What We Can Learn From David Blaine Part I

Most of the headlines this morning read something like "David Blaine Fails To Set World Record" or "Blaine's Buildup Fizzled" or David Blaine's Bubble Burst." But isn't this simply a case of catergorizing the glass (or let's say the bubble)as half empty when it really was half full?
     To me, what Blaine accomplished was amazing and inspiring, raising the bar for what is possible with the human mind, body and spirit.
     There was one part that struck home during his Navy Seal training sessions when Blaine was doing pushups in the hot sand. The  Seal instructor said something like "block out the pain, it doesn't exist", just connect with who you are and it the pain will disappear.
     But more telling was another part, where Blaine was meeting his long-timer hero for the first time -- motorcycle stunt legend, Evil Kneivel. Kneivel was contending that you had to be "born" to do the truly amazing in life, to push yourself beyond normal boundaries.
     It was obvious at least to me that Blaine had a different take, but ended up deferring to the aging and very ill legend. What Blaine seemed to want to say is that we're all potentially David Blaine's and Evil Kneivels -- given the right circumstances, courgage, motivation and willpower.

[jmjm530]

The one thing that has struck me in the 60 or so weeks here,  is the courage, motivation and willpower of the so many who have treated, or are still treating this insidious opponent called Hepatitis C. Personally, these stories have given me inspiration to go on when things looked very dark. To keep doing pushups in the hot sand, when I just wanted to quit.
     I therefore want to thank not only David Blaine for inspiring me last night, but for the David Blaine's among us who have inspired and keep inspiring all of us through these hard times.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

For those not following the story, here's a link to some recent news articles: http://tinyurl.com/sywuv

Also, apologies for the formatting. I tried to indent the paragraphs but apparently that didn't take.

[mikesimon]

I share your impressions of David Blaine and I agree about his take  to setting your mind to do it as opposed to being born to do it. What troubled me was the potential damage he was doing to his body. That struck me all wrong and I wondered about what's really going on inside his head and soul. It just seemed wrong to me if he truly did subject his organs to damage. Mike

[FlGuy]

I've followed the story as well and admire those who challenge that which is dangerous or that which is unknown.  I'm much more impressed by the latter because I can't figure out the former. The ingrediants you mentioned; circumstances, courgage, motivation and willpower are certainly reminiscent of the folks here, especially those tx multi-war veterans. God bless them all. Perhaps it's the motivation component for basejumpers, gorge tight-rope walkers, the David Blaines and the Evil Knevils that I just don't get. But then again, a lot of folks here jump out of a low flying plane having no idea who rigged the chute or even if the pack contains a chute or a pouch of confetti.

[jmjm530]

I understand your resevations about the motivation of those who push the limits to the point of endangering their health and even life. Yet, I've always been fascinated by stories of mountain climbers and was struck by that famous quote by Sir Edmund Hilliary, the first to climb Everest.

When asked why, Sir Edmund replied "Because it's there."

Personally, I've more than dabbled in some extreme sporting events other might (and have) consider nuts. And maybe it was, but what's more important than all that -- and I think this where we all agree --  is the amazing ability of the human mind to endure and overcome obstacles, whether in a fishbowl or on treatment.

-- Jim

[ohgreat]

I am only 34 so I am not that worldly...People that inspire me on a daily basis are Jim Henson, Joeseph Merrick, Anyone who died young(pre-teen), Neil Armstrong, and My Mom.

Personally I cant learn **** from David Blaine that I havent already learned from a yogi, and I wish he would get back to old fasioned magic tricks..  But if it inspires you and keeps you going, more power to it.

I tell you what, these young ladies on this forum who are half way through tx are my heroes.  Jeesh Louise I hope I have 1/4th the courage if I get the option to tx.  I can barely manage going in tomorrow to meet my new HVC doctor let alone go through tx.

[FlGuy]

But no one ever speaks of Tensing Norgay who, I think, is the hero. Edmund : "I want to go to the top of Everest, because it's there"  Tensing: "OK, I got a couple of days free, I'll take you and show you the way"

[Algernon]

"I'll take you and show you the way."

Friends like that inspire me (like all those on this Forum who show each of us the way through treatment/up our own Everest).

[NYgirl]

I think David Blaine is an illusionist and as such...couldn't have succeeded because if he broke the record it would have to be legal and vetted and all of that...

I think he's a great master of pretend and a lot of that helps me with this disease - coming to work and pretending I'm ok, pretending I have "cancer", blah blah blah.  I've gotten to be such a great illusionist/actress on my own now that well...I might head for the soaps (as soon as I gain some weight, grow some hair, get rid of my wrinkles, bruises and scars) hahah

;)

[doglover28]

I am with you about thinking about going to meet a new doctor.  I meet mine a week from today.  I'm having a bad day today due to fear.  I made the mistake of reading too much on the internet today about HCV.  Sometimes I just need to leave it along. I'm just scared.

[52TELE]

OMG , I hate those days. Fear is a terrible thing to have to deal with , especially when our ability to reason out real fear from irrational fear is compromised by the tx. The thing that scares me , is how unpredictable the treatment is . Day in Day out. I never know how I'm going to feel , I never know if I'm going to wake up with a huge rash on my forhead , I cant really plan anything because I dont know what tomorrow brings.Not that we ever do , but in life we are offered slightly better odds about the near future at least.

Hang in there , I'm scared too.
Only good can come from a doctor visit.

[doglover28]

That's part of my fear...tx..I haven't even had the biopsy yet. From all the research that I've been doing, I better get on an AD if I do get to do tx.  If I freak this much naturally, there is no telling what I will be like during tx

[FlGuy]

There's nothing wrong with a bit of fear - it can be a worthwhile motivator.  The defense to fear is accurate knowledge that you get in such a way that it matches your circumstances. Going to the doc next week, understanding your options and figuring where you stand with respect to your insurnace concerns put you in position to square-up against the fear in front of you. You're doing the right things - consider it a rite of passage so you can square-up with it behind you.  Think about the things you want to know, write them down, bring it to your doc appt, let him know you have a list, position yourself between him and the door, stay there until you get to the end of the list. Good luck - it gets better.

[ohgreat]

>>>"I made the mistake of reading too much on the internet today about HCV. Sometimes I just need to leave it along. I'm just scared."

I hear you there.  I am convinced that I have liver cancer, I dont need acting.  I have read way to much on the internet.  I have lost 10 pounds since I have found out about this whole thing.  I'm constantly rubbing my liver area feeling for lumps. (Actually I have had the grace lately to settle down on this).  I was convinced that I had HIV last week and that is why I am having such hard liver pains at an early age. (I dont, tests came back neg) I check the whites of my eyes about every 4 hours to see if they are yellow yet.  JEEEESH!!  And I have improved about 70% from what I was a month ago!

Cant wait for my doctor visit tomorrow.

[doglover28]

Thanks for your suggestions. I will have a list with me. Just chatting to you all helps me. I had actually been feeling pretty up until yesterday for some reason.  I was on a natural high last week when I found out my daughter was fine.

[ohgreat]

I will ask my Doctor tomarrow what he thinks about Ultrasound.  Thanks for the encouragement and wisdom.  it means a ton to me.

[52TELE]

Hi ohgreat , the mass , is it directly below where your right and left rib cages meet at the bottom of your sternum?

[ohgreat]

yes. It drops off about 3 inches below that sternum.  If I suck in my gut i can feel it curve into my body.  it's my liver. and its hard. On somedays its worse than others.  For about a week after I quit binge drinking (4 months ago) it felt like it was leaking liquid!

I feel it where this image shows.
http://www.medicinenet.com/images/Liver.jpg

(oh gosh, i hope I dont get everyone on the forum rubbing their livers now)

[Rogirl]

You really keep me going with your optimism AND your realistic approach (seems like it should be one or the another but you do a great job of combining them both!).  You and others have done so much to reduce my worries and concerns about tx.  I feel empowered with the info but will also keep an open mind about the unexpected and deal with sides as they occur.  I really hope the rest of your tx goes smoothly and with any events.

[doglover28]

NY Girl, Thanks for your words of wisdom.  You are right. If I hadn't of gotten I physical or if I had gotten it one week later, I would know nothing about it since I don't have symptoms and feel great. As I've said before, since my diagnosis, I am more thankful for all the blessings that I have. Alot of them I took for granted before.  I believe you too when you say in a couple of months "it will be the last thing on my mind because you were right about my daughter. She is fine and you told me so.

OhGreat, I'm sorry about saying it could be muscle.  I didn't realize other people have been saying that.  Please let us know what you find out at the doctor tomorrow.  It very well could be scar tissue. My friend's brother had spots on his lung...they thought it could be cancer...turned out to be scar tissue.

[doglover28]

RoGirl,
NYGirl keeps me going to with her positive attitude.  I appreciate all the people in here.

[NYgirl]

I'm so glad I could help you guys to feel better - that is what the other oldertimers did for me when I came in here and what you will do for people who come after.

You will be laughing inside going oh boy I remember worrying a biopsy was going to hurt (when in fact NOPE not at all and everyone will tell you but you won't believe them for REAL until you go through it) and things like that.

We ALL melted down when this first all went on.  My first few months I was devastated by the anemia and thought I would die...(I dropped extremely, extremely bad) but I listened to the people in here like Jim who told me get on the Procrit RIGHT NOW and HANG IN THERE YOU CAN DO IT...and I didn't quit and you know what...He was RIGHT :)

It's human nature for us to worry - but what you will go through we've BEEN THERE and most likely have SOMETHING that might make it easier for you to deal with.

That is the GREAT thing about this forum - the understanding of it all. The caring and concern and the fact that so many people WANT to help you. IN all of my life I can't remember such a big group of people WANTING TO HELP MAKE MY LIFE EASIER!

That almost makes it worth having this disease (hahaha almost...if I could have most of my hair back and get some weight and stuff back too) then I wouldn't mind it at all!

Cause the way I look at it heck I've already BEATEN this thing AND I gainned some great friends!

Too all of us hearing that fantastic beautiful expression...TO SVR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)

(I can't wait to hear it someday woo hoo!)

PS Doglover - told ya so!  ;)  Told ya so nananana! :)

[NYgirl]

To Rogirl too - I didn't mean to leave you off and just realize I did I am at work trying to type 200 words per minute and it just doesn't work with the brain fog to the fingers (but then it really never did that much before anyway...all the peroxide making my hair blonde I think caused the damage in there not the Interferon!)   :)

I mean to write the thank you to you and didn't mean to so I figured I'd write again.  People know I am pretty stupid 'round here and often have to write PS in the To line.

[doglover28]

with your great attitude, you will hear SVR.  I am looking forward to hearing you tell me, too.

I feel all better now.  Thanks everyone!  I'm going to take my daughter shopping, and then hit the moutain bike trails.  

Talk to you all later.

[NYgirl]

Kalio is right it would be EXTREMELY rare for someone at 34 to have it and MANY MANY of us have URQ pain where the liver is.  Usually from what I've seen people who have HCV and liver cancer have had it a long, long, long time and it's progressed that far is how you get it.

One good thing is - doing the TREATMENT helps LESSEN the chance that you will ever get it later on.  That is one of the reasons they ADVISE people with hep to treat.

I too am so glad your doc appt is tomorrow or I can't imagine what you would have convinced yourself you had by next week.

;)

[doglover28]

OhGreat, you sound like me.  Any little gas pain now and I think it's my liver.  If you don't mind my asking, did you find out from a routine physical?

[IwillBeatHCV]

I believe Roosevelt once said: " There's nothing to fear but fear itself". And a older and wiser co-worker of mine always says: "95% of the things we worry about, never happen".
If all of you would have read some of my postings pre-Tx, you would have realized that I was extrememly apprehensive about Tx. So apprehensive, that at one point I had decided not to Tx, and told myself that this was my fate, so why bother with Tx. But actually it was the fear that kept me from doing Tx. And if it wasn't for the postings from many of you that knocked some sense into me, I probably would not have done Tx. And now that I am just about done with tx, I can tell you that 95% of the things I was worried about never happened.

[doglover28]

Thanks!  See, I'm already feeling better. I've always been a worrier and years ago, one of my friends told me that about 95% of things that we worry about don't happen.  I appreciate the reminder.  I just need to live in the present, and not let the future get to me.

[ohgreat]

Yea.  I had Lymphoma....or I thought.. Went in, the doctor looked at it and said, this isn't even a lymph node.  It is just a cyst or in other words a big pimple.

This whole thing is a hypochondriacs worst nightmare.

Now unfortunately I have serious problems with a mass inbetween my ribs that is supposed to be my liver.  No one has said, "yea I feel that to, thats my liver.  all livers are that hard."  Most people I tell it to just look at me weird or something and say it is probably nothing.  I feel like I have cried wolf one to many times.

I cant WAIT until the doctor can rub this, give me the Cat Scan/MRI/Genotype and I can find out what the status of my liver is.

"Hurry up and Wait" is right.  My life now revolves around dates that are Doctor visits/Test Results.

[doglover28]

My thoughts and prayers are with you.  Maybe the mass is just muscle that you are feeling.  Maybe you tense up when you rub that area.  I will be happy when I know the status of my liver as well.  I already know I've probably had this for 25 years, and I do know that I am a 1a.  I don't know my viral count, though.

