Rant of the day
Got up at 4:30 this morning for the drive to my Cancer Center. Long drive, icy roads. Lab work, visit with my oncologist, infusion room crowded and a long wait for the pharmacy to get my Keytruda ready. Back hurts because of my SI joint. So. I am already tired and a liitle grumpy. The phone rings and it is a women from the American Breast Cancer Society. She proceeded to tell me that I needed to give her money and I tried to tell her that other gynocological cancers were really being overlooked, that there was little research and little information out there about symptoms. SHE hung up on me. Please don't get me wrong, my heart goes out to anyone with cancer. It is a horrible disease, but there is a great inequality in where funding goes.
Lou Ann
Comments
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You should hear me when they call!
Talk about grumpy! And I have had breast cancer and I still worry about it. That woman should not have hung up on you. That was awful. There you are - literally in the middle of treatment for uterine cancer and the breast cancer folks call? Where on earth was the woman's compassion? One of my best friends is a kidney cancer patient and you should hear her when the breast cancer folks call. It is truly offensive to far too many people, yet they continue to call. They are the ONLY cancer who I receive calls from. ACS did solicit via email. I hate pink October because every business jumps on the bandwagon and slaps a pink ribbon on their product just to sell more product and every time you turn on TV, there is pink everywhere. There are many other cancers and they all deserve our support. Now, all of that being said, I do support breast cancer research and while I'm ok 6 years later, I have a very good friend who is not and her days are numbered. It is awful. Breast cancer still takes far too many lives and that number has not gone down in spite of all the early detection stuff. I donate to the Foundation for Women's Cancer sometimes. In my case, estrogen played a role in both my breast and endometrial cancers and several of you are taking Tamoxifen or Arimidex or Aromasin which were initially used in treating ER+ breast cancer. I feel donating to breast cancer research OR metastatic breast cancer research is a very good thing to do, but there are so many organizations where the money does not go where it needs to go IMHO. And how do you know? I don't.
I'm so sorry that woman was such a you know what. You don't deserve that kind of a response (or lack thereof).
Suzanne
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I think it is the phone callDouble Whammy said:You should hear me when they call!
Talk about grumpy! And I have had breast cancer and I still worry about it. That woman should not have hung up on you. That was awful. There you are - literally in the middle of treatment for uterine cancer and the breast cancer folks call? Where on earth was the woman's compassion? One of my best friends is a kidney cancer patient and you should hear her when the breast cancer folks call. It is truly offensive to far too many people, yet they continue to call. They are the ONLY cancer who I receive calls from. ACS did solicit via email. I hate pink October because every business jumps on the bandwagon and slaps a pink ribbon on their product just to sell more product and every time you turn on TV, there is pink everywhere. There are many other cancers and they all deserve our support. Now, all of that being said, I do support breast cancer research and while I'm ok 6 years later, I have a very good friend who is not and her days are numbered. It is awful. Breast cancer still takes far too many lives and that number has not gone down in spite of all the early detection stuff. I donate to the Foundation for Women's Cancer sometimes. In my case, estrogen played a role in both my breast and endometrial cancers and several of you are taking Tamoxifen or Arimidex or Aromasin which were initially used in treating ER+ breast cancer. I feel donating to breast cancer research OR metastatic breast cancer research is a very good thing to do, but there are so many organizations where the money does not go where it needs to go IMHO. And how do you know? I don't.
I'm so sorry that woman was such a you know what. You don't deserve that kind of a response (or lack thereof).
Suzanne
I think it is the phone call solicitations that bother me the most. And I,do agree that any research will benefit all cancers in the long run. So many vendors are using pink for their own benefit. We have a community cancer support group near my cancer center that supports everyone with any type of cancer. Many businesses support their efforts without making a big fuss about it. Lou Ann
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Rant Away
I think a lot of us are right there with you Lou Ann on any telephone solicitations whether they are to sell us something, poll us, or ask for donations. They are intrusive and offensive with their constant demands on our time, money, and emotions. I once got a call for a donation that asked me if I considered myself a "good Catholic". Talk about nerve! I get that funds need to be raised for causes, but cold calls are really the stupidest way to do that!
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Oh Lou Ann - I get it!
Oh Lou Ann - I get it! Despite being an active adovate for further breast cancer research (especially for Stage IV!)...each time I participate in an event I can't help but think that Uterine cancer would never get the support or exposure that breast cancer does. And don't even get me started on what I call "paint the world pink to make a bucket of money month" (aka Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Oct) as my head will explode or the elastic in my big girl panties will snap and my backside will show
After having done a few events for breast cancer I can say that many of the women who advocate for it are passiionate about it to a fault! But belittling someone in any manner or being ugly to them is not a way to help the cause. I watched women attack a poor aide in one of the Senate offices (during our visits in Oct) asking if he knew anyone with breast cancer and when said "yes, my mother battled it" - they pounced on the poor young man saying "what if she discovered her cancer advanced and is now life threatening" - they would not let up! The poor young man was trying to escape and all the did was attack. Behaving in this manner truly does nothing to advance the cause and may be distructive. I doubt this young man went to his boss (the Senator) and said please sign these bills. I talked with the nice women who are very burdened with this disease and this is the right thing to do. I was pissed I almost grabbed his hand and drug him away from the brutal attack he was tryin to hard to weather.
Good for you for pointing out the lack of funding and research for gynocological cancer Lou Ann! And shame on the caller for being such an asshat.
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Oh yes Lou ann iM with you.
