How do you like these odds?

[Windsong]

This thread reminded me that when I had my five weeks of fsr, four other poeple with whom i worked were also undergoing treatment at the same time at that hospital. One had bone cancer for 10 yrs and was in palliative care; one had leukemia and was undergoing yet another treatment session;  one  was having treatment for non hodgkins lymphoma; and i was being treated for my An. In addtion to us, another colleague died from a brain tumour a while back. Another  passed away from cancer not found until three weeks before passing. Another had a brain tumour which left her unable to work and as i recall she had vestibular problems too. Yet another had an op for a brain tumour. ( i never did hear exactly what kind of brain tumour the others had)...and they all left work.

There are other instances of colleagues leaving due to "health reasons", not always clarified but rather hushed. I personally find it rather more than coincidental that almost all of us worked in the same wing of the building. It makes me wonder , of course, about some environmental component.

Then again, who knows, maybe it was a "cluster" with no common reason.

An interesting thread. Thanks.

Windsong

[Sefra22]

I met with my ENT last week, and he told me he was currently treating 3 patients, then later, my neurosurgeon told me he removed 2 tumors the week before. Considering how sparsley populated it is in my neck of the woods is, I was surprised, considering how "rare" these are supposed to be.

[Raydean]

A couple of things to keep in mind.  We also  live in a  very small community.  Doctors in a major city will often be treating patients a great distance away.  We traveled to Seattle which is only a hundred miles from my little town of 3500 people. But in his waiting room there were people from as far away as Montana and Alaska. Doctor's being busy may not mean a above average number of AN's within your community.  It may well mean that the Doctor has built up a well known practice and patients are willing to travel to the best.
 
The other thing is once any of us has a particular medical problem, we become much more aware of it on a more consious level.  Our awareness rader is on.  Sometimes it may seem like a community has more AN's then the norm such as my small area.  But in reality when talking to the known ANers it turned out Chet had his treated in 97, another person in 2000, and the third a different year.  If we lump all ANers regardless of diagnoses year together it makes the pool of people larger and rareness seem even more common .  Just as this forum has members spanning
30 plus years, our communities also has fellow Aners that may span many years. 

Hope everyone has a great day
raydean

 

 

[klg31728]

I know of 4 people in my subdivision that have had ANs.

[yoga52smh]

In my town of about 5500, there are three of us that I know of.

[Crazycat]

I was reading somewhere that not only cancer, but cardiovascular disease were virtually unheard of at the turn of the last century.

   Diet? Lifestyle? Environment?


Paul

[LoriW]

Wow!   Thanks for the replies, never thought of clusters.   I will definately check into that.