[NYgirl]

Believe it or not in a few months you will forget you have this thing.  Really.  You will totally get used to it and when you are going about your day it will be the last thing on your mind.

I promise!  You will see!

For now just keep telling yourself how lucky you are that you found out you had it!  The WORST thing is not having this disease...it's having it and not knowing and letting it progress on and on without having the chance to do anything about it.

PS Did you have an ultrasound yet? It is separate from the biopsy you should DEFINITELY have (the only way to tell what progression of liver disease you have).  The ultrasound will tell you that you DONT have cancer or tumors or anything.

[ohgreat]

-->"Maybe the mass is just muscle that you are feeling."

oh man.  lol.  Thanks for the concern for sure!. (that muscle comment is the most common thing I hear from friends, lol).  If your supposed to have a muscle the size and shape of a golf ball embeded in a liver that is so stiff when you suck in your gut you can see it poking out under your ribs then I am fine and ready to hit the gym shirtless!  lol.

could be a lot of things.  Could be just inflammed liver.  Could be severe scaring from my liver laceration I had 13 years ago.  who knows.  There was someone else here who had a hard lump in the same area.  They havent posted in a long time.  I will be glad too when I can say what it is, and or what my liver stage/grade is.

[ohgreat]

I would bring up the fact that my Uncle had Liver cancer and it runs in the family, but he was Asian and I am not of any direct DNA descent (I'm Irish..my family got REALLY into that whole korean war thing i guess)... Maybe I have a brain tumor too?  lol..j/k

awww.. i could barely get through that post with all the tears and my dang eyes.  David Blaine hasn't taught me ****.  But yall sure have.  thanks.  

[breathing deeply and letting the fretting go.]

[NYgirl]

I am such a dweeb - I really am LOL...I was like OH NO I didn't type her name in the To!!!!!!!  ack!  Do over!

I wish this thing had an edit feature but since it doesn't...and my fingers go faster than my brain that is what happens to me all of the time.

Someone in here told me they were trying to figure out who PS was for the longest time because I kept putting it in the to section.  I had to laugh at that.....brain fog affecting more people than just ME ;)

I can't get on at home now since my computer bombed out on me so I'm trying to make a point to get on as much as I can during the day.....and at work it's tough boy I need a speed typing session I think!

Gosh I cannot WAIT to go home anyways and just lay down and relax...tx make it just feel so much better to go home and lay down. in the old days I might actually have been BORED - see another great thing about treatment you are NEVER bored when you get to be at home resting!!!!!!!!!   :)

[52TELE]

After a considerable amount of research over the last few minutes , I have determined that you have swallowed a golf ball and it is stuck just behind your diaphram. There , now you can relax and get on with the buisness of treating your Liver.
I know this isn't funny to you at all and that you are really worried and concerned , but I really think its going to be OK.
The reason I think that isn't because I found a lot of documentation supporting your self diagnoses , I found none, and it seems like some of these high powered Dr's would have written some sort of medical paper about this. Have you found anything that supports your suspicions?

[NYgirl]

I know it's not easy right now but I PROMISE you...it will be easy eventually.

Make sure you get a good antidepressant from the doctor. You know I NEVER believed in them really, I thought they were stupid and just some sort of crutch or something...but WOW it has helped me SO VERY MUCH to deal with everything I can't tell you.

Most of us were put on one by the doctor before we are allowed to start treatment - but with all your anxiety I would advise nicely asking the doc if he could put you on one.

DONT tell him that "the people on the internet said" or I swear his head will spin around wildly and he'll look at you like you just started SPEAKING Asian to him like your uncle....

But it REALLY did help me to let things roll off my back big time.

Now...if they only came out with an anti-crazy pill I'd be taking that too...but no luck so far!

:)

[ohgreat]

yeah, I need it.  I'm an emotional mess here.  I was on WElbutrin but then my girlfriend scared the bee-jeebes out of me by saying that Welbutrin was worse for my liver than anything.  So I stopped cold turkey.  That felt like a 90mph train coming to an instant stop. over and over again for a week.

Maybe doc can give me Paxil or something.  I should make a list of things I want to talk about him with.  I won't mention my 'invisible internet people', maybe i will just say my HepC support group.

[FlGuy]

My money is on a hernia.

[dyce]

I seen this guys performance , the goal he was reaching for , the prize at the end . Looking at his hands , the other ailments from being summerged in the tank to be victorious reminded me of many of us . T he periles the tx put our bodies thru , to try to reach the prize of svr and the better health that goes with it .

