decisions -Part 2

[Guest guest]

Another wonderful post from a member that is no longer able to post.

I would like to thank all of you from all the boards for your kind

messages.

It helps to know that others care. However, Ive received a number of

telephone calls and emails, as well as reading a number of messages

from the

groups that seem to indicate there are a large number of people who

are

having a difficult time right now.Yes, sarc sucks bigtime. You know,

sometimes you simply need to circle the wagons, find a place and

withdraw

for a little while. Pity parties actually help you regain your

balance and

help you face the world again. The key is that you must make sure

they dont

last too long, plus make sure that these episodes are infrequent. You

have

to be careful. They can lead to a downward spiral to darkness,

insanity,

even death. Give yourself a few days. then if necessary, force

yourself to

reach back out for the light and others. To dwell upon the things

that for

now are lost to you does you no good. It will only force you closer

to the

pit. For some, some damage is permanent and cannot be reversed, for

others

there is always the chance you can regain at least some of what was

lost.

Remission is always possible.

Ive read and spoken with so many of you who seem to be feeling

hopeless

because there is no cure for sarc. Lets think about it for a minute.

There

is no cure for diabetes and high blood pressure just to name tow

diseases.

All that is done for these diseases is to treat the symptoms and

hopefully

bring them back under control. People with these diseases will have

to take

medication for as long as they live. The only difference between these

diseases and sarc is they have discovered a series of drugs that have

proven effective for controlling these diseases. If one doesnt work

well

then they try another until the docs go through the whole barage of

meds

available for these diseases. Right now we are going through the same

trial

and error method that was used to develope those drugs to find the

drugs

that will control the sarc. Because sarc is so much more

individualistic

though it is going to be more difficult to find the right combination

of

drugs to control the symptoms. And because of the differences in how

the

sarc effects each of us what may work for one isnt guaranteed to work

for

another. Keep your hope and patience. Dont allow this disease to rob

you of

your life. You are still alive and there is still a future ahead of

you.

Granted it may not be the future we once expected, but while we live

we can

work to make the best possible future for ourselves. Sometimes you

will ask

yourselves if it is worth it and wish to give up, but there are new

drugs

being manufactured every day. One of those drugs by itself or perhaps

in

combination with some of the drugs you already take could hold the

key to

stopping the progression of the sarc or even giving you back some of

the

things you thought lost forever.

Some have recently been told by their docs they may need to be on

medication/ chemotherapy for the rest of their lives. Have you every

looked

up the definition of chemotherapy? It says " the treatment of disease

by

chemicals " . Chemicals meaning drugs. Now these drugs vary in dosage,

strength, side effects. Drugs labeled as chemo drugs are usually

stronger

than most of the other immune suppressants we take and the warnings

about

potential hazards of taking these drugs are greater. But these are

still

drugs we are talking about. People tend to hear the word chemo and

think

terminal. These are the questions you need to ask yourself. Will it

give you

respite from the symptoms of the sarc? Will it slow or even stop the

progression of the disease? Can it reverse some of the damage done?

You wont

know the answer until you test trial the medication for yourself. If

it is

successful then you need to ask yourself is this worth the risks that

may

potentially occur. No one can answer that but you. And yes it could

mean

that like diabetes and high blood pressure you may need to remain on

these

drugs for the rest of your life to maintain control over your

disease. But

dont let fear, anxiety, or depression make you automatically reject a

regimen that may work for you. Dont let it keep you from seeing a

future for

yourself.

We need to envision a future. We need to have hope. We need to look

forward

not dwell in the past. Each morning brings forth a new day. And there

is no

way of knowing what that new day will bring. There is no knowing what

the

next week, month, or year will bring to us. You can fear the future

and

withdraw sitting in darkness without hope. Or you can greet each day

for the

potential it may bring. The hope that tomorrow, next week, next

month, next

year will find that right combination that may give your life back to

you.

Perhaps not the life you had before you became ill, but more than you

have

now. And with determination and hope perhaps you can make it into a

life

worth living.

