer as an invader, but I don't. Cancer cells are my own cells that have been damaged in some way, possibly but not necessarily by a foreign substance, but which for some reason did not die along with the 50 billion other damaged or "used up" cells in my body that undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) every day. While we may need some emergency assistance in the form of chemo or radiation to get control of the situation, the long-term solution is to strengthen the body's processes to the point where they can once again dispose of potentially cancerous cells as they're designed to do. A mind game? Maybe, but whatever mental energy I devote to the cancer issue I'd prefer to place on the positive, process-strengthening side, so I can put that part of my life back on autopilot. Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbara5452 Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Welcome unlurker, dito to all the above. Hope is here along with strength when you need it, just ask someone will respond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 I am glad you came our of lurker land and joined us. When my husband was diagnosed we also had a 3 year old, now she is about to turn a whopping 9. I hope the Alimta is helping, keep us posted on how things go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Welcome Pippa, Glad you came out of Lurkerville. Lots of caring, sharing, support and hope here. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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