If it helps, do it!

It could be that all these good people are trying to help, and at the same time, they're trying to keep from regretting not having said "something" that might have helped you. You know, if only I had said such and such!

They want to know that EVERY stone has been turned over so that you didn't miss any possible treatments.

You didn't.

Take care of yourself, and that includes the mental!

I'd call, but I need to keep the phone line open for Verizon. My email's not working and it's complicated. They promised to call........sometime in the next couple of hours, today or tomorrow.

And they don't want to leave any stone unturned. But sometimes they're so frickin' insistent, and upset when I don't try their suggestions.

Some of this is just physical and your body gets away from you. I'm thinking of Steve Jobs, who tried all natural treatments and probably who knows what exotic what, only to find out at the end that he needed real chemical (chemo) help, but it was pretty too late at that point.

I've done years of chemo. I'm done. It has gotten to the point that I can't tolerate it, or function with it, and I've been better now without it, but that doesn't mean it didn't work. I believe it did. I just think I ran the tolerable gamut, which is all I could manage. But I don't think a diet of acai berries or antioxidants or whatever will make any significant difference at this point.

I'm not female, but I imagine what first-pregnancy women go through in terms of unsolicited advice isn't radically different. Everyone means well, but the next time you meet them, it's "did you try the vitamin B-12/kale juice/grapefruit diet I suggested? No? Why not?"

I don't have to justify my decisions. I'm accepting of suggestions, but let's leave it there.

Sorry, just in a pissy mood today.

That way you can protect yourself with an eye watering cloud of putrid vapors. Once they stop gagging, you can tell them it is a special "secret herbal cure" that is doing wonders.

A friend of mine (who is a nurse) just about flipped out when I wanted to buy some microwave popcorn and said it was the worst thing I could eat. I said to her, "For God's sake, I'm already dying! If I want a snack to enjoy who cares if it's good for me or not?" Besides, it can't be much worse than the swill they feed us at "the home."
Since it was my money, I bought the popcorn.

Oddly enough, I avoided fried foods most of my adult life figuring they were a health risk. Now that I don't need to worry about food's influence (although I still try to eat healthily) the one time I give myself permission to have salami or onion rings or something decadant is finally at a point where I can't tolerate it anyway

I wouldn't say no to a cheesecake, though.

I'd rather the straight up than the "I know someone who knows someone who did this..." positive spin that helps the person telling the story feel better about it all.

That said, I don't want anyone fixated on a date either. Even if I have only 6 months, I'd rather try and live those months than for people to sit around ticking off my time.

When I was first diagnosed I had to remind a few people that I was still me and to stop with the long faces and hushed tones.

just thinking it was part of the process, but magically now everyone (and not that I'm not appreciative) wants to travel to my door even though I'm not on my deathbed (but that's what people think). And frankly I'm thankfully people even care to do that much.

I'm still pretty damn functional. Not as much as a year ago, but still functional. I can drive, go to the store, take the trash out, fix the furnace (today's project - still smelling of diesel fuel) and so forth. Not as fast as before - it's clear I'm slowing down - but neither am I keeling over tomorrow, AFAIK.