That made it easy…

[Spiky Bugger]

I’m at the Hematologist’s office/infusion center. A couple of cubicles down, a patient is being given all the rules, regulation, warnings and stuff re the chemo she is going to start. This has been going on since before we arrived 60 minutes ago.

The “cure” has the potential to cause nearly every complication known to science. And, of course, no promises that it will permanently fix the problem.

I just think I don’t “have what it takes“ to deal with that. Maybe if I were younger? Maybe if either of my parents had made it to 80 (I’m 76) without going loopy. Maybe if I were not dealing with a shit-tonne of other conditions.

I admire those who CAN…but I doubt I’m part of that club. I’m gonna be hit by a BIG truck instead. Okay?

 

[southernlady]

I admire those who CAN…but I doubt I’m part of that club. I’m gonna be hit by a BIG truck instead. Okay?

Okay, just try to give us a heads up?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Sure!

Right now, I think all is/was well.

You looking for a big truck?

 

[JackieOnLine]

I just think I don’t “have what it takes“ to deal with that.

but nobody is asking you to, right? "all is well", right? so no need to worry about it now.

right?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

but nobody is asking you to, right? "all is well", right? so no need to worry about it now.

right?

True dat. I

It was just TERRIFYING…if you experience numbness here or here, call right away. If it goes on too long it isn’t reversible…If you get mouth sores anyway, there is a different medication you can use…nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea…etc.

I mean…I sure don’t look forward to death (although it’s always there, for all of us), but I have so many partially disabling things going on now, ADDING to them doesn’t sound great unless there’s like a one month limit and a guarantee it will work. My GI system, my urinary tract, the COPD, arthritic ankles (and knees, hips, hands), osteoporosis, and so on.

Not one of those is currently jump-of-a-cliff-worthy, not even in combination. But that list…and, btw, they were still going when we left…was too much to contemplate.

 

[Larra]

With that much arthritis, are you certain you'd be able to jump off a cliff? You may need a Plan B.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

With that much arthritis, are you certain you'd be able to jump off a cliff? You may need a Plan B.

Damn!

I guess I’d better add Cognitive Impairment, because I forgot about THAT detail!

 

[Larra]

Seriously, though, chemo isn't always as bad as those warnings made it sound to you (and probably to the patient hearing it for themselves). I'm not trying to minimize, it can be very rough, but it depends on the type of cancer, the drug combo, and the patient. Doctors, or their staffs as surrogates, are required to tell the patient every awful potential side effect in this circumstance. If we knew all the possible side effects of every drug we take, we might not take anything.

 

[southernlady]

If you read the side effects of almost every drug, most everything will scare you silly.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

If you read the side effects of almost every drug, most everything will scare you silly.

True.

Literacy may be overrated.

 

[navygrrl]

Literacy may be overrated.

Most of my high school kids seem to think so!