WHY DO YOU THINK YOU GOT CANCER?

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  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #22
    Momof2plusteentwins said:

    Do you really know your family history?
    This is a really good discussion. I always was surprised that in my immediate family we were not touched by cancer. It seems every family is touched by cancer. My mom, dad (now deceased from diabetes - which caused all kinds of problems), two sisters, brother, some cousins, aunts, all didn't have cancer. I really don't have a huge family - don't really know a lot of them. My grandparents all died before I was 10 except 1. He died when I was 12. So when I gave health history - no cancer. Well, my paternal grandmother and grandfather possibly died from cancer - back then 60s a lot of people didn't have real good health care. Things happened and no one really knew what they died from. My maternal grandmother died supposedly from liver disease - cancer???? Who knows. Is any one else like me - not really know the real history??
    Sandy :)

    Good point Sandy - plus folks

    Good point Sandy - plus folks just didn't really talk about cancer - it was always kind of secretive for some reason.  My co-worker found the same thing when her dad died of stomach cancer - there was more in the family than she originally realized.

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #23
    Sundanceh said:

    Congrats Phil!

    So glad you made it to the rest stop.....

    My onc told me I was in a very small group of patients in his practice who had seen 9-years as well.

    He told me that was more important than the remissive streak.

    You will outlive us all - and finally get the last word in:)

    Happy for you, man.

    Thanks, You too Craig

    I know you've had lots of bumps in the road but I'm glad you're here!

    The same day I found out that friend #3 had died, I met a guy from Florida, Steve, (who flies up to see Dr K a few times a year) who is 10 years out from DX and 4 years clear. I've also met a bunch of other people who have remained clear for many years.

    One "funny" thing that happened was that the day I met Steve I started to talk with a woman who had a similar experience as I had with people she talked with at SK dying off, so she said she's stopped talking with people. I agreed. Then we looked at each other and I know I thought this and I sensed she did too: "Which of us is next?" I've seen her there, she's seen me there...we don't talk to each other

    :-)

    It' SO random IMO although family history & lifestyle most probably play an important role. It's complex and when I read that someone knows the answer I just shake my head and go "yeah..right..."

  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #24
    me too

    for what it is worth here is another longish time survivor....diagnosed stage 3B in 2005 and then two bouts with reocurrence in the liver.  ...so i guess about 8 years since diagnosis and the amazing thing....coming around to 5 years NED>

    Like Phil I believe it is a very complex question...I spend very little time worrying about it to tell truth.  It is what it is......that being said I was under huge amounts of stress from teaching school in the years prior to cancer....no family history so who knows.

    I take very little or no credit for my survival thus far.....if I had a dollar for every time I have heard this over the years.....usually from well meaning folks who do not have cancer...

    ""Well I think attitude is everything.....without a good attitude you will never survive"Wink

    gosh that was easy....nothing to cancer just your attitudeSmileSmile.....obviously I do not believe this is true but I never bother to tell those folks that and I do not argue with them....

    maggie

  • marbleotis
    marbleotis Member Posts: 720 Member
    #25
    If I knew....

    I would know what causes cancer and that would be a whole new discussion.  I do/did not waste much time thinking about it.  I am by nature and career a get it done and plow through type person.  I am also very analytical.  So I researched what I had, found doctors I trusted and was sure I was getting the best and most current treatments and ahead I moved.

    I did make changes to diet (mediterrian-based), exercise (gym-goal 3X per week), and stress - everything I can to remove from my life.

    Instead of thinking about why I got this......I think about how to not get it again.  I try to do everything to prevent a recurrance.

    Life is a deck of cards and this is the one I drew.

    I try to be a positive example to people that you can get through something terrible and come out the other side. 

    Most importantly, I now say I feel I am on "borrowed" time and I will not waste a second.

    Just my crazy thoughts...........Wink

     

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #26
    Luck of the draw

    I ate healthy my whole life up until adulthood, exercised EVERY day for the first 25 years and then off and on for the next 15 years.  Out of 7 siblings my life is no more stressful than the rest (my whole family works hard and is stressed out), none of them got cancer.  I don't like that lifestyle is to blame.  Short of smoking, chemical dumping, and environmental hazards, millions eat pork, millions eat poor diets, millions have stress and they don't all have cancer.  I think it's predisposition.  I don't think you get cancer from a poor diet.  I think if you are predisposed, have polyps and then poor diet and stress add to the problem but are not actually the cause. There are plenty of people who are straight vegetarians their whole lives who still get cancer. Out of 7 siblings, I was just the unlucky one.  Unfortunately it has to be someone.

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