Shar

[Guest guest]

Another wonderful post from a member that is no longer able to post.

I would like to thank all of you from all the boards for your kind

messages.

It helps to know that others care. However, Ive received a number of

telephone calls and emails, as well as reading a number of messages

from the

groups that seem to indicate there are a large number of people who

are

having a difficult time right now.Yes, sarc sucks bigtime. You know,

sometimes you simply need to circle the wagons, find a place and

withdraw

for a little while. Pity parties actually help you regain your

balance and

help you face the world again. The key is that you must make sure

they dont

last too long, plus make sure that these episodes are infrequent. You

have

to be careful. They can lead to a downward spiral to darkness,

insanity,

even death. Give yourself a few days. then if necessary, force

yourself to

reach back out for the light and others. To dwell upon the things

that for

now are lost to you does you no good. It will only force you closer

to the

pit. For some, some damage is permanent and cannot be reversed, for

others

there is always the chance you can regain at least some of what was

lost.

Remission is always possible.

Ive read and spoken with so many of you who seem to be feeling

hopeless

because there is no cure for sarc. Lets think about it for a minute.

There

is no cure for diabetes and high blood pressure just to name tow

diseases.

All that is done for these diseases is to treat the symptoms and

hopefully

bring them back under control. People with these diseases will have

to take

medication for as long as they live. The only difference between these

diseases and sarc is they have discovered a series of drugs that have

proven effective for controlling these diseases. If one doesnt work

well

then they try another until the docs go through the whole barage of

meds

available for these diseases. Right now we are going through the same

trial

and error method that was used to develope those drugs to find the

drugs

that will control the sarc. Because sarc is so much more

individualistic

though it is going to be more difficult to find the right combination

of

drugs to control the symptoms. And because of the differences in how

the

sarc effects each of us what may work for one isnt guaranteed to work

for

another. Keep your hope and patience. Dont allow this disease to rob

you of

your life. You are still alive and there is still a future ahead of

you.

Granted it may not be the future we once expected, but while we live

we can

work to make the best possible future for ourselves. Sometimes you

will ask

yourselves if it is worth it and wish to give up, but there are new

drugs

being manufactured every day. One of those drugs by itself or perhaps

in

combination with some of the drugs you already take could hold the

key to

stopping the progression of the sarc or even giving you back some of

the

things you thought lost forever.

Some have recently been told by their docs they may need to be on

medication/ chemotherapy for the rest of their lives. Have you every

looked

up the definition of chemotherapy? It says " the treatment of disease

by

chemicals " . Chemicals meaning drugs. Now these drugs vary in dosage,

strength, side effects. Drugs labeled as chemo drugs are usually

stronger

than most of the other immune suppressants we take and the warnings

about

potential hazards of taking these drugs are greater. But these are

still

drugs we are talking about. People tend to hear the word chemo and

think

terminal. These are the questions you need to ask yourself. Will it

give you

respite from the symptoms of the sarc? Will it slow or even stop the

progression of the disease? Can it reverse some of the damage done?

You wont

know the answer until you test trial the medication for yourself. If

it is

successful then you need to ask yourself is this worth the risks that

may

potentially occur. No one can answer that but you. And yes it could

mean

that like diabetes and high blood pressure you may need to remain on

these

drugs for the rest of your life to maintain control over your

disease. But

dont let fear, anxiety, or depression make you automatically reject a

regimen that may work for you. Dont let it keep you from seeing a

future for

yourself.

We need to envision a future. We need to have hope. We need to look

forward

not dwell in the past. Each morning brings forth a new day. And there

is no

way of knowing what that new day will bring. There is no knowing what

the

next week, month, or year will bring to us. You can fear the future

and

withdraw sitting in darkness without hope. Or you can greet each day

for the

potential it may bring. The hope that tomorrow, next week, next

month, next

year will find that right combination that may give your life back to

you.

Perhaps not the life you had before you became ill, but more than you

have

now. And with determination and hope perhaps you can make it into a

life

worth living.

Shar