Can We Be Real?

Can we all be real?

Sure!  That's what this board is all about.  What's your question?

Doesn't really seem like it.......

Why would you think that?  We have all been through the good and bad of thyroid cancer.  Unfortunately some experienced more than others.  We're all at different stages, so we make for a good support system and wealth of personal knowledge.  All we can do is share what we've been through, experienced, and found to be right and wrong.  We discuss what your doctors never will.  I've said many times that our doctors should be required to read some of these postings so they know what really happens with their patients.

If you mean our positive attitudes, I promise you that mine is extremely real.  I've had many family members go through cancer.  Most alot worse than thyroid cancer.  I watched how their positive attitudes and good outlook on life got them through the toughest times and in one instance extended their life expentancy by ten years.  All of the doctors agreed it was her attitude and her will to live that extended her life.  That was proof enough for me.  When you are down and thinking fatalistic thoughts, you aren't giving your body a chance to respond well and recover from the trauma it is put through.  If you've ever known anyone going through a clinical depression, you would know what I mean.

None of us are belittling  anyone for their fears and negative thoughts.  What we are doing is sharing the reality which isn't as scarey as they expect it to be.  We are sharing the reality that thyroid is the least deadly cancer in existance today and that the treatments are very tolerable.  We share how to get through everything and how to make things more tolerable.  Sure, some patients experience more side effects than others do, but if they go through the procedures with a positive outcome, they have a better chance of getting through them a little less traumatized.

So you want us to get real?  That's what we're doing.  We're making the experience as real as we possibly can since we have already survived the ordeal.  You can't get much more real than to hear and share real experiences from cancer SURVIVORS!

Give positive thinking a chance.......

Hear Hear ! Well put

The answer about positive attitude is very good advice, but I can also understand the get real attitude.  Saying this is the least deadly cancer or that this is a good cancer to get are statements that really bother me.  This is cancer and for some people who are older diagnosed with stage 4 it can be deadly.  And by older I only mean 45+.  Not old in my book.  This is a serious cancer or we wouldn't be going through high doses of radiation.  If the risk is so great that we have to be isolated from family and especially from those who administer the treatment, then what is it doing to our body?   I have had co-workers and even family read that this is no big deal, because for most people it is highly treatable.  Big difference between being treatable and this cancer being life altering.  Weight gain, no energy, feeling like crap off and on for years are serious issues.  I often wonder if the cancer will kill me or the treatment will.  Now with all those negative statements made, my advice for get real is to listen to the advice give about positive attitude.  Take this serious and have a pity party, then get on with life.  We don't chose the trials we have in life, we deal with them.  Some of the most incredible people I have known have dealt with things in their life that I would find impossible to deal with.  I am not happy to have this cancer but I am blessed to have great support from most of my co-workers ( who donated vacation time to help cover my time off) and family  who know there are times I just need to rest and don't be around Dad when he is on the LID diet ( I am a bear - and angry and hungry bear).  Since getting this I have seen many good things that I probably would not have seen if I didn't get this.  Even with all of that said I certainly do not look at this as a good thing, but it is something I had to get real about and deal with it.  I still hate my doctor and all those people who poke me with needles while they have a smile on their face.  :(

 

On 7/9/2008 mjseyb wrote:

The answer about positive attitude is very good advice, but I can also understand the get real attitude.  Saying this is the least deadly cancer or that this is a good cancer to get are statements that really bother me.  This is cancer and for some people who are older diagnosed with stage 4 it can be deadly.  And by older I only mean 45+.  Not old in my book.  This is a serious cancer or we wouldn't be going through high doses of radiation.  If the risk is so great that we have to be isolated from family and especially from those who administer the treatment, then what is it doing to our body?   I have had co-workers and even family read that this is no big deal, because for most people it is highly treatable.  Big difference between being treatable and this cancer being life altering.  Weight gain, no energy, feeling like crap off and on for years are serious issues.  I often wonder if the cancer will kill me or the treatment will.  Now with all those negative statements made, my advice for get real is to listen to the advice give about positive attitude.  Take this serious and have a pity party, then get on with life.  We don't chose the trials we have in life, we deal with them.  Some of the most incredible people I have known have dealt with things in their life that I would find impossible to deal with.  I am not happy to have this cancer but I am blessed to have great support from most of my co-workers ( who donated vacation time to help cover my time off) and family  who know there are times I just need to rest and don't be around Dad when he is on the LID diet ( I am a bear - and angry and hungry bear).  Since getting this I have seen many good things that I probably would not have seen if I didn't get this.  Even with all of that said I certainly do not look at this as a good thing, but it is something I had to get real about and deal with it.  I still hate my doctor and all those people who poke me with needles while they have a smile on their face.  :(

I hear what you are saying.  I am 50+ with diabetes, high blood pressure, well into menopause, arthritis, etc. etc. besides follicular thyroid cancer.  I am also told that I have an unusually high thresh hold for pain and stress.  I get that.  But it is a proven medical fact that thyroid cancer IS the least deadly of all cancers.  IF I have to have cancer, which is never a good thing, I'm glad it turned out to be thyroid.  It is extremely slow growing; it was estimated that I had it for 8-10 years and I was lucky enough to find out it didn't metastisize.  I took advantage of medical progress and used Thyrogen instead of hypo hell.  That makes a HUGE difference.  I did not find the LID diet to be hard.  I was never hungry.  My eating habits had to change for sure, but it was very doable.  Isolation didn't bother me.  I talked to friends and family, got a lot of rest, caught up on reading and enjoyed a little time off.  We aren't really that dangerous according to my nuclear med guy.  It's only a percaution.  As they told me, if we were really that dangerous to others, we'd be isolated in a tent in the hospital.  Some people need to learn how to make lemonade out of all of those lemons.  If you dwell on the bad, it will all be bad.

My point is...the C word is always devestating, but I know and have convinced myself that it could be so much worse.  I didn't have to have devestating chemotherapy.  I was one of the lucky ones that didn't have many of the bad side effects to RAI.  I lost my taste buds and my voice isn't back yet, but I've watched family and friends go through chemo.  Thank God I didn't have to experience that.  ALSO...thyroid cancer is extremely treatable.  You are right, there is a small percentage of patients that aren't as lucky as most of us and they are in later stages of thyca and have to deal with issues that most of us thankfully will never have to deal with.

I'm four months post TT and I really feel good.  My endo has been great and has my levels in check so far.  I've stayed on this site because so many people were of such support for me that I want to share my experience with others looking for support.  I've never been a fatalist and I'm not about to be now.  If I get tired, I rest.  But cancer will NOT rule my life.  I have way too much to do and accomplish for that. I consider myself a survivor for now until someone proves to me any different, that is how I will continue to live my life.  I can easily deal with a few down days, food tasting funny,  a little weight gain/loss, or my voice giving out...I'm tickeled pink that I have those days ahead of me to deal with!!!

I only hope others can learn to deal with their situation and don't have a truly rough time getting to that point.  We are all here to support each other.  Now...THAT'S TRULY REAL TO ME!!!!! :)

Don't understand the question.  Please state what you are really asking.  We have all found this site for the same reason. We all have better things to do in life than beg for info because we have a cancer that is not well defined by the medical community and we are going through things we do not understand and need the help of others who have and can shed some understanding.  Again, what is it that your are asking???

Irquake, If you need to talk, send me a private reply. Skylog

I was just in a bad frame of mind when I posted that message....

I am thinking positively most of the time but sometimes....

I guess the reaction I wanted to that message was exactly what I got....the good and the bad....everything!

Thanks to you all.