HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kenigson@cs.utk.edu (Matthew R S B Kenigson)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Hair for severe chemo patients
Summary: I'd like to know who to contact.
Keywords: hair, cancer, chemo, wig
Date: 8 Apr 92 04:50:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: utkcs2.ku4uslINNoua
Organization: University of Tennessee, Knoxville - CS Department
NNTP-Posting-Host: duncan.cs.utk.edu

Hi-

When I was eleven years old, my twelve-year-old cousin developed a brain tumor.
She had to undergo extensive chemotherapy treatment.  Before chemo, she had
really beautiful hair, which she had made into a ball that kept her company.
Way back then I remember hearing that people could give their hair so that it
could be made into a hairpiece a chemo patient could wear.  I've been growing
my hair out for a couple of years and it is now about two feet long.  I wanted
to know if anyone out there knew if there was anyone I could contact about
giving my hair away.  I know this sounds a little strange, and I hope no one
has been offended by my post, but I thought it might be at least somewhat
appropriate here.  Thank you,
					Matt Kenigson
					kenigson@cs.utk.edu
From: h2co@odin.cc.pdx.edu (Candace O'Connor)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Bereavement fares no longer exist
Keywords: What do we do about sudden illness/death?
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:14:14 GMT
Followup-To: rec.travel.air, alt.support.cancer
Distribution: usa
Organization: Portland State University, Computing Services


Hello.  I am posting this article to both alt.support.cancer (where I 
imagine there are people other than myself with very ill relatives) 
and rec.travel.air (where I hope someone reading will have an answer).
I suggest followups to both groups.

My mother is suffering from highly metastasized malignant melanoma; the
doctor gives her two to six months to live.  My grandmother (to whom I
am very close) will be (in May) 105 years old.  Although I can't make
an advance purchase for the occasions, it is clear to me that I will have
two funerals to attend in the forseeable future.  I live in Oregon; my
mother and grandmother both live in Connecticut.

I just heard a piece this morning on NPR about the new fare structure
for the airline industry.  In the interests of simplicity (I figure that
translates into increased profits), the airlines have done away with a
lot of formerly available special fares, including for the clergy, and
the military, and senior citizens, and people who have to get home
suddenly for a funeral.

Can anyone suggest a strategy for getting around this?  By way of example,
could one purchase a ticket that allows schedule (date) changes and
just keep changing the ticket every week?  That may sound like a stupid
idea, but it is the only possibility that has occurred to me thus far.

I have read the FAQ post in rec.travel.air.  Included are addresses for
consumer input (including complaints) for many airlines.  It seems to me
that it cannot hurt to write letters about this issue to all major
airlines.  I am thinking about this issue now because I have to.  But
the need for a bereavement ticket could strike anyone at any time.  
I shouldn't call it "bereavement".  What if my mother is rushed to the
hospital and things look bad?  Unless last-minute fares have come down
a great deal because of this "simplification", I'd probably be paying
(just a guess) $1,000 or more to fly to Connecticut.

I will greatly appreciate any hints.

btw, the rec.travel.air FAQ post is, not surprisingly, out of date on this
issue.  But it is also mistaken about how much it costs to travel with
a pet on United Airlines.  I know because I wanted to fly with my rat.
Don't ask me why, I had a good reason.  Anyway the ticket agent told
me that there is a charge of $100 each way to fly with any animal on
United.  Any animal, including this one that can fit into a briefcase
and presents no "barking hazard". (i.e. this was not an anti-rat
policy in particular ;-) Plus the cost of the airline-approved container 
(which I don't mind, would have bought that anyway).  Just so you know.

Candace S. O'Connor
Biology Department

h2co@odin.cc.pdx.edu
From: msw1633@summa.tamu.edu (Mark S. Whitsitt, N5RJF)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: chemo pharmacology
Date: 13 Apr 92 04:16:00 GMT
Reply-To: MSW1633@SUMMA.TAMU.EDU
Organization: Texas A&M University, Biochemistry Department
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

My Mom is now in her 5th round of chemotherapy and just told me tonite what the 
drugs she is being given are.  I am a biochemist, but I have not studied the 
pharmacology of such agents.  If anyone reading this group can give me a brief 
run-down on what the modes of action of the following two drugs are, I would 
appreciate it.  Please email if at all possible.

