ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: ppearl214 on May 27, 2008, 11:28:55 am
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http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/
9pm ET. They are also taking email questions... we know there have been numerous discussions about cell phone use and AN's in particular. This could be interesting.... I will try to watch.
I know, I know... I'm logging off.
Phyl
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Thanks Phyl .. I'll try to see it .... 8)
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Phyl:
I appreciate the 'heads up' but I'm afraid I have to be the contrarian on this one. No offense is intended. Really.
I never watch CNN and I think Larry King is, unfortunately, long past his prime as an interviewer. More importantly, I reject the theory that cell phones cause brain tumors, including Acoustic Neuromas. I'm not a doctor or scientist and of course I could be wrong but brain tumors, including AN's, have been around a very long time...long before the invention and widespread use of cell phones. I see this media attention to a supposed brain tumor-cell phone link as simply fear-mongering and tabloid sensationalism with little in the way of scientific facts to support it. Mostly supposition and conjecture based on the fact that radio waves transmit the cell-phone audio and we hold the phone next to our ear/head. Voila! Cell phones must be causing brain tumors! Well, anything is possible and maybe they are but I seriously doubt Larry King, who brags about never preparing for an interview, is going to shed any light on the subject.
Thanks again - but I'll pass. I'm sure others will tell me all about it, later.
Jim
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Phyl
Thanks for the heads up...
:D :D :D You cannot live without is- can you? ;) :D ;D
Daisy Head Mazy
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I'm with Jim on this one. As I've posted before, until someone demonstrates that there has been a statistically significant increase in AN's in the general population since the introduction of cell phones, then there is no scientific basis to claim anything. last time I checked AN's were occurring at about 1/100,000 people or around 3000 per year in the US. Like Jim, I don't know if cell phones will prove out as a causal factor down the road, but until annual AN's start getting over 10,000 or so, I think you have a hard time making the case. This falls under theory , sensationalism and bad science at the moment
Mark
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um, folks... you are not understanding why I posted this... and noted they are taking emails... because.... there is no foundation to this. This was posted to share with you that if you all want to watch and see what they say, regardless of what we know to be true, that is the only reason.. and as AN'ers.. that you can email them, with backup documentation (medical) to show proof that there is no correlation.
Geesh folks.......
P
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It's a heck of a topic, though, isn't it? :)
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For me , the AN caused cell phone use :o
I didn't have a cell phone until I ended up running between here and Nashville for MRIs ,hearing test ,
balance tests etc etc...figured with the nearly 4 hours each trip spent on I-65 , I would like a way to
stay in touch with home in case of emergency or if I was running later than expected
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I just got done watching Larry King Live... and its a shame if you missed it.. .MUCH talk about AN's and possible correlations with cell phone use. Not to be ruled out... long term studies need to be further enhanced... Dr. Gupta even showed an AN MRI (it was a large AN). Neurosurgeons from Cedar Sinai, as well as a gentleman from the American Cancer Society as well as others related to microwave industry..... a very enlightening talk... and all concurred that not enough long term studies in place to confirm cell phone use to any brain tumors (malignant or AN's). Concerns now of younger cell phone users as younger brains are still in developmental stage and more susceptible to issues.... all recommending use of ear buds (bluetooth may have issues since antenae is on the bluetooth unit itself) for all cell phone users until more conclusive studies are available.
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A small article in my hometown paper reported statistics and a positive correlation taken from a study of behavior disorders in children born to mothers who used a cell phone 3 to 4 times a day during their pregnancy.
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Phyl -
thanks for the recap. I missed Larry, but it sounds like it was a very interesting show.
Just for the record, although you mentioned it was irrelevant, I totally agree with Jim and Mark.
Jan
PS - aren't you supposed to be on hiatus ???
