Two Age Questions

[Teacher Terry]

The repeated chemo gave my friend 20 years since she was stage 4. She was miserable from Alzheimer’s the last 2 years. She was happy until she had to go to ah home. I didn’t treat her cancer when it came back.

 

[imoldernu]

A positive note on how long you were expected to live when you were born.
Mine was 59.9 years.

https://www.infoplease.com/life-expectancy-birth-race-and-sex-1930-2010

 

[REWahoo]

I've read/heard/seen/remember something like 98% of chemotherapy treatments don't work ...

I think you may have heard this from the same people who believe vaccinations are bad for children. Here is a look at the history of chemotherapy in treating cancer.

Chemotherapy doesn’t work? Not so fast… (A lesson from history)

Cancer is hard. Real hard. It is also hundreds of diseases, not some monolithic disease, just as chemotherapy is dozens of drugs and hundreds of drug combinations, not some monolithic mythical “chemotherapy.” It is not reasonable to expect that a span of a mere few decades or even a century is enough to cure all cancer. We have, however, brought the cure of several cancers within reach and do actually cure many cancers. Also, contrary to popular belief, the death rate from cancer is decreasing. In the US, it’s been decreasing for nearly the last 25 years...

 

[sgstaley]

I believe that I will see the nineties with no problem.

I want to see . . . 85 if I had to pick a number.

Dad died at 83, mother still at home at 102.

 

[Calico]

I think you may have heard this from the same people who believe vaccinations are bad for children. Here is a look at the history of chemotherapy in treating cancer.

Chemotherapy doesn’t work? Not so fast… (A lesson from history)

Thank you very much for posting that article. As someone who underwent chemo last year I found it very educational, and an excellent rebuttal to the few individuals who told me I was "poisoning" myself by doing so.

As far as vaccines go, as someone who works in a pediatric health organization, our mantra around here is "vaccines cause adults."

To the OP's question: I hope to see 95, assuming I retain most of my physical and mental faculties until then. My father's side has real longevity - my grandparents and their siblings all lived robust lives into their early 90's, with the exception of one great-uncle who eventually succumbed to complications from childhood polio. One great-aunt lived until 102. Family members on my mother's side tend to die much earlier, but that is entirely due to poor lifestyle choices (excessive drinking and lifelong smoking).

I take after my father's side of the family in every other way, so I'm hoping I have their genes too!

 

[robnplunder]

I think you may have heard this from the same people who believe vaccinations are bad for children. Here is a look at the history of chemotherapy in treating cancer.

Chemotherapy doesn’t work? Not so fast… (A lesson from history)

Thanks! Chemo didn't work for either of my younger brothers who died of cancer. If it worked for others, that's good enough for me. It gives me hope given the cancer history of my family.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I think what stage they catch your cancer has a lot to do with how well chemo works. I have seen it work and not work usually at later stages. DH’s prostrate cancer caught early and he did the radiation seeds. The doctor said it has a 96% success rate.

 

[cyber888]

I think 90 is good enough for me .. dont like to suffer at old age

 

[eytonxav]

I don't know how long I will live, but would like to live long enough to continue doing physical/recreational activities.

 

[Rianne]

I think you may have heard this from the same people who believe vaccinations are bad for children. Here is a look at the history of chemotherapy in treating cancer.

Chemotherapy doesn’t work? Not so fast… (A lesson from history)

Is this the author of the above article? I always read deeper when I read this kind of thing. I turned down chemo and radiation, twice. I'm healthy and cancer free.


Karmanos Cancer Center (KCC) - TruthWiki

 

[Teacher Terry]

Rianne, did you just have surgery instead?

 

[jabbahop]

Is this the author of the above article? I always read deeper when I read this kind of thing. I turned down chemo and radiation, twice. I'm healthy and cancer free.


Karmanos Cancer Center (KCC) - TruthWiki

Happy to hear you are cancer free. I also agree agree on reading deeper on linked sources.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TruthWiki

 

[Rianne]

Rianne, did you just have surgery instead?

First DX, lumpectomy. This was when oncologist and surgeon highly recommended dbl. mastectomy, chemo, radiation then reconstructive surgery. I did none of that.


