Quote: Tim Walker @ October 3 2008, 2:04 PM BST

That is extremely saddening. Commiserations & best wishes to your friend and to you. To get pancreatic cancer at the age of 19 is not only extremely unusual, but also tragically unfair. It is one of those cancers, unfortunately, that clinically presents very late and treatment is limited, I won't quote you the survival rates (which are thoroughly depressing, though I hope have improves somewhat since I was at medical school). Wishing your friend every comfort & happiness she can have. Experimental treatments are worth going for in this situation and, though statistics in medicine are actually pretty much spot-on, being so young for this disease may hopefully count in her favour. I suppose in this situation, despite the odds, you've got to look at your situation as a n=1 study. All the best.

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That's very kind of you, Tim. It is very unusual to develop this particular cancer at such a young age; the particular strain in question has afflicted (so I'm told) fewer than 100 young people internationally. It's even more tragic because the local GP failed to diagnose the cancer for some time, meaning it was quite advanced by the time treatment became available. Doctors said she wouldn't make her 19th birthday, but thankfully she "celebrated" it last month.

Quote: Tim Walker @ October 3 2008, 2:31 PM BST

I think we should all be careful when posting a reply on a serious thread. A form of self-censorship is appropriate in this situation. If you can't resist the temptation to make tasteless jokes on such subjects, count to ten, and move away from the thread and post elsewhere. Tasteless humour is fine where it is appropriate. I think this thread is not one of them.

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Err. You do realise that Skib is being serious, don't you?

Quote: Deferenz @ October 3 2008, 2:21 PM BST

My stepdad had cancer but stayed at home with us until the near end. The morning of his death I watched speechless as the ambulance men from St Mary's Hospice strapped him into a wheelchair and he was taken out of our house screaming in pain. Half an hour later my mother rang home from the hospital to say it was all over. The Hospice had kindly provided us with a bed that was assembled in the living room. The pillow still had the indent of his head so I started to dismantle the bed. I did this to try and ease my mother's pain when she came back home, the sight of his warm bed that is. It's all I could think of to do at the time.

This is not something I would wish anyone else to go through. So yes, I did find skibber's remarks somewhat less than caring.

Def.

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That's very sad, Def. Sorry for your loss.

Quote: Tommy Power @ October 3 2008, 2:33 PM BST

That's very kind of you, Tim. It is very unusual to develop this particular cancer at such a young age; the particular strain in question has afflicted (so I'm told) fewer than 100 young people internationally. It's even more tragic because the local GP failed to diagnose the cancer for some time, meaning it was quite advanced by the time treatment became available. Doctors said she wouldn't make her 19th birthday, but thankfully she "celebrated" it last month.

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Can't comment on the GP, though rare being rare and the early symptoms vague, it would be (sort-of) understandable if the GP's over-riding thoughts were not of a diagnosis of Ca pancreas. Unfortunately, it can be a pea-sized type of cancer for a while which causes vague symptoms. It notmally only presents when is obstructs/invades the bile duct either leading to jaundice or to gastro-intestinal symptoms. (Similarly, ovarian cancer often presents with jaundice once it has spread to the liver.) The radical surgery treatment (basically removing the whole of the upper GI system) is pretty much hopeless, so I can only hope that there are some new chemotherapy treatments out there. I wish the best for your friend. Just try and help to make every day she has (and perhaps she will have many) important and life-affirming.

Quote: Tommy Power @ October 3 2008, 4:46 AM BST

A good friend of mine (and a classmate throughout my schooling) is suffering from pancreatic cancer. Doctors have not been overly positive, and she's been given some experimental treatments in an attempt to save her life. She's 19. So thanks, Stu, for producing this documentary. It's an exceptional effort, and I look foward to seeing it when it is complete.

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You're wrong, Aaron.
I did not have to click the link to find out the pacreatic part of the story. All I needed to do was to scroll down and see what other posters had to say.

Y'all really do act like Pavlov's dog, dontcha?
Do what the teacher tells you.
Cry when the news broadcaster chokes up and looks all sad.
Wear you wittle red ribbons...
Cheer the Establishment's heroes...

Yes, smoke some weed and remain optimistic...ever tried it? No, it's not something mommy & daddy or your big bad PM would do, now is it?

Lemmings!

Quote: Aaron @ October 3 2008, 2:35 PM BST

Err. You do realise that Skib is being serious, don't you?

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Sadly, yes, it seems he is. All I will say is that I have treated many cancer patients and the vast majority make funnier and more enlightened quips about cancer than Skib. Cancer patients are not immune to laughter, often it's one of the outlets to the grim realities.

Having a sense of humour is only as important as having a sense of compassion. On an unrelated (though similar in some ways) theme, a friend of mine committed suicide a couple of weeks ago (for a comedy connection, she was a niece of Peter Cook, whatever...) I was busy in the middle of getting a script ready for some producers. However, none of these (very witty) people made jokes, having nothing but sympathy for her death and my grief.

