Best of luck, Scorcho. [Sadly passed. RIP, Scorcho.]

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T

The Librarian

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He posted this in the PoliGAF thread.

scorcho said:
So I didn't want to make this post for some time, but figured I'd do it here first since this is where I've parked the majority of my time since I registered.

A few years back I was diagnosed with stage 4 thymic carcinoma. i was 28 at the time, worked out 4 times a week a the gym and at the peak of my health. didn't smoke, didn't do drugs.

conventional treatment held the cancer back until it reappeared in early 2011. i've been in treatment since to first - attempt to remove all traces of the disease through a clincial trial and surgery, and when that failed treat it as a chronic disease treatable through chemotherapy.

I think I've finally entered the stage where my body is saying no more. no, my doctor and i haven't mentioned the word 'terminal' yet, but it's expected going by the survival rates to my cancer and its current progression. i've been on oxygen therapy since mid August after the disease teamed up with my chemo treatment and the flu to escalate whatever damage is already occurring to my lungs and heart. although i am still undergoing chemo and have hope that a new trial drug just opened for me, i don't know how much longer my body can take. i've barely left the house in 2 months except to go to the hospital as it's a struggle on my lungs, chest and core to walk while feeling oxygen deprived. I've gone from taking mass transit to my work and chemo appointments in February, to taking cabs to them in June, to now not being able to leave the house at all. That's not progress.

This thread has provided hours of entertainment over the years, much to my girlfriend's consternation in 2008. Thanks for the spirited debate, guys. I don't recognize a lot of you here, but I still see some of the standbys. I hope I provided some insightful commentary in the past.

I'll still post when I can. Don't treat me like a ghost when i do.

you can reach me at endless17@gmail.com for any correspondence. otherwise IM.
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We're here for you, man. <3 Wish him luck.
 
Ah fuck....shit, hope you're okay scorcho. Good luck man. I know that doesn't mean much, but that's all I can say. ):
 
GAF make-a-wish time?
Really wish I had something profound to say or something. I know this sounds hollow as fuck, and I apologize for it, but it's all I can think to say: I'm really sorry you're going through this.
 
I'm so sorry to read this. I remember you posting in various threads around the OT...you always seemed so spirited. Best of luck to you sir.
 
Re-posting what I wrote in Poli-GAF:

Damn, man, sorry to hear that. We never really conversed, but I've seen and enjoyed your posts over OT (your avatar is always noticeable). I really hope somehow things turn around.
 
There are no words that could make you feel better. You gave it your best shot. Good luck for your final days and try to spend as much as time as possible with your friends, family and loved on. As someone who has an appointement to see if a beauty spot I have who has changed a lot is not developping into skin cancer. This thread really gets to me.

Good luck!
 
I'm listening to the Jesse James soundtrack and reading that at the same time is devastating. Dunno what to say, except to wish you strength and courage.
 
Man thats tough, very sorry to hear this. Youre in my thoughts and prayers Scorcho, best of luck going forward.
 
Jason's Ultimatum said:
GD, good luck, man.

How did Scorcho get cancer? Genetics or some kind of family history?
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Vast majority of cancer cases are non-hereditary.

There was a talk I heard from some pathologist that increased cancer rates in recent history may be a function of higher life expectancy.
 
Also, I'll say it again Scorcho, I hope things turn out for the better!

Talon said:
Vast majority of cancer cases are non-hereditary.

There was a talk I heard from some pathologist that increased cancer rates in recent history may be a function of higher life expectancy.
Click to expand...

Isn't cancer just uncontrollable cell division? I'm no nothing about medicine but I'd imagine a lot of it is just bad luck and gene malfunctions though certain actions can provoke it (smoking, drinking, etc). Its not like say polio where there is an outside cause.
 
I'm very sorry to hear this. Scorcho, you're a great GAFer and have an iconic avatar. I've always enjoyed your posts, particularly in PoliGAF.
 
Good luck Scorcho. You've provided some great posts to read and hopefully things turn around for you.

Thoughts are with you and your loved ones. Take care.
 
Even though I don't know you since I don't post in PoliGAF, I was touched by your story and wish you the best of luck, Scorcho. I hope that things might turn around for you.

Good luck
 
god damnit, sorry to hear scorcho. I remember reading your posts when you got diagnosed I think :(

fuck cancer. Best of luck and I hope they are giving you the really nice drugs.
 
This also means nothing, but you have one of the, if not THE, best avatars on all of Gaf. Always makes me laugh on the inside, and always gets me to read your posts.
 
el retorno de los sapos said:
Isn't cancer just uncontrollable cell division? I'm no nothing about medicine but I'd imagine a lot of it is just bad luck and gene malfunctions though certain actions can provoke it (smoking, drinking, etc). Its not like say polio where there is an outside cause.
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Bad luck?

Cancer is more often than not a result of environmental factors - meaning just about anything could cause cancer. That is, radiation exposure from the sun, smoking, a high cholesterol diet, a sedentary lifestyle, etc. But there's no way to know if, say, smoking necessary caused your lung cancer. Occam's razor would seemingly dictate that it would, but it could be some sort of paint or something in the air.

Girlfriend is in med school right now. Guess what sequence they're going through!
 
I'm familiar with Scorcho due to his awesome avatar. Sorry to hear about your situation. Hang in there and try to think positive.
 
Damnitsomuch.

Best of luck to you Scorcho.
 
As a fellow PoliGAF aficionado, albeit a less prolific one, I always enjoyed your posts, scorcho. I don't know what's going on of late -- Incognito also had unfortunate health problems to say the least -- but here's to hoping you prove to be a statistical anomaly and pull through.

Best of luck, friend.
 
Best wishes, Scorcho. You've been one of my favorite posters, in PoliGAF and elsewhere, for years. So unfair what life is subjecting you to. :(
 
So I have a modest proposal.

Why don't we buy one of those tubs of lube that scorcho uses as his avatar. And ship it from GAFer to GAFer. Everyone signs it, takes a pic with it next to some landmark and sends it onto the next person.

Thoughts?
 
Thanks all, especially some old faces here I remember from the past. It's been a long trip.

There's not history of cancer in my family, and TC cases number in the hundreds in the US per year; perhaps a thousand world-wide. Oxford HC has generally been okay with my treatments, but in the last few weeks have begun to push back against paying for the most recent. First, they tried to argue that my disease wasn't considered 'rare'. Look at those numbers above and see if that makes sense. Second, I've had to file reams of paperwork of appeals because they wanted to save costs for an experimental treatment. even working the state contacts i still had didn't work as the independent reviewer sided with Oxford.

i remain indebted to the staff at Sen. Gillebrand's office. watching her mature as a political force in the Senate has been truly gratifying.

I finally was given financial relief for the treatment through Pfizer, though the drug has just as likely a chance to kill me as to keep me alive. So I dunno. Guess I'm just rambling now as I'm waiting for the ativan to kick in and settle my nerves. wish i didn't need to use it, but at this point there's little to be had by stopping now.
 
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