Four more years...

[Mercutio]

No, not a presidential thread.

One of Mrs. Merc's favorite aunts died today. Were it not for modern medicine, she'd have died 4 years ago. She had cancer of the tongue, and her tongue had to be removed (the muscle replaced with thigh muscle) as part of her treatment.

Four years. She saw grandchildren she would not have otherwise, saw weddings she would not have otherwise, had time to make plans and say goodbyes she would not have otherwise.

Four years of constant discomfort and frequent pain, trips to doctors, eating through a tube...and she cherished every minute of it. You only get one life.

[TillEulenspiegel]

My condolences to family and friends.
I always tell people that this is not a dry run , it is the only chance you have in eternity, so make the best of it.

[Zombified]

My condolences to your wife and her family.
Originally posted by Mercutio
Were it not for modern medicine, she'd have died 4 years ago.
This something I think is missed when alt-medders go on about whether medicine can cure certain things. It's great that Rolfe was able to find so many good counterexamples, but I still think this is a very important point to make.

My father died about 3 years ago after more than 10 years of living with thyroid cancer. Most of the treatments he endured were not even difficult ones (I-131 therapy), and getting a decade from them was a wonderful, wonderful thing. Even though he ultimately succumbed.

[KFCA]

I'll add my husband's story here.

In February of 1982 he was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. After surgery & radiation treatment, his oncologist considered him "cured".

Must have been right because, as of this moment (& almost 23 years later), he's shopping for new-to-him ski equipment at a local "Ski Swap" for his upcoming 35th year of downhill skiing.

BTW, he just celebrated his 76th Birthday on this past May 30th.

[Mercutio]

Originally posted by KFCA
I'll add my husband's story here.

BTW, he just celebrated his 76th Birthday on this past May 30th. Congratulations to both of you!!!

And thank you, TE and Z.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

My best to your wife and her family, Merc.

Till said this is not a dry run. Amen to that!

~~ Paul

[TruthSeeker]

Deepest sympathies, Mercutio

[Mercutio]

Thank you, and thank you.

Yes, there is mourning and sadness, but in truth there is also a celebration of those four stolen years.

We all die. We don't all live to see grandchildren after the doctors say we will not. I thank you all for your sympathies, but this is a story more happy than sad.

Happy or not, though....I will miss her.

[Eos of the Eons]

This is the weekend for giving Thanks in my part of the World. I will think of the people who are grateful for things others take so for granted. "Allopathy" is getting slandered from a few areas, but for the most part I think people like you recognize the good we would otherwise never see.

Thank you for sharing, and for your perspective.

[Benguin]

My condolences, Mercutio.

My mother was saved from serious peritonitis as a teenager and then cervical cancer some time later on. She'd have been off the mortal coil twice over if it weren't for those savage surgeons experimenting their wicked art on her.