How has the Pandemic affected you as a cancer patient/survivor
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I, too, would like the vaccine rate to be higher. A number of people I was acquainted with around where I live are dead of the coronavirus: Dh took early retirement a couple years ago but 3 men he worked with over the years died of Covid since this summer. Also four people in town died of it since September, all in their 50s-60s. The daughter of another man dh worked with died of Covid after giving birth, never having held her newborn. My line dance instructor's husband also a Covid death statistic as is the brother of my brother-in-law (married to dh's sister) along with a home health aid we knew in her 50s who'd recently retired to help with her autistic grandson. Covid deaths also include several public officials in surrounding area towns: a city manager, a police officer and a fire chief; those reports make the evening news.
None of these people were personal friends of mine, but I've never experienced this much death of people we know or know their family. And of course, there are others who die who do not disclose that it was from Covid as is their right.
So even tho Covid rates are low in my county, I remain cautious. I've been triple vaxxed plus had Covid in January and if I have to get another shot, I sure will.
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Great picture! My youngest is in 6th grade and "when is your vaccine appointment " is THE hot topic of conversation. He is bummed he has to wait until Thursday. "Some of my friends ALREADY GOT IT MOM!!!" What a time, when medical concerns override the candy count.
Congrats to your grandson.
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Mods
"As a reminder there are many legitimate reasons why some people decide not to vaccinate. We ask that you please keep the conversation on this topic respectful." I have no idea where this comment came from. No one on here has dismissed that there are legitimate reasons not to vaccinate--it is understood that there are legitimate reasons not to vaccinate
Yes, we express our frustration/anger at those, who are not at risk, who choose not to be vaccinate. This is a life and death issue. This thread was started as a place to be able to fully speak of our concerns and it was started so that these issues did not take away from Steam Room for Anger.
I think there are other threads that you might want to monitor.
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I was going to mention caitlin flanagan, the atlantic contributor and living with Her2+ mBC, and what she said on Bill Maher last week, but I guess I shouldn't since Mods might find that "not respectful" enough? the gist of it was she agrees with Bill Maher, who spread multiple misinformation last week such as covid is cover, pick either vaccine or mask, natural immunity is the best, etc. she appeared to be against vaccine mandate and used vaccine mandate for firemen & police as an example. You can google the video clip.
I guess any discussion about Arron Rodgers is also off the table.
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I have to admit that I've been quite surprised by the “big brother" tone I have seen with the mods related to this issue. I think there is a real possibility that it will drive people away from this site. As noted, there are legitimate reasons not to be vaccinated (although the numbers that fall into this category are exceedingly small). There are also very legitimate concerns for cancer patients who are trying to live the best lives possible despite so many things being stacked against us.
While I have not lost a family member or friend, COVID has had and continues to have a profound impact on me. I have a right to express my frustration. If I am disrespectful I deserve to be censured but denying my right to discuss an issue which is impacting the precious time I have leftis unacceptable. I’ve seen some pretty heated discussions on this board in many topic ares and have, on several occasions, interjected to try to get discussions back on track. Not sure why this topic deserves special treatment….
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Sadie, 100% agree!
Also, in the previous locked thread, it took multiple tries to have mods remove the truly disrespectful posts filled with misinformation because it was considered "opinion". In this thread, we haven't had any problems in 26 pages, then suddenly we have an issue? I am just confused.
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I don’t know what prompted the mods comment either but I’m taking it as a simple reminder to keep it from becoming like the locked thread, which at times was hard to deal with and got well beyond rude or sarcastic at times (I will not be specific to who said what because of chemo brain but I recall feeling bad for those who got dragged for not getting on the pro vaccine train quick enough or at all). That being said, this tread so far has been pretty civil, sure there’s an unpleasant tone sometimes but I haven’t taken it personally, even if it was in response to something I said.
Anyway, my county finally dropped the red danger status this week, which is good and overdue since the positivity rate in down to 5.9% and hospitals are below 15%. Now, if everyone will just continue to mask and distance when appropriate, we may avoid another wave.
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😁 Ilimae, you made me chuckle. My memory is tragic these days which makes holding a grudge harder! Ha. Ironically, when I am filling out my symptoms in LTD forms (still working but at slightly reduced hours) I keep forgetting to include memory loss!
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wrenn, I never referred to disagreeing as rude. It’s more the sarcastic and condescending tones/statements that give me the eye rolls. Whether you believe it or not, I agree with most of the feelings shared here, I just don’t agree with mandates in most situations where masks and distance provide a very low risk environment.
