Thankyou ALL for the great information, help and support.
I was prompted by you all to get out and do a lot of intel gathering. Some
websites, Cancer Help people - Like Macmillan and the Maggie Foundation here
in Glasgow, UK; Libraries and visits to the current Beatson Oncology
Hospital where I had some pretty mind-opening information given to me by
some very friendly people. The last four days have been particularly
productive in the gathering of intel.
Unfortunately being of limited means, I doubt if I could afford to spend
money I don't have on private medicine, but rather rely on the good old
British NHS for all and any treatment I receive.
Relying on them though, does not mean that I won't be pushy!
The NEW Beatson Hospital in Glasgow, is due to open within the next month,
located at Gartnavel General Hospital in the North West of the City. It is
being promoted as the most "State of the Art" Cancer Hospital in the UK - if
not Europe. I live a stone's throw away from it.
I live alone now (apart from a cantankerous cat) and my former family,
friends and colleagues are long since and far dispersed, so I really have no
one apart from myself and a few choice neighbours to turn to. But - I'm
NEVER lonely - I have far too many hobbies and acquaintances from those
hobbies to allow much free time. Additionally, I'm quite active in my local
church - which can be a pest at times because of my background. Let me
explain...
My working life was mostly concerned with food. From being a simple Chef to
ultimately Catering Manager for a Commercial Catering firm in Singapore,
with a few breaks in between to try my hand at other things.
The Church, when "Socials" are on the agenda, get me to do almost all the
"Batch" cookery. I have a well equipped Kitchen and turn out most of what's
wanted with the minimum of fuss - my contribution - though at times it gets
a bit expensive! (Try 800 assorted scones plus fairy cakes, Gateaux and
savouries. But, it keeps my hand in and I get to wear my cordless headphones
with Status Quo and have a few whiskies as I work - Yep - party animal
really.
One of the "Other Things" I tried my hand at resulted in me falling out the
back of a parked aircraft and causing over the years, lumbar disks to fuse
together and cause a lot of pain. (Time expired when it came to any
compensation)
Over the years since then, I was self-medicating more or less with ever
stronger painkillers to combat the pain, rather than ask my GP Doctor for
some investigation work.
A Salutary lesson perhaps, in the Non-Wisdom of Self-Medicating. Perhaps had
I gone to see my Doctor sooner with those terrible and unusual back-pains,
there might have been a better outcome for me. So - perhaps if ANY blame is
to be laid, it is on myself for being such a F*&^%£! Idiot.
However - this isn't all doom and gloom.
It seems that one of the ways to fight back at this evil, is self-help in
the form of altering your diet whereby you can do your best to exclude foods
that harm and to include foods that heal.
One of my jobs in days long gone, was as a hospital diet chef. THAT is no
guarantee of knowing what is what, but I have held a life-long interest in
Food Science and Dietetics, although I am FAR from being any sort of
Clinical Dietician.
When I was diagnosed in 1990 with Coronary Heart Disease, I formulated my
own diet plan - the Cardios were impressed enough.
Diagnosed six years back with Diabetes, I had to amend that. The Diabetic
Dieticians liked it - well - the MODERN ones did, but the "Old-Style"
Dieticians and I had a few different viewpoints.
From my most recent investigations, I have more and newer information
regarding foods that may help in lowering angiogenesis.
With that in mind, I have been very industriously preparing (Well - what
else has a guy to do with 60 MPH winds outside and it raining cats and
dogs?) not only a list of foods that contain angiogenesis lowering
substances, but a suggested menu for at least two weeks, comprising -
Breakfast, a Mid-AM snack, a Lunch, a PM Snack and a Dinner.
I will be working pretty intensively on that for the next few days and then
take it up to an ex-colleague who works in the Labs at the Glasgow College
of Food Technology. He will analyse the recipes for most nutrients and the
menus for Nutritional Balance.
Once that's all done - I'm prepared to either email or Snail-Mail the
completed documentation to anyone who might like to see it. There is
NOTHING commercial in this.
The way I see it - we are ALL in this fight together now and ANYTHING that
might help - apart from Snake Oil - is worth a look at.
So, might this be a worthwhile project?
Cheers,
Hughie.
PS - Other information about me which may or may not be valid:
I am Diabetic Type 2
I have had two Coronary Infarctions. One Minor in 1990, one Major 1995.
I have Unstable Angina - the last partner had a cute Vagina though...
Fairly overweight but not morbidly obese.
Eternally Optimistic!
J - 24 Jan 2007 18:28 GMT
> I was prompted by you all to get out and do a lot of intel gathering. Some
> websites, Cancer Help people - Like Macmillan and the Maggie Foundation here
> in Glasgow, UK; Libraries and visits to the current Beatson Oncology
> Hospital where I had some pretty mind-opening information given to me by
> some very friendly people.
I heard about it last October, in the news.
Looks like research and/or clinical trials?
http://www.beatson.gla.ac.uk/about/
J
J - 24 Jan 2007 18:32 GMT
> > I was prompted by you all to get out and do a lot of intel gathering. Some
> > websites, Cancer Help people - Like Macmillan and the Maggie Foundation here
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> http://www.beatson.gla.ac.uk/about/
> J
Apologies. You said "hospital".
Sounds handy, since you're close by.
J
http://www.beatson.scot.nhs.uk/for_patients/radiotherapy.htm
Radiotherapy is the treatment of disease with exact, carefully measured doses of
x-rays. Radiotherapy is often used in the treatment of cancer. The x-rays destroy
rapidly growing cells. This is why it is effective in treating cancer.
The radiotherapy is given by a machine that directs high energy x-rays to the
exact area to be treated. It is only the area of your body that is affected by
your illness which is treated with the radiotherapy. The machines are called
Linear Accelerators. They may not all look alike but they all work in a similar
way.
Radiotherapy may be given in carefully measured doses over a number of days or
weeks or it may be given in a single treatment.
It is often used on its own to treat cancer but can be used before or after
surgery and / or chemotherapy.
Radiotherapy is sometimes given alongside chemotherapy.
The decision to treat with radiotherapy is made by a specialist doctor called a
Clinical Oncologist.
The staff who operate the radiotherapy machines are specially trained
professionals called Therapy Radiographers.
Radiotherapy treatment only takes a few minutes and is painless