From a conversation I had at work today.

[gridlore]

All of you probably know I'm a cancer survivor. I was amazed to find out how little most people know about this family of diseases and the effects on both patients and those around them.

So, ask me anything. Seriously. Medical, emotional, nasty details about diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, recovery.. whatever. I'll answer as completely and accurately as possible.

For the record I had Stage IV-B Hodgkin's Disease. My early treatment and diagnosis is discussed in this article. (A few errors in the details, but it is amusing to see myself described as a "thin, pleasant, well-developed man."

Comments

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I was around when you were going through that hospital stuff and treatment, but I'll ask a few anyway:

1. Do you feel any different now that you're in remission? I ask because Mom described having cancer as "feeling like something's wrong, but you can't quite put your finger on what," and she's felt different since her cancer was removed. Dad also had the "something's wrong" feeling and it never went away.

2. What kinds of side effects do you feel from all the treatments you've been through? I ask this because my mother, a friend, and the husband of a former co-worker have all had some kind of internal scarring that manifested itself years after their treatments.

3. Were there people who acted different around you after the cancer diagnosis?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

1. Since I had such a long recovery process (almost ten years) with multiple setbacks and problems, I never really had that "I'm in remission" moment. Once i got back to driving for a living, the feeling of being alive again was nearly overpowering.

My reaction to the cancer would hit me at odd times.. I'd get out of the shower and see myself in the mirror and not see my body, but rather the thing that had turned on me and was trying to kill me.

2. As a result of the chemo and long-term use of uncessary anti-seizure meds, I have a terrible memory, espeically for names. I'm also losing my teeth. Having lost my spleen as well as the general hit form HD and chemo, I was extremely vulnerable to disease for several years.

3. Well, my father treated me like a son instead of a rival. My illness was the start of our reconcilliation. I could tell that some people were walking on glass around me, not sure of how to deal with me and the reality of my possible demise. Most folks were great, including a certain trio of filkers who gave me a really, really sick tape...