When you get cancer how are you going to handle it?

JBod · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:22

And for those that have been unfortunate enough to have it, how did you handle it?

Good old statistics suggests my Topic will ~50% correct to all of us on this forum.

I am fully expecting heart attack or cancer to do me in. I think I will meet it with an air of "well finally".

My biggest fear is finding out too late to do anything about and as a parent having heart wrenching final few weeks/months with my two toddlers.

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:37

Cancer or dementia for me probably. My main concern though isn't what kills me, but what happens to conciousness after death. How one manifests.

G-MAN2004 · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:38

I'd lock it away in the back of my mind and get on with my days. I also wouldn't tell anyone I have it - not even my parents.

Hades · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:40

I had testicular cancer in 2011 and am in remission. Hopefully I will get the all clear next year. My father died of cancer so I took it very seriously the second I suspected it and insisted on being seen that day. I was very lucky that mine was a stage 1 seminoma which is amongst the most treatable cancer a man can get. So it wasn't too serious in the scheme of things. But of course you don't know that to start with and all you hear is the c word.

The worst part was having a full body CT scan and then waiting for the results to see if it had spread to vital organs. Luckily it hadn't. The treatment wasn't too bad (surgery and radiotherapy) although a biopsy on the other side was very unpleasant. More seriously it has some long term health implications in that my body can't make its own testosterone now so I am on hormone replacement therapy. It's not as good as the body naturally producing it and it resulted in bad moods, tiredness, a general lack of interest in things and weight gain that I'm actively trying to get rid of.

But it could have been far worse and I am extremely lucky. It has certainly changed my attitude to life. It's important to have a positive attitude whatever happens. I have two kids (who don't know that I've had cancer because I don't want to worry them). I owed it to them to still be here for them so I would have fought it hard if it had been more serious.

We never know what life has in store for us tomorrow, whether that's illness or simply having an accident. Enjoy life and those round you while you can. Always stay positive and just get on with life.

Mynight · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:43

Edit: just remembered people I know in real life read these boards.

estebanrey · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:44

According to Cancer Research it's about 1 in 3 so not sure where your 50% comes from

tbyeah · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:46

How many people do just pass away from old age? I know it's a fairly small minority.

VoG · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:48

My mum died of cancer so I suspect i'll take it rather badly.

estebanrey · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:51

tbyeah said:
How many people do just pass away from old age? I know it's a fairly small minority.

Well zero given 'old age' is not a recognized cause of death for pathologists.

But my Grandma effectively died of old age, but it says pneumonia on her death certificate.

JBod · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:54

estebanrey said:
According to Cancer Research it's about 1 in 3 so not sure where your 50% comes from

There is a lot of statistics around it of course, but it was loosely based on this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22796220

bbc said:
The number of people in the UK who will get cancer during their lifetime will increase to nearly half the population by 2020, a report has forecast.

estebanrey · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:55

Monserrat said:
My main concern though isn't what kills me, but what happens to conciousness after death. How one manifests.

Nothing will happen.

Let's flip the question around, 'where was your consciousness before you were born?'

The answer's the same, it didn't exist. If it not existing before your life doesn't bother you then why should it after it?

Marine Iguana · 1 Jul 2014 at 00:56

Type 1 diabetic so chances are higher for other things that will eventually maybe kill me not really worried by anything.

Rroff · 1 Jul 2014 at 01:21

estebanrey said:
Nothing will happen.

Let's flip the question around, 'where was your consciousness before you were born?'

The answer's the same, it didn't exist. If it not existing before your life doesn't bother you then why should it after it?

There is no evidence it didn't exist only that we aren't aware of any previous existence, neither is there evidence that any previous consciousness did exist mind but there are no sound grounds for having an absolute opinion either way.

tbyeah · 1 Jul 2014 at 01:23

Rroff said:
There is no evidence it didn't exist only that we aren't aware of any previous existence, neither is there evidence that any previous consciousness did exist mind but there are no sound grounds for having an absolute opinion either way.

My "sound ground" is any lack of proof to back the claim of a consciousness before or after birth/death respectively.

OT, I don't have a clue. I think I'd have to tell someone.

Rroff · 1 Jul 2014 at 01:29

tbyeah said:
My "sound ground" is any lack of proof to back the claim of a consciousness before or after birth/death respectively.

OT, I don't have a clue. I think I'd have to tell someone.

Having an opinion on it or considering one way or the other more likely based on known fact is one thing and I can respect that, having an absolute opinion that excludes the possibility of the other is not at all sound. There is a leap between current knowledge of the low level mechanics of this existence and the ability for a consciousness to be a product of any complex construction using those low level mechanics.

EDIT: Or I should say this was atleast the case last time I looked into it.

Dj_Jestar · 1 Jul 2014 at 01:47

I'm certain I would/will be a blubbering inconsolable shambles for quite some time.

Uncle Petey · 1 Jul 2014 at 01:51

Given the way my smoking habit has escalated over the last couple of years, I'm bricking it

Hope it's not too late for vaping to save me.

If I was diagnosed, I'd probably go into denial until it made itself very known and I'm not sure I'd have the courage to ride it out tbh.

Mr Badger · 1 Jul 2014 at 01:52

Well, you've got to die from something. Before they invented cancer we had to rely on plague, starvation, trivial infections, war, predation etc. At least now we live long enough to enjoy the joys of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's and the like. Unless, of course, you are Glaswegian.

Rroff · 1 Jul 2014 at 02:03

Honestly have no idea how I would handle it.

Actually suprised I've not had it or something similar before now having had more than my fair share of exposure to radiation and asbestos. Unfortunatly I fear my fate is likely to be more like dementia than cancer but who knows.

tbyeah · 1 Jul 2014 at 02:31

Rroff said:
Having an opinion on it or considering one way or the other more likely based on known fact is one thing and I can respect that, having an absolute opinion that excludes the possibility of the other is not at all sound. There is a leap between current knowledge of the low level mechanics of this existence and the ability for a consciousness to be a product of any complex construction using those low level mechanics.

EDIT: Or I should say this was atleast the case last time I looked into it.

I misread, it's not completely absolute but it is in my mind beyond reasonable doubt until evidence shows otherwise (as none has been found). I'd say the same with anything.

Here's a claim -> anything backing it up? -> yes/no -> ok let's look a bit more into it then/come back when you do.