The Bell

Fine thanks, Candysmum. Still here despite having two not very good scan results.   I'm very stubborn

I don't ask for a prognosis as I believe they can be self fulfilling .

Hi Mmum, sorry for late reply. I can't really say where in the North I am as that would reveal which regional hospital I was ranting about. It's not Scotland though.

Well i have to say, my thoughts are completely different.

Ringing of the bell does not cerebrate you are cured, is it to recognise, that you have finished your treatment, and for some very gruelling,

I was stage 4 from day one, treatable though not curable, i did all my radiotherapy and i rung the bell,  because i had completed my course of it.

Mt hubby had 6 and half weeks, of radiotherapy, every day, it   crucified him, and his aim i will ring that bell, which he did, though passed 4 months later.

He was also treatable though not curable,.l

1. I’m twixt the two trains of thought. 
   My understanding is that the bell originated in children’s cancer units. The intention was for the bell to be rung at the end of chemotherapy courses. The idea being that the child would look forward to ringing the bell as incentive & encouragement and as a way of saying goodbye to the unit. The applause was from the nursing staff by way of praise  and recognition of the child’s bravery in completing treatment. 
   I think it’s safe to assume we forum members do not fit into the child category and while our journey, particularly for incurables, is a frightening experience   we can as adults apply rational thinking to our experience. A child cannot do that and if the simple act of ringing a bell and having applause aimed at them to congratulate their bravery brings them joy it would be a great shame to deny that. 
   Where I may agree with you Steve is in adult settings. I have to admit I was surprised the bell being used to mark the end of radiotherapy course which is the only time I’ve encountered it. Probably unnecessary. 

Good post Rojan, I agree with your sentiments. There were no children though at the cancer centre I attended. I presume they have them there at weekends or they use a specialist centre of their own. At 60 I appeared to be the youngest there across the 5 days I attended.

How are you? Have you noticed any reactions to your radiotherapy treatment yet? Hope it's going OK.

It’s a bit of a poser isn’t it as it would seem from some of your replies that even some of the “not so young “ ! among us have benefited from ringing the bell. It’s hard to see how hospitals would be able to remove them now without protest from those that do find them to be an incentive to complete treatment. Im sure I don’t know if there is an answer that would satisfy all. 
The important thing is that you benefit from the radiotherapy. How’s it going?

Hi Candysmum, thank you for asking, the only side-effect has been some IBS and a bit of an ache of one side of the guts, as the radiotherapy zapped through from the lower spine and out the navel, missing vital organs. I haven't had the sunburn or need for Aveeno they warned me about as it was only 5 fractions.  

Hi Rojan, thanks for asking, I believe the radiotherapy has benefitted me, it was to 2 vertebrae which were operated on (one of which had been fractured by cancer, which was how my diagnosis of Stage 4 prostate cancer originally came about). I've had no pain there.

I have another bone met in the mid back with a slight fracture but there's no plans to do anything about that unless it clinically becomes a problem. I can feel it when I lay down though. I'd wanted it zapping while they were at it. And four more, one rib and 3 in the hips/pelvis, although they are thankfully small. 

Hi  Northern Steve,

Hope you're doing OK.

I have a  bell story to tell today.  Or, let's make that a (non-ringing) bell ceremony.

I'v just completed another round of radiotherapy, but because its palliative, even though there were lots of ' it's your last day today' comments from the staff,' there was no mention of whether Id be ringing any bells!

I appreciate that some people go for lots of radiotherapy, which must be gruelling, but still, .Lucky Them!

Going for lots of radiotherapy usually means there's Hope Of A Cure. I would love to be going for weeks of radiotherapy as it would mean they're trying to cure me.

Anyway, they can stick their bell where the sun don't shine lol.