The Bad Mood Thread

[algunz]

Wow, sorry Matt.

[amyzzz]

Man, just found out my dad has prostate cancer.

My dad had prostate cancer too several years back. He is fine now at 81.after treatment. Did your dad's doctor catch it early?

[RotationSlimWang]

Don't worry Matt, I'll hook him up with some of my Tour De France Winning Cancer Treatments, he'll be just fine. Except for his testicles, which will be very small.

[ThatGirl]

Man, just found out my dad has prostate cancer.

So sorry to hear it, hang in there.

[OnlyNonStranger]

Man, just found out my dad has prostate cancer.

Hey man, just wanted to let you know that my dad just went through this. His treatment is over and is in the clear. As much as it sucks and how scary the "C" word is he can make it through. Just be there for him and remember to start growing your mustache in five days.

[kreutz2112]

Man, just found out my dad has prostate cancer.

Yeah dude. My dad had prostate cancer too, but they caught it early enough and were able to do a prostatectomy and he is completely fine now. Hope for the best.

[OnlyNonStranger]

My dad went the radiation route. Both viable options.

[miscorrections]

My g-pa did radiation and he's allllll good now.

[TomAz]

Man, just found out my dad has prostate cancer.

Sorry to hear this Matt. How old is your dad?

Here's the thing. If a man is going to get cancer, prostate cancer is probably the one he wants to get (except for the part about messing with the prostate and all). If caught early most prostate cancers are easily treated and cured. But even if it's not treated at all, many prostate cancers are so slow-growing and have so few side effects that many patients would die of old age before the cancer really effects them much.

if he decided to go the surgery route for treatment, I suggest he choose his surgeon very carefully. The big thing in prostatectomies these days is the da Vinci robot in which the surgeon sits in a chair in the corner and controls a 4-armed robot:



so I just happened to attend a presentation yesterday from this guy Ezekial Emmanuel, who is an oncologist at Penn who has also been very involved in healthcare reform issues. (he's also Rahm Emmanuel's brother). Anyway as part of his presentation on why healthcare costs are going up he talked about this da Vinci robot and noted (1) there is no evidence that outcomes are any better or that patient discomfort is any less than with a normal 'manual' prostatectomy (althought the da Vinci surgery costs 2-3x a normal one) and (2) a surgeon needs to do about 700 prostatectomies on the machine before they're really good; he said 'you don't want to be one of those first 700'.

[bmack86]

But at least it looks like a terrifying futuristic torture device. At least there's that.

[Courtney]

Jesus that machine.

Matt, I'd like to echo what has been said above that although "cancer" sounds scary, prostate cancer has a fantastically high survival rate (something like 98% if it is caught early). My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer 5 years ago, went the radioactive seed route, and since then his PSA tests have been totally normal. For him, I think the most notable difficulties were psychological because of the whole masculinity thing and the short-term problems that surgery or radiation can cause with incontinence and erectile dysfunction. And, of course, the whole cancer being scary as all hell thing and having to come to terms with your mortality.

The most recent studies suggest that in fact all men will get prostate cancer over the course of their life if they live long enough. It's just that normally they die of other causes first before the prostate cancer becomes a problem.

[obzen]

Sorry about the bad news, Matt. I hope it works out well for your pops.

[chairmenmeow47]

my thoughts are with you, matt <3

[guedita]

One of my best friends found her little chihuahua dead this morning. There was a price tag lodged in the back of her throat. I spend soo much time at her house that I feel like I've lost one of my own pets.

[Mugwog]

:-(

[amyzzz]

Sorry about your friend's dog, Cara.

[locachica73]

Sorry Cara.

[ThatGirl]

Oh god that's awful. So, so sorry.

[miscorrections]

Is it awful that I want to know the price on the tag?

[bmack86]

You want to know if the dog had expensive taste?

Oof. That was too soon. Sorry Cara, that really sucks, and what an odd way to go.

[ThatGirl]

Is it awful that I want to know the price on the tag?

Yes. It is.

[guedita]

Is it awful that I want to know the price on the tag?

This made me laugh. When I first heard about it I was terrified that it was a price tag from one of my many recent Target purchases that I've ripped off and left around her house.

[SepaGroove]

Poor puppy. That's a shitty way to die.

[getbetter]

Poor dog .hope you feel better Cara.

[OnlyNonStranger]

I just had to layoff about 25 guys. My first time doing it. Feels bad man.

[amyzzz]

Shittiest Monday ever.

[marooko]

Would you take comfort in knowing you're not alone?

[amyzzz]

Sure. Thanks.

[ThatGirl]

One of my dogs ate a set of earbuds last night, and the other one threw up on the carpet this morning.

[amyzzz]

I'm very close to replacing my carpet with some kind of dog-friendly flooring.