Let's show some basic human decency when the occasions arise on the site. I'm not taking the pious high-ground, but I think the majority of members on this site know when to make a off-colour joke and when not to.

Quote: Tim Walker @ October 3 2008, 2:31 PM BST

I think we should all be careful when posting a reply on a serious thread. A form of self-censorship is appropriate in this situation. If you can't resist the temptation to make tasteless jokes on such subjects, count to ten, and move away from the thread and post elsewhere. Tasteless humour is fine where it is appropriate. I think this thread is not one of them.

By the way, congratulations on the documentary, Stuart.

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I make Jokes about anything and I agree with that...

Cheers Tim. She remains very positive, so hopefully she will hold together a bit longer than people expect. I certainly don't think the GP can be branded incompetent or negligent, particularly given the difficulties you outline, though some people in the local community had other ideas. You know "local communities". Thanks for the support, BTW.

Quote: Skibbington von Skubber @ October 3 2008, 2:53 PM BST

You're wrong, Aaron.
I did not have to click the link to find out the pacreatic part of the story. All I needed to do was to scroll down and see what other posters had to say.

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One mention of pancreatic cancer. If you hadn't clicked the link, you wouldn't have read the post as an "as well". Just as a comment that someone else had cancer.

You are so predictable.

And so very, very boring and trouble making. So you're banned. Buh-bye.

Quote: Tim Walker @ October 3 2008, 2:53 PM BST

Having a sense of humour is only as important as having a sense of compassion. On an unrelated (though similar in some ways) theme, a friend of mine committed suicide a couple of weeks ago (for a comedy connection, she was a niece of Peter Cook, whatever...) I was busy in the middle of getting a script ready for some producers. However, none of these (very witty) people made jokes, having nothing but sympathy for her death and my grief.

Let's show some basic human decency when the occasions arise on the site. I'm not taking the pious high-ground, but I think the majority of members on this site know when to make a off-colour joke and when not to.

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Well put. Deepest sympathies for your loss. That's a tragic situation.

Quote: Aaron @ October 3 2008, 2:56 PM BST

And so very, very boring and trouble making. So you're banned. Buh-bye.

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Aaron, do you hear that?

It's the sound of a better forum.

*Everyone joins hands*

Quote: Skibbington von Skubber @ October 3 2008, 2:53 PM BST

You're wrong, Aaron.
I did not have to click the link to find out the pacreatic part of the story. All I needed to do was to scroll down and see what other posters had to say.

Y'all really do act like Pavlov's dog, dontcha?
Do what the teacher tells you.
Cry when the news broadcaster chokes up and looks all sad.
Wear you wittle red ribbons...
Cheer the Establishment's heroes...

Yes, smoke some weed and remain optimistic...ever tried it? No, it's not something mommy & daddy or your big bad PM would do, now is it?

Lemmings!

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Christ almighty, are you twelve?

"Everyone's a conformist but me!"

Sure thing, tit nuts, now go be anti-establishment and buy yourself another pack of green Rizla from the local petrol station. Bill Hicks, George Carlin, all your little anti-heroes - each and every one of them would have you down as the c**t you are.

Now get back to your copy of High Times and quit bothering the thinking people.

Quote: Skibbington von Skubber @ October 3 2008, 2:53 PM BST

You're wrong, Aaron.
I did not have to click the link to find out the pacreatic part of the story. All I needed to do was to scroll down and see what other posters had to say.

Y'all really do act like Pavlov's dog, dontcha?
Do what the teacher tells you.
Cry when the news broadcaster chokes up and looks all sad.
Wear you wittle red ribbons...
Cheer the Establishment's heroes...

Yes, smoke some weed and remain optimistic...ever tried it? No, it's not something mommy & daddy or your big bad PM would do, now is it?

Lemmings!

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Everyone - please take serious note of the above. The David Brents of this world are only too few and far between. Go forth and make comedy.

There are of course, other terminal, incurrable and life threatening illnesses. I am all for raising awareness. People can choose if they want to be informed or involved and if they don't that's fine, but there is no need to be offensive.
My experience with sufferers of serious illness is generally that they have a great sense of humour (it helps them through) and they are not after sympathy or even empathy, but awareness can lead to positive things, such as more money for research and care.
Having recently lost someone close and knowing someone who is suffering from an incurrable disease, it is nice to see a thread where SOME people are being understanding and supportive to one another.

I msut say if Skibbington didn't exist quite literally, I'd need to invent him. I'm a strong beleiver every one has the right to their opinion. So it great to see a view so unpleasant,artless and with out a scintilla of humor.

That said I had a couple of chums doing doctorates in theology, philosophy and theosiphy. We shared an absolute principle that an idea you couldn't explain in a comprehensible way to some one who wasn't aware of it. Was an idea you don't understand yourself.

If you keep feeling misunderstood. You sure you understand what, you your self are thinking?