Everyone who watched raise their hands

kmygil
kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I really hope that everyone got to see the special "Living with Cancer" which aired last night on Discovery. Between all participants, so many things were said that I have been unable to verbalize, and it was somehow very liberating to have it all out in words. If you did not get a chance to see it last night, it airs again tonight, also on Discovery.

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
    My hand is up...taped it, too.
    Hugs, Kathi
  • crg123
    crg123 Member Posts: 80
    #3
    I, personally found many parts of that broadcast depressing. That resident oncologist (forget his name) should find a new career. He seems more interested on erring on the side of depressing than on the side of hope. He even appeared to "snicker" when he told Ted Koppel that his friend's cancer would kill him. I found Leroy's frank, blunt approach depressing, also. He seems comfortable in accepting the "bad" statistics, rather than instilling his hope for the good. Lance Armstrong and Mrs. Edwards did a nice job of portraying the positive outlook. Personally, I think the book, "Love, Medicine, and Miracles", by Bernie Segal, M.D., should be required reading for people "Living with Cancer". It grounds itself with statistics on just what the powere of positive thinking can do for people with cancer. Check this book out after you see the broadcast!
    Peace!
    crg123
  • jams67
    jams67 Member Posts: 925 Member
    #4
    I thought it was a little depressing also, but I must admit that I really prefer the blunt truth about what my doc thinks. If he thinks I will probably have a reoccurance, I want to know that. I would rather deal in reality as it stands today and hope for a medical breakthrough. I hope that the program will create an awareness of how necessary it is to screen.
    One thing that they didn't stress, that they should have was personal responsiblty, when it comes to screening. Even if it was free, there are a lot of people who would not go to the trouble of doing it. There needs to be billboards out there saying, "Have you been screened for colon cancer?" I'm not even sure that would help.
    Many of us put it off for no reason and look where we are.
    I really liked what Ted had to say at the end. He pretty much summed it up for us.
    Jo Ann
  • mrsgrandlake
    mrsgrandlake Member Posts: 23
    #5
    My husband and I both watched and we thought there was positive and negative about the documentary. Verbalizing your fears about cancer, treatment, death, loved ones left behind, etc. is cathartic and relieves stress no doubt. However, we are big believers in getting the best medical treatment possible and committing to an all out war till remission or death, no in between stuff for us. You're all in or your a statistic is our belief. Visit www.blochcancer.org to get more info on how to beat cancer. Got that info from Aileen, thanks I owe you Aileen!
  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member
    #6
    Thanks for the input. Will try to watch it tonight. ****
  • Joy1216
    Joy1216 Member Posts: 290 Member
    #7
    I, too, thought part of the broadcast was depressing. According to my doctors, I am one of the poster children for early detection (stage 1 - resection only). It bothered me that there was no discussion of cancer evolving into a chronic disease (i.e., treatable vs. curable). If my cancer does recur, I'll be fighting with everything available, especially my faith in God. I really try to keep a positive attitude, although I am a realist, and I just thought the broadcast should have given more hope for those living with cancer.
    Joy
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #8
    I recorded it. haven't watched it yet.. I read Mr Siever's blog first where he indicated that his interview was 3 mos after dx and he thought his death was imminent. That's the reason I didn't watch it yet. The blog indicated that many of the procedures he's had since his dx were not a part of the interview . I'm not going to forget that someone makes up that part of the statistics that makes long term survival possible. I believe if you lose hope, you lose period. God Bless
    Diane
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #9
    I actually only saw the program from about the middle, and saw the "round robin" at the end. I enjoyed the program and even though parts of it were depressing, it touched on so many of the things that had gone through my mind during this journey. I particularly liked when he was reading from his journal, as well as the other woman.....I had thought so many of the exact same things! In the end, as those of you who watched it all know, the guy ended up NED. Now, whether he stays that way, who knows, but it certainly gave me hope, especially when he seemed doomed earlier in the program!
    There is hope for even the worst prognosis!
    -Susan H.
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #10
    crg123 said:

    I, personally found many parts of that broadcast depressing. That resident oncologist (forget his name) should find a new career. He seems more interested on erring on the side of depressing than on the side of hope. He even appeared to "snicker" when he told Ted Koppel that his friend's cancer would kill him. I found Leroy's frank, blunt approach depressing, also. He seems comfortable in accepting the "bad" statistics, rather than instilling his hope for the good. Lance Armstrong and Mrs. Edwards did a nice job of portraying the positive outlook. Personally, I think the book, "Love, Medicine, and Miracles", by Bernie Segal, M.D., should be required reading for people "Living with Cancer". It grounds itself with statistics on just what the powere of positive thinking can do for people with cancer. Check this book out after you see the broadcast!
    Peace!
    crg123

    You're right. Much of the program was depressing, but cancer IS depressing--just a reality. I think the resident oncologist was simply taking into account the genetics involved in the case of Mr. Sievers. I have similar genetics, and I do not expect to stay NED for long stretches; that is just the reality. That is not to say that I won't pursue whatever I can to stay alive with some quality of life, but just that I needed to know what was down the road. In our family we know that the probability is that cancer will kill us--hopefully not just yet, and hopefully there will be new and better treatments. I don't think the resident meant to crush hope, just not to give unrealistic expectations. And what's wrong with being blunt? I appreciate bluntness from my cancer team, as the bluntness works both ways. For instance, while they have been blunt about my disease and all the "statistics", they have also been blunt about all the possibilities out there and will not let me wallow in gloom and doom. Bless them.

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