I don’t agree with a lot of people on many different topics and that’s ok, so long as we don’t take it as anything more than that.
Regardless of my personal views on this subject, there is a benefit to discussion by anyone sharing real and relevant information.
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I waited until today to express my displeasure at the tone of the message from the Mods. I have a hard time scrolling by the alternative treatment threads that are on this site because there's too much anti-science and pro-woo crap. I guess it's better that the woo bunch has their own padded room than have them posting their fairy dust cures all over the place. But I seldom read them, and only posted once or twice in the past when something recommended was blatantly dangerous. THIS thread, I thought, was set up since we were no longer allowed to let off steam in the Steam Room about Covid issues. Why on earth is a site dedicated to health issues asking people to respect people who are frankly anti-health? That makes no sense. Are we expected to type "Of course this does not apply to anyone with a legitimate medical reason for not getting vaccinated, as long as they stay masked and practice social distancing and common sense, for their sake and everyone else" every freaking time we post? I think all the regulars here have said it several times. Why don't the mods just set up another woo thread for the non-medical anti-vaxxers instead of asking everyone to accommodate their opinions? What's next, censoring the various religion and atheism threads, or the political ones, all which are set up for single points of view, and with very few exceptions (usually someone new), those boundaries are respected because we are all adults.
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Alice,
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Mods - What Alice said.
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Some of the objections may be to the "anti-vaxx" label, the movement is a like a religion and reasonable people who have concerns over vaccine safety may get annoyed being lumped with them. I can see that, and some of us who did get the shots weren't all that enthusiastic about it either, we had our concerns too. I can't say I'm pro-vaccine or pro-chemo for that matter, but I'm anti-disease and anti-death when it can be prevented with a relatively low-risk option.
Also, I don't want to wear mask and distance myself from others forever. I want to eventually get back to life as it was in February 2020 without masks, restrictions and PCR tests and the only way we can get to that is having very high vaccination rates, this virus doesn't seem to want to go away on its own.
It's not that I don't value personal liberty, I do. But personal liberty is not the be all, end all of my existence. I am not sheepishly following government mandates over some moralistic stance. I just want to be safe, my family and community to be safe and get back to life as we knew it. Without vaccines, it will never happen. We just get the worst of both worlds: mandates and the bloody virus.
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Yeah, what Alice said
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Alice, I apologize if I misunderstood the last part of your post but now I’m wondering.
Is this thread supposed to reflect a single pro vaccine point of view, rather than dealing with the pandemic in general? If it is and my experiences and opinions ruffle feathers, feel free to let me know and I’ll quietly go away.
I do agree that the religious, political and holistic type threads should not be interfered with but they don’t seem to get as heated either.
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You’ve stated numerous times that you aren’t anti-vax.
Vaccinations are a significant component of dealing with the pandemic.
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Yes, I know. I’m just starting to wonder about the purpose and trajectory of this thread now. But never mind, I’ll continue reading and make up own mind.
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Illimae, I thought I was pretty clear in this and other posts - people with legitimate health reasons for not getting the vaccine are the ones who need the protection of everyone else the most. But after all this time, I don't have patience with anyone who is anti-vaccine or anti-mask for any other reason, because the only "reasons" those people ever give are that they are anti-science and anti-fact, and in medical issues, science and facts are the only things that should count. They may have opinions, but they don't have facts - and what I object to on this site is the expectation that we give those opinions the same respect as we give facts.
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Got it 🙂
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Illimae, I don’t think you have misunderstood the intent and you contribute immeasurably to the conversation. I think the focus has gravitated to antivaxxers given the swirl in the media and our general frustration that there is no end in sight. I have commented on other issues (including the fact that I have not seen an oncologist in person since January 2020) and hope others will too (since we may be beating a dead horse on the vaccine hesitant versus those, like you, that have a legitimate reason to steer clear). Here’s hoping they come up with another safeway to boost your immune system against the virus!
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Sadiesservant - I can't imagine going that long without seeing your oncologist. Is that common in BC? I've been seeing mine every 4-8 weeks in QC. Once was by phone because he had to quarantine. Getting vaccinated is still a priority for me. Portugal is an example of the return to normalcy with a high vax rate. Isn't that what we all want?
