(Morbidity warning) What disease or disorder do you fear the most?

Either shivering shystosis, or fencrovanamaniasis. ;-0

Over 10 years ago I had surgery for prostate cancer. My numbers have been great. The surgeon got it all. BUT, according to the statistics at this point post-surgery there is a 3% chance of having it recur. And if it does, surgery won’t save me. Othere treatments are avaialble but are not the most pleasant.
3% is not a big number. But it is enough that I worry until I get the results from my annual PSA blood test. PSA Anxiety.

As an avowed hypochondriac, I am paranoid about a number of diseases, but cancer (because it seems so random and horrible), heart disease (because it runs in my family), HIV/AIDS (because I am a sexually active gay man), and Alzheimer’s (because I saw what it did to my grandmother) are the “big four” for me.

And last night I had an anxiety dream about getting COVID.

Alzheimer’s, definitely.

I’ve already done cancer, and carry permanent damage from the treatments, I’d rather not do that again, but the thought doesn’t actually frighten me, or even overly distress me.

The thought of sustaining more, and different types of permanent damage from a bout with Covid really bothers me, the thought of rehabbing and a whole new, diminished life is just more than I can reasonably deal with.

Alzheimer’s is high up there. ALS or Parkinson’s are awful degenerative diseases but I don’t focus on getting them. Probably anything that is slow and painful and saps your soul – and that of those who care for you.

I’m more afraid of being trapped in a hospital so the sociopathic health care industry can milk my family and me for money.

Alzheimers. I’ve seen first hand what it does, not only to the person who has it but to those around them who love them.

@Blackberry!!! Hi ya! We’ve missed you!

When my sister got her wisdom teeth out the general anesthesia only knocked her out for about 15 minutes. She woke up to the oral surgeon on top of her working hard to get the teeth out. But it worked well enough she couldn’t respond.

And she had a c-section when she had the twins. She said she remembered seeing her intestines being manipulated. I assume she should have been asleep for that.

One of her twins needs a lot of anesthesia to knock her out too.

But yeah that is terrifying.

When I had the feeding tube (PEG – google it) put in they had to keep me awake, but nearly numb for about half the procedure so I wouldn’t burp. They put four big holes in my stomach and it hurt like hell but I couldn’t really do anything about it. Then I remember the doctor saying “knock him out”.. Woke up 12 hours later covered in my own stomach juices. Luckily I had thought ahead and brought spare boxers.

Got killer pain pills for the that. And that night I was in the hospital I would wake up in serious pain and I would hit the buzzer and the nurse would come in and I would say “barbiturates please”.. And then in 30 seconds it was the best feeling ever and then a minute after that I would be asleep for the next three hours.

But yeah, waking up in the middle of surgery is up there with the worst.

@johnpowell I had two Caesereans and was awake for both. I don’t remember the first as well but the second time they had a sheet up blocking my sight from the actual surgical site. My Ex was with me and we got to see my guy right after he was born. The first time my Ex was not allowed into the OR but he was with me through labor.

Fuck everything about that.

Maybe it should be the women that fight in wars. They seem to be mentally stronger.

~Affluenza.
Locked in syndrome. Is what I am scared of the most. Continual hiccups are up on the list. The most scary that I had in real life is my legs and arms going numb after sleeping on them.

It’s a toss up between ALS and Alzheimer’s. Both are truly devastating ways to go. Very sad. Parkinson’s is pretty tough, too. Man. Sad stuff. Just realized this is very similar to Jan’s answer, I guess I should have read this one first!

Alzheimer’s for sure. Although Alzheimer’s itself doesn’t really kill you. Though it can make you more susceptible to other things like pneumonia.

Lou Gehrig’s disease sounds pretty awful to me.

Alzheimer’s is another.

Certain cancers like inoperable pancreatic cancer, or late stage breast cancer, and any cancer that has moved to the lungs or brain.

The diseases I fear the most in terms of very likely I can develop them are any that have to do with arteries clogging. Like heart disease, stroke, pulmonary embolism, all very real for me. So, that fear is very present in my mind more often, while the others I don’t worry about very much even though they sound dreadful and very sad. Colon cancer is a real risk for me too, but I never worry about it.

Severe covid, anything needing to be put on a vent, sounds pretty awful too. I had trouble breathing for a few months recently and it’s just awful. I realized while doctors were checking my lungs and taking xrays that they always want me to breath back in before I’m ready. I have no confidence they would breath for me correctly for my body. Maybe caravanfan could ease my mind about that? I once saw a show about an EMT who developed a new product so healthcare workers don’t pump the air too fast, which I guess is common.

Blindness—waking up blind.

So much of my life, memories, is in photographs, private journals, and computer screens.

Wow, you guys, you’re adding things to my scanner that I never even thought of worrying about.

I’ve always had ESRD at the top of my list, but these days I’m more concerned about things like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Maybe they just seem like more plausible risks than they used to. A nice, clean heart attack doesn’t sound so bad compared with a lot of other things.

Nothing specific but anything requiring hospitalization terrifies me.

@Jeruba I’m fairly sure that my post didn’t add anything to your list of concerns. ;-)

@Brian1946 When get those symptoms I choose (NSFW) Fukitol

There are just too many choices.

Blindness or paralysis would be awful.

@Brian1946, but I’m worried about you now.

My grandma was bed ridden and blind for around the last decade of her life. Type 2.

My mom is slowly going blind from type 2. I’m about >< close to calling the DMV to get her license revoked. At least now she has stopped driving at night.

But I think it is time to buy my mom a nice new iMac since they are easier to use if blind. The Accessibility options in OS X are top notch.

It is a difficult conversation to have. About trying to get her prepared for being blind. I think it would be best to start before she has no choice so she can fall-back on her sight if needed.

But then that is just a big shit flag you don’t want to think about waving in her face.

At least she isn’t at Sturgis hiring prostitutes like all the other losers there.

@Brian1946 Is that YOH-sew-might ? ?