Thanks,


Mark S. Whitsitt, N5RJF        Texas A&M University, Dept of Biochemistry
Vice-President W5AC ARC  		  College Station, Tx. 77843-2128
Internet:  MSW1633@SIGMA.TAMU.EDU 			   (409) 845-0832
Packet/APLINK:  N5RJF @ KE5HE.TX.USA.NA
   "You can't throw darts when you're empty, man." - another Shadelism
From: mwr@tridom.uucp (Mark Reardon)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Re: Good Idea!
Date: 6 Apr 92 16:44:57 GMT
Reply-To: mwr@tridom.uucp (Mark Reardon)
Organization: AT&T Tridom; Marietta, Georgia

In article <1992Apr3.215453.10316@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu>, csjan@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Jan Faires) writes:
|> 
|> Do any spouses/caretakers of cancer patients read this group?
|> I would be interested in hearing how they are dealing with their  
|> anger, grief, etc.  
|> 
I have not had cancer but my wife has and I will be reading this group (See my previous post).  I try and take things as they come and let my wife talk about what's going on.  I do not know what she is going through so I don't tell her I do.  Instead, I try and be there for her and let her know I care.  I also try and attend all of her doctor visits so I can discuss with her what was said.  We both find this quite helpful since sometimes one or the other of us interprete the doctor differently, or just pla



n don't her him or her because of something else taking our attention.

|> Has anyone (cancer patient or SO) found support groups to be
|> helpful?
|> 
We aren't the kind of people that open up to support groups well so we didn't try them.  If they help, go.  This group is actually the kind of thing I find good.  My wife finds support  in talking to her friends that have cancer or who's spouse has cancer.

|> Thanks for your response.
|> Jan
|> csjan@ux1.cts.eiu.edu

Thank you

Mark Reardon (mwr@eng.tridom.com)
Organization: Penn State - Erie
Date: Monday, 6 Apr 1992 15:24:54 EDT
From: Ron McCarty <RON@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Re: Emotional reactions
 <1992Apr3.195716.21524@ccu.umanitoba.ca>

In article <1992Apr3.195716.21524@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, nichols@ccu.umanitoba.ca
(Pat Nichols) says:
>
>
>I was never really afraid of dying although I was scared of surgery
>and chemotherapy (after the first session).  I don't really think I
>am denying the seriousness of it, but in facing the possibility of
>death, I found it wasn't scary.

My dad died of lung cancer in May of '89 after being diagnosed in February.
When he was sick he said he really had no fear of being dead, it was just
the process of dying that was so difficult. Many times I got the feeling
that he just wanted it to all be over. I think he was much more
afraid of the treatments and the uncertainity and the knowledge of what
he was about to go through, having witnessed many others go through
cancer of one kind or another. I don't think death was nearly as frightening
to him as life was at that point.

Ron McCarty
From: hench@carter.cs.unc.edu (Stephen Hench)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: NCI: 1-800-4-CANCER
Keywords: cancer
Date: 8 Apr 92 04:06:34 GMT

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is an excellent source of information on
cancer prevention, treatment, and recovery.  I have included a description
from one of their flyers.  All publications are free, and can be legally
photocopied (Federal Government publications are not subject to copyright
restrictions).

I have been treated for metastasized melanoma, and the brochures from
NCI were a great help.  Other than being a satisfied customer, I have
no affiliation with NCI.

Stephen D. Hench
hench@cs.unc.edu


Flyer follows:
-------------


	CANCER
	INFORMATION
	SERVICE
	1-800-4-CANCER

- Accurate, personalized answers to your cancer-related questions are only
  a phone call away.  By dialing this toll-free number, 1-800-4-CANCER, you
  can speak with a trained staff member of the Cancer Information Service
  (CIS), a program of the NCI.  In addition to providing confidential answers
  to your questions, CIS staff can mail free publications on a variety of
  subjects.

- Since it began, the CIS has responded to nearly three million calls on
  topics such as cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
  Although many CIS calls are from cancer patients and their families, many
  calls are received from the general public, especially on topics related
  to cancer prevention.

- Resource material used to respond to callers' questions is updated regularly
  by NCI.  A computerized data base provides information on state-of-the-art
  cancer treatment.

- In most locations dialing 1-800-4-CANCER automatically connects you with the
  regional office serving your area, and you can learn about community agencies
  and services available to you.

- Spanish speaking staff members are available.
From: sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com (Gary Merrill)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Re: HEALTH
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:39:41 GMT
    <ARA.92Apr9110652@camelot.ai.mit.edu> <kua2jaINN3pb@male.EBay.Sun.COM>
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.
Originator: sasghm@theseus.unx.sas.com
X-Bytes: 529

In article <kua2jaINN3pb@male.EBay.Sun.COM>, cannon@superdist.Sun.COM (Jeff Cannon) writes:

[Much pseudo-scientific, anti-scientific, self-deluding crap deleted.]

Of course we can all ignore this stuff, and maybe he'll go away.
But if anyone is interested in buying this drivel, perhaps they
could start something like alt.cancer.mysticism.
-- 
Gary H. Merrill  [Principal Systems Developer, C Compiler Development]
SAS Institute Inc. / SAS Campus Dr. / Cary, NC  27513 / (919) 677-8000
sasghm@unx.sas.com ... !mcnc!sas!sasghm
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: ilene@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Ilene F Levin)
Subject: loss of friends (was Re: encouraging experiences.)
Summary: cancer phobia
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 04:50:07 GMT

In article <1992Apr08.160611.25151@watson.ibm.com> danm@grumpy.watson.ibm.com (Dan McCabe) writes:
>One unfortunate aspect of this whole experience has been the abandonment
>of my parents
>by their "friends". After mentioning the tumor to their friends, my
>parents were
>treated like pariahs. At a time when friends become more important than ever,
>this was sad to see. Needless to say, my parents still hold a grudge to these
>former "friends".

This part of the posting really hit home for me. About 4 1//2
years ago I was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer on my tongue.
I was lucky in many respects because it was found and 
treated early with surgery (no radiation required).
Today the only visible reminder is the scar on my neck where lymph nodes were
removed. My speech is generally as clear as it was prior to the removal
of approximately 1/5 of my tongue (I've joked that only 4/5 of what I say
makes sense but some friends told me that's an improvement!)

The most difficult thing for me was the disappearance of many friends
(or people that I thought were friends). When I was first diagnosed
I called a few friends and wrote letters to some others. The initial
lack of response made me decide to not tell anyone else. After surgery
I did tell the rest of my "friends" what had happened and that it was
over and I was fine. I was shocked at how many people never responded.
Some of these people were people that I would see/talk to at least
every few weeks (some more frequently) others were people that I
wrote to on a semi-regular basis but all were people I consider friends.
The next year I still sent holiday cards to those I hadn't heard from
and still received no response. There were two friends I saw about a
month after surgery and never heard from either one again. 
Other members of a support group I had gone to had similar experiences.

On a more positive note; there were people who were very supportive
and I'm very thankful for their love and support.

ifl
-- 
ilene@csd4.csd.uwm.edu ,     UWM - SBA, P.O. Box 742, Milwaukee, WI  53201
Uucp:uunet!ilene@csd4.csd.uwm.edu , Bitnet:ilene%csd4.csd.uwm.edu@INTERBIT
"I only read to please myself, and I only like what suits me" 
Pococurante in Candide
From: jstan@krakatoa.jsc.nasa.gov (John Stansbury [Hernandz] exp. 12/31/92)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Re: HEALTH
Date: 10 Apr 1992 21:05:31 GMT
Organization: Software Technology Branch - NASA/JSC
Originator: jstan@krakatoa


Thanks to Gary Merrill for dispatching Mr. Cannon's New Age rot.  Dealing with cancer is not a "nurturing warm fuzzy crystal affair," its a goddamn fight.  You don't cope by saying "I will get better," you do it by saying "I won't get worse."  We're irradiated, chemotherapied, proud, and too smart to be taken by herbal charlatans.  

This message sounds awfully shrill, I know, but I didn't feel like being diplomatic.
 
