If you think cancer's a joke or maybe you don't realize just how serious it is, imagine this:

Say-- someone you really love, maybe a parent, sibling, close friend, anyone you care a lot about. They start to have some troubles, they're acting a little different, something seems off but no one's sure what it is or assume it's nothing major. Over time they start to get worse-- they start complaining of a constant pain, they're getting tired more easily, losing weight, among some other things.

Finally things get to a point where they either volunteer to go to a doctor (if they're stubborn and dislike doctors, this is a major thing for them to do) or maybe even things get so bad they end up in the hospital. Either way, this is the point where people tend to find out they've got cancer-- advanced cancer. Stage IV. The last stage. A whirlwind of pure fear and horror are what they and you are probably going to be in now.

^^^Very true. It always bugged me that people use something like cancer so easily, in reality it's a lot worse than a cringey fandom or slightly weird drawing. It's the same theory (to me at least) with using racial slurs as a joke, or saying that somethings "gay" as an insult.
Just basically please be considerate human beings haha

Now that /that/ cat is out of the bag, the real uphill battle's going to start, and that's trying to treat and fight the cancer. This is when your real emotional rollercoaster's going to start.

Trying different treatments, dealing with the awful side effects from those (detail on that in a bit), having CT scans and MRIs done to see what the status of the cancer is. Are the treatments working? Is the cancer shrinking? Staying stable? Or is it still growing, seemingly unaffected by the treatment? Oh, it's not working, time to try something else qnd hope to whichever God you believe in that this one will work.

Each treatment that doesn't work is wasted, /lost/ time, and with cancer, time is everything.

And even if a treatment works, how long for? Weeks? Months? Each checkup, each scan is with tension and fear. Is it still working or has the cancer mutated and now it's now working anymore so the cancer's spreading again?

You keep trying different treatments to buy some time. Some work well for a bit, while others don't much from the start. If you're lucky, you might end up with one that works well for you and keeps working, one that your cancer doesn't become resistant to... not quickly, at least.

Eventually you've tried a bunch, and they all either didn't work or stopped working at some point, now you're out of rope... there's nothing left for you to try, the only thing you can do is go home and try to live out what will be your last days as comfortably as you can, which likely won't be very, even with pain medication-- strong stuff-- in your reach.

Back to the treatments' side effects, oh boy, some have hefty lists, and they vary from type. (Chemotherapy in particular can have rough ones.
I can't recall half of them off the top of my head but I can recall some.)

All kinds of things, from sudden bad fevers, nausea, to not wanting to eat because your tastebuds are dead and everything tastes the same-- bland... You slack up on eating because God, food's awful now, which makes you go downhill even faster than you might have otherwise.

Since november 7th last year, I've come to know this terrifying hell very, very well.

My dad was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer november last year, and my family's been in hell since then.

A hell of moderate highs and very low lows, some joy and a lot of terror. It's the world's worst rollercoaster to be on, to watch someone suffer and I mean /suffer/ dealing with their cancer.

Watching them abruptly stop eating to go vomit in the toilet because something didn't sit right and then them being afraid to try eating more because what if it happens again? Seeing them have to take oodles of pain medicine to /try/ to get a few hours of sleep because the cancer invading nerves and pushing on organs causes so much constant pain...

Cancer's not f**king funny, if you joke about it you don't know what it's like to deal with. Hope or pray (if you believe) you never have to deal with it.

And I forgot to mention something else that comes with this: The stacks of /high/ medical bills that come in waves, even if you've got good insurance.

If the cancer doesn't get you, the debt you'll be drowning in from all the bills you now owe qnd subsequent stress from that will further wear you down.

Oh god reading this made me cry. I can't even imagine what it must be like.. I am terribly sorry you and your family is suffering with-this..? I'm not sure if thats the right wording and I'm sure you may see/hear this a lot. I sincerely hope he's able to get through this. Him and the rest of your family. I might not be able to relate but if you want to talk I am always here or if you want could give you my email if you'd like a better way to contact me. Cancer is no joke. Using any type of medical term/illness for insulting something unrelated it terrible.

i'm so sorry you had to go through this and anyone really

i am guilty of being ignorant with using the word in a degrading way but a few years ago i saw a post about raising awareness on it and since then i've stopped

i look up so much to those who survive cancer, their willpower and courage are so strong and i wish a better treatment will come up as soon as possible

though a bit controversial, i've been curious in genetic engineering and crispr because it's stated a bit about the possibilities of a cure for cancer

again, i'm sorry for what happened to your dad and to anyone who's dealing with cancer and know that i'm wishing the best for you and your family

@vivie: I'm not trying to be an a.ss, really, but a life ending disease that anyone, no matter their age or background can get, doesn't come anywhere close to a few bad words. You'll live no matter what people call you in life. Cancer patients aren't so lucky.

Not even animals are safe. One of my beloved dogs died from it.

re: I feel pretty normal...I'm a naturally tired person; Unless I take my antidepressants, I just feel like sleeping all the time. It's not a blister either...The spot formed where a small mole was. Which is bad. :^(

I got a better date somewhere else btw. My Dad had to beg them just so I could get there in under a week though. Horse sh.it of the highest..."Oh, you could have terminal cancer and want us to look TODAY?? mm-nah."

Cancer is either proof that Satan is real, or God selectively hates us.

It's probably the most unfair thing I've ever heard of. Also, my inspiration to even pick up a guitar, Dave Mustain, currently has throat cancer. :^( this sucks.

*Dave Mustaine

If I could I would reach through the screen and give you a hug.
I cannot relate to the situation but I know that it is terrifying.