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Hi all,
I guess this is turning into a good old fashioned debate!!! ;)
Very interesting show. I was glued. :P
I actually have a link for ya'll. It has nothing to do with Larry King but about the use of cell phones and cancer by Dr Mercola_: http://www.mercola.com/ Search--bluetooth--and go to the link- "cell phones and cancer" it's pretty cool. I have to do some research on how to use my cell phone and keep from going totally deaf from the danger...better to be safe than sorry...of cell phones!! I heard the radiation comes from the radio frequencies through the antenna. I don't know. I'm no genius!!! And I can't remember 5 minutes ago!!! ;D
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In looking for some news last night around 10:20pm, I accidentally caught the Larry King show. I had not seen this post, but caught the words Acoustic Neuroma while flipping past the station. I found it very interesting but could not stay awake to watch the whole thing. I was just awaken (2am)with my dog running in after getting sprayed by a skunk...WEW!!!! Got that settled down, now can't get back to sleep, the house smells bad. Flipped on the TV and there was the rerun...so got to see the end I missed last night. I am a bit skeptical as I know these tumors grow slow and some of ours were probably there long before cell phones. But I do think it is something to take into consideration. With all the new tech, we should be paying closer attention. My AN was on the opposite side I hold the phone to, and I don't use my cell nearly as much as most. The show got me wondering about microwaves. I always stand next to the micro waiting for it to heat, usually with my AN side to it. hmmmmmmm,, but then, they have not been around that long either. I also have some pretty heafty power lines running behind my house, I've been here 10 yrs. Lots of contreversy about that too. In any event, I feel we need to be more aware of harm these things may could caous even if they have not been proven, for our kids sake. After all, they are living on their cells when they don't have the ipod plugged into their ears.
Jim Scott, FYI, I agree, Larry is past his prime as an interviewere, but this one was worth the watch. He did little speaking, the four docs he had on were very good. it was a good debate. Just a scare tactic???? maybe. Good way to re generate use of the land line I suppose. Next it will be the computer monitor and we'll have to go back to writing real letters and re generate use of the postage stamp. Who knows, but def something to think about. A little causion never hurt anyone.
And if nothing else, it brought awareness to Acoustic Neuroma, showed a diagram of the inner ear and MRI of one of the little buggars.
Patti UT
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well, regardless of what I think of Larry King as an interviewer, I have to note that the guests he had on were highly creditable and definately give thought to the debate, regardless of what preconceived notions were in place prior to listening to what they had to say.
Here's the written transcript of the show, for anyone interested in reading:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/27/lkl.01.html
Interesting... although the show started with Johnny Cocorhan's widow, Dr. Black noted that he was treated a few yrs back with a benign, unrelated brain tumor. Had no clue on that one........ didn't say what it was (ie: AN, meningioma, etc).
We know the debate will continue for years to come... IMO, I found it a very informative discussion, regardless of what my final thoughts were after listening to everyone speak.... to me, it was enlightening.....
(Jan, on moderating hiatus.... this, I felt, was worth posting... :) xoxo )
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Phyl -
thanks for the transcript link. I've printed it out and will try to find time to read it today.
Glad you are dropping in while on moderating hiatus - I just hope you find time to relax and forget about us (a little bit) for a little while ;)
Jan
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I found the show to be interesting. I do not have a cell phone but I have had cordless phones since my boys were very young. My oldest is 21, and the panelist (Drs) did briefly mention cordless phones. I worry about my boys, they all have cell phones, but I must say they text msg most of the time.
Common guys and girls you must admit Larry King is a real character and he does have some amazing guests.
A fan from Canada,
Anne Marie
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Cell phones are an easy target for something that has been around for ages (brain tumors, both malignant and benign). I agree that there is nothing wrong with looking at this issue (cellphone use and brain tumors) but I also understand that, without hard, incontrovertible scientific evidence, it will be contentious. I allow that my opinion is just that, an opinion, and I accept that others will have an opposite opinion. That doesn't mean that anyone is necessarily right or wrong. It's up to the people claiming this link between cell phone use and brain tumors to prove it with real evidence. Until they do, I choose to disagree with the premise.
Jim
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Perhaps the discussion about brain tumors will develop a better understanding of all types of head tumors and treatment options. Education strenghtens us. I agree that we need to keep an open mind for facts. All questioning is good.
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It's an interesting debate.
