Up to 2 years...

[VideoFly 0]

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with a highly advanced viral count associated with Hepatitis C, genotype 1A and cirrhosis of the liver. I was told that there were no available approved treatments and that I should ensure that all of my paperwork was complete as I could expect to live perhaps six more months. However, I was informed of an experimental study that I was eligible to participate in, which involved regularly injecting double doses of interferon combined with double doses of riboviron.

There was a somewhat large experimental study group even though we were informed that the side effects would be devastatingly significant.

I participated in the study and experienced a high amount of weight loss, the destruction of my thyroid glands, hair loss, a lethargic lifestyle, psychotic episodes, an almost total loss of red blood cells, hearing problems, comas, and many other problems.

Each week, as I was monitored by medical professionals, I was told of others either dying or being pulled from the study because of severe side effects. But I persisted as I was a single father of three and not ready to give up. During the one year study, I visited the DZ as often as I could and rested on a bench and suffered. Much of the time, I barely felt alive, but I pushed on and continued with the treatment.

At about 30 weeks into the study, my viral count began to drop as the medication killed the rapid growing cells within my body along with the virus. Following that, I persisted, in spite of often going in and out of consciousness and reality. Finally, after one year, I was the last standing subject in my study group and I had a zero viral count. Following another year of recovery, I was still showing no virus.

Now, with some significant damage to my organs, I live a somewhat normal lifestyle and I am still virus-free. In addition to spending a lot of time with my children, I spend as much time as I can with my three grandchildren. Life is good.

While treatment of this type is a personal choice and not always successful, I am glad that I did it.

[lost_n_confuzd 0]

There is no guarantee that it'll work as we don't have the technology to reverse it, but Cryonics is a very interesting field.

Have a company freeze you through vitrification (yes, there are companies that specialize in this) with the hopes that one day science will be able to successfully and safely unfreeze you. By that time there will likely be a cure for X.

If it don't work, you're already legally dead. But if it works....

One day, hopefulyl in our lifetime, freezing will be replaced by non-frozen suspended animation. So it's good to get a contract in now while the price is still relatively low.

[Anvilbrother 0]

The cash in everything for the bucket list needs to have a notation to do that if your singe and have no dependents. I'm kinda erked to think that there are probably people who clicked that option and would do it even if it means their family would suffer financially after your gone.

Bucket list if your single and stop treatment and try to set your family up the best you can if your married or have a kid.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[Andy9o8 2]

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I'm going to continue treatment.
I have a four year old daughter.
I'm going to fight for every last moment I can get with her.

Exactly why "stage of life" (which is not exclusively defined by age) is such an important variable. When my kids were small, I'd have had one answer. Now that they're grown, it would be different.

[Squeak 17]

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The cash in everything for the bucket list needs to have a notation to do that if your singe and have no dependents. I'm kinda erked to think that there are probably people who clicked that option and would do it even if it means their family would suffer financially after your gone.

Bucket list if your single and stop treatment and try to set your family up the best you can if your married or have a kid.

WTF, are you saying the said family is incapable of looking out for themselves?
or are you referring to dependent minor offspring?
Dependent minors fine provide something.
Any other family member screw them and live your life to the fullest whilst you can.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[mpohl 1]

NOW THIS, is a response I can really respect!!!!
Acquaintance of mine worked himself to death in Canada. Eventually caught lung cancer at 55 and had one lung removed. If there is any recurrence in the other lung, he'll be toast.

So, now he is fucking the hottest 20-year old Latina/ Haitian chics that he can get his hands on. And there are many...!!!

Quote

Stop treatment and start robbing banks and filling out credit card apps.

[Anvilbrother 0]

Yes it is as I first stated. Glad I'm not your husband/wife or kids. That's a fucked up attitude to have. Leaving your love ones in possible bankruptcy, homelessness, and sorrow so you can have a selfish few months that you cant take with you when you die.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[Squeak 17]

Quote

Yes it is as I first stated. Glad I'm not your husband/wife or kids. That's a fucked up attitude to have. Leaving your love ones in possible bankruptcy, homelessness, and sorrow so you can have a selfish few months that you cant take with you when you die.

Absolutely, If I'm in my 50- 60s and i want to spend all the hard earned moneis that I EARNED, I would not expect my grown offspring to be looking for anything.
Just as I hope my parents spend every last cent they have on the way to their graves.

They raised me to be independent and self sufficient, not a sponge waiting for a dead-mans hand out.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[oldwomanc6 52]

You said screw any other family members, besides dependent children.

What about a spouse who has been there by your side for however many years? Would you blow through whatever savings/assets you accumulated together? Or just your half of the wealth?

BTW, I agree that grown children should not expect anything from their parents. If they inherit anything, it is a gift, not an entitlement.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[Anvilbrother 0]

I don't think you grasp it. I am referring to a situation such as myself I am 30 I have a wife and a 4 year old daughter. Im not talking about a grandpa setting his great great grand kids up for the rest of their life to not work. Im talking about my immediate wife and kid getting by ok without having to suffer more than just the loss of me because I went to vegas and blew OUR life savings.