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Apparently I’m “special”. Moth has been seeing her MO but I’m on Vancouver Island. Not sure if they are doing their own thing. Don’t blame the oncologist - I think it’s a directive from executive.
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Sadiesservant - Hope you can get an in-person visit soon.
wrenn - I wonder if I would be less worried if I didn't have so many medical appointments, if my family didn't have to take public transit, if I lived in a less populated area, and if thousands didn't die around me.
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I feel like people who live in small places with big yards and cars forget that everytime they go to a store, or place of worship, or the cancer center they are interacting with others who may or may not be vaccinated, may or may not have been exposed, may or may not be immunocompromised, may or may not be unknowingly spreading covid.
I could not live in my very dense city taking daily public transit and sending my kids to school without a mask mandate. We did not leave our apartment unless absolutely necessary for months during lockdown. That would have required using an elevator shared with the other residents of the 1000 apartments. Eventually masks became universal, and people respected nearly impossible elevator occupancy rules (yes, it could be a 15 min wait to go outside).
But we still couldn't do our daily living. Vaccine mandate changed that. I know that the majority of the people in my elevator or subway car had to be vaccinated to go to work. I know that those kids wear their masks all day at school. I also know that because masks are still required most places, that a vaccinated person with a breakthrough case is less likely to expose me (or anyone else).
My job is with small (unvaccinated) children. My DH is in Restaurant industry = unmasked public. We rely on public transit. Kids go to school.
I'm glad for all you people who can live in their own bubble and work from home and "take care of themselves" . Please do not leave your bubble and interact with anyone else.
I will "rant" about the importance of getting vaccinated for communicable diseases! It helps everyone. Vaccination IS NOT about the individual. It is about community health.
11 year old proudly got vaccinated today!!!
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As a mostly-retired RN, I volunteered from January to May giving literally thousands of COVID vaccinations. Finally, I could do something to help. The work filled my cup. Early on, it was all our elderly community who lined up for their shots and some of them cried with relief. "You've given me my family and my freedom back." We gave shots until the vaccine ran out for the day, leaving many disappointed that they didn't get one. "Come back tomorrow," we told them, and tried to squeeze them into the next day's huge roster.
Then volunteers weren't as needed, since our supplies of vaccines grew and the number of people who wanted one did not. It made me sad to remember the overwhelming gratefulness that so many people expressed when they received their vaccination.
Now that Pfizer is approved for kids, they need volunteers again. Tomorrow I'll put on my volunteer vest and get mentally ready for giving shots to kids. I really hate causing children pain...but when I think it might protect their lives, or the lives of those around them, or keep them in school because they don't have to isolate, it helps.
And God bless the parents who bring their kids for vaccinations.
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I am cutting and pasting sections from DivineMrsM posts on the Pfizer and Merck pills to treat Covid 19 which describe how they work:
"The Merck drug works by interfering with the coronavirus' genetic code, a novel approach to disrupting the virus."
"Pfizer's drug is part of a decades-old family of antiviral drugs known as protease inhibitors, which revolutionized the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C. The drugs block a key enzyme which viruses need to multiply in the human body."
The article mentioned that there were clinical trials with volunteers who had underlying illnesses, but I didn't see any described as immunocompromised. Would the mechanisms used by these drugs to combat the Covid-19 virus work well on infected immunocompromised individuals because the drugs directly attack the virus as opposed to priming/teaching the immune system to do the work? If so, YAY!!!
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@sbelizabth thank you for volunteering! Don't worry about hurting the kids. 1) the shot itself doesn't really hurt. 2) at least around here, the kids are excited and feel like they are being included in something really important. Vaccine appts are a hot topic of conversation in 6th grade! 3) reactions seem to be less than in adults. 11 is fine this morning, no arm pain or fever.
Its so good to see all the research!
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sbelizabeth, thank you for volunteering.
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Sadieservant, I don't understand why you haven't seen your MO in so long either. I'm on Vancouver Island, but my MO is in Vancouver, I see her every 4 weeks but even before that when I was getting treatment on VI, I saw the GPO in Nanaimo every 4 weeks.
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I know. It’s nuts. I absolutely understand that I didn’t need an in person appointment every time (my appointments are typically every three months except when on chemo and then I typically have an appointment with a Cancer Agency GP or NP after each cycle) but when the liver mets turned up and then progressed I think a face to face meeting was in order. And now I have had various issues which have been relayed over the phone on the nurse line. 🤨 Getting irritated…
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