How many oncologists do we have posting here tonight?

[OzarkDem]

Unless you are one and especially one who is currently treating Mrs. Edwards, try to refrain from passing judgement and making ghoulish, inaccurate assumptions about her diagnosis and prognosis.

Thank you.

[Crazy Dave]

1. Puhleez!

Give me a break! Show me one negative post about Elizabeth Edwards, not Johns Edwards here on Du.

[K Gardner]

2. Oh, they're here. I've responded to a couple just tonight.

[Crazy Dave]

5. Show me the links

BTW - I'm a very strong critic of John Edwards politically.

[K Gardner]

13. Sent you a PM.

[pnwmom]

16. Here's the post. I don't see it as any kind of smear, myself.

There have been some references here to Elizabeth Edwards's illness that suggest that she might survive. It's important to get the facts.

I was at the press conference in Chapel Hill when the Edwards's announced her latest prognosis. They were very clear. There is no treatment. Her cancer has spread - it is now incurable. The only question is time.

Elizabeth Edwards spoke at that conference, and she was just as feisty as ever. She stated emphatically that she is not going to change her day-to-day behavior as a result of her illness or her prognosis. She is going to fight to achieve the White House because she believes that her husband should be president.

Sitting at home will not suddenly make Elizabeth Edwards's illness any less fatal. In fact, study after study shows that those who live longest with cancer are those who keep active and do what they love. Elizabeth has chosen to campaign.

Please STOP treating her like an infant who is dependent on her husband to make decisions about HER life. It is not progressive of you. Recognize an intelligent, highly successful woman who has been told that her illness is incurable and fatal, and chooses to continue living life on her terms.

Peace.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4120430

[Missy M]

3. Oh no, don't tell me some are doing that tonight.....

whenever I see her she looks so good. Why are they doing it?

[OzarkDem]

4. Saying she has incurable cancer and is terminal

totally unacceptable and out of line to stick that label on her. That would never happen in the medical community, it shouldn't be acceptable here either.

If people are trying to latch onto her illness as a way of demeaning her husband or minimizing his chances in the primary, then that's low, incredibly low.

Does it ever occur to you people that she reads this forum? WTF? Have some consideration.

[Crazy Dave]

6. That makes sense

Seriously and I apologize if I misread the intention of your post. There's always hope and she's a fighter. A very strong, brave and selfless woman.
I just logged on so I'd like to see the links you're referring to.

[OzarkDem]

7. Keep looking, you'll see them

particularly one with a subject line that declares shes incurable and terminal. Very bad taste and out of line.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. I have a strong suspicion that Mrs. Edwards is going to do fine. She's a blessing. nt

[pnwmom]

14. Actually, she has acknowledged it herself, but it's not the way you're thinking.

She's acknowledged that she isn't going to be "cured," she's just going to have to live with it -- like people do with other life -threatening, incurable, chronic illnesses, such as diabetes.

And she, like any of us, could get hit by a car tomorrow -- or have a heart attack in our sleep -- but it's more likely that she'll end up dying of this disease, unfortunately.

[GenDem]

8. Agree

I'm offended that the post you are referring has climbed up the greatest page.

[OzarkDem]

10. Shall we assume that's the intent of those responding?

I think we may. I thought I'd seen dirty tricks, but this takes the cake.

[GenDem]

15. I'm not so sure about the other posters

Many seem to think this is a new revelation and are showing genuine concern. I just find it a repulsive discussion when this woman is living her life. I just hope she is way too busy to check this site.

[Barack_America]

11. It's true. You have no idea how aggressive her cancer is, what markers her cancer expresses...

...what treatments are available for her specific cancer type.

In short, you know nothing about her disease, nor how it affects her.

"Terminal" does not mean "dead soon". It means that it has gone beyond the possibility for surgery and is not thought to be currently curable. People can live for years and years with "terminal" diseases.

[OzarkDem]

12. Terminal isn't an accurate term

Doctors seldom use it, why should it be used so liberally in her case.

BTW, are you an oncologist? Are you her doctor? What is your claim to expertise in these matters?

[Peregrine Took]

17. Where there's life there's hope. Its none of our business anyway.

[Berry Cool]

18. What bugs me is the constant misconception that there is "curable" vs. "incurable"

breast cancer.

Unfortunately, the earliest news story from her quarter on this recurrence was misleading, as it implied that on her first diagnosis of cancer she was "cured," but that now that it's returned, it's come back in an "incurable" form.

This is very misleading. ALL forms of breast cancer are incurable. That doesn't mean they are all terminal, as in the patient is going to die from it, or that the patient will die very soon. It just means that until the day a breast cancer patient dies from something else, there is always a chance, however small, that the cancer will come back.

That still doesn't mean death from it. It just means it can't be cured.

What Elizabeth has is more aggressive than what one would hope. But that doesn't mean her life is over, and that she can't live it as she sees fit.