Farrah Fawcett's Documentary Controversy.

It was very sad to watch especially the last minutes. I did miss the first 1/2 hour though so don't know much about what was discussed early on. I do feel sorry for her and what she has gone through already and for those who will lose her soon.
But what gets me is the thousands of people who watched would never sit through those little 30 minute "commercials" for Jimmy Fund or the group that Marlo Thomas is head of. The ones with the people we don't know who have cancer. I know I have a very hard time watching the little children getting their chemo and the suffering they go through. Unfortunately we are a society who feeds off the "celebrity" no matter what they do.
I fought the battle and am almost at my 5 year mark, but it was a tough year with a week hospitalization after every chemo, and open wounds for 6 months with nurses coming to my house 3 times a day for treatments. Luckily my insurance paid for it but I remember sitting in the "chemo room" with 16 other people some who did not have insurance. I remember those people worrying about who would pay their mortgage and rent because they were using their money to pay for their chemo.
What I don't understand is when people refuse treatments that would lengthen or perhaps cure the disease. Suzanne Somers made a big thing about how she refused the normal treatments and did homeopathic stuff to get rid of her breast cancer. I find it hard to believe after what I went through that eating differently would have removed the demon from my body. I sometimes wonder what else she used that we didn't hear about. But she does deserve privacy and I am glad to see another person did become cancer free.
I also have a hard time seeing people who travel to other countries to get optional treatments that are not proven effective. Again, I don't know the story behind Farrah going to Germany because I didn't see that part. But after seeing some who could not afford treatment here in the US it was hard to see someone spending the money she spent to get unproven treatments.


From what I understand about Germany,
she was told, she still had terminal cancer.
But they would do a treatment and surgery that would pro-long her life.
One Dr. did a surgery, that no one in the United States had done.
He removed the tumor once again from her .
Then they did chemo, with needle insurance right on the tumors in her liver.
She had 6 spots, and she did one at a time.
She flew back to Germany for each one.
After the last one, they had a birthday party for her and she was feeling really good.
But within a couple of months, she did another Pet Scan and something else, and they found the tumor once again returned and they saw swelling in her liver, or they didn't know if the tumors returned. They said her UCLA Dr's and her Germany Dr's worked very close together.

After they found these tumors and spots again, she did an experimental chemo treatment, which didn't work, and then she did the chemo where her hair fell out.

The last part had Redmond coming out of jail to spend time with her. I imagine this was just the last week or two. I also heard this past week, they flew her dad in, so it really must be near the end.
 
I watched even though it was painful to do so. I lost my 55 year old husband, Mat, less than one year ago to pancreatic cancer. Farrah (and her family) were very brave to film these very intimate and personal moments so others can see what it's really like to battle cancer. Unless you have walked in their shoes, there is no way to begin to understand it.

I watched Mat battle his cancer for nine months. He weighed 100 pounds when he died. Cancer is horrific. The stress of being his caregiver was more than I could have ever imagined. I did things I did not know I was capable of.

For the rest of my life, when I hear someone has died suddenly of a heart attack or a stroke, I will think they are lucky.
 
It 's her choice and I have no problem with her being in-your-face about it for cancer awareness. It is a horrible, horrible thing to go through and witness.

But I couldn't watch it. I did turn it on for about 2 minutes........and all the memories of loved ones lost came flooding back.....had to turn it off.:sad1:
 
Shoot, I missed it and forgot to TiVo it. :headache:

I really wanted to see it for a lot of reasons.

There was a time when I was fighting cancer myself, and probably for a couple of years afterward, that there's no way I could have watched it. But I'm at a point where I can now.

I wish Farrah and her family the best. Her case reminds me of Michael Landon's, and Linda McCartney's. You'd think that with all the resources and money they have, they might be able to find a cure somewhere. But sadly, for many, there is no cure, regardless.

I agree that unless you've gone through it yourself or with a loved one, it's hard to fathom how having cancer affects you. I suppose it's easier for many not to watch it; who the heck wants to watch something so sad? But for many cancer survivors, it's nice to see that someone captured the essence of what we've had to go through, and how tragic it can be when a cure doesn't happen. :guilty:

Does anyone know if it will be on again?
 

I believe that I heard that this special will be repeated Sunday night. Those who missed it might want to check their local listings.
 
It was very good and very sad. It brought me right back to when I was 12 years old and had my Farrah scrape book. :(

The absolute saddest part for me was the last 10 minutes with her son. :sad1:

Me too. When she said I don't know who it is, it was so sad. I hope her son really gets his act together for her memory. :sad1:
 
I believe they are repeating it Sunday night on MSNBC.

I lost my mom to cancer and am going through it myself (for the second time). I was able to watch the entire thing and hope it gets the message out that this can touch anyone and everyone.

I'm glad her son got to spend some time with her and I hope it helps him turn his life around.
 
I watched even though it was painful to do so. I lost my 55 year old husband, Mat, less than one year ago to pancreatic cancer. Farrah (and her family) were very brave to film these very intimate and personal moments so others can see what it's really like to battle cancer. Unless you have walked in their shoes, there is no way to begin to understand it.

I watched Mat battle his cancer for nine months. He weighed 100 pounds when he died. Cancer is horrific. The stress of being his caregiver was more than I could have ever imagined. I did things I did not know I was capable of.

ITA. I'm sorry about your husband. I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer at the age of 65 almost three years ago. The memories of taking care of her and what she went through are still unbearable at times. I also watched the documentary and admired Farrah, Ryan, and those close to her. With all the fame, I see the same emotions in all of them that we all felt with my mom. I hope this documentary brings an awareness to cancer that is much needed.
 
