Three Years & Counting on the Cancer Front

[drcollie]

Dang! Ya know, my dealer here in Washington ONLY has a black one, so i guess we'll have to wait until the 2010's come out. <g>

CONGRATS on the clear scans! CELEBRATE!

[drcollie]

I'm a huge fan of Johns Hopkins, and wanted to share this newletter story that just came out. Not unlike my own story, he could be my medical twin ('cept he's better looking than me <g>). Scanned this in and got most of it....

A reminder that when you get really, really sick - don't settle for an average doctor. You need to get to the best in the land, wherever that may be. Regular doctors may be very well meaning, but they lack the skills in many cases to save your life.

[organic_smallhome]

You're an amazing person, Duane. I have a friend who was diagnosed with this same disease when she was 28--Stage 4. Was in the hospital for months--they said her survival chances were quite low. She's now 45 and doing exceptionally well. I am forever in awe of cancer survivors. Such courage, will, and determination. God bless you.

[organic_smallhome]

kwarner and artielange: Congratulations on winning the battle! God bless you and yours.

[drcollie]

In reality you only have two choice, get in the fight or die. A number of people do not fight (I work two cancer hotlines as a volunteer and it surprises me how many are not willing to pull out all the stops to seek treatment). I can tell in the first 60 seconds of talking to them, usually.

Once you decide to fight, then its an exhaustive, painful, and sometimes cruel experience that puts you on the emotional roller coaster ride of your life. But the fighters sally forth, keep their eye on the ball, and stay motivated. There are severe low points in every cancer journey as well - overcome not so much with courage, but with determination.

The real trick of it all, is to not go through all that with run-of-the-mill medical care. Find who is the best in the country for the kind of disease that affects you - and get to them - regardless of cost or distance.

[drcollie]

Been a while since I updated this thread.

I am currently counseling not one, but two newly diagnosed carcinoid patients right now and it has to be the most rewarding thing I do and at the same time stressful because I have to be careful in selecting my words and not offer up false hopes and promises. I've no training but the school of hard knocks in talking to folks with deadly diseases, but maybe its enough that I was in their shoes a few years ago and know the panic they are experiencing.

One of the people I am counseling I really like, he's a fighter, like me. He is determined to kick cancer's butt and he will do whatever it takes. He listens, absorbs all the information like a sponge and is fearless in confronting this head-on.

My other is a woman, and she's not so sure about the surgery that is the only way to effectively rid the body of this disease. She will come to grips with that, I'm sure - but it will take longer. I know women are tough physically - because they give birth to babies - but they sure don't like the thought of that huge, long scar you get from this operation.

If I were a younger man, I'd get out of the furniture business and get into this field of medicine. I find cancer to be a fascinating disease how it works, and how it invades the body. And there is no better feeling than to help save a life, even if its just by doing a little steering to set someone off in the right direction.

I hate cancer and have lost too many friends to it already.

[pstef]

Duane I have an older brother that has been fighting lymphoma for over 11 years. After the local Dr's couldnt figure out the problem, over a year or so, he went to the Cleveland Clinic and was diagnosed the moment the Dr. looked at him.
My brother is a fighter and told them do whatever we have to do and he sure has been through a lot. 30 day in hospital chemo bone marrow treatment. Removal of a lower rib and currently ongoing treatments. They told him to get on with his life and it will never go away. He golfs all the time and knows everyday is a blessing. Just as we all should realize.
Thanks for your counseling!
Paul

[ckeefer]

You are a fighter...I believe your desire to fight is more than half the battle. My uncle had late stage colon cancer, which spread to his liver. He had complications from the liver surgery and lives with constant drains and jaundice. The cancer was beat, but unfortunately we found out last night he has some spots on his lungs, the doctors believe chemo could work because they were not there at his last PET scan only a few months ago, so they are new. I wish there were more I could do...cancer survivors and fighters are an amazingly strong group of people! Be well Duane and what you do as a volunteer is just fantastic!

[drcollie]

Like Doc Choti tells me, sometimes its not about trying to cure it, rather its trying to manage the disease to give the patient a decent quality of life for as long as possible. One thing I've discovered in my little cancer projects, is the best doctors never seem to offer up a death timeline, such as 'you have 12 to 24 months to live'. The best docs will say "Here's what we can do to give _____.", be that a cure or a period of time when the quality of life can be maintained.

[organic_smallhome]

You are an inspiration, Duane. Congratulations!!!