6 replies to this topic

[r06ue1]

I had my three month appointment yesterday and asked about AML and told my Oncologist what happened to Audrey.  He said that it was very unusual for two people in the same household to get the same type of cancer (one CML, one AML) and that they should look at the water that they drink (benzene?).  I've always been one to believe that our environment (polluting our air, water and soil) and what we are doing to it is causing a lot more of the diseases we are seeing.  Anyways, when my Oncologist mentioned water, it reminded me of something I had read about five years ago.  

 

Not to far from where I live, perhaps 25 miles, a housing community was built there in the 50's.  After many years the residents discovered an unusually large number of people were being diagnosed with cancer.  After many, many years (I think it was actually three decades), the EPA discovered the source:  At some point in the past, perhaps the 30's, that site had once housed a chemical dump.  The containers which held the chemicals had began to leak over time and cancer-causing toxins were emerging from the ground.  The EPA cleaned it up about five years ago, pulling hundreds of 55 gallon drums of toxic chemicals from the ground in the area.  How many people died of cancer due dump over the many decades of living there?  How many more homes are built on toxic chemical dump sites in America?  

 

Another site not far from my home, was also once a dump and is now a soccer field for kids.  This is something I know from growing up in the area.  

 

Scary isn't it?

[Buzzm1]

snip

 

toxic chemical dump sites in America?  

 

 

more than we can ever imagine ...

 

benzene, one of the main chemical byproducts that comes from "cracking" coal in the process of creating coke .. a very high temperature burning fuel used in the steel making process .. 'cracking coal' also produced naphthalene and toluene, along with whole host of other known carcinogens.  My hometown had the largest coke works in the world at that time, as part of a large U.S. Steel plant on the bank of the Monongahela River; my father spent 35 years in the Benzoil plant as the Coke Works was called at the time.  

 

the chip-making industry is/was guilty of mishandling very dangerous chemicals .. had a 6'4" 250 lb. neighbor that handled these chemicals, in Signetics Receiving, day in, day out ... can remember him talking about leakage and spillage ... he weighed about 100 when he died an agonizing death about five years later, with protruding steel rods supporting the areas where his bones used to be

 

Also, where Fairchild, one of the early players, had their first plant, in South San Jose, a housing tract was built in the early 60's, where cancer became common place ... the people sued the corporation which took many years before they finally won.

[Noodle]

Audreys death from AML had been on my mind as well. As an AML survivor nearing three years treated with chemo only, I must say I was pretty shocked at how long it took to DX her and then treat her. I was getting chemo within 24 hours of my BMB. It was also shocking that her husband has CML.

Although right after I finished 10 straight months of chemo, my dear brother was DXD with NHL. 2 blood cancers in the same family??? What is our common denominator? Our parents were chain smokers using cigarettes as insence around the house; -).

Second hand smoke is a huge source of benzine.

http://m.cancer.org/...rkplace/benzene

http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC3447593/

[Tedsey]

My parents were extremely heavy smokers too.  However, no one else in my family has come down with cancer.  Perhaps they have hardier DNA.  I was not of the same gene pool (adopted).  I am so sad to hear about Audrey.  It happened so fast.  I am so pissed no one can come up with at least one cure for one blood cancer (sans poisonous chemotherapy or lifelong drugs).  With the exception of TKIs, the medical community has moved very little from the past.  I hate cancer with every fiber of my being!  I wish it didn't exist in any form.  And this is all a nightmare I will wake up from to find, with a heavy sigh of relief, that everything is OK.

[Billie Murawski]

I am so heartbroken about Audrey, She was the sweetest kindest person and had the loveliest family, I got to know her a bit and we would e-mail back and forth occasionally, I'm really having a hard time accepting this,  Has anybody e-mailed Greg and Victoria and told them if they have any problems  or questions they have about his cml all they have to do is get on this board and we will help them any way we can. I guess it's a good idea for all of our spouses to know how to contact us.   Billie

[Floa7]

My son and I were both diagnosed with CML around Jan 2012. He does live with me, he is now legally blind. Within 6 months the 16 year old boy next door was diagnosed with AML and a 78 year old man with CML within  5 houses of me. He did pass away. We are on well water, live in farm fields, with plenty of industrial factories near by. The man was a deacon of church, no smoking. The 16 year old never smoked or had second hand.

[r06ue1]

Scary stuff Floa7

 

I get my water from the city but still makes you wonder what is under our homes and in our water.