ITA. I'm sorry about your husband. I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer at the age of 65 almost three years ago. The memories of taking care of her and what she went through are still unbearable at times. I also watched the documentary and admired Farrah, Ryan, and those close to her. With all the fame, I see the same emotions in all of them that we all felt with my mom. I hope this documentary brings an awareness to cancer that is much needed.

Thank you. I, too, am very sorry about your mom. Pancreatic cancer is a monster. I think Farrah's cancer is nasty too.

The memories are difficult. It was all just so very hard.
 
Well, here's the thing. There are several drugs that will treat different kinds of cancer; not all of them cause hair loss. If you had the choice between chemo that would make you sick, but preserve your hair would you take it? Or would you go for the chemo that makes you sick AND takes your hair? As for the colostomy, only she knows why she opted not to have that(at least at first. I'm sure she probably has one now.) Believe me, radiation to the rectum cannot be a good thing. But if she could avoid a colostomy by enduring the side effects of radiation, maybe she is willing to do that. I thought I was going to be sick watching the liver treatments, and I'm a nurse!

Everyone walks that Cancer road alone. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for cancer. What a nasty disease.:headache:

Honestly, I'd say to hell with the hair, give me the best, most potent treatment. I have full, thick, wavy hair and I'd lose it in a second to try a chemo treatment that might help.

The doctor made it sound like she didn't feel comfortable with the colostomy option. Who would feel comfortable with it? However, I'm relating the experience I saw firsthand with my cousin's husband. He did not want it the colostomy because of the embarrassment.
 
I watched it last night and it was VERY sad! My hubby thought it was wrong to have it on tv, but that is what Farrah wanted. I think that having cancer and refusing chemo because you don't want to loose your hair is the wrong attitude. I do pray that there is a miracle for her and millions out there with cancer.
 
I kind of expect her to die within the next couple of days. She wanted to live to see her film make it to television and now that has happened I feel like she will let go.


It was very sad to watch and I have a new found respect for her and how hard she has fought this and how brave she has been.
 
I kind of expect her to die within the next couple of days. She wanted to live to see her film make it to television and now that has happened I feel like she will let go.


It was very sad to watch and I have a new found respect for her and how hard she has fought this and how brave she has been.

Ouch, that is painful to hear.:guilty: I am sure you are right.
 
I did not intend to watch it, but we found ourselves watching the last hour last night. I was impressed with her openess and struck by her grace and dignity. I too gained a new respect for her and was struck by her beauty -how the inner beauty radiated from her. I hope her son lives a new life as a tribute to her. And, I pray that she finds that peace which passes all understanding. She did us all a favor by sharing her story....on her terms.
 
I think this show has an educational purpose for some people. My mom passed from breast cancer last year. When it was coming to the last few months it would have been good to know more, as I was trying to find out more information, etc... but couldn't find anything. So, seeing her special would have been infomative, hard to watch, but doable.

Currently i have no interest in watching someone deteriotate like that. If you lived thru it with a parent, you already know basically whats going to happen. Everyone's death experience is different, but when your having to deal with a family member going thru that hard time, seeing something out there could give you peace to know whats going to happen, instead of all the stories that can come to your head...
 
I kind of expect her to die within the next couple of days. She wanted to live to see her film make it to television and now that has happened I feel like she will let go.


It was very sad to watch and I have a new found respect for her and how hard she has fought this and how brave she has been. :(

I expect to hear news of her passing anytime now also. :sad1:
I was deeply struck by her personal battle and wish it had a happy ending.
 
I watched even though it was painful to do so. I lost my 55 year old husband, Mat, less than one year ago to pancreatic cancer. Farrah (and her family) were very brave to film these very intimate and personal moments so others can see what it's really like to battle cancer. Unless you have walked in their shoes, there is no way to begin to understand it.

I watched Mat battle his cancer for nine months. He weighed 100 pounds when he died. Cancer is horrific. The stress of being his caregiver was more than I could have ever imagined. I did things I did not know I was capable of.

For the rest of my life, when I hear someone has died suddenly of a heart attack or a stroke, I will think they are lucky.

I agree whole-heartedly with you. Almost ten years ago, we lost my dad to sudden death syndrome. At the age of 56yrs old, his heart just stopped one day. I always thought his death was horrible. This past September, I lost my mom to breast cancer. She suffered so. It was horrific. Now, I look back on my dad's death and though it was hard and painful for the family, I am very thankful he went the way he did. He never had any pain. He was never in a hospital. He wasn't a prisoner to his own body, and he never suffered. He just left us.

I am so sorry about your husband. Cancer is horrific. I watched some of Farrah's story as well even though I said I would not. I was drawn to it in some odd way, but now, I wish I had not watched it. It brought back many emotions that I thought I had put behind me. Cancer is so personal to an individual and their family so I am sure her story will be inspirational for some, but it was not inspirational for me. It just reminded me of how helpless we can be when cancer is present and how it can rob us of life.
 
I'm living the daily hell now with DH and I just could not bring myself to watch Farrah's documentary. It is hard enough for me to live in the moment, I don't think I can take knowing what the end will look like yet.

I pray a PP was correct and she did this to bring more awareness to cancer and get more funding. There are so many cancers that are not researched enough and not enough treatments for them. I have found that even though we have great insurance, many treatments are still concidered "experimental" for pancreatic cancer and we recently had to jump thru hoops to get one approved for DH.
 
I havent read any of this thread, with that being said I just want to throw in that I think Farah is a much stronger person then any of us knew.
 














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