I did one at the beginning of my treatment, here I am about 40 weeks later and ready to be cancer free once again! Ask away people

Here's the old one with proof http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/11753q/iama_21_y0_student_currently_sitting_through_one/

Comments: 94 • Responses: 42  • Date: 

imatechguy8 karma

How did you afford 30 treatments?

3rdFloorChair296 karma

Insurance took care of the majority.. I don't even want to know how much all of this has cost

imatechguy5 karma

You are lucky. Everyone I know that had chemo ended up taking on anywhere from $30k-$200k in medical debt, AFTER insurance.

Apparently insurance companies have been "cutting costs" by not paying for newer treatments, instead only covering older medicines.

3rdFloorChair298 karma

Anything to make more money off us. I'd like to see what they say in my position

petri1526 karma

Have you read the book "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green? If so, do you find it inspiring in any way?

3rdFloorChair295 karma

I can't say I have.. You recommend it?

petri1525 karma

Yes, it's a very good book about a girl who has cancer and she meets a boy who has gotten over cancer but has lost a leg. Very sad ending, I recommend it very much.

3rdFloorChair296 karma

Ill be sure to check it out I've got plenty of time on my hands.. Thanks!

novaf3 karma

What are your plans for this summer?

3rdFloorChair297 karma

I'm going to get scuba certified in June and hopefully make a trip somewhere, skydiving with some friends, and head home to Sweden for July to relax for a while, havent been back in a few years cause of this

CoreyBear2 karma

As a 19 y/o who has been scuba diving for seven years, I really hope you enjoy it. It is a new world down deep.

3rdFloorChair293 karma

I've only done discover scuba one but it was awesome. Can't wait to be certified and see everything I've been missing. Any favorite spots?

CoreyBear1 karma

I usually dive in west palm beach and Stuart. Colorful dives with lots of fish and shark. I went to Ginnie Springs once-it was nice but I prefer ocean dives

3rdFloorChair293 karma

Very nice, that's what I'm looking for so maybe ill run into you down there

IAMgrampas_diaperAMA3 karma

did you ever end up feeling any side effects cause of the chemo? your last post was at the beginning and you said you were still able to do everyday things which is awesome.

3rdFloorChair298 karma

I have some numbness/weakness in my hands and feet but it hasn't slowed me down. Just last weekend I ran the Spartan Race in New York with my brother

millero3 karma

Congrats!!

3rdFloorChair294 karma

Thanks!

cuzzard3 karma

not a question, just a statement. I wish you the best of luck and hope for a successful treatment with no remission. cheers.

3rdFloorChair296 karma

Thanks a lot! Me too

intentsman3 karma

Did all your hair fall out? all of it?

3rdFloorChair297 karma

Yes, was able to keep my eyebrows and peach fuzz facial hair though. It's slowly making a comeback

intentsman4 karma

Did not having pubes affect your sex life?

3rdFloorChair298 karma

Nah, manscaping was a breeze though

Olrock123 karma

What specific drug are you on? What I mean is, trade name, isotope, amount of activity etc

3rdFloorChair294 karma

Vincristine 10 ml syringe every week basically , dactinomycin 5 ml syringe I believe, and cyclophosphamide 250 ml/hr every 21 days. Also 28 days of radiation.. I'll have to double check on the other stuff

gudfred2 karma

does cytoxan ring a bell? I definitely recognize vincristine and being weekly for me

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Yep, cyclophosphamide every 21 days, same thing

gudfred1 karma

ahh... I should write this stuff down, 2 years later and I can't remember any of these details

3rdFloorChair296 karma

Kinda wanna erase this whole process from memory haha

drewzybby3 karma

What is your major and what are you planning on doing with it?

Also, congrats on the final chemo treatment.

3rdFloorChair299 karma

Mechanical Engineering, hopefully I can get into the automotive industry and work on improved engine designs or something of that sort, big fan of high performance cars.. And thanks!

igotfiveonit3 karma

Congrats on being finished. I wish you the best.

As a biotech investor, I’ve always wondered how the trial sites go about recruiting patients to participate in early phase trials of new drugs not yet approved. Did you receive any solicitations?

3rdFloorChair293 karma

Thanks a lot! As for the trials, I was put into a study with the choice of 2 treatments. 1) the standard treatment and 2) a new drug and cycle regiment. It was a computer randomized decision that chose my treatment which was the standard. Not exactly solicitation, my oncologist told me I can either take the standard treatment or go into the study where I would have a 50-50 shot of either standard treatment or the new drug study. Hope this answers your question

anwestin3 karma

Any hot nurses?

3rdFloorChair295 karma

Negative ghost rider, they're all at the dentistry school

anwestin4 karma

Shame. did you tell the docs that you did the spartan rizzle

3rdFloorChair297 karma

Yea they're all impressed

this_sucks11212 karma

How has this impacted you? Do people look at you like you're not normal?

3rdFloorChair293 karma

I've been asked more times if I'm in the marines/army than if I have cancer. I'm at the gym more than any of my healthy friends and have kept up with school for the most part. It's all about your attitude and how you wanna tackle it. Cancer never stood a chance against me

this_sucks11212 karma

I would have fucked with people and said "Yea, I'm in the marines bud. Fuck off". Then watched their face as they walked off, or what ever they did.

3rdFloorChair296 karma

Oh the best is when I tell them, "no, I have cancer and lost my hair to chemo." The look on their faces is priceless! But I make sure to tell them I'm doing great and thanks for the confidence booster

this_sucks11212 karma

Damn... That's even better than I would have thought. Any ways congrats. on the last chemo treatment.

