Talk Cancer

Question:

Check out this website to read some of the replies to Mr. Cohens article about his ostomy experience. UOA president Ann Favreau is one who wrote a reply to the article.  http://www.uoa.org/nytimes-article.html

Response:

From a previous posting of mine– "I’m thankful that he’s willing to write about it in such a public way.  It opens an avenue for dialogue, if we will just see that." And, as we have all seen, we’re talking about it, and in very positive terms. That’s always a good thing–to not act secretive about a procedure as live-giving as an ostomy can be. I am still a little surprised at the over-reactions I’ve seen.  For example, from Ms. Favreau’s letter — "You have set back the National Colorectal Cancer Prevention Initiative with the publication of your recent article, "Trouble With ‘The Bag’ Is In The Head." The United Ostomy Association, Inc. and our collaborative partners have worked tirelessly to get the message to the public that colon cancer screening saves lives. " There was never a hint that he was against colon cancer screening.  In fact, take time to read the following — http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/health/031400hth-colo… It’s another article Mr. Cohen wrote last year about how important a colonoscopy can be and how his first exam located a cancer which was quickly excised.. I hope that our reactions over one honest, well-crafted article don’t leave people thinking, "Methinks they doth protest too much."  In other words, we praise it so highly because, perhaps, it really is everything they fear.  We tread a fine line with this. KarenF (I)95 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -"Susan R." <noe…@hotmail.com> wrote: >Check out this website to read some of the replies to Mr. Cohens article >about his ostomy experience. UOA president Ann Favreau is one who wrote a >reply to the article. > http://www.uoa.org/nytimes-article.html

Response:

Oh boy!  A couple of great responses there!  I liked Ann Favreau’s "I Am Not A Bag Lady" article that she sent in.  I suspect that he is getting the message.  I bookmarked the site so I can go back and get to the NY Times tonight later. PcolaPhil A fine is a tax for doing wrong.   A tax is a fine for doing well. "Susan R." <noe…@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:97u2jb$kr7$1@bob.news.rcn.net… | Check out this website to read some of the replies to Mr. Cohens article | about his ostomy experience. UOA president Ann Favreau is one who wrote a | reply to the article. |  http://www.uoa.org/nytimes-article.html | | |

Response:

I could buy most of Mr. Cohen’s reactions as the experience of someone who was horribly biased against the idea of having an ostomy from the outset having grudginly lived with it for three months (it took me at least that long to fully come to grips with my ileoostomy, but I got over the hangups). The only paragraph that I took real offense to was: "A temporary ileostomy seems a small price to pay for status as a cancer survivor. Many are less fortunate than I and do survive, or they wear their dreaded bags for the rest of their lives." Mr. Cohen may have dreaded his "bag", but I sure don’t dread mine, nor do most of the people I encounter on this newsgroup. The article also suggests Mr. Cohen may have had some toilet training issues as a youngster, but I won’t go into that. At the conclusion of his article, he notes that he had a pumbing party at the hospital and, "My intestines are back in my body." Which, as most of us who have had ileostomies and colostomies know, suggests that he now is full of s . . . And we, or course, are not. It’s in the bag.

Response: