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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: Urban Hunt » Urban Hunt: Puzzles
[SOLVED] Email from UM *not spam* 8-25-04
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konamouse
Official uF Dietitian


Joined: 02 Dec 2002
Posts: 8010
Location: My own alternate reality

 		[SOLVED] Email from UM *not spam* 8-25-04
Quote:
This is Kathy's Story, in her own words:

"As some of you know, I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This cancer has
only recently been identified as its OWN type of cancer; but it is essentially Ovarian Cancer. Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the same way (with the "tumor marker" CA-125 blood test), and they are treated in the same way (surgery to remove the primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol and Carboplatin). Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others from the same fate. That is why I am sending this message to you and hope you will print it and give it or send it via e-mail to everybody you know.

One thing I have learned is that each of us must take TOTAL responsibility
for our own health care. I thought I had done that because I always had an annual physical, had my annual mammogram and PAP smear, did monthly Self Breast Exam, went to the dentist at least twice a year, etc. I even insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone density test last year. When I had a total hysterectomy in 1993, I thought that I did not have to worry about getting any of the female reproductive organ cancers.

LITTLE DID I KNOW!

I don't have ovaries (and they were HEALTHY when they were removed!), but I have what is essentially ovarian cancer. Strange, isn't it? These are just SOME of the things our Doctors never tell us. ONE out of every 55 women will get OVARIAN or PRIMARY PERITONEAL CANCER! The "CLASSIC" symptoms are an ABDOMEN that rather SUDDENLY ENLARGES and CONSTIPATION and/or DIARRHEA. I had these classic symptoms and went to the Doctor. Because these symptoms seemed to be "abdominal," I went to a gastroenterologist. He ran tests that were designed to determine whether there was a bacteria infection; these
tests were negative, and I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome."

I guess I would have accepted this diagnosis had it not been for my
enlarged abdomen. I swear to you, it looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I, therefore, insisted on more tests. They took an X-Ray of my abdomen; it was negative. I was again assured that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and was encouraged to go on my scheduled month-long trip to Europe. I couldn't wear any of my slacks or shorts because I couldn't get them buttoned, and I KNEW something was radically wrong. I INSISTED on more tests, and they (reluctantly) scheduled me for a CT-Scan (just to shut me up, I think). This is what I mean by taking charge of our own health care. The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my abdomen (NOT normal!). Needless to say, I had to cancel my trip and have FIVE POUNDS of fluid drawn off at the hospital (not a pleasant procedure, I assure you, but NOTHING compared to what was ahead of me). Tests revealed cancer cells in the fluid. Finally, finally, finally, the Doctor ran a CA-125 blood test and I was properly diagnosed.

I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER, AND YET THIS SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME...NOT AS PART OF MY ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAM AND NOT WHEN I WAS SYMPTOMATIC. THIS IS AN INEXPENSIVE AND SIMPLE BLOOD TEST!!!

PLEASE, PLEASE, P-L-E-A-S-E TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO INSIST ON A CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS. BE FOREWARNED THAT THEIR DOCTORS MIGHT TRY TO TALK THEM OUT OF IT, SAYING "IT ISN'T NECESSARY." BELIEVE ME, HAD I KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW,
WE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY CANCER MUCH EARLIER (BEFORE IT WAS A STAGE 3 CANCER)!

INSIST ON THE CA-125 BLOOD TEST; DON'T TAKE "NO" FOR AN ANSWER. THE NORMAL RANGE FOR A CA-125 BLOOD TEST IS BETWEEN ZERO AND 35. MINE WAS 754...(THAT'S RIGHT, 754!) IF THE NUMBER IS ONLY SLIGHTLY ABOVE, YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER ONE DONE IN THREE OR SIX MONTHS AND KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IT JUST LIKE WOMEN DO WHEN THEY HAVE FIBROID TUMORS OR WHEN MEN HAVE A
SLIGHTLY ELEVATED PSA TEST (PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGENS) THAT HELPS DIAGNOSE PROSTATE CANCER.

HAVING THE CA-125 TEST DONE ANNUALLY CAN ALERT YOU EARLY, AND THAT'S THE GOAL IN DAGNOSING ANY TYPE OF CANCER - CATCH IT EARLY.

