Farah Fawcett

Hi Ladies,
Tonight NBC TV is having a documentary of Farah Fawcett's journey with her cancer. One of her treatments was to go to Germany, where through an artery, the cancerous organ was directly targeted with her chemo drug.
I understand that our country is starting to study the precise method used in Germany. I hope that I'm correctly relaying thee information given on TV.
Like so many of us, she was also diagnosed in an advanced stage of cancer.

Like all of us, she's a brave soul who has fought the cancer so hard.

God Bless her, and all people fighting cancer.

Jane

[Tybear]

I'm anxious to watch this documentary as well. She has fought a long, hard battle.
Thanks for the reminder,
Becky

[crecco]

Jane,
   Thanks for reminding me. I saw that on ET last night nad had already forgotten about it. Imagine that!

   Yes she has had a long hard battle, as has Patrick Swayze and others. I just wish that it did not take a celebrity getting cancer before anyone made a big deal of it. We have all fought long hard battles. And something that really upset me was the fact that they let her son out of jail so he could go and see her. Don't get me wrong, I think that is great that that was allowed, but that priviledge should be available to everyone in jail, not just someone who has a famous parent. Many people in jail lose loved ones to cancer and are not even allowed out to attend the funeral. Ok, enough of that.
  Anyway, I do intend on watching it and figure I will cry my eyes out.
    Chris

[SimplyStar]

I come from a differnt view on this, I will not be watching,  for one thing  it will open up  the lid that I am trying so hard to close, the other,  I feel that it is being done as the last chance  both she and Ryan have for stardom.  Leslee did not want any cameras in her room towards the end,  "Remember me as I was, not as I am now"

[JC145]

I am not sure if I will watch it.  Too close to home .. so much hype leading up to it.  I may just "tape" it and decide later if I want to watch.

Like Leslee, I want my friends, etc., to remember the laughing Judy who enjoyed a good time.  I'm still here and still enjoy life on good days ...

Judy

[Teresa222]

I watched most of it and am sorry I did. Like Judy said, it was "too close to home."
Teresa

[butterflytc]

I watched her program, and yes it is close to home, but I must say I am glad I watched it. I was amazed by all she has done to protect our medical privacy , and all the people who have written her such lovely letters. She really gave it too the National Inquirer. It was hard seeing her long hard battle, but she fought it all with grace and dignity, and has made it better for others fighting anal cancer. God Bless her.
butterflyTc

[Tybear]

I thought it was very good. Her battle has been never ending and she's gone through it all with such a wonderful attitude.
Yes, it was close to home but in the same sense, she's just like any one of us...
Her treatments in Germany looked so unpleasant and then to have the paparazzi right in her face as soon as she landed?  Makes you look at those kinds of photo's very differently now...
I do appreciate that she's trying to raise awareness about other cancers that don't get talked about nearly as much as, say,  breast cancer. I think she felt just like I do sometimes about ovarian cancer...there's not enough funding or research going into these silent diseases.
I enjoyed it although I bawled like a baby when her son came to see her. THAT was a little too close to home...
Becky xx

[lvfrogs]

I didn't watch it as we were not home last night, but I had planned on it. Just forgot it was on.  I did want to comment though for Chris, that my husband runs the jail in the county where we live, and unless they are convicted felons, (and even then sometimes), they are granted leave for funerals or when their loved one is dying.
I am sure it is different in every state.
I felt like Farrah was just trying to bring attention to her kind of cancer and cancer in general. Not so sure about Ryan O'Neal.
Just my opinion!

[TrudieC]

I was so happy that this was available as an option to watch on my 5 hour plane ride last ngiht.  It was very touching and with the son I broke out in tears and had to hold back the sobs on the plane.  It did remind me of what you wonderful ladies fight through on a regular basis and as someone without cancer and trying to support those with it I learned so much that I hope will make me a better friend.  It broke my heart that the average person cannot afford to get the kind of treatment she did.  So unfair...

