Re: Mike the Erbitux Leper-INGRID

[Guest guest]

>

> I just had an amusing thought. Sorry for my sick sense of

> humor. But can I borrow Mike when I go grocery shopping at the big

> grocery store.>

I find it sad in one way that the

> doctor does not show more care with Mike. He was thrilled that Mike

> in going on with this. I worry that Mike will wear himself down too much. He

needs to

> take it easy as much as he can. His body needs to heal from the

> damage the chemo causes. My heart goes out to both of you. Ingrid

Dear Ingrid youl have a wicked sense of humour, you must be the 10th person to

say it

(LOL) its especially appropriate here in Spain where the word queing doesnt

exist!!

The oncdoc is fantastic, we love him, he really loves and cares for Mike and all

his

patients.

Its the Spanish way not to discuss anything with the patients, which it is the

opposite to

our (anglo/saxon) way.

The poor oncdoc has found it difficult dealing with us, first because of the

language and

culture barrier and second because I always burst into tears and to him have

Mike dead

and buried by Friday!

No....... the oncdoc was happy because he has been worried that Mike would

discontinue

treatment solely because we know too much and was so happy that Mike would carry

on

because in his opinion he can keep Mike going for years!!

All Mikes blood results were within normal range so no risk was taken.

Spain is backward in some things but happily it is at the forefront of Europe

with

medicine. Money is no object when it comes to state health care, far more

advanced than

Great Britain.

However, on Monday we saw the oncdocs dilema in action. In the next bed was a

young

woman 39 who like Mike is stage 4.

Her Initial diagnoses and treatment was 4 years ago! She has a 6 year old

child. her

husband left her because he couldnt cope with her illness.

She started on Erbitux and oxaliplatin the same day as Mike but has not got one

single

spot or blemish.

I heard her ask the nurse why did Mike have the rash, was it a good or bad sign.

The

nurse fussed over her and said Mike had been naughty and had stayed too long in

the sun.

That of course reduced me to tears and I had to go out because what was the

alternative

explanation the nurse could have given?

In general I find Spanish people much more positive than the English are.

Spanish live for

today.

We on the other hand worry about the past and future so are more prone to

depression.

However, from my own experience they are hopeless in a crisis even a mini

crisis, we

however in general are good in a crisis......

I later talked a little with the sisters of an 83 year old, they were saying how

unfair it was

that their sisters life could be cut short!

So there they were, a 39 a 57 and an 83 year old, all happy with their doc and

nurse and

not brooding on the darker side of things.

In another bed was a young 19 year old girl with only days to live, her friends

dropped in

all through the day, laughing joking with her and everyone willing tolisten and

then her 2

young brothers came in from school, set up little tables and chairs and set to

with their

homework asking all of us for help! laughing at the answers, noise and commotion

everywhere. I just cannot imagine this happening in a British hospital.

Dont worry about Mike overdoing it, hes becoming more Spanish by the

day.......he might

even start eating paella )

Sorry....gone on a bit this time

in Spain

[Guest guest]

I am thankful for you not getting upset with my sick sense of

humor. Yes, it does sound like Mike is in good hands.

It does sound like here that we meet so many people in their cancer

journey while we recieved the chemo. I would often start to feel so

sorry for myself that I was going through this. Then I would look

around and my heart would bleed for others who have it so much worse.

I learned that I had no right to feel so sorry for myself. Look how

others were fighting this and still had a very good outlook on life.

I think you are finding the same thing.

And we make friends with so many new, wonderful people who really

care about each other. Yes, our world in a way is a little better

because of this. In the other life we had we met people who were

fake. Now we are meeting people who are so nice.

How are you feeling? Are you getting much rest with caring for

Mike? I know you must be going through a lot watching Mike go through

this. Ingrid

> >

> > I just had an amusing thought. Sorry for my sick sense of

> > humor. But can I borrow Mike when I go grocery shopping at the

big

> > grocery store.>

>

> I find it sad in one way that the

> > doctor does not show more care with Mike. He was thrilled that

Mike

> > in going on with this. I worry that Mike will wear himself down

too much. He needs to

> > take it easy as much as he can. His body needs to heal from the

> > damage the chemo causes. My heart goes out to both of you. Ingrid

>

> Dear Ingrid youl have a wicked sense of humour, you must be the

10th person to say it

> (LOL) its especially appropriate here in Spain where the word

queing doesnt exist!!

>

> The oncdoc is fantastic, we love him, he really loves and cares for

Mike and all his

> patients.

>

> Its the Spanish way not to discuss anything with the patients,

which it is the opposite to

> our (anglo/saxon) way.

>

> The poor oncdoc has found it difficult dealing with us, first

because of the language and

> culture barrier and second because I always burst into tears and

to him have Mike dead

> and buried by Friday!

>

> No....... the oncdoc was happy because he has been worried that

Mike would discontinue

> treatment solely because we know too much and was so happy that

Mike would carry on

> because in his opinion he can keep Mike going for years!!

> All Mikes blood results were within normal range so no risk was

taken.

>

> Spain is backward in some things but happily it is at the

forefront of Europe with

> medicine. Money is no object when it comes to state health care,

far more advanced than

> Great Britain.

>

> However, on Monday we saw the oncdocs dilema in action. In the

next bed was a young

> woman 39 who like Mike is stage 4.

>

> Her Initial diagnoses and treatment was 4 years ago! She has a 6

year old child. her

> husband left her because he couldnt cope with her illness.

>

> She started on Erbitux and oxaliplatin the same day as Mike but has

not got one single

> spot or blemish.

>

> I heard her ask the nurse why did Mike have the rash, was it a good

or bad sign. The

> nurse fussed over her and said Mike had been naughty and had stayed

too long in the sun.

>

> That of course reduced me to tears and I had to go out because what

was the alternative

> explanation the nurse could have given?

>

> In general I find Spanish people much more positive than the

English are. Spanish live for

> today.

>

> We on the other hand worry about the past and future so are more

prone to depression.

> However, from my own experience they are hopeless in a crisis even

a mini crisis, we

> however in general are good in a crisis......

>

> I later talked a little with the sisters of an 83 year old, they

were saying how unfair it was

> that their sisters life could be cut short!

>

> So there they were, a 39 a 57 and an 83 year old, all happy with

their doc and nurse and

> not brooding on the darker side of things.

>

> In another bed was a young 19 year old girl with only days to live,

her friends dropped in

> all through the day, laughing joking with her and everyone willing

tolisten and then her 2

> young brothers came in from school, set up little tables and chairs

and set to with their

> homework asking all of us for help! laughing at the answers, noise

and commotion

> everywhere. I just cannot imagine this happening in a British

hospital.

>

> Dont worry about Mike overdoing it, hes becoming more Spanish by

the day.......he might

> even start eating paella )

>

> Sorry....gone on a bit this time

>

> in Spain

>