Oh yes Lou ann iM with you. As I have said before I live in the land of Susan Komen, home of Race for the Cure, so it really never ends here. I have participated in the race many times and my best friend was diagnosed with Brepast cancer 5 years ago and yet she truly understands my frustration with the lack of funding for gynechological cancers. It is not just October but year round here about breast cancer. Luckily I have just received e-mails about donating. I don't know what I would say if they called me on the phone!
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LMBO Cindycindy0519 said:Oh Lou Ann - I get it!
Oh Lou Ann - I get it! Despite being an active adovate for further breast cancer research (especially for Stage IV!)...each time I participate in an event I can't help but think that Uterine cancer would never get the support or exposure that breast cancer does. And don't even get me started on what I call "paint the world pink to make a bucket of money month" (aka Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Oct) as my head will explode or the elastic in my big girl panties will snap and my backside will show
After having done a few events for breast cancer I can say that many of the women who advocate for it are passiionate about it to a fault! But belittling someone in any manner or being ugly to them is not a way to help the cause. I watched women attack a poor aide in one of the Senate offices (during our visits in Oct) asking if he knew anyone with breast cancer and when said "yes, my mother battled it" - they pounced on the poor young man saying "what if she discovered her cancer advanced and is now life threatening" - they would not let up! The poor young man was trying to escape and all the did was attack. Behaving in this manner truly does nothing to advance the cause and may be distructive. I doubt this young man went to his boss (the Senator) and said please sign these bills. I talked with the nice women who are very burdened with this disease and this is the right thing to do. I was pissed I almost grabbed his hand and drug him away from the brutal attack he was tryin to hard to weather.
Good for you for pointing out the lack of funding and research for gynocological cancer Lou Ann! And shame on the caller for being such an asshat.
You are cracking me up from your big girl panties and flashing backside to the caller being an asshat
I absolutely NEEDED this laugh!!! Thanks much (((HUGS)))0 -
The red headed step-child cancer
I totally understand...people seem to think unless it is breast cancer then it is not as painful (physically or mentally) and not as difficult to deal with but it IS...I am dog tired and have been treated as if what I have is about as serious as the flu...it is annoying...there really isn't even a TEST for endometrial cancer...you can't examine your own uterus....you can't have a uterogram...when my hair started falling out people seemed surpised...as if chemo only does that to certain people...no one can tell by looking at me that anything was surgically removed so they think I am just fine and dandy and ready to run a marathon...I am not...maybe later?
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Uterogram
Ha, I love that term and I am going to employ it myself. I, in my cancer ignorance, thought all cancers had *some* kind of test, or symptoms, or....something. Little did I know I'd wind up with something that give no warning, AT ALL. My (now deceased) half-brother used to mutter about his prostate cancer and how publicity and research seemed to focus on breast cancer more than anything else. Now I see what he was talking about. Thanks for the pithy post.
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Insensitivity
One of my oldest and dearest friends (and BTW also a labor and delivery nurse) when finding out I had uterine cancer replied, "Could be worse."
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WOW!CheeseQueen57 said:Insensitivity
One of my oldest and dearest friends (and BTW also a labor and delivery nurse) when finding out I had uterine cancer replied, "Could be worse."
How do people get to be so incredibly insensitve?? I've been there. Both my Dr. and my boss at the time asked me 2 weeks after I had an abruption and lost my middle daughter at 7 months pregnant if I "was over it"! Still bothers me after 33 years!
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While I was in the hospitalMAbound said:WOW!
How do people get to be so incredibly insensitve?? I've been there. Both my Dr. and my boss at the time asked me 2 weeks after I had an abruption and lost my middle daughter at 7 months pregnant if I "was over it"! Still bothers me after 33 years!
While I was in the hospital after losing a baby at 6 months one of the nurses told me that I was lucky because I had other children. 35 years and I to still remember and resent her comments. People can sure be insensitive.
Liu Ann
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ARE YOU RINGING THE BELL?!CheeseQueen57 said:Insensitivity
One of my oldest and dearest friends (and BTW also a labor and delivery nurse) when finding out I had uterine cancer replied, "Could be worse."
Ahh that's an awesome picture!!!!
Sorry someone said something that awful to you- I can't believe the things that come out of people's mouths. I have noticed that people don't seem to care in general public situations- maybe with so many getting it people are overwhelmed and becoming desensitized?????
(((HUGS)))
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lack of empathy
I've become aware that not all people possess the ability to empathize. It makes me feel very sad for them. I Feel for you, as most of us do.
Best,
Claudia
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Claudia, how are you doing???california_artist said:lack of empathy
I've become aware that not all people possess the ability to empathize. It makes me feel very sad for them. I Feel for you, as most of us do.
Best,
Claudia
Claudia, how are you doing??? We were just "talking" about you and wondering if you're still following your natural cure. Please let us know how things are going for you!!!
Love,
Eldri
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Hello Dear Claudia!california_artist said:lack of empathy
I've become aware that not all people possess the ability to empathize. It makes me feel very sad for them. I Feel for you, as most of us do.
Best,
Claudia
Claudia,
So nice to see a post from you! Are you still painting?
Kathy
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Im in here searching around for answers about electric conductivity in the body as mine is out of whack and not communicating within the heart chambers.
I have nerve damage from a improper healed fractured bone. Otherwise I am strong and fit w/o heart symptoms and given doctors suggestion to get a pace maker to make it all "better" .
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We do not do cardiology here. You natural pacemaker can go wrong and cause atrial fibrillation. There are severe consequences for untreated atrial fibrillation . I hope you can find some answers. Good luck
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Thanks for trying to get that important message across!!
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