[animatronic]

Can you beat Stage 4 or is it pretty much a death sentence?

The stage is based on what the cancer looked like when it was first discovered (i.e., your stage never changes as the disease progresses). Huge oversimplification but Stage IV means the cancer has spread beyond the original location to other non-adjacent organs/tissues. Once that happens you can never "get" all of the cancerous cells. Some Stage 4 patients can knock it into submission for extended periods, but it's never gone and the 5-year survival rate is extremely low (like <10% for 4A, essentially 0% + rounding error for 4B). From all descriptions it was clear that Ford was either in III or (more likely) IV.

If you want to get depressed go to a cancer survival forum and read all the posts from Stage IV patients that start out hopeful, stay positive for a year or so and then just stop.

 

[JWBF]

The Rob Ford memorial need be nothing more than what Rob Ford was for his entire career, a giant funhouse mirror with its back to Toronto, reflecting Ford Nation back at itself.

Interesting idea of placating or at least confusing the Nation.

 

[Jimmi T]

Lance Armstrong had stage 4, didn't he? It'd spread to his lungs and brain. Honestly, I hope Ford pulls through. He's got young kids, it seems he and Renata have turned things around, he's full of life... Maybe God would do a trade--Ford for Lisi. At least Ford has helped a lot of people making those house calls and through coaching. Lisi's contributed squat to society and how many more women will he terrorize?

 

[PinkLucy]

Lance was an exception and lives a very different lifestyle (health wise at least) than Ford.

 

[toonderly]

Lance Armstrong had stage 4, didn't he? It'd spread to his lungs and brain. Honestly, I hope Ford pulls through. He's got young kids, it seems he and Renata have turned things around, he's full of life... Maybe God would do a trade--Ford for Lisi. At least Ford has helped a lot of people making those house calls and through coaching. Lisi's contributed squat to society and how many more women will he terrorize?

How much did Ford really contribute through coaching? He boasted of keeping kids out of jail and then we find out one of Don Bosco's captains was involved in assaulting and killing Christopher Skinner. And he apparently promised to pay for equipment and then didn't pay after it was already bought.

 

[Jimmi T]

How much did Ford really contribute through coaching? He boasted of keeping kids out of jail and then we find out one of Don Bosco's captains was involved in assaulting and killing Christopher Skinner. And he apparently promised to pay for equipment and then didn't pay after it was already bought.

He took a school with no team and turned them into one of the best in the city. I think that's something. He used the players for political purposes and coached on the taxpayer's dime but I still think, overall, it was a positive thing he built there. I had an anti-jock mindset and found him to be an embarrassing manchild but I'd bet the vast majority of the players loved him too. Everyone I knew aside from maybe one other guy thought he was the greatest.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Can you beat Stage 4 or is it pretty much a death sentence?

Not all Stage 4s are created equal - there are subgrades within the same cancer type as mentioned, and survival rates across different cancer types can be quite different. Generally speaking, as long as it hasn't metastasized to different parts of the body there is still hope for cure - after that, it's mostly control and palliative (and if you've pancreatic, it really doesn't really matter what stage you're in).

AoD

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Lance Armstrong had stage 4, didn't he? It'd spread to his lungs and brain. Honestly, I hope Ford pulls through. He's got young kids, it seems he and Renata have turned things around, he's full of life... Maybe God would do a trade--Ford for Lisi. At least Ford has helped a lot of people making those house calls and through coaching. Lisi's contributed squat to society and how many more women will he terrorize?

Beg to differ - Lisi is small beans that won't amount to anything; someone charismatic like RoFo/the Fo's has a far greater damage potential due to proximity, familiarity and access to power (like can you think of anyone else a sitting PM would associate with after all the relevations?), as well as his proven ability to corrupt and otherwise short-circuit fail-safes in the system.

Whether he got young kids or a family is not germane to whether he is a rotten sack of ****.

AoD

 

[Jimmi T]

Beg to differ - Lisi is small beans that won't amount to anything; someone charismatic like RoFo/the Fo's has a far greater damage potential due to proximity, familiarity and access to power (like can you think of anyone else a sitting PM would associate with after all the relevations?), as well as his proven ability to corrupt and otherwise short-circuit fail-safes in the system.

Whether he got young kids or a family is not germane to whether he is a rotten sack of ****.

AoD

But Lisi threatened to throw acid in a girl's face and to microwave another girl's dog... Ok, Ford threatened to shoot Renata but, unlike Lisi, I don't think he'd ever act on his threats.

 

[animatronic]

Beg to differ - Lisi is small beans that won't amount to anything; someone charismatic like RoFo/the Fo's has a far greater damage potential due to proximity, familiarity and access to power

AoD

I think he was referring to the fact Armstrong had cancer in his small beans vs. shotgunned all over his body, providing a different prognosis.

Also, in your note above Stage IV by definition means the cancer has spread.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I think he was referring to the fact Armstrong had cancer in his small beans vs. shotgunned all over his body, providing a different prognosis.

Also, in your note above Stage IV by definition means the cancer has spread.

Actually I was referring to the hypothetical Lisi vs RoFo trade, and nope - not all Stage IV by definition meant mets - it can simply be locally advanced. Like I said, it depends on the type of cancer. eg: Head & Neck:

Stage IVA: Describes any invasive tumor (T4a) with either no lymph node involvement (N0) or spread to only a single, same-sided lymph node (N1) but no metastasis (M0). It is also used for any tumor (any T) with more significant nodal involvement (N2) but no metastasis (M0).

http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/oral-and-oropharyngeal-cancer/stages-and-grades

Even IVB doesn't give you mets - it's only the case when you get to IVC.

AoD

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

But Lisi threatened to throw acid in a girl's face and to microwave another girl's dog... Ok, Ford threatened to shoot Renata but, unlike Lisi, I don't think he'd ever act on his threats.

The threat of violence is by itself disconcerting - but the ability to use one's influence and slip out of the law is even more so.

AoD

 

[dforthandbview]

I wonder if we'll ever hear the audio tape the Star has of Ford's "wild night in March"....

 

[Roy's Square]

But Lisi threatened to throw acid in a girl's face and to microwave another girl's dog... Ok, Ford threatened to shoot Renata but, unlike Lisi, I don't think he'd ever act on his threats.

I'd happily trade both of them to get David Bowie back.

 

[JWBF]

How about we just make it a foot race? Or maybe a cage fight.