BCAA: LIFE WITH CHRONIC "C"

Greetings dearest loyal readers! End of summer, back to school busy work has taken me away from regular posting - promise to be back on the job!

As I commute back and forth to this daily radiation adventure, I am of course meeting a new wonderful community of patients. I am realizing how many of us are in the "Chronic C" world. This little bugger does tend to revisit us. But current treatments for "Alumnae/alumni" move us from the "acute" list to the world of chronic treatment. Most of my new friends are returnees - we've weathered the initial treatment, we're doing okay, just returning to put the C bugs back out of commission.

I find there is a calm, a wisdom in these colleagues: we've looked over the edge, and survived. We accept that our futures are unknown. We relish our survival and celebrate our daily lives. Chronic Cancer is not unlike chronic diabetes, or other conditions that require constant vigilance, but are survivable. We are no longer in shock from that initial diagnosis. We are living our lives.

I met a delightful fellow, only 48, who is an alumnus of prostate cancer, now in for radiation due to a recurrence. He is the father of three lively boys, and relishing living his life with them. There also was the lovely gal who ran an herbal magic and gift shop, a delightful Guatemalan woman with her lovely caring son who allowed me to practice my bad Spanish, and the loyal son full with his full of energy dad who entertained us with logic puzzles. We chat with each other with a sense of knowing, of accepting, of relishing our days.

These friends, members of the BCAA (Big C Alumni Association), are gifts in my life. I am reminded daily of the beauty of friendship and support. I'm still researching the issue of chemo shortage: will update in the next post! Thanks for your ongoing connection! xx

WAITING FOR REMISSION

So it seems, dear readers, that the world has a shortage of chemotherapy drugs - because big pharma is seeing a reduction in profits, and therefore not producing the drugs. Strangely, in order to keep cancer drugs from becoming too expensive, Pres. George Bush actually spearheaded the effort to put in price controls on certain drugs, including cancer drugs. As production costs rise, profits decline. The effect of this has been reduction in production by pharmaceutical companies. As reported by MSNBC, patients are now being told they must wait for treatment, with no promise that drugs will soon be available. For many, this is in fact a death sentence.

The response of fiscal conservatives/ free market folks has been to suggest removing these price controls - allowing companies to continue raising prices to insure large profits. Of course, this would mean passing costs to insurance companies, who would in turn raise premiums, passing on costs to the patient/consumer.

An MSNBC article this week highlights the plight of a Virginia lawyer suffering from colo rectal cancer. He has been told that his chemo drug is not available. This may in fact be fatal news for him. One of the drugs that enabled my own tumor to disappear, Taxol, is no longer available. Without this treatment, I might not be writing this blog.

CANCER COMMUNITY AND FRIENDS: WE NEED TO RAISE OUR VOICES!! OUR HEALTH IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE TO PROFITS. This is indeed a "death panel" for many of us! We need action immediately to save lives!

I have joined the RI cancer advocacy action group, and hope to promote loud voices and protests. All creative thoughts for action welcome!! xx

I'M RADIANT!!

Or at least, radiated... Just completed two days of nuclear blasting; one day of "hyper thermal treatment" to heat up those little bastards to extinction. Once again, a warm and lively staff to usher patients into treatment - everyone quite friendly as we see each other every day for six weeks or so!

Have learned that radiation treatment was actually developed in the early years of the 20th century, soon after common use of X rays. (weird that X rays can cause and cure cancers!) We can actually thank that goddess of science, Marie Curie who discovered polonium and radium. Today these have been replaced with the more effective caesium and cobalt. Ah the wonders of the periodic table, the most perfect concept ever created by humans! Despite our faulty logic, this description of basic elements actually works. Or so the scientists tell me...

And the weather is cooperating for sure. The radiant sun plus occasional showers is making my garden happy, and giving Beth and me summer joy. We've got cutting flowers on the table and fresh garden tomatoes on the plate, plus the magical creamy basil dressing, a gift from Mom. The daily gifts of beauty, love and of course the inevitable chaos continue... 'til later, xApop Sal