TheBanyanTree: Re Life with cancer

[TL Wagener]

Dee sed:

"That was 26 years ago, Stew. Sounds like things haven't changed all
that much, huh?"

Actually, things HAVE changed a great deal.  make no mistake.  But any time
you kill part of a living thing, there are risks to the organism, itself.
It's a complete system, ya see.

And Stew -- very few drugs, actually, are used for what they were "invented"
for.  All early anti-depressants (pre-SSRI's) were invented to do something
else, before scientists even thought depression was treatable.  But clinical
trials showed the subjects all felt better mentally and WALLA -- you have an
antidepressant.  Now some of them are used for other things (Wellbutrin for
weight loss or smoking cessation, for example).  Other antidepressants were
invented for things like tuberculosis or blood pressure control -- but they
work for depression and thank god, say the people who need them.

And all medications have side effects, as you probably know by now.  Aspirin
thins the blood and causes some people stomach aches.  But it's still a
valuable, powerful med.  Your doctor is legally bound to tell you all the
side effects.  Many still don't.  They leave it for the fine,* fine *print
literature that comes with the meds.  It's great to be informed, but for
those of us with active imaginations, it's a bit like taking a Psychology
class and diagnosing ourselves with every neurosis in the book.

Cancer sucks, no doubt about it.  And surviving cancer includes, sucky also,
surviving the treatment.  But that is true with any illness.  One can
survive heart disease by surviving open heart surgery.  One can survive
pregnancy by surviving childbirth.  Package deal.

I send Stew my heart felt sympathy, affection, respect, and best wishes.
And a big load of courage and strength -- all I can spare.  Hell,
*more*than I can spare.  You are welcome to it ALL, dear Stew.

xoxoSidda