Just as an aside, I find it easier to use an ear bud (or headset) for both my cell phone and my regular cordless phone - it helps prevent stiff neck. Plus, in NJ, it is against the law to talk on a hand-held cell phone in the car (NYC, too). I just find it much easier. In fact, I've used an ear bud for my cell phone for years - and here I am with and AN anyway. Who knows.
My feeling is that there are so many things in our environment that are probalby harmful on some level - it just pays to take precautions whree we can and then try to just enjoy life. It is still far riskier to get behind the wheel of a car and travel down Route 80 (or name any other highway)...
Goodness, I must be feeling philisophic today...
Debbi - ruminating on life
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Debbi:
I appreciate your philosophic ruminations. Perhaps because I believe that, in short, life is a risk - on many levels. In a sense, we risk our lives every day, especially when we drive. I'll bet most of us know someone who died (or had a friend or relative who was killed) in an automobile accident. So, over the past 25 years, we've insisted that cars and roads be safer and although there are more cars on the roads than ever before, the fatal accident rate has steadily dropped. When it comes to driving, no one suggests that we ban automobiles because of what might happen. Frankly, living under that kind of mindset - the world is dangerous and you might be killed - could emotionally cripple a person. Fortunately, most people don't allow that to happen based on 'what if?' scare stories in the media that cynically prey on people's fears and not necessarily unreasonable concerns to capture our attention and - they hope - buy the book, magazine or newspaper, watch the TV show or log on to a website.
I'm sure there are lots of things in our environment that are not good for us yet mankind has survived for millennia. The average life expectancy (for whites) in the U.S. today is 77 years (73.6 years for men and 79.4 years for women). In 1900 it the average life expectancy was 47. Think about that. With modern medicine, better nutrition and generally healthier lifestyles along with safer working environments, much improved pre-natal care and, equally important, the rise of the middle class to a state where it is economically feasible to obtain health care, as we have for our AN's, Americans have reached a point where we are healthy enough to focus on things like the possibility of cell phones 'causing' brain tumors, which, in my opinion, they probably do not. If it can be proven that they do, fine. Let's fix that, as I'm certain the engineering specialists employed by cell phone manufacturers, would. That or they would rapidly go out of business.
Like you, Debbi, I tend to think positive. I try to live a reasonably safe and fairly healthy lifestyle. I refuse to obsess over every silly scare story on TV or elsewhere that tries to make me worry about practically everything that I may eat, drink or come in contact with in my daily life. Maybe it's my accumulated life experience (or you can call it just plain cynicism) but I've grown extremely skeptical of the media and their almost constant attempts to 'inform' us of all these supposed 'dangerous' foods and so on that could harm or kill us. I think a lot of it is overblown nonsense based on scanty evidence and a whole lot of supposition and conjecture. I place the cell phone-brain tumor 'debate' in that category. I don't want to debate the issue. I think the proponents of that position should either prove it - or stop trying to convince people this is something we should now worry about. If it's scientifically proven, which could take years of study, then, if I were still around, I would freely admit I was previously mistaken and, like most folks, throw away my cell phone. Actually, I don't own a cell phone, so I'll have to throw away my wife's cellphone. :) In any case, if cellphone use is ever scientifically proven to actually cause brain tumors, I seriously doubt that news will be broken on the Larry King show. Meanwhile, I'll just have to take my chances.
Thus ends Jim's ruminations for today. (Worth about what you paid for them).
Jim
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All I can say is what I KNOW to be true in my case -- I had a VERY large tumor at a VERY YOUNG age and had NEVER used a cell phone!!!!! It is enough for me to know that that is NOT what caused mine. Could it contribute in others? Maybe, but I agree with Jim -- I can't NOT live my life to the fullest because I fear what MIGHT be!!
K
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Common guys and girls you must admit Larry King is a real character and he does have some amazing guests.
A fan from Canada,
Anne Marie
I'm not a Larry fan, I think it's time for him to retire, but I do have to admit he has some interesting guests.
