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Does bladder cancer diagnosis shape who we become? Does the cancer shape who we become? Does the treatment shape who we become? Do our responses to bladder cancer and treatments shape who we become?
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DOES BLADDER CANCER SHAPE WHO WE BECOME?
- By Cheyenne
- Posted June 27, 2009 at 10:12 am · 65 replies
- In Living with non-invasive bladder cancer
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Heart disease Cancer Surgery Arthritis Leukemia Chronic pain Falls Incontinence Burns Bruises Pain Bladder cancer
65 replies
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- Newest first
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 11:24 am
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Great way to put it. I guess we can use it to define us for better or for worse, and we have to make the choice.
Good perspective, thanks
- By spartyman
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 11:17 am
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Great question and simple answer. Only if I allow it to define me. I am a cancer surivivor and wil continue to refer to myself as such. The only way I allow this monster of cancer to define me is that it has made me a better person, more empathetic, listen more , talk less.
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 4, 2009 at 12:00 pm
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Just used to it I guess. I have friends in Vermont and R.I. and one of my boys lives in OH. Been to all those places in the winter. Damn near froze to death. My other boy is like me, he lives in the Florida Keys. Hot and dry, hot and humid, I don;t care as long as it is hot. Byt we do get some cold days in the winter like 70, 60, and sometimes 50 but it doesn;t last more than a day or two maybe three. SO we get to play outside all year. Golf, tennis, soccer, swimming, whatever. Since I never grew up and like to play, it suits me fine. No salt on the roads, no rust on the cars and trucks. Parts of Texas can get cold though, but not like the North.
- By billybern
- Posted July 4, 2009 at 11:41 am
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Hey Cheyenne...thanks for the info re recommendations etc.. I t hink I will leave things as they are. I really like having you, Moon and JJ to talk to . I consulted for a company in Austin for about ten years. You got to understand that us Northerners fade into a damp brainless heap above 90 deg F. I remember ( barely) being in a company golf tournament in Austin in the summer. I can't believe you guys actually enjoy it!
To me 80deg and dry is perfect. Austin also gets very humid so the hot but dry thing doesn't fly...
Cheers and Happy Fourth!.. God Bless America and
Semper Fi!....bill
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 9:44 pm
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People actually watched that? don;t think I missed anything. I must have been the only kid who hated TV and cartoons, and comic books. Was I deprived or did I escape insanity?
- By CrazyHorse
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 8:07 pm
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The Famous Mr. Ed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLR4iZJLgc4
A horse is a horse
of course, of course
and no one can talk to horse, of course.
That is, of course,
unless the horse
is the famous Mister Ed.
Go right to the source
and ask the horse,
he'll give you the answer that you'll endorse;
He's always on a steady course.
Talk to Mister Ed!
People yakkity yak a streak
and waste your time o' day.
But Mister Ed will never speak
unless he has something to say!
A horse is a horse,
of course, of course
and this one'll talk 'til his voice is hoarse.
You never heard of a talking horse?
Well listen to this,
I am Mister Ed!
Willlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllburrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 5:30 pm
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Actually Jack you are quite right. We can (I mean this literally too as people do it) fry on egg on the sidewalk or on a piece of metal. You can get 2nd.. degree burns if you hold your hand on car door too long (like 5 seconds). Easy to keep things warm or hot, not so easy to keep things cool. But we do have our ways of making sure beer stays chilled! Right now it is 102 degrees - in the shade. was a little hotter about 1500 hours. Texas can be very confusing. We really want to keep it that way. We are breaking some records for heat though. The temps are not unusual, but it is unusual to have over 36 days in a row at over 100 degrees with consecutive days over 110. We are south of Austin so what ever it is in Austin it is hotter here. I love it though. Unfortunately the tanks are going dry, we can't raise hay grazer and the cattle and horses have to he sheltered and endure extreme heat. Water has to be brought in in some places and we have hay trucked in from Colorado, Kansas and Montana - very expensive. Not to mention farmers who plant crops only to watch them wither away. But they have to plant them if they have them insured. Insurance companies will pay if the crops die but not if they are not planted. We are in a bit of trouble. Land fires are really worrisome and all fire works have been canceled and prohibited. No fire crackers are allowed either. Fire works is a big thing in Texas so lots of people are losing lots of money. But that is in this part of Texas. Others parts have little or no problem.
- By Moonerj
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 4:32 pm
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When would you ever confuse anyone? You said it as it is my friend. Very well done.
I do find Texas confusing though, summer weather in the winter, then in the summer you don't need BBQs to cook, just but the food in a pan outside and it cooks.
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 4:21 pm
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Hey Billy: The block that allows for a recommendation is not required. However if a person finds a discussion that they feel is particularly helpful or it is one that they may want to go back to in the future, it is easier to find if it is given a recommendation. I give a recommendation to only the sites that I think I might want to reference in the future or suggest to another member.
With regard to adding friends, this is optional as well. By adding a person as a friend a message is went to that person letting them know that you would like to be their friend. The receiving person can either accept, reject or decide later. The advantage to having friends is that it allows you to message each other privately so that no one else can see the messages. Like instant messaging. It affords privacy for sharing phone numbers, etc. Once a person accepts your invitation (or vice versa) messaging is now possible. It is also possible to remove a person from your friend list in which case they would get a message letting them know you did that and messaging would no longer be possible. It is a very nice feature. Sometimes people have interests or thoughts that they want to share but which are not appropriate for a post or things they have in common that they want to talk about.
- By Moonerj
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 4:16 pm
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The big Block recommendation means, that you recommend the post be read by other members.
You enjoyed the post wheter a discussion or journal.
Do you mean request a friend Bill? By requesting a friend, you can email back and forth privately.
I hope this helps
- By billybern
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 4:05 pm
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Cheyenne; I am still new to this site.. what does the
big block that says "recommendations" mean? what do I do with it? Also what does it mean to designate some one a "friend" I feel we are all friends by now...
cheers...bill
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 3, 2009 at 9:07 am
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Thank you Bill. And thanks for your inspiring story, especially about not blaming God. You and Eric have really helped put this whole discussion in perspective. Thanks so much for you words of wisdom.
Good thing horses have good depth perception!. Although there are many blind horses. This is a story a friend send me. Glad you reminded me of it.
"Two Horses: There is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.... Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell.It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow. As you stand and watch these two friends,you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse,and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is,trusting that he will not be led astray.When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening,it stops occasionally and looks back,making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell. Like the owners of these two horses,God does not throw us away just because we are not perfecter because we have problems or challenges.He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....Good friends are like that... you may not always see them, but you know they are always there.Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours. And remember...be kinder than necessary- everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.Live simply,Love generously,Care deeply,Speak kindly....Leave the rest to God"
- By billybern
- Posted July 2, 2009 at 9:44 pm
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Hey Cheyenne...That was a great story. There are events in our lives that shape us that usually are the result of interplay with our fellow beings( thanks Eric). Not, I think, as the result of our trials. However!
The trials and tribulations we face with conviction and courage make us stronger.
After serving in the Marine Corps and not getting a
scratch(except for a pesky STD). I was in a nasty accident and was blinded in my right eye.. I was blind in both eyes for several weeks-- but Thank God-- my left eye recovered with just a few ink blots to deal with. I now ski, free-dive, and ride a motorcycle( and yes, occasionally ride a horse) all with NO depth perception.
After a couple weeks in the hospital they sent me home. My poor wife. I was so depressed nobody could stand to be with me and I couldn't stand me either.
I was listening to a relgious radio station( I never blamed God for my problems) and a Priest came on and gave a simple sermon. I swear he was talking to me. His message was simple.
"Carry your Cross cheerfully so that others may gain strength from your example."
That was forty years ago and I never forgot it. You are doing it now, Cheyenne. I admire and respect you for it and will keep you in my prayers.
best ...bill
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 2, 2009 at 4:03 pm
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As usually Eric, very thoughtfully said and very helpful. You always fill in the gaps for us. Thanks for your input.
- By EricAndre
- Posted July 2, 2009 at 2:13 pm
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Cheyenne,
It certainly does. But we have a choice about our attitude. If we see yourself as a victims, that we don't deserve this, unfortunately our emotions are down resulting in suffering. But, if we see it as an opportunity to see yourself in an act of bravery then we discover something we did not know about yourself.
And that is priceless, with this discovery comes the knowledge that courage is something that we need to discover if we don't have it. Something much more important follows, the knowledge that if we live without fear a new vision of life appears as a very deep conviction that we are here not to stay forever but to learn and as far as learning cancer is a major teacher.
If our body dies from it (Note the word "Body" is very important here it is necessary to remind ourself that we are known as human being, the word "Being" is very important here). So if our body dies we have this realization that the "Being" will not.
So if we feel that we are just a body (Not a human being) then suffering is forming, but if we feel that we are human beings then all possibilities are open. In that respect cancer changes our life for the better or worse, our choice. I am not talking about the people who are told that they are terminal. That is a by product of our civilization as so many absurdities that we see everyday of our life how is it possible to be terminal if we are called human being or in french "Etre vivant" translated as "Living being". I am not trying to force my point of view but just trying to stay logical so the question is: are we human beings or not?
If you choose NOT then you have to convince the physicist that the little piece of matter are actually real and is the only real part of the universe, they probably will smile politely at you, while thinking "Here is one with little knowledge, not surprising that there is still people who believe the earth is flat"
Be well
EricAndre
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 2, 2009 at 11:34 am
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So that's why I talk to horses and dogs and the cows. They do indeed listen. I remember there was a show called Mr. Ed or something but I never liked TV even as a kid. Hated cartoons, still do. Don;t even own a TV except the one one at my guest house which is for the guests and we don;t live there so I watch TV. I doubt I am missing anything.
- By Cheyenne
- Posted July 2, 2009 at 10:02 am
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Who is Wilbur?
Kirby said he likes the pic. He went in the bedroom to start practicing so he can do that. The boy looks just like you. Well, no, I mean, he looks better than you. Although you do act his age.
Do you think animals and pets shape who we become? (seriously)
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