Tora Ziyal has cancer

[Tora Ziyal]

Thank you, everyone who's posted this evening. Your support means so much to me!

but I know a thing or two about surviving a violent assault, surviving the aftermath and feeling like you're being completely dog-piled without mercy by a new terror every day.

Yeah, good description of what it's like.

I've been meaning to tell you... a couple months ago, my favorite librarian recommended a collection of stories by Terry Bisson, and my first reaction was, "Oh, that's what that user name means!" Neat story!

I think, and hope, that when the doctors say that a meta is a remote possibility, they mean very remote.

Yes, that's how I'm interpreting it.

 

[Kestra]

Will be praying for you every night, Tora.

 

[Amaris]

All my best, Tora. I believe you'll come through this with full health and a renewed vigor.

 

[Subcommander R.]

Um. Wow. I can't really say anything helpful there, so here's a motivational kitten.

 

[AJBryant]

Wouldn't that be nice! Unfortunately, it's not likely that two orthopedic surgeons and three radiologist all have dirty eyeglasses.

Edited to add: AJBryant, I like your avatar.

Thank you.

Hey, it never hurts hoping. Maybe they forgot to wipe off the light screen.

 

[Skywalker]

I don't think we've ever talked much, Tora (or is that Ziyal? Darn Bajoran names ), but I'm hoping for the best for you. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this on top of everything else. Take care, and good luck.

 

[Sector 7]

I just noticed this thread. I believe in prayer and will put you in mine, TZ!

 

[Haggis and tatties]

I hope and pray everything works out for you in this terrible time.

 

[Orac Zen]

I'm hoping for a very, very remote possibility of metastasis, and that this crap can be readily treated.

Prayers ongoing. Be as positive as you can be.

 

[RJDiogenes]

So it's official. The tumor is definitely malignant, almost definitely a chordoma, which is a rare primary bone cancer (actually, all primary bone cancers are rare). But there's a "remote possibility" of it instead being a metastasis from elsewhere, so they're going to do some more testing.

Well, it's good news that metastasis is a remote possibility. When will the additional testing be done?

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Thank you, everyone, for all the prayers, good wishes and kittens.

Maybe they forgot to wipe off the light screen.

Wow, I haven't been shown film on a light screen in years. It's all on computer now. I'm walking around w/ copies of my x-rays, MRI's and CT scan on CD's! Don't you love the 21st century?

I don't think we've ever talked much, Tora (or is that Ziyal? Darn Bajoran names ), but I'm hoping for the best for you. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this on top of everything else. Take care, and good luck.

Thanks, Skywalker. I usually go by Ziyal. But I spent years (in real life) working in a field where we mostly called each other by our family names, so I'm comfortable w/ Tora, too.

When will the additional testing be done?

Presumably in a few days. I have an appointment for a second opinion Monday morning.

 

[Shatnertage]

I'm hoping and praying for the best of luck for you on Monday with the second opinion. Stay strong.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Thanks, Shat. Heading to Planet Fitness in a moment. Trying to hit the treadmill and elliptical a few days a week. I figure that -- all other things being equal -- the more fit I go into surgery, the better I'll come out of it.

 

[Marie1]

Thanks, Shat. Heading to Planet Fitness in a moment. Trying to hit the treadmill and elliptical a few days a week. I figure that -- all other things being equal -- the more fit I go into surgery, the better I'll come out of it.

And I hear- drink lots of fluids! Sometimes during various treatments and therapies you don't feel like eating and drinking, so you get dehydrated easier.

Sorry I'm late to the game, no one getting over a brutal assault needs to also deal with cancer. Bah! Well... no one really needs either thing... ever!! Don't let it bury you, take it one day at a time...

I have a lot of experience with assaults and cancer, so if you need to talk, fire away a PM!

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Thanks, Marie.

I'm so sorry that you've experienced the same charming combination. Glad to see that you're here to talk about it! I might PM you one of these days.

Excellent suggestion about drinking enough fluids. I'm good at that in warmer weather, but not so much in February, so I'll work on it.

 

[AJBryant]

We're pulling for you, hon.

And as for keeping the fluids up -- I recommend a good 21-year-old Lagavulin. Scotch does wonders for the health. Sean Connery said so.

 

[RJDiogenes]

When will the additional testing be done?

Presumably in a few days. I have an appointment for a second opinion Monday morning.

Excellent. I hope it brings you some good news.

And I hear- drink lots of fluids! Sometimes during various treatments and therapies you don't feel like eating and drinking, so you get dehydrated easier.

Yes, this is important. That's part of the reason my Father ended up in the hospital this week, despite doing well on his chemo-- he doesn't eat or drink enough, so he is weak and dehydrated. Even if you don't have an appetite, you must keep up your strength and drink plenty of water.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Thanks, RJ. I'm drinking, I'm drinking. (Well, not beer. Water, herbal tea and grapefruit juice. Not together.)

AJ, I love seeing Sean Connery and Abba Anthony together in one post.

 

[ancientone51]

Good luck on Monday. Do watch out for the grapefruit juice. It can interact with some medication and make it too potent or weaker.

 

[AJBryant]

AJ, I love seeing Sean Connery and Abba Anthony together in one post.

Hey, good for the soul, and good for the body.

It's a grand combination.


(And I second the warning on grapefruit juice -- which I love, but after reading the fine print on some medications I was on a few years ago, had to abstain from for several months.)


Tony