Jan
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Actually, I don't own a cell phone, so I'll have to throw away my wife's cellphone. :)
Did you ever notice that every now and then, in the middle of one of his lengthier ruminations, Jim will come up with a real howler? :D
Shades of Henny Youngman, I think. 8)
Steve
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Thought I'd pop in for a comment on this. I don't think cell phones cause tumors either, but when I see how much time my dau-in-law is on her phone, I wonder if it's causing her damage in some way or another. She and my son use it as their primary phone and she is on that thing for hours! I never liked to be on the cell phone for long periods of time because it started to get warm and I didn't like that. The cell I have now I hardly use. It's really for emergency use only. Actually I'm more afraid that she's going to be in a car accident while she's on her phone.
Anyway, the cell phone debate continues, I guess.
Sue in Vancouver
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Steve:
It's just me being droll. I write the way I talk. At length, with an occasional salient point or piece of information and a touch of humor.
Actually, my rumination would take about 2 minutes to say in person but looks a lot longer when every word is typed out. It's just a perception. However, I can be brief when necessary. It wasn't necessary in this case. Thus ends my comment on my comment. :)
Jim
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Steve -
I always find Jim's posts very well thought out and eloquent - he says that I'd like to say, only much better than I ever could :)
I have to say I didn't pick up on his cell phone comment, but I did find myself chuckling on two occasions recently when he used the expression "my bad" LOL
Jan
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Here is the archived video from the show for those who missed Larry -“Live�
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/05/28/lkl.cell.cancer.cnn
After reading the transcript and now seeing the faces-I remain on the peripheral here without too much comment or bias (yet)
My concern is that we are seeing “youth� (teens and young adults) and/or their concerned parents on our forum here. Many who are coming up with huge whopper size AN tumors. :o Mine was a whopper – but hey I was 44.… it had time to grow slowly. These kids of the high tech information era with big tumors -have me concerned.
This cannot be a closed book and we need more impartial studies done (that are not funded by cell phone companies or microchip related corporations.) :-\
I am in the heart of the silicon forest and see numerous people walking and talking with cell phones clipped to their ears- here. I often wonder if they are talking to “the enterprise� and ready to say,
“Beam me up Scottie�
…at any moment.
We do not know enough yet… In my parent’s era everyone poo pooed the connections made with the cigarettes they were smoking- to cancer. (May my aunties who poo pooed me, when I brought this up to them, rest in peace- I miss them dearly. :'() Then we had dial phones… and who then could conceivably could even think of “skype� for telephone conversations. This month we are taking soil samples from Planet Mars and transmitting lab results to Planet Earth. My grandmother had a wind-up gram-a-phone for her listening pleasure and my kid has her Nano Pod- for hers. (One day, of she is not careful, it will go through the laundry and she will loose her entire record collection ;))
More studies are needed.
My teen want one of those funky things that everyone wears in their ear like I wanted dangly earrings and pierced ears in the 70’s… My parents were worried about ear infections from pierced ears. My teen ask me if she saved up her allowance -could she get one.
I said “NO�.
“Why not?!? >:( �, she asked me.
I replied
“Because we do not know enough about these yet… :-* �
Daisy Head Mazy
P.S. If we ever form a ANA debating club- I get Jim Scott on my team!!! :-* ;D ... Especially if he talks as eloquently as he writes. Maybe at the next symposium I will meet him ...and we will have Scottie beam us up. Hey maybe he is Scottie!!? ;)That’s it ! Jim Scott has now been renamed- “SCOTTIE�. :-* :D ;D :)
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Jim Scott has now been renamed- “SCOTTIE�. :-* :D ;D :)
Thanks, but I can't do the Scottish accent as well as James Doohan ('Montgomery Scott' on the original Star Trek). "I'm giving it all she's got, Captain!" :)
Jim
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Oh dear God… Scotty- PLEASE beam me up…
I just caved in at the mall ::) …and let my teen buy a pair of dangly earrings.
I then lost my teen in one of the stores… as she left her cell phone in the family van… so calling to find her did not work. Finally I had to have her paged by a cashier.