I hope I haven't bored you with all of this. But I hope I HAVE scared you
enough to motivate you to action. Do YOU know 55 women? If so, at least one of them will have this VERY AGGRESSIVE cancer -- and maybe, just maybe, it will be YOU. I hope not. Please, go to your Doctor THIS WEEK and insist on a CA-125 test and have one EVERY YEAR for the rest of your life. And forward this message to every woman you know and tell all of your Female family members and friends. As the Nike ads say, JUST DO IT!"

Please don't think youth will protect you, either. Though the median age
for this cancer is 56 (and, guess what, I'm exactly 56), women as young as 22 have it. Age is not a factor. I have a co-worker whose mother did not survive this cancer. She repeatedly requested a CA-125 blood test when her troubles first started. But, like the lady in this e-mail, her Dr. refused, saying that it was something else besides her ovaries. Don't look at this as a morbid subject. Consider this as a wake-up call for our health. If Susan G. Komen's sister had not been so persistent, we would not have
mammograms.

Well, after these two incidences, I made some calls. I found that the CA
-125 test is an ovarian screening test equivalent to a man's PSA test For
prostate screening (which my husband's MD, gives him in his physical each
year and insurance pays for).

I called my general practitioner's office about having the test done. The
nurse had never heard of it. She told me that she doubted that insurance
would pay for it. So, I called Prudential Ins. Co., and got the same
response: Never heard of it -- it won't be covered. I explained that it was
the same as the PSA test that they had paid for my husband for years.
After conferring with whomever they confer with, she told me that the CA
-125 test would be covered. So I am having this blood test this Friday.

For those of you that still have these parts, go have the test taken. It's
$75 in a GP's office and $125 at the OB-GYN's. This a screening test that
should be required just like a pap smear (a pap smear cannot detect
problems with your ovaries). And you must insist that your insurance
company pay for it.

Like the lady said, we must take care of our own health. Who knows your
body better than you? This is what Gilda Radner had (Saturday Night Live,
remember? ). Gene Wilder and Pierce Brosnan (his first wife died from it,
too) are lobbying for women's health issues, saying that this test should
be required in our physicals, just like the pap and the mammogram.

Pass this information along to every woman you know. .

Your lucky dates! 2/27 12/8 10/26 2/15 7/1 11/26 3/14 8/5 11/16 9/11 4/3 6/26 11/10 3/4 12/26 12/18 3/3 8/29 11/5 1/8 6/6 7/20 11/11 7/23 9/7 2/22 8/19 10/1 6/27 5/16 7/15 1/18 8/19 9/23!

Read these verses every day! James 1:3! Luke 21:19! Romans 8:25! Revelation 13:10! James 5:5!

_________________
'squeek'
r u a Sammeeeee? I am Forever!

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:32 am
Last edited by konamouse on Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:06 am; edited 1 time in total
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Nogwater
Veteran

Joined: 01 Aug 2004
Posts: 111

 		It looks like the text regarding CA-125 is just another urban legend.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:41 am
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pnoeric
Greenhorn

Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 9
Location: Los Angeles, CA

 		So this is an email from Amanda[?] at UrbanMythology.com? That's the entire email? No lead-in, no "here's something that I thought was important to pass along even though it's not an urban myth..."?

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:53 am
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RungeKutta
Veteran


Joined: 01 Aug 2004
Posts: 120
Location: Frostbite Falls, MN

 		A secret message is in the dates at the bottom, like her last email. It can be decoded the same way.

Just use:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
<PARAGRAPH> / <INDEX TO LETTER>


Which decoded to:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
YOU WILL SEE THE TRUE REASON FOR THIS SITE


PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:55 am
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ancalime
Unfettered


Joined: 20 Aug 2004
Posts: 341
Location: Paragon City

 		[n00b] Hi, it's my first post and my first ARG! [/n00b]


Quote:
James 1:3
Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Luke 21:19
In your patience possess ye your souls.

Romans 8:25
But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].

Revelations 13:10
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

James 5:5
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.


