It has been real

Todd, good luck to you. There is always a place at the table if you choose to return.

Jim

We have appreciated the PC advocate’s role you have taken—especially protesting the pharmaceutical industry’s roles in charging sky-high prices for PC oncology drugs.

As one of the cancer department chairs at MD Anderson recently said, “For the longest time drug companies had a dual mission. They wanted to help patients and at the same time make a reasonable profit. Until about 2000, this practice has been followed…but now I think they have lost their moral compass.”

This community needs to continue to be vigilant and aware that cost and value are among the most talked about issues in oncology, even though most of the discussions are behind-the-scenes and shielded from our eyes. The topic has even made it into the plenary session (that’s the main session) of the most recent ASCO, American Society of Clinical Oncologists, where a leading MSKCC oncologist personalized a view of the cost of one of the new immunotherapies in this way, “To put that into perspective, that’s [the treatment cost, by mg of weight, which is how drugs are measured out] approximately 4000 times the cost of gold.”

In a recent instance which may also prove to be pivotal, oncologists at MSKCC, in a David versus Goliath move (where MSK was in the David role), made a deliberate and measured decision to exclude a drug (for colorectal cancer) because of its exorbitant cost, and went public about it in protest. Bravo for them!

So, we hope to continue to hear about your views on the drug companies from the insider's perspective you have had access to. Drop in when you can.

Todd –

There's no question that this is your call, whether to stay on here or not.

There's also no question that the heavy loss would be ours, if you do choose to leave.

I learned something amazing recently. There is good evidence that the following is true, that the dying words of a certain man were:

“I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.”

Do you know who that certain man was?

Leonardo da Vinci.

Todd, I'm not comparing you to Leonardo da Vinci, but all of us, even the geniuses, never realize just how much our work is important, and how much we truly do influence others. Da Vinci didn't, and neither do we.

Or how about a less lofty example of this? In the film "It's A Wonderful Life," everyman George Bailey is totally convinced his life has been a failure, until his guardian angel shows him all the great, positive things in life that resulted from his influence, and the "mighty big hole" that would have resulted if George had never been around..

When off the computer, I do often think about my forum brothers and sisters here, and that has usually included you. Your remarkable resilience, the splendid courage you have shown, and the amazing example that you have been for others. Things far more important and helpful than you may have thought, or ever realized.

Many of us here are going to urge you to stay on with us, and keep serving as a shining example of how somebody can clamp his foot down on the neck of this beast and keep this beast down.

I understand how the pace of participation on the web can be tiring after a while, especially if you are busy with a number of sites, activities, etc. But you don't have to leave. Do what some others have done, take a break if it seems good to you, then later on see how you feel. See if taking some time off makes renewed participation here a little more agreeable.

We would all be winners here if you choose to stay on and continue to share your remarkable journey with us, and with everyone who comes here.

If your course truly is set, then Godspeed, and thank you for the wonderful influence you have already had on many, many lives.

But please do reconsider, and stay on with us.

Hey, stay. Just giving you hints for a new song title.

Todd,
You have given hope to those of us with advanced prostate cancer. We will miss you.

I feel as though I need to offer a better explanation. Today I replied to a brothers post and I was a dick. I basically called him a pu$$!& for being upset that things would not be the same. Where is my compassion. If I don't have that then I have no value to this or any other forum. Todd

Todd
To some extent Every new PCa victim feels like he got the shaft , some more than others. I made a mistake one time complaining about guys posting good news about zeros. I was castigated and realized that this forum is not just for bad news but also to celebrate good news. Hang in there . No one is perfect. We're all just humans! It takes time to see that we are not alone!
Bob

No need to explain. In fact, no need to announce leaving (or coming back). You, and I, and everyone else can come and go at will.

Mis-spoke and regret it? Apologize and move on. I've done that, as has Break60 and others. Get over it and stop being a pu$$y.

Todd: Thank you for the sage advice you have provided to so many. I wish you the very best and may your blessings be many times the good you have done for us all.

Todd, best wishes mate, after 9 years on this forum I don't post much any more, but still drop in from time to time.

Regards Mal.

Prat:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If I had one less cancer cell for everything I did that was wrong and regrettable, I wouldn't have had PC.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..
Great line!

Mel

You lost a dad you dearly loved. Grief wears a lot of faces.