Apparently ;) there is nothing more embarrassing to a teen girl than having a cashier state her name and to meet her mom at check stand #8- announced on a loud speaker
Now imagine the pff sound, the rolling of the eyes ::) and the flick of the hair and then “the look� … and that lovely teen attitude that parents often see at “the mall�. (When the parent holds their breath and chants the mantra, “I will get through these teen years … :-\ I will get through these teen years… :) )
“Well Mom- if I had a blue tooth ear phone that was always in my ear… I wouldn’t have forgot it in the car…�
At that point I smirked :-X and said, “Scottie PLEASE beam me up!� ;D
She replied “MOM you are SO weird! WHO is Scottie?!�
“Oh he is the voice inside the Bluetooth phone running the controls of the enterprise…�, I casually replied
Those teen girls eyes rolled again . The arms crossed. The huff sound. Pff sound… stares out the family van window with “the look�.
I am sure she has quite convinced herself that her mother was cognitively affected by the AN (smirk ;)) … no doubt though once she gets her hand on my lap top she will go straight to google and type in “Scottie� and “enterprise�.( I’ll make a treky of her yet. ;) ;D )
Meanwhile I am not caving into my teen and the wear-on-your-ear cellphone trend…
Daisy Head Mazy
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God bless you, Daisy :D
I'm currently dealing with a pre-teen daughter and I'm wondering if either one of us will make it to her teen years in one piece ::)
For some reason her pre-teen brother isn't nearly the challenge that she is - but I'm fearful it's only a matter of time LOL
Jan (trying to hold onto my sanity)
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And I have THREE coming up.... :o :o :o
K (not looking forward to teenage years...)
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Kaybo (and Scotty ;D),
Keep playing that Nat King Cole “SMILE� tune you have running on your website… when you get to those teen years.
BTW awesome update photos to your website. You are a real inspiration to us Mothers
“Somewhere over the Rainbow� is nice too
I love your wonderfully positive attitude. Remember during the rough spots Scottie can always beam us up … I wonder what in his music collection that is playing up there in the enterprise?
BTW my teen pointed out that LeVar Burton (from the Reading Rainbow series she used to watch -when she was young) from star trek, “is so cool!�
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVar_Burton
( ;) I knew she would go straight to Google- once my laptop became available :D :D)
She seems to, for now, have her mind off the phone idea and wants glasses like the character he played- Geordi La Forge.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TNG/character/1112463.html
“Those classes are SO cool! Mom I HAVE to have a pair�
I have a flower garden that SO needs weeding… and getting her to help me has been futile. Just seemed like yesterday she was such an eager 6-year-old and said, “Can I help? � … and pulled out all my perennials thinking she was weeding (helping :-\ ). Where did the time fly? :'( :-*
… However now that she is interested in Treky glasses and is motivated to make “my own money� … MMM…Now I just have to find a website that sells these Geordi La Forge glasses and it has a price tag that will get me a lot of “my own money� earning-working-hours and motivation from her - to channel all that invisible-attitude-teenage energy into.
Scotty- any idea where I can find such an item? The key here is they have to be scientifically proven to not give off any radiation… and cause… and cause…ONLY God knows what! .
Beam me up- PLEASE! I am looking for behavior extrinsic motivator “treky glasses�. ;)
Daisy Head Mazy :)
JAN (& other Parents of tweens )... this is an excellent parent resource book
http://www.amazon.com/Totally-Wired-Tweens-Really-Online/dp/0312360126
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DHM:
'Star Trek© Gordie-style' glasses have been around for awhile but they are not even close to cheap and do a lot more than just look uber-kewl.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/05/orange-france-goes-slim-with-their-video-glasses/ (http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/05/orange-france-goes-slim-with-their-video-glasses/)
Unfortunately, neither the Star Trek© (Paramount) website or the 'Star Trek Experience'© (Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas) offer them either, at any price, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could find some affordable ST glasses at a Trekkers convention. Good luck...live long and prosper. :)
One to beam up!
Sorry, but the transporter beam is enveloping me and I have to leave now.
Jim
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cool 8) I wonder if I get a pair that fit in the BAHA for sound ...