[Beachwalker33]

I watched so I could learn something.I don't understand why chemo-sensitivity testing isn't done around here.And I first thought in Germany there were injected chemo in her tumors in her liver,but it was lazer treatment,heat literally dissolving the tumor,perfusion treatments.But,they came back.I wonder if she's taking Milk Thistle and Lecithen,great for the liver.It was very painful for me to watch,it was like reliving my Mom's cancer and treatment,it was horrible,And I couldn't help but think of her suffering and passing,I cried through most of it.I even had to plug my ears and couldn't watch Farrah's suffering.It was way to close to home and reminded me of things during My Mom's suffering.I was happy that Farrah realized that hair is nothing and her life was way more
important.It was very hard when my Mom lost her hair.I have tons of long wavy hair,and told my Mom I'll cut it off and have a wig made for her,she wouldn't let me.I even said to her I'll shave my head to make her happy and donate it to locks of love.Of course,she wouldn't let me.I feel for Farrah and her family,and it made me so sad to see her go through that,I'm just praying like I would for any of you with cancer,if the circumstances were the same.I just pray that her pain is controlled and her fear is taken away by God.Being blissfully unaware is a good thing at times such as these.And thats my wish for her.God Bless everyone fighting cancer or that have lost loved one's to this awful disease.Jen

[dian07]

I didn't watch the program last night......I am watching it now.  I have to say I think she is doing an incredible public service to those in both worlds.....the cancer world and the other world.  And as far as Ryan O'neil goes......well, I think he and her son , and her friends, are showing how difficult it is for the caregiver and family member and friends.  I haven't seen any grand-standing at all.
Like she said, this her own personal battle and I think it is good for all the outsiders to see what goes on behind closed doors.  It is, afterall, the life so many people do lead and so many in the outside world don't seem to care.
I do like the questions she asks and I do like the matter of fact way she handles it.  I hope her exposing her struggle for  life to the world brings positive attention to the world of  adult cancer.  
Peace.
dian

[Sandymac]

I wasn't going to watch this.. then ended up doing so. I was just amazed at the grace in which it was handled..I, like many others, was not familiar with her type of cancer. And, it did bring much needed awareness. It  seems her cancer is a totally different type than than colorectal cancer.. and rarer. But still, awareness is  key to any cancer.

Look at what Katie Couric did for Colorectal cancer and the need for early colonoscopies.. And, of course Susan Komen for Breast Cancer.

It was very sad I must say and my heart really goes out to her father, as well as the rest of her family. I think it was very well done and sends an extremely important message...

And, I couldn't help but remember Ryan in "Love Story".. .. very sad....

[Beachwalker33]

On the internet,they said her passing will be documented and shown on t.v.I will try to watch,but as my Mom's caregiver,that would be even more difficult to view.My Mom wanted me to videotape her struggle.I told her I needed to concentrate on caring for her and couldn't give her all my attention,while trying to tape it.I think about Farrah's struggle and care more then most people would,its always been hard for me to be aware of other people's pain and be happy..One thing I've never understood is how can people not care or be hurt by other's suffering...God Bless everyone,for we all have hard times.I believe that life on earth is just a learning experiance and are real purpose is to use what we learned for the job we are someday meant to do in heaven...Just my opinion!Jen

[gah_70]

I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this or not.  On one hand, I think it's very important the message get out there, and if it takes a celebrity going through it to show what it can be like when fighting cancer, then I'm all for it.  But, the selfish side of me was a bit cautious, because like Farrah, my cousin has anal cancer that has spread to her liver.  My cousin lives across the country from me, and I haven't had the opportunity to be with her since her diagnosis last summer, but her treatments have been rough, and she has been hospitalized several times because of it.  She had radiation treatments that caused burns in her mouth and down her throat, and her mouth was so swollen, she couldn't eat or drink for several weeks.  I was afraid watching this would be too hard.  But ya know, I'm glad I did.  I was even more glad when I spoke to her over the weekend and she told me she, too, had watched it, knowing she was probably going to be looking in the mirror.  For so long, I have felt almost alienated from the cancer research groups, because we all know OvCa doesn't get as many dollars as other cancers.  But, compared to what's going on with anal cancer, we're getting quite a bit.  I just hope through watching it, people realize there are more types of cancer than "the big three", and start putting money in areas where it is sorely needed.

Gail  

[nyc lady]

I watched it.....I broke down when she took off her hat and when the son came home.  Although she is struggling from anal cancer, I felt as though she was trying to get the word out regarding early detection for all cancers and to be your own advocate....sure she can afford treatments that most of us can't, but, she pushed and advocated for herself.  She has done an amazing job in protecting our rights as patients.

I don't  know if I would watch a documentry of her "final" moments.  But am thankful for what she has shared with us.

Pam

[gls2824]

What really burns me is that she wanted to keep this quiet but was "outted" by someone at the hospital.  I read that the only reason the hospital staffer wasn't prosecuted was that she herself had terminal cancer (she has since died).  But the government is considering going after the tabloid for aiding and abetting a violation of the federal privacy laws (HIPAA among others).  I hope they do!