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Thanks a lot!

gudfred1 karma

I know we already have a chain going, just wanted to say I love seeing how people react even now. They see you're young and they always ask "what kind of cancer was it?", and then stare dumbfounded when you tell them

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Some people feel sorry for themselves and that kind of stuff. I don't need your pity I've been through more than them and am doing just fine!

GuitarmanCali2 karma

Congrats!

(no questions just happy to hear)

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Thanks a lot! Only an hour to go

hsg90002 karma

I have no question. I just wanted to give you a big thumbs up. I've known people who have gone through chemo and it's no picnic. Enjoy your new post-chemo life!

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Thanks, I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things after a years break

paod92052 karma

Fellow 20 y/o acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivor here! Just started my 2 year maintenance period last month and am ready to get back into the real world again. I had to move to Houston to receive treatment and have basically been in an out of the hospital since July 2012. Congrats! I'm glad another young person has kicked cancer's ass. Much love from Texas!

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Way to go! It's sucks but the feeling of being done is indescribable! Good luck to you as well from NC

Fredeev2 karma

Not a question: I just want to say congradulations for beating cancer. My mom has had it twice and I know how hard it is.

3rdFloorChair291 karma

Thanks a lot, she's a hell of a person for doing it twice I can't imagine doing more

mumblesandonetwo1 karma

I hope you whoop it's ass!

3rdFloorChair292 karma

You bet I did thanks

gudfred1 karma

Fellow rhabdomyosarcoma patient here (2 years into remission, I'm about to be 22), just wishing you the best of luck with everything in the future! Where was your cancer located? I was lucky to catch it in stage I so maybe that explains some of the radical differences in treatment, but I also had a right hemi-scrotal tumor so it was a very operable location (basically they took out my lucky third "testicle", as well as righty for safety's sake)

3rdFloorChair292 karma

What's up buddy I'm turning 22 as well, in a month. I had stage 3 in my left parotid gland, jaw/ear area. Was too big to operate on, probably lime sized. But radiation and chemo was able to take care of it. Sorry about your nuts but glad your doing well!

gudfred1 karma

I still got the one! haha, and finally my gross anatomy class pays off! How small has the tumor gotten throughout the chemo? Did you have some weird salivation issues or was the tumor just big enough that you could feel something that needed checked out?

3rdFloorChair293 karma

Alright Lance haha! When they looked down my throat you say about half my throat closed off from the thing. I had jaw pain and trouble hearing bc it closed off my eistasoan tube? Spelling. And water got stuck in there. During radiation though my mouth was a freaking desert. The docs can't see any of the tumor when looking at MRI and ct scans and all that so 100% gone is what I'm hoping for

gudfred1 karma

That is absolutely awesome dude, I was lucky enough to avoid radiation (more surgery instead, yay!) but I hear it is not a fun time. Anyway, I've always wanted to go scuba diving so enjoy the shit out of that, skydiving is a total rush and definitely a good call, and I hail from Denmark sooo technically we're kinda like rivals? I wish you an excellent summer nonetheless and hope for clean scans in the future!

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Same to you! I haven't been back to Sweden in a 2 years thanks to this but this summer I plan on going back for some much needed r&r.

TheCasemanCometh1 karma

eustachian*

3rdFloorChair292 karma

That's the one, thanks

robinbirdie1 karma

In your opinion, what are the upsides/downsides to having no hair on your head? (And congrats and enjoy your summer!)

3rdFloorChair293 karma

Downsides: none of my hats fit, it's really freaking cold in the winter, tons of "why did you shave your head questions", sunburn in the summer

Plus side: first to know when it rains/snows etc, air conditioning feels great, save money on haircuts, get mistaken for a marine

I wear it pretty well haha

robinbirdie1 karma

In the shower, do you use soap to wash your head? Or Old Spice, perhaps?

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Haha there's actually a special shampoo for chemo patients.. Supposedly moisturizes and supports hair regrowth, not sure about that but worth a shot

chomblebrown1 karma

So having seen the inside of treatment procedures for some time, have you encountered any of these coffee enema claims?

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Can't say I've heard any of these claims... Care to explain? I don't drink coffee though so that's probably why

chomblebrown1 karma

When I'm off later I'll see if I can't procure this documentary that touted the positive effects... They made (of course) some pretty outstanding claims, I was wondering if you had insight as to how it's regarded in the... "cure community"?

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Yea I'm interested to hear about it.. Sounds fishy though

anwestin1 karma

sup nilsson. pops there now? Did mother leave?

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Yes anwestin, pops keeping me company now. Moms left to go do stuff

anwestin2 karma

Nice. say hello to pops. You gonna grab a hulk smoothie after?

3rdFloorChair293 karma

Done, negative they don't taste quite right

Pogrebnyak0 karma

Var bor du någonstans?

3rdFloorChair292 karma

En Svensk I North Carolina

Pogrebnyak0 karma

Gick du igenom behandlingen i USA eller Sverige?

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Här i USA, vi har bott här in 16 år så det är som hemma. Ganska duktiga här med

earthworm_debris-2 karma

Have you heard of Max Gerson? Many people to this day claim his natural method cured their cancer but current-day medical professionals ignore this despite his consistent findings/research.

3rdFloorChair292 karma

I have, but when a team o oncologists from one of the top cancer hospitals in the US recommend the treatment, you tend to believe them. Worked for me

earthworm_debris-5 karma

I guess if you're happy with the result shrug Personally, I would never opt for unnatural treatment when a natural treatment was proven effective back when people were still oogling over the invention of the microwave. (To be fair, I have disdain for Americas' lose-lose healthcare/pharmaceutical system as a whole.)

3rdFloorChair292 karma

Same, I would never go natural or herbal for such a serious condition. Maybe if I had a cold or something I would try a Chinese tea leaf treatment or something or that sort but science and medicine knows what's up