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Daisy -
thanks for the link. I'll have to check it out. I'm a big Amazon customer :D
Jan
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mmmm- Have they done any studies on these star trek glasses as they have with cell phones? mmmmm :-\ Will Larry connect these glasses to brain tumor growth?
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I can't help it.....got to share about my husbands shirt. He got it in a coffee place and it says "bean me up biscotti" .... thought you Trekkers would enjoy this (he gets comments on it all the time)....... now back to the issue at hand.....
I read the Larry King transcript and noticed that they talked about cordless phones too..... I used one for over 15 years ... and only have used a cell phone for the last 4. My AN tumor was on the side I (had) used for the phone. I still have cordless phones but I use them on speaker .... and do the same with my cell phone. Who knows if they cause brain tumors or not - but I know WAY TOO MANY people in my town of 50,000 with AN tumors. 3 of us work for my school district and my next door neighbor is NF2. I have also heard of at least 2 other people in this area with AN tumors.Do the math - the stats do not work out to the 1 in a 100,000 odds we are told- not in Longview, WA anyway. Something has to be escalating the problem.... maybe cell/cordless phones..... maybe not - but I'm much more careful now about my phone use.
marg
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There is a link with the tumors and radiation exposure.
I think the culprit that was in your town was this:
http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/OR3142/
Even though is was torn down - what is the in soil, water etc where it once was? Were these people there when it was functioning?
I strongly believe that is why the cancer and tumor stats are so high in your community.
Although my ears first started to ring after a head concussion at age 12. I think is was the 1970‘s x-ray they did of my skull that started the growth of the AN tumor and the cells to divide and multiply in a weird way.
I think Marg- it IS Radiation. :-[
I am also curious as to how many AN’er got their tumor on their telephone side? Marg ;D start a new survey!… Move over Larry King – here comes my buddy Marg… 8)
My tumor was on the telephone side… I used cell, analogue and cordless phones in that ear. Go for it Marg- start a survey thread...
Daisy Head Maizy
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I kind of hate to rain on this parade, but there is nothing unusual about Longview, WA. The rate of 1 per 100,000 is an annual rate. That means than on average, Longview would see a new case every two years. Unless those 6 people all got their ANs the same year, it is about what you would expect for a 12 year period.
If you counted ANs spanning a fifty year period, you could expect to find that 1 out of 2000 people get one sometime during their life. That seems like a big number to me, but with better diagnosis and life expectancy these days, we may actually see that many around us.
With or without cell phones. :)
Steve
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Steve,
Where can we get access to the stats on Longview WA?
Daisy
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Google didn't help, so I don't know. ???
I was really just saying that the 6 people Marg mentioned (herself and 5 others) was not enough to indicate an unusual level in Longview. Another way to look at it is that at the rate of 1/100,000/year, you would expect 10 more cases to show up in Longview over the next 20 years.
I don't know if acoustic neuromas are reported to the Center for Disease Control, or some other central organization, for tabulation by geography, etc. If they are, it is probably by treatment center, and you still might not get a count on Longview itself.
Steve
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Hey Phyl,
:o
Look at the Canadian Top new headlines today!
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/07/12/cellphones-kids.html
Google search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-11,GGLD:en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=Toronto+department+of+public+health+cell+phones&spell=1
DHM
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I kind of hate to rain on this parade, but there is nothing unusual about Longview, WA.
Ok Ok now look at today's news headlines about Longview WA
http://www.katu.com/news/local/27702054.html
There IS something most unsual about Longview- let me tell you...
DHM
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Here is the video clip
http://www.katu.com/news/local/27565614.html?video=pop&t=a
A study is needed ...
