So, I just wanted to touch back onto a conversation I had with my gyn/onc. I fully trust my gyn/onc and think he is the BEST doctor I could have ever been referred to and I am so glad my referring doctor specifically asked that he take me as his patient. He is about the WHOLE patient. Something that I am hearing is not common in the cancer world. So there is a line that plays over in my head. The line that is doing this...not menacingly, mind you...is:
(not verbatim)"Liz, in my experience, the question that tends to be asked in your situation is not if more chemo will be needed but when more chemo will be needed."
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Does anyone see the word CURED in there? I sure don't.
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No more lies.
Cheers,
Liz
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4 comments:
Hi Liz, congrats on the 1 year marker, love the pics!!!! Just wanted to say how proud I am of you and how you face your problems head on, you are so real about your journey. You are a great example for all of us...I wish I could look at my life and exam it and learn from it as much as you do from yours. You learn from your mistakes and are very humble and open minded....that is a true gift and talent. I am also sorry to hear what the doc. told you about maintenance chemo, that is rough news. I wish you were cured, but obviously with cancer the word cured is probably not used until you have been in remission for many many years. You are an example of strength and endurance, thanks for allowing us to read and learn from your journey :)You are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, Liz,
I am an 8-year endometrial cancer survivor and my gyn-onc has never once used the words "cured" or "cancer-free" concerning my case. Quite frankly, I would have lost a lot of respect for him if he had done so, as no one can know whether someone is cured or not. Cancer just doesn't play by the rules.
While I'm sure your gyn-onc is top-notch, he is only one doctor and he has likely seen a limited number of women of your age, with your stage and grade tumor. How many thirty-something women has he treated with stage 4, grade 3 tumors? Just remember, your gyn-onc prefaced his statement with the phrase, "in my experience." That is quite a significant qualifier. I'm not sure about the number of gyn-oncs in Canada, but I seem to recall that the number in the States is approximately 800-1,000. Each of those gyn-oncs has a different set of experiences and I suspect they may not all be consistent with those of your gyn-onc.
Best of luck and health to you.
Maureen (MoeKay from HysterSisters)
Hi, Liz,
I realize that I made a factual error in using the term "thirty-something" in my prior comment. For some reason, I thought that you were 30 or 31 and I see now that I was incorrect and that you are actually 28. Therefore, if you should you decide to post my earlier comment, would you please change "thirty-something" to "twenty-something?"
Thanks and have a great day.
Maureen
Checking in on you, Liz.
Love your photos. Especially the paths -to fit the poem- one. I've thought about that, too, over the past two years of my battle.
If your tumor was ER/PR positive*, then Megace may help you if your cancer reappears. It only has a 15-20% success rate but if it worked for you for even a while, it would be better than chemo - in my opinion... check with your doctor.
*They can do a test on the original tumor slide even after a year past surgery.
Also, MD Anderson has a phase 2 clinical trial called RAD-001.
Both Megace and RAD-001 are pills - yippee - better than chemo.
We finished chemo about the same time and my hair looks very much like yours.
Best regards,
Kate
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