S/o Family simcha: regarding cancer survivors

amother

Mon, May 04 2020, 8:44 am

I'm a survivor of childhood cancer. I've been isolating very strictly even as all around me people are crawling out of hibernation.

Anyone in the same or similar situation and got actual guidance from a doctor on the current pandemic? I've been having trouble reaching mine, as it's BH been many years. It's also hard to find actual facts as this disease is so new.

Are we all at high risk? Does it depend on the type of cancer or treatment history?

amother

Azure

Mon, May 04 2020, 9:43 am

It depends on your situation. Do you still go for regular check ups? Have you had any scares in the last 5 years ? Do you get sick easily? When you get sick, do you commonly need to be hospitalized? There is no one size fits all answer.

amother

Maroon

Mon, May 04 2020, 9:47 am

My sil finished chemo in September and had major brain surgery in July.
She didn’t take major precautions and got a minor case before pesach
I think she is still weak and not back to herself but she doesn’t think she is.

Chayalle

Mon, May 04 2020, 11:02 am

I have a close family member who is a fairly recent cancer survivor. We had a family wedding the week of Purim, and many of came down with the virus the next week (myself included). This family member had no symptoms at all B"H and is doing fine despite being in the same house as infected spouse, etc...

tweety1

Mon, May 04 2020, 11:19 am

Somebody I know very well had cancer a few yrs ago. I've met this person multiple times in the grocery, fruit store, and on the street. I asked her if she's not worried she said no. Shes doing amazingly well and bh never felt symptoms.

thriver

Mon, May 04 2020, 11:27 am

Survivor cancer here. If you are not currently on anything that would cause you to be immunocompromised you are probably not at higher risk than the regular population. Some of us are on longer term medicines that put us at higher risk. Definitely worth verifying with your doctor.

You’re likely not at higher risk, but worth continuing to reach out. Either way, you should definitely be following the regular protocol and staying within the guidelines.

amother

Mon, May 04 2020, 11:35 am

Thanks for your responses, everyone. I am supposed to be following up but I haven't been very good about it. I will continue to try to reach my team.

I am not so concerned about my current immunity, but I worry about possible developing conditions in various organs, as they've warned me about long term effects of treatment.

amother

Smokey

Mon, May 04 2020, 11:48 am

A cancer patient is immunocompromised. Besides being run down by the actual cancer ravaging his body, the treatment often makes things worse before hopefully making things better. Any little cold or infection that he would have been easily able to fight beforehand can become a big deal, let alone a more serious virus like the coronavirus. A cancer survivor who has only recently gone into remission is also immunocompromised because his body hasn't fully recovered yet.

As a survivor of childhood cancer, you should probably check with your doctor but I would guess that your immune system has long been back to normal. If you can weather life's normal viruses and bacterial infections without extra precautions then you're most likely in the same boat as the rest of us. That means you should be cautious and take all reasonable precautions but you don't have to never leave your home to get some fresh air. My mother is a breast cancer survivor and in remission for over 10 years and that's what she is doing.

amother

Lavender

Mon, May 04 2020, 5:14 pm

by Covid it's not only about being immunosuppressed during treatment, I read that anybody who's gone thru chemo/radiation becomes hi risk as their body reacts differently to Covid. We are being super careful here, we have a cancer survivor here with low immune system

Sunny Days

Mon, May 04 2020, 5:19 pm

Have your lungs been effected from tx?
There are so many variables that you’re best off getting direction from a dr that knows your history.

...which of course we should all be taking this seriously despite medical history, or of our belief in our invincibility...

amother

Mon, May 04 2020, 6:35 pm

gamzehyaavor wrote:

Covid is also causing cardiovascular problems and kidney issues.

I am supposed to be monitoring my heart.