It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

[Illsidgus]

Today for me is the best of times because I ordered a new bass guitar. I am quite happy about that and am looking forward to playing it. It has been 47 years since I last had a bass guitar.
It is the worst of times for me because yesterday I had an appointment with my V.A. doctor and he ordered some tests for me down at the Nashville V.A. hospital over his concern that I might have cancer. My biggest hope is that it is nothing, I guess I will find out in a few weeks. It was this news that made me finally pull the trigger and get a new bass.

 

[Chili]

Cancer sucks!! My wife is dealing with it herself. The good news is cancer research has made a lot of gains in recent years and it doesn't have to be the ominous threat that it once was. At least for some forms of cancer. My wife didn't have to do chemo. She is on hormone therapy which starves the cancer cells, had surgery, and just finished 6 weeks of radiation. She's good to go.

The best advice I can give you is shop around for your doctors. Oncologists, surgeon, everyone. Don't settle for whomever is recommended by your primary or the VA. If something doesn't make sense, or if it's not what you want, go see someone else. The first surgeon we went to wanted to do a double mastectomy right away. Turned out to be complete BS. We found a different/better surgeon who had new techniques.

If the suspicion is prostrate cancer based on PSA's, that test isn't very reliable.

Anyway, I hope it's not cancer. Best wishes and enjoy the bass.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Some great advice!

Yeah...seconded..I sincerely hope it's nothing and you can get back to focussing your attention 100% on pissing off your neighbours.

 

[miroslav]

If the suspicion is prostrate cancer based on PSA's, that test isn't very reliable.

I agree.
The old-school doctors stick to those numbers like gospel (same shit with cholesterol numbers)....and many men undergo way too much poking and prodding in their privates, while doctors try to actually find cancer.
Even when they do...unless it's like blown way out into other areas of the body...prostate cancer is very slow growing, and they say the stats show more men die with it, than they do from it.

There is also a HUGE amount of natural ingredients and supplements that have been shown to prevent and even reduce existing cancer...not just prostate, but others too...as long as your dealing with pre or early stages.

When any cancer gets to that "stage 4" full blown, body-wide invasion...then you just minimize the symptoms and live like mad while you still can.
I hate it when I hear of doctors attempting to "heal" someone that is in the late stages...and all they do is fuck them up even more by taking away the little bit that's left of their life.

I hope your case is one of the pre/early ones...no matter what cancer it is...so do a lot of reading and get more than one opinion and by all means explore the alternative/natural therapies before you opt for the AMA approved stuff...which is the same old that everyone opts for if they follow AMA protocol. Not that it's all bad...but don't just be another "patient"...find what's right for YOU.

My dad died because of same old, same old shit. He might have gotten an other 5-10 years more otherwise....IMO.

 

[Illsidgus]

Thanks guys for your encouragement. The doctor does not suspect prostate cancer, he is worried about bladder cancer. I am hoping that the trouble that I had for only one day was a kidney stone that I just didn't feel. I have a heavily scared right ureter and urethra so it is possible to pass a kidney stone that originated in my right kidney and not feel it. Like I said, I will know in a few weeks.
I wish that I could consult other doctors, but because of my high V.A. disability rating, all of my medical care through the V.A. is free. I could use my Tricare military insurance to check with other doctors, but that could end up costing me thousands of dollars that I don't have and I would not want to leave my wife with that kind of debt. So here is hoping for an unfelt kidney stone.

 

[gecko zzed]

The bad thing about cancer is that it happens.

The good thing is that it is getting more and more fixable. Like Chili, my wife is getting through cancer (a melanoma on the brain), and coming along nicely. She is not on chemo, but is on immunotherapy which is relatively new. And that's the thing . . . there is so much new stuff happening now that makes survival a way more likely result than a couple of decades ago.