Do not go gentle,
John Stansbury

--usual disclaimers--
From: zwdq01@trc.amoco.com (Walter Quay)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Re: encouraging experiences.
Keywords: Hope, Optimism, Fight.
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:09:31 GMT
Article-I.D.: trc.1992Apr8.180931.23776
Distribution: usa
Organization: Amoco Production Company
X-Checksum-Snefru: a9f4c802 c0e06293 9141852f 02446e89

I have some early encouraging news regarding a family bout with cancer.  My father was dianosed as having lung cancer in Sept. 1991.  It was further classified as small or oat cell lung cancer(the worst kind according to a medical reference book I have).  I picked info at the American Cancer Society showing "average" survival time for this type of cancer as 3 - 6 months.   However the oncologists that my father was seeing talked of remission. I was very cautious in my optimism, having witnessed my mother-i







n-law destroyed by pancreatic cancer less than 2 years ago.  After 6 - 3 day chemo treatments, 3 weeks apart, followed by 5 weeks of 5 day radiation treatment, he seems to be more like the doctors predicted vs the ACS statistics.  As you might tell from reading between the lines, I'm wanting to believe, but can't quite.  I really want to post an encouraging experience, and up until now my dad has has a reasonable quality of life, and has passed the "average".  My concern is why is he doing this well.  Is i







t becasue he has an above average physical strength or is it due to the "wonders" of the new treatments.  Does anyone out there know more about recent advances in treating this type of cancer?  Should I believe?

The primary chemo drugs that I remember are: Carbo-Platinum & VP-16 


-- 
snail: 4502 E. 41st St Rm 322, Tulsa, OK 74135   Walter Quay
voice: (918) 660-3973                           
uucp:  ...!uunet!apctrc!zwdq01                  Amoco Research Center
From: kenigson@hydra2c.cs.utk.edu (Matthew R S B Kenigson)
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Hair for chemo patients
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:53:39 GMT
Reply-To: kenigson@hydra2c.cs.utk.edu (Matthew R S B Kenigson)
Organization: Computer Science Dept, University of Tennesee, Knoxville
NNTP-Posting-Host: hydra2c.cs.utk.edu


    I haven't gotten any replies to my original post -- does this mean that there is no one who does this anymore, or merely that no one here knows about it?

RE: herbal medicine.
Jeff, 

    In that regard, I offer my sincere condolences, Larry (larry@bradley.bradley.edu), but ask you please not to make your experience a basis for bitterness.  Many of us here have felt loss, but need to keep helping the living.

Ed (edg@netcom.com)- 

    Your wife would probably benefit from holistic medicine (I prefer and recommend homeopathy), now that the main scare is over.  There are many gentle methods of restoring the body that do not require you to go to the drugstore.
					---the Neuromancer
					-------'------;-{@
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: edg@netcom.com (Ed Greenberg)
Subject: Re: cervical cancer
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 22:30:08 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 

In article <!btj=qb.ekman@netcom.com> ekman@netcom.com (Crossly the Glad-Eyed Bear) writes:
>>
>A good question.  I think I'd like to broaden it a little.  If I develop
>cancer while employed, am I effectively stopped from changing employers?
>Obviously if I quit my current employer, I'll lose my present coverage.
>And I assume that my new employer's insurance carrier is going to refuse
>to cover me with a pre-existing cancer.  So, am I held hostage at my
>current place of employment?

I went through an employment change after Roseann had her brain tumor.
Fortunately, my new employer had the same HMO as my old one (Kaiser.)

I've always assumed that I am hostage to Kaiser, but I really don't know
how I'd find out for sure.  
-- 
Ed Greenberg 		| Home: +1 408 283 0184 | edg@netcom.com
P. O. Box 28618		| Work: +1 408 764 5305 | DoD#: 0357
San Jose, CA  95159	| Fax:  +1 408 764 5003 | KM6CG (ex WB2GOH) 
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: ctdonath@rodan.syr.EDU (Carl T. Donath)
Subject: Re: Good Idea!
In-reply-to: csjan@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu's message of Fri, 3 Apr 1992 21:54:53 GMT
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 12:56:50 EDT


It's coincedental timing for the creation of this newsgroup. My 1-year old
nephew was diagnosed with leukemia just days ago. Anyone have any 
info on types & treatments? He supposedly is in the 95% survival bracket
- any info on exactly what it is & how a "cure" works?
--
\-\-\ ctdonath@rodan.acs.syr.edu   Carl T Donath                          /-/-/
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/-/-/ Information is the key to power and the key to prevent power abuse. \-\-\
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: deryl@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
Subject: Alziemers- can you help?
Date: 10 Apr 92 16:15:38 +1200
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

I realise that I may not be in quite the right place here... but, do
any of you know of anywhere carers can get information about
Alziemers' Disease?