Fast forward 17 years. DCIS, 1mm invasive adhesion. Again, highly recommend dbl. mastectomy, chemo, radiation then reconstructive surgery. Said "no." I agreed to single mastectomy, no further treatment. That was 8 years ago.

 

[REWahoo]

Karmanos Cancer Center (KCC) - TruthWiki

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TruthWiki

So, who do you believe? You could bet your life on choosing the right source for your info...

 

[Teacher Terry]

My mom had stage 1 breast cancer at 78 and had a mastectomy. Then at 84 stage 1 colon cancer and surgery only. Then at 87 lymphoma. At that age I wouldn’t have done chemo but the doctors talked her into it. Sick until she died 2 1/2 years later.

 

[Rianne]

Happy to hear you are cancer free. I also agree agree on reading deeper on linked sources.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TruthWiki

Yes, there is so much controversy around this topic.
This is a recent study involving 10,000 women. The Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment (TAILORx).
This is the link from The American Cancer Society.
https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/...er-patients-can-safely-skip-chemotherapy.html

 

[Scuba]

I think we mostly all agree living a long life provided we are happy and healthy is the goal. Didn’t read one post about dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse!

But we should consider the changes coming in the future.. Loss of mobility scares me or not being able to drive. I full expect by the time I am 80 (20 years) self driving cars will be available. Already things like The Amazon echo and Alexa make life easier. Don’t feel up to getting up and going downstairs to see who is at the door, use a Ring camera doorbell and view the door on a phone or echo spot and speak to whomever is there. Then unlock the door remotely with a simple voice command for your friend who dropped by.

My GM had vision issues and needed bright light everywhere provided by huge incandescent reflector bulbs, that also meant running the A/C all the time and getting someone to change the bulbs regularly. Now LED’s put out so much more light, with no heat with much less electricity. What is next?

I can’t begin to imagine what new gadgets and aids there will be in my old age to help me live better and happier but I am looking forward to finding out.

What new invention or technical support would you wish for in your old age to make it easier to live well longer? I am thinking an exoskeleton suit to give me added strength to walk, carry things or open that damn pickle jar

Good question! I think it would be great to have a trustworthy advocate who really cared about me to help me in whatever way needed - healthcare advocate, financial management, etc. since we have no children, maybe a robot? Half kidding.

 

[Steelart99]

I guess I have a slightly different outlook than most. I just turned 60, but truly don't feel that age at all !!! I still do virtually everything I did at age 20 ... just a bit slower. Exercise and eat right most of the time.

If I based my longevity on my family history, I'd say that I'd live into my 80s-90s. However I truly believe that we are on the cusp of having major technical and medical breakthroughs that could give us all extended lives, vastly improved health and a reduction in diseases.

Ray Kurzweil, a renowned futurist has written several books regarding the potential for life extension and how that future is very near. One of his quotes is "Live long enough to live forever". Within 20 years there will be treatments for age related issue that will extend our lives for say ... 10 years; but in those 10 years additional treatments will be developed to push that out another 10-20 years; but in those 10-20 years additional treatments .... well you get the idea. He has solid evidence to back up these assumptions, and the technical/medical/genetic breakthroughs in the last 10 years have been beyond amazing.

Kurzweil info: Books by Ray Kurzweil | Kurzweil

So, I tell my family that I want to live to be at least 300 years old and have the health and drive of my 20 year old self.

All that said, like others, the quality of life is paramount.

 

[Nemo2]

I guess I have a slightly different outlook than most. I just turned 60, but truly don't feel that age at all !!! .

As I commented some time (years) back.....60? To paraphrase Al Jolson "You ain't seen nothin' yet". 60 is like 19.

 

[Dash man]

Thanks! Chemo didn't work for either of my younger brothers who died of cancer. If it worked for others, that's good enough for me. It gives me hope given the cancer history of my family.

DW had surgery, chemo and radiation treatments when she had stage 3 ovarian cancer and uterine cancer at the same time, back in 2004. Surgery was on her birthday that year. This year we’re celebrating 15 years and cancer free! [emoji3]