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Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

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Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#42
The fact that this thread exists makes me want to move back to Europe.

It's really hard, for someone who grew up with state-provided healthcare, to understand how dealing with an illness involves decisions about employment.

To the OP: the system is deeply unfair, and you shouldn't feel bad for obtaining what in the rest of the civilized world is an unalienable right.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#43
post #13

I am just recovering from cancer myself so a few thoughts from having just gone through something similar. 1. Get all your information first. Just because it's been deemed cancerous doesn't clarify what's ahead. It could range from intensive treatment, down to rather localized surgery. Talk to your specialists about the specifics and you'll know what you're in for. 2. Cover yourself foremost. I understand the altruis…

These sound right to me. I had cancer my senior year of college; not the same at all but also in a position of trying to hold all my classes together, not let potential employers find out, etc. Four months of treatment and I was done; I sincerely hope you're as lucky.

Whether you are or not, though, it's true don't panic and cover your ass are critical. Fortunately we live in an era of obamacare, though, as well as regs about covering prexisting conditions. A hitch in what the top commenter said is that you may not in fact be able to keep your job through treatment. I had three week rotations, where the first five days of each rotation (sat - weds) were sitting in the hospital all day hooked up to an IV, and it's not a reasonable work environment.

Obviously gather all the information, but I'd say get ready to get the cobra if you can't hold it down at work with whatever scheduling arrangements the hospital can make, and if that runs out on you you'll still be able to pay for something that will cover you.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#46

Imagine you didn't have cancer, but I told you that if you killed yourself, I'd give everyone at your startup an extra $200/month for a couple years (or however long you would've worked there). That's it. That's the entire deal. Would you take it? I imagine not, but that's essentially what you're proposing. Everyone will want you to survive, and anyone who begrudges you for being human because it cost them a trivial…

This is a phenomenal comment.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#48
IF this turns out to be malignant and requires chemo, avoid stress if at all possible. Also consider going on a high food value diet (tons of veggies) with natural high fiber powders. Exercise.

I'm not saying any of this will help with cancer. Diet and exercise combined with a low stress lifestyle will maximize your bodies ability to recover from the chemo. Also this will help your brain keep optimized so depression won't bring you down which will cause stress.

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