[52TELE]

ok ,ok , but you knew right where to look. I was just thinking about what one of the other "internet people" said about  , by the time your liver got to the stage that would make it swell and had a mass protruding from it , you would be siiiick! Don't you think? One time I had diaharea for a month. I had a phantom pain in my abdomen and I knew by god something is terribly wrong with me. My Dr. schedule a upper and lower GI , I drank the magic white stuff , had a magic white stuff enima , had an ultrasound and a heart attack when I saw the bill. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH ME! As soon as they said "there is nothing wrong with you" , or it might have been the colon cleansing I got from passing the liquid chalk , it went away , never to return.  Anxiety and way too much time to think was the culpret. I cant wait untill tomorrow . What time is your appointment?

[52TELE]

"What We Can Learn From David Blaine Part I"
I would really like to learn that "playing card lands in the beer bottle trick"

[goldyn]

when i first found out i had hepc, i immediately started worring about my 5 kids if they contracted it from me or not Thank God they were negative....then iwas worried iw was going to die quick i worried so much my liver really started hurting...then i was pressing on it around my ribs to see if i could tell if it was swollen or not well i pressed so hard every night for about a week and i really caused a lot hurt to myself,i told my doctor everytime i pressed around my rib cage it hurts...he told me the standard answer ..well quit doing it and it will feel better ...and it did...You two will come out of this with a new found strength you never thought you had...and hopefully a clean bill of health....

                  Blessings Angie

[fishdoc]

Hey HMHM< one thing I can tell, your not a mother!!  my youngest is one of those that pain is not a deterent.  I have no concept of if it hurts, do it some more!!!  Scares the holy beejessus out of his mother... at 23 he has three herniated discs, his knees are shot, last ER trip he sheared his calcaneous off (heel bone) and he still takes the ski lift up the mountains all summer long and bails off on his bike- they call it "freeride."  Did I mention its a timed event!! How fast can I kill myself...Not to mention a $4000 bicycle.  Anyway, I'm sure I have a point here, oh yeah, we can admire the risk takers, I love looking at his body, he is a truly beautiful human being he is in such good shape, but lets bow our heads and empathize with there poor mothers!!!  Of course, lots of us here put our mothers through H3ll, with other extreme risk taking... OK, I'm getting maudlin... gonna go.... JMJM your mom needs a hug...

[ohgreat]

52tele - You found none?  hmm..

"1.Pain in the right upper abdominal area caused by stretching of the liver's capsule, which is rich in nerves. The liver may then extend below the right costal margin ("hepatomegaly") and be painful to probe."

"In later stages, liver cancer may cause:
discomfort on the right side of the upper abdomen "

"LIVER CANCER: SYMPTOMS
the presence of a lump on the right-hand side under the rib cage (enlarged liver); "

" Symptoms of Liver Cancer - Some patients can feel a mass in the upper abdomen. "

I found those in less than 5 minutes.  Sigh...  didnt find much that said.. when you have hepC you can feel a mass.  

Oh well.  Cancer or no Cancer, this is what I got.  I should have went down to the Dennis Quaid Celeberty Golf classic and had them beat me with a 9-iron until this Golf ball came out!!  (what was I thinking.. lol)  thanks for the well wishes none the less.  means a TON.  ;)

[NYgirl]

Hey ohgreat - you HAVE to have a mass there under the upper right quadrant - it's your LIVER. You'd be sort of screw*ed without it!

I've only known a few people with liver cancer honey but believe me - they knew they had it and it was apparent.  My friend died of it last week and another woman I know (only 45 with two teenage girls) has it currently and it not expected to make it (of course since it's pretty fatal).  

I'm sure you are fine and once you get the ultrasound you'll be like oh the mass in my abdomen was my pancreas and liver?  

Don't make yourself nuts.

You know the symptoms/signs/side effects of THIS disease mirror the exact symptoms of like 1000 other diseases. After the interferon killed my thyroid I would NEVER have known without all the BLOODWORK we do - that tells us what is really going on with all aspects. The symptoms were weight loss, hair loss, lethargy on and on all the SAME symptoms of Interferon treatment.  But...it couldn't trick my bloodwork - that doesn't mirror anything.

THAT is why we HAVE to get frequent CBCs and hep panels on treatment - it provides the real key information for diagnosing problems as they come up.

[Rogirl]

I knew you didn't exclude me--but you know--it was so YOU to send another message to include me.  Thank you for your sensitivity!

[strator]

Interesting thread,really is. You know there

[fishdoc]

"less than 5