I love it when some one I know has a birthday and is living in cancer world. Birthdays are the best…
They carry an extra helping of “Happy” when the cancer is far away and no where to be found and the biggest decision to be made is where to go to dinner to celebrate the birthday.
That’s the scenario for a friend who has been successfully battling her cancer for a long time now. She’s been through so many conventional treatments and then her doctor made the bold move to place her in various clinical trials. These trials have given her new life.
She has gone through genetic testing and she meets the qualifications needed for these specific trials. They are matched to her cancer and they have taken a big bite out of the beast. She’s on what she calls a “friendly” chemo at the moment while she and her medical team look at new trials that give her a new jolt of hope.
It’s a different life than what she expected; no one thinks they’ll be faced with making decisions on clinical trials, but she’s adjusted her thinking and lives each day with hope and a great attitude.
And she has a birthday to celebrate and a dinner to mark the occasion…Happy Birthday Suzanne….and many more!
July 16, 2014 @ 9:05 pm
It’s my birthday. I spent my last birthday at the hospital with a brain MRI, PET scan, 2 doctors appts and surgery the next day to place my port.
The first oncologist gave me 12 months ( stage four lung cancer).
I changed doctors and here I am, feeling “groovy” on my birthday, going to a “fancy schmancy place” for dinner.
I work out six days a week and feel great!
My second oncologist tested for mutations (none). She sent tissue to Foundation Medicine and I showed up with mutation with a clinical trial. I tested positive for PD-1 for another clinical trial.
I am now on Pemetrexel (Alimta).
So I have my choice of two trials and who knows if the Alimta will work?
I would advise anyone diagnosed with cancer to get to a comprehensive cancer center as soon as possible. They know the research and clinical trials.
Suzanne
July 16, 2014 @ 10:43 pm
YOU GO GIRL….HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUZANNE!!
GREAT ADVICE TOO!
L
July 16, 2014 @ 8:27 pm
Birthdays are the best…I scold people when they complain about having another birthday! Today would have been Jim’s 62nd birthday and we celebrated at his favorite mexican place on Sunday. I hope your friend has many more birthdays to celebrate.