She went for her scans. Three months had passed and once again, it was time to check to see if the cancer had found new soil to infect. She was feeling pretty good. A case of chemo brain, but that was to be expected after so many treatments. Some days she was a little foggy, but for the most part, things were good. There were no more bouts of nausea, insomnia, tender joints, because she’d be on a treatment break. So it was time to search for any surprises.
Maybe it wasn’t a surprise, maybe it was a disappointment. There was a spot. Most likely cancer and now further tests will be done to determine what it is. But what to do about it?
When the best treatment, or first line of treatment is given upon diagnosis,and it falters, and some vital organs start to show signs of wear and tear from chemo’s toxins, what do you do?
Do you go to plan B? Is there a completely different type of treatment that might slow down the disease? Do you throw-in the towel and live like there’s no tomorrow?
She is contemplating all of the above. Trying to figure out what path to take when the best isn’t good enough anymore…
September 1, 2011 @ 1:17 pm
Always a difficult choice…and always the fear that you’ll make the “wrong” one. But Al is right…the “right” choice is the one you pick for you. We worry about that every three months when Bill returns for his scan and we go for the results. We’ve discussed “what if” many times recently. I have found it is best to live in the day and face tomorrow when it comes. I don’t know the decision I would make to many of these choices but I have long decided that Bill will have my input if he asks for it, but the decision will be his. He knows this and knows I do not want him to make his decisions based on his expectation of it’s impact on ME; it should be strictly on how he feels and what he would like to do. I don’t pray for healing any more. I pray that God watches over us and gives us the strength, courage and ability we need to face the days ahead.
Your friend is in my prayers!!
September 1, 2011 @ 11:41 am
I remember telling a friend that my husband was ill with colorectal cancer. Her reply was, “life really is a crap shoot.” It’s true.
September 1, 2011 @ 8:57 am
Each of us has faced this decision point. There is no right or wrong answer….only the answer that you are most comfortable with at this time. Even though she may have had the “best first line treatment” available, there is never a guarantee of success. My approach has always been…..if this treatment fails, move on to the next and the next one until you decide that you’ve fought enough and that it is time to live life for as long as you have left. For any treatment, the only predictable feature of it is that it is unpredictable in its results from person to person.
Regardless of her decision, it will be the right one for her! I wish for her the very best and most of all….peace!
August 31, 2011 @ 7:01 pm
That is the question that has dogged us all I suppose, what to do, what to do.
I certainly have never figured out the answer, not really sure there is one, I do believe that the answer is a moving target.
I know the answers that have made me laugh, are the ones from those who have never entered crazy land or faced the ‘beast’ eye to eye, are those that answer glibly and with assurance as to what they’d do, now they deserve a good laugh and get it from me.
As as been said, keep hoping, moving, praying and lifting.
August 31, 2011 @ 6:10 pm
How do you make a choice when there doesn’t seem to be a good one in the bunch? We just keep praying and lifting and hoping.