It takes decades to sack away money for retirement for you and your spouse especially if its in this shitty volatile market. You cant expect them to start over 12-15 years behind and come out ahead.

If you still think that is ok, I have nothing further to say to you, you have clearly shown your character and im done.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[Squeak 17]

Quote

You said screw any other family members, besides dependent children.

What about a spouse who has been there by your side for however many years? Would you blow through whatever savings/assets you accumulated together? Or just your half of the wealth?

BTW, I agree that grown children should not expect anything from their parents. If they inherit anything, it is a gift, not an entitlement.

The decision to do whatever is decided with regards Rx and any wealth will (and would always be) a joint decision. I didn’t get to 23.5 years with her because of autonomous choices

Hell she'd most like be planning the itinerary before me

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[michalm21 2]

with this little to choose from I'd try to reach out to Stanislaw Burzynski
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislaw_Burzynski
http://www.burzynskimovie.com/

Even if it doesn't work, at this point, what's the difference?

[oldwomanc6 52]

Good answer!

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[Squeak 17]

Quote

I don't think you grasp it. I am referring to a situation such as myself I am 30 I have a wife and a 4 year old daughter. Im not talking about a grandpa setting his great great grand kids up for the rest of their life to not work. Im talking about my immediate wife and kid getting by ok without having to suffer more than just the loss of me because I went to vegas and blew OUR life savings.

It takes decades to sack away money for retirement for you and your spouse especially if its in this shitty volatile market. You cant expect them to start over 12-15 years behind and come out ahead.

If you still think that is ok, I have nothing further to say to you, you have clearly shown your character and im done.

Which goes back to the initial assertions of a lot of posters in this thread (me included) It would all depend on age, life circumstances, treatments etc... (ad nauseum)

For someone my age i would give an answer based on my predicament for other much younger than me I would not expect the answer to be completely different.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Anvilbrother 0]

Agreed. Based off of the poll option I read into it that you had real dependants to take care of not full grown children, grand kids to set up for a life of entitlements off of your hard earned savings. If ur a young kid with nothing or an old man with nothing go for it.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[Squeak 17]

This is a lecture that I saw about a month ago Possibly relevant to the topic at hand.


Yes this is the sort of thing I watch on the internet

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[guppie01 0]

Quote

This is a lecture that I saw about a month ago Possibly relevant to the topic at hand.


Yes this is the sort of thing I watch on the internet

Love this guy... watched and read his lecture a while ago.

Much like Randy, my uncle felt perfect, had no signs or symptoms. My uncles last check up, he had over 40 tumors on his liver.

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[guppie01 0]

Today is my Uncles 65th and last Birthday. He is in the end stages of his life with cancer... About a month ago the family asked my Uncle what he wanted for his Birthday, and he asked for a cure.

As skydivers we are (unfortunately) all too familiar with death, and tragic accidents, however watching someone being slowly consumed by a disease is absolutely heart wrenching!

Once again, I'm not looking for a pitty party. Guess I'm sort of using DZ.com as an outlet.

Despite the cancer, despite the pain, my Uncle (when awake) still likes to joke and enjoy his life as much as possible. He loves to share stories of his military past. He jumped rounds back in the 70's, and 6 years ago I got him under a square - he was grinning ear to ear!

Such a neat neat man!

xoxoxo
g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[gonzalesna 0]

sorry to hear that gia. feel mo betta soon.

Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Vent all you want. We're here for you.

I lost a friend to cancer Monday. He was 78, had a long and good life, and I will miss him very much.
Not a jumper, or anything like that, just a good friend.

Spend as much time with him as you can.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[devildog 0]

I work for hospice, so I'm a touch bias, but I'd stop treatment and go for quality without second thought. There are certain CA dx that patients actually live longer without treatment and just on comfort meds. And if there's no real hope, I'd rather not be an experimental pincushion. I've worked oncology floors before going to hospice. Radiation and chemo tears you up, especially if they have to be "aggressive" with it. The experimental stuff from what I've seen is even worse.

But that's just me. If others want to fight to the last second, I understand the mindset -- especially if that person is relatively young. There's a big difference in say, 28 and 88.

You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions.

[Amazon 7]

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Hi guppie,

Quote

It's not really up to us to decide or not

This is why, every year I donate to the Death With Dignity cause.

JerryBaumchen
An old guy

I voted for that when I was an Oregon Resident and I voted for it up here. As my time to go gets closer I certainly want that option instead of living with more pain than I already have.

The fact that some people wish to force others to impoverish themselves and their families becaue they are so afraid of death for themselves completely amazes me. Its just not right

[rwieder 0]

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What would you do?

Choice # 2. Steve Jobs tried all kinds of experiments, He finally called it a calf rope. In the end the inevitable caught up with him. I applaud his decision and only a guy with guts would do what he did. His legacy is what he leaves behind and will forever be associated with his name.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"