Nice People Thread Number 11 - A Treasury of Nice People

silvercar

Generali wrote: »

Have lymphoma again. Quite mild. Probably need radiotherapy.

Sounds like not what you wanted to hear, but very treatable.

What does "again" mean. I'm guessing that Leon left some cells lying around as a parting gift?

vivatifosi

Nikkster wrote: »

Did anyone see the lunar eclipse in the end?

DH saw it. He was up early and driving to work and saw it without knowing it was happening. Said it was amazing and really blood red.

I should qualify this by saying he is colour blind, so it may actually have been green.

Generali

Ok so I am back home with a proper keyboard.

There's a bit of argument over what is wrong with me. There might be nothing or there might be a lymphoma called a MALT.

The treatment for this is to cut it out (done). As this is in the side of my neck, they can't hack about as generously as they normally would. As a result there may be some lymphoma left behind, if there was any to start with, so they will give me some radiotherapy locally to kill off anything that was left behind. That isn't a given but it is by far the most likely course of treatment.

The PET scan showed a small chance of a second tumour in my tonsils. Pretty unlikely but possible. I'll have to go to see the surgeon about that.

The pain I have in my ear and head will be there forever to some extent as will numbness.

Total cost today: $0. Total cost for radiotherapy: $0. I'll have to pay a bit to my specialist.

For those wondering about this mix of public and private, there was a big sign up in the lift to the cancer ward:

"Please use private facilities where possible if you have health insurance. This allows us to direct resources to those that really need them."

Words to that effect at least. By paying I have sped up my treatment and gotten to this point faster than I could had I gone through the public health system. My treatment through the public system will be identical to someone who had used the public system entirely free (e.g. a poor person, an old person or a generally sick person).

Whether I have cheated the system to jump the queue or simply used some of my money in order to pay for my treatment whilst allowing someone who is unable to do so to get faster treatment depends on your point of view. Both are factually accurate.

Generali

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Lots of love Gen.

Thanks NDG.

Doozergirl wrote: »

Gen, I don't know if it feels like it right now, but this all could have been so much worse.

Oh I agree absolutely. If you had to pick a malignant cancer requiring treatment, this would probably be on the shortlist.

Doozergirl wrote: »

It's crappy, but this is definitely on the better side of the spectrum. I'm not expecting you to feel relieved or even okay about it, but you can do this, you have slight superpowers. You'll have more after this.

Eat cookie.

My superpower seems to be moaning that my ear hurts and waking up at 4am as a result!

Beggur the cookies, I've got a glass of wine.

silvercar wrote: »

Sounds like not what you wanted to hear, but very treatable.

What does "again" mean. I'm guessing that Leon left some cells lying around as a parting gift?

That's about it silvercar. Leon didn't want me getting lonely so might just have left a few cells behind.

Generali

vivatifosi wrote: »

DH saw it. He was up early and driving to work and saw it without knowing it was happening. Said it was amazing and really blood red.

I should qualify this by saying he is colour blind, so it may actually have been green.

We had solid rain. The moon might as well have tripped the light fandango for all the difference it made to us.

vivatifosi

Generali wrote: »

Have lymphoma again. Quite mild. Probably need radiotherapy.

Gen sorry to hear that. From what you've told us so far I hope I'm ok looking on the bright side. Firstly because I think you mentioned that they were screening you for other things that are worse than lymphoma so if they've settled on that, it sounds good, and secondly the words 'quite mild' are about as assuring as you can get when dealing with !!!!!! circumstances.

Anything us lot can do from here? 'Grey areas' in cancer are not nice, if you want to do a not nice letting off steam, please pm us. I'm happy to listen to grouchy Gen and I'm sure loads of others are too and will let you know if they haven't already done so. Sometimes when dealing with the C headf*ck I felt I needed someone with whom I could metaphorically 'kick the cat' and that couldn't be my family as they were stressed out enough.

If distance prevents us from doing much else, I hope we can at least be a sounding board. I know I'm not saying anything new, I've seen others write similar before, but its the least we can do.

ETA: Gen, sorry, I cross posted. Glad to hear the latest scenario, sounds reasonably positive.

Generali

PasturesNew wrote: »

Good luck. They should put a telly on, like in the chinese takeaways....

They did. We had Channel 7, a free-to-air commercial station. Think ITV with cricket.

They were showing the royal visit:

I don't know much about fashion but I think that colour is xxxxx

Lots of old, very ill people watching Prince George on the TV and talking about how sad it is that kids get cancer too. It is sad but there are other topics of conversation too.

There were some very sick people there. Poor things.

Generali

vivatifosi wrote: »

Gen sorry to hear that. From what you've told us so far I hope I'm ok looking on the bright side. Firstly because I think you mentioned that they were screening you for other things that are worse than lymphoma so if they've settled on that, it sounds good, and secondly the words 'quite mild' are about as assuring as you can get when dealing with !!!!!! circumstances.

Anything us lot can do from here? 'Grey areas' in cancer are not nice, if you want to do a not nice letting off steam, please pm us. I'm happy to listen to grouchy Gen and I'm sure loads of others are too and will let you know if they haven't already done so. Sometimes when dealing with the C headf*ck I felt I needed someone with whom I could metaphorically 'kick the cat' and that couldn't be my family as they were stressed out enough.

If distance prevents us from doing much else, I hope we can at least be a sounding board. I know I'm not saying anything new, I've seen others write similar before, but its the least we can do.

As far as anyone is telling me, the uncertainty is about whether I have cancer at all, not what I have. Perhaps I have cancer perhaps I don't.

They're treating me as if Leon was a cancer. TBH that's annoying in itself as I'm going through quite a lot of pain and discomfort for a maybe. Better to treat it and be sure I guess. It doesn't always feel like that though.

LOL. I cross posted with your cross post.

lemonjelly

lostinrates wrote: »

I am watching this too.

Like bake off did for baking...its putting me off gardening a bit......why cannot people just enjoy stuff?!


As a hyperself critical person I have to contend with pressure from myself over it when stuff goes wrong. I find being non competitive is really the only sane way forward for me personally. I don't mind shows and stuff its just when stuff people do on a day to day basis becomes synonymous with competitive tv it becomes off putting to me.


Although they just said rhubarb and custard curd.....that sounds yummy.....maybe all is forgiven.......

I've been making concerted efforts to reduce self critical-ness at the mo, and also small insignificant things that can wind you up, as I worry about the impact it can have.

I'm a little tenser than usual at the moment, & have been aware on occasions I've been quite short with one or two people. I need to do something to stop that. With the stress of the move, I feel I need to do stuff to reduces other stresses. So, for example the fact that a neighbour has recently started being a complete belmer about where he parks his car, I've been telling myself on repeat "s'ok, I'll be gone in a little while" to make it not bother me.

I also regularly keep telling myself quietly "everythings going ok, & it'll be great" regularly, Kriss Akabusi style.

lemonjelly

Doozergirl wrote: »

If you have bt broadband at home, you can 'borrow' internet from locals when you're away. You need to sign up for it. Our friends have a caravan and do this, I also convinced Sister in law to do the same when they are at their Devon house.

You can do similar if you're in a bt hotspot area.

Doozergirl wrote: »

I'm shattered. After a massive marketing lapse in my recuperation period, we've gone from a hole in the schedule to potentially being booked now into next year. It's all arrived at once, along with two kids for the Easter break. Meetings interspersed with play dates, housework, spreadsheets and making bracelets with elastic bands.

Sending DH to London again in the summer. I've instructed him to rent a flat this time, if anyone knows of anything simple going in West London around that time.

Sounds very positive DG!:j Busy, but positive!