...I sense a theme. XD

The only one that doesn't mention patience is the last one...not being an expert in King-James-Bible-ese, I don't know if there's some deeper point there.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:17 am
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sequoya
Unfettered


Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Land of haggis, kilts, neds and Irn-Bru

 		Wow! I guess we didn't miss something after all? We just have to wait...

PS Welcome to the Hunters, ancalime! And thanks for the text of the verses.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:57 am
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dashcat
Entrenched


Joined: 09 Dec 2002
Posts: 816
Location: Under the bed

 		Well hell, now I'm ticked to find out there ISN'T a reliable test for ovarian cancer and I'm wondering where the bible verses were quoted from. Oh never mind...I see the verses are mentioned at the bottom of the email.

Kona, did you recieve this in response to something you sent? I am confused and ticked off.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:04 am
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GMonger
Boot

Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 62
Location: NYC

 		Being the good jew that I am, I have plenty of Bible NT material for the purposes of debate.

Quote:

James 5:5

Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth…
This is said of other rich men; for all that is here said is not to be understood of the same individuals, but some things of one, and some of another; some made no use of their riches, either for themselves, or others; some did make use of them, and employed the poor, and then would not give them their wages; and others lived a voluptuous and luxurious life, indulged themselves in carnal lusts and pleasures, and gratified the senses by eating, drinking, gaming, and so were dead while they lived. The phrase suggests, that their pleasures were but short lived, but for a season, even while they were on earth; and that hereafter they would not live in pleasure:

and been wanton;
through the abundance and plenty of good things, their delicious way of living, and the swing of pleasures which they took; the allusion is to fatted beasts, which being in good pastures, grow fat and wanton:

ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter,
when beasts were slain for some extraordinary entertainment, or for the solemn festivals and sacrifices the Jews, when they lived more deliciously than at other times; and then the sense is, that these rich men fared sumptuously every day; every day was a festival with them; they indulged themselves in intemperance; they ate and drank, not merely what was necessary, and satisfying, and cheering to nature, but to excess, and gorged, and filled themselves in an extravagant manner: the Syriac version, instead of "hearts", reads "bodies" and one copy reads, "your flesh": and the last phrase may be rendered, as it is in the same version, "as unto", or "for the day of slaughter"; and so the Arabic version, "ye have nourished your hearts, as fattened for the day of slaughter": like beasts that are fattened in order to be killed, so were they preparing and fitting up by their sins for destruction.


I think it's telling us to focus, and tighten our game, that we may have wandered off course and been indulging in the feast of the Internet.

I think it also signals that something big is coming.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:49 am
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spies
Boot


Joined: 01 Aug 2004
Posts: 68
Location: Arkansas

 		could it be possible that the bible verses, just like the lucky numbers, were not included for us to actually look up and read, but perhaps the chapter/verse of the verses is part of the code?

maybe word/letter or line/word....

id try but i have to run to work.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:54 am
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konamouse
Official uF Dietitian


Joined: 02 Dec 2002
Posts: 8010
Location: My own alternate reality
dashcat wrote:

Kona, did you recieve this in response to something you sent? I am confused and ticked off.


Nope, just showed up in my inbox. Same spam emailing service as used before....some people who have spamblockers set up on their in-boxes may not get these. I'm using gmail and after I reported the previous items from importantinfo@ was "not spam", the new email came right into my regular inbox.

Please, don't be mad.
_________________
'squeek'
r u a Sammeeeee? I am Forever!

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 10:57 am
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Marduk
Veteran

Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 121
Location: Atlanta

 		I love spam. Haha, not really. This is the first time I've have ever not been upset at getting spam. How novel. Points to UH for playing with my emotions in a good way! Laughing
_________________
My name is Marduk and I approve this message.
Know your history: www.cloudmakers.org

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:19 pm
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herichon
Boot


Joined: 25 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: portland
ancalime wrote:
Quote:
...James 5:5
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
...

The only one that doesn't mention patience is the last one...not being an expert in King-James-Bible-ese, I don't know if there's some deeper point there.

SPEC: This could easily be a typo. If instead Amanda had included James 5:7, we would have this:
Quote:
James 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

which fits nicely in with the apparent exhortation to patience from the other verses.

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:13 pm
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