If you can help, I'd appreciate your E.Mail.  Since I'm in NZ then
U.S. specific organisations may not be useful unless you have a contact
address.

Thanks in advance, and strength to you all
  
]
Deryl@Waikato.ac.nz

Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: ae299@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jack L. Wallace)
Subject: A thought for the ladies.
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 03:06:52 GMT


My wife is a Nurse Oncologist and she states that if you feel a 
suspicious lump, or your doctor sees something on the x-ray and
says "Let's watch it for a while!"

D O N ' T !

She has seen too many patients who waited and watched it grow...

She didn't wait and she is still here helping others.

-- 
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: garvin+@cs.cmu.edu (Susan Garvin)
Subject: Re: A Bout with a Brain Tumor
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 00:36:45 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon

In article <1992Apr13.023626.20781@ccu.umanitoba.ca> nichols@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Pat Nichols) writes:

>Are there other people out there who have experienced chemo and
>radiation?  How did you feel while on them and how do you feel now?  I
>realize that chemo is a very individual thing and that every person
>reacts differently, but I would be interested in others reactions.


Wow.  This hits home for me, too.  (I only had chemo, no
radiation.)

I had my chemo once every four weeks.  Right before each zap,
when my counts were starting to climb, I felt pretty good.
I haven't felt that good since.  I thought that it was
partly due to not having the extreme slumps in energy that
I experienced on chemo, and partly due to being older than
I was when the cancer hit.  

Even if there's nothing that can be done, it helps to know
that I'm not alone.  Part of my problem is that I think I
should be so glad that I don't have cancer any more that
I should not complain about "minor" things.  I have a lot
of permanent side effects from the chemo - I know that I
stop myself when I'm angry about them by thinking "You
could be dead."  Does anyone else do this?

Susan

Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: larry@bradley.bradley.edu (Larry D. Stratton)
Subject: Re: Fatigue and Resistance Years After Radation/chemo. Sex related?
Organization: Bradley University
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 06:09:30 GMT

In <ca1j-fj.edg@netcom.com> edg@netcom.com (Ed Greenberg) writes:
>I've heard several women confirm the fatigue and lowered resistance
>symptoms years after radiation and chemo, but no men. Is it possible
>it's sex related?

   Fatigue, yes.  Lowered resistance, no.  And it has been 8 years.

   
-- 

  In search of a sig.
    suggestions solicited
Newsgroups: alt.support.cancer
From: newson@sequent.com
Subject: Re: Lung Cancer
Organization:  Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 18:49:41 GMT

In article <1992Apr05.082559.668766@zeus.calpoly.edu> jgreen@zeus.calpoly.edu (James T. Green) writes:
>I just found out that my Mother has been diagnosed as having
>a tumor in her lung.  She will be scheduled for a biopsy.  I 
>understand that this will involve opening her up and taking
>out a small piece of the tumor and looking at it under a 
>microscope.  If it is cancer, they then take out what they
>feel they need to.  If anyone knows, 1) how often do these
>tumors turn out to be cancer, and 2) if it is cancer, what
>is the survival rate for lung cancer these days.
>
My brother had to go through several cat scans, and a procedure called
mediastioscopy(sp?) which required a small incision at the lower neck
above the sternum. This allowed them to take samples of the tumor itself
and tissue between the lung known as the mediastinum. This area unfortunately
in Ron's case was found to be positive and resulted in the surgeons inability
to remove the tumor. Another complication was the proximity of the tumor to
his windpipe. Something to note is in my brothers case, they did perform
an earlier procedure shortly after the cloud had been detected in his xray
so there is the possibility that this may not be the procedure they intend
to perform.

The thing that annoyed me the most is the time it took from finding out there
was a problem (with his xray) to the time this mediastiascopy was performed.
about two months. In any event, he is partaking in a protocal at Stanford Univ.
specifically designed for stage 3A lung cancer patients. Three hospitalizations
where he gets 4 days of chemo, every three weeks. He has completed the three 
treatments, and will see a surgeon this week with hopes of surgery within the
next two weeks. Once he got in the protocal, the ball started rolling. The 
tumor is 50% the size it used to be. Good news!


=======================================================================
Don Newson,                                        Phone: (503)578-3872
Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.                       newson@sequent.com
=======================================================================