DHM
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Steve's answer is probably the right one here. This video clip is eerily similar to a situation I lived through back in Colorado in the mid 80's. The complete story is beyond the scope of this forum and would require several beers or glasses of your favorite libation to get through, but suffice to say it was a neighborhood where several parents with children who had cancer determined there was a cluster and it must have been an environmental factor. They went to the press , got media attention , blamed it on Martin Marrietta poisoning the ground water supply ( from 20 miles away ::)),even kept pushing the Colorado department of health to bring the EPA to do a full eco scan ( should have seen them out there in their bio suits :o) . Oh, and by the way destroyed the home values for the next 5 years. My ex-wife who is an epidemiologist and worked with the CDH on the project said the evidence of a cluster was unfounded from the beginning and it was eventually proved out after much community angst.
The reality of situation's like this is
1) children shouldn't get cancer, but in fact it is one of the primary causes of childhood death rates
2) Thus, Parents want a cause or something to blame
3) Cancer is not one disease, but a myriad depending on type and location
4) A cluster statistically has to be the same cancer and then you have to screen out family history's and even how long did they live in the area,etc.
These are always unfortunate situations and certainly a study should be done, but more often than not there is nothing that connects in the end to show that there was a single causal factor
Mark
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Two of the three girls in the Longview story have leukemia, not aplastic anemia. The rate of new leukemia cases in the US is about 1 per 10,000 per year, so Longview will on average see 5 new cases each year. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukemia#Epidemiology)
What are the chances that somewhere in the US, there will be a school where two girls of the same age get leukemia in the same year? Pretty good, actually. It would be a different matter if the same thing had happened last year, and every year for the past five years, or if it happens again next year, and every year for the next five years. So far, that is not the case in Longview.
The case of aplastic anemia is different, because that is a rarer diagnosis, and there have been seven cases in Cowlitz and Columbia counties over the last 10 years. With a population between the two counties of about 150,000, this is equivalent to about 5 cases per million per year. The standard rate is given as something between 2 and 10 cases per million per year, so if it is unusual, it is not dramatically so.
What would be truly unusual, given the persistent rates of a number of diseases in the US, is if no one in Longview ever got sick. We can only wish it were so.
Steve
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Hi all.... I spent all of my summer taking care of elderly parents . Starting 3 days after school ended in June ( I am a teacher in Longview) my husband and I were almost non-stop with his mom. In the hospital several times , we moved her from assisted to an Adult family home..... then to hospice on August 1st - where she died on the 13th. Three days before my mother-in-law died I drove 50 miles to help move MY mom and dad an additional 50 miles further away to an assisted apartment closer to my sisters and their families. In addition to this I have been busy trying to support my great-niece who has a very aggressive form of leukemia (she is a young mama with 2 little children) Then I started school with kids on Thursday August 28th (of course I was in and out of my classroom the week before in the middle of planning a memorial for my mother-in-law which we just held last Sunday ) SO... I feel totally out of the loop for stuff in the world in general - let alone in my own town here. All I can say is that yes, Longview is a mill town, yes, pollution has been a problem - and I know that many of the doctors in this town live UP on the top of a very tall hill ( I wonder why ::) ). All I know is that when I retire, I plan to move far far away. ...... if I live that long !
marg
p.s. Sorry, I'm just really tired. Guess I should have put this under the vent subject. I just really needed to have some down time this summer to continue to recouperate and didn't get ANY time)..... well, maybe next summer... :'(
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BIG gianourmous HUG being sent to you Marg!
DHM
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Thanks so much ..... I'm sending a big hug back.
marg
P.S. I can't go to the AN support meeting in Portland on the weekend of the 20th.... prior commitment :'(. I will miss seeing you there.
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We will miss seeing you too, Marg. Do take care.
Steve
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marg, first.. please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your mother-in-law. I'm sorry to hear this news. Please take some time for yourself... and not to worry about us here. I can see your plate has runneth over and you need to do what is best for you. Sending MAJOR hugglez to you... pls hang tough.....thoughts are with your family (all the way around) during this rough time.
Phyl
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Marg:
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your mother-in-law. You clearly have a stressful life at this point, but it will get better. Meanwhile, take whatever time you can find to rest and emotionally recharge. Remember that you can't be everything to everyone in your life. You are a human being with physical and emotional limitations, just like anyone else. 'Superwoman' is a cartoon, not reality.
Take care. Come back when you're able - we'll be here. :)
Jim