 |
Deciding to Take Treatments by Richard & Annette Bloch
|
 |
|
| |
Submitted By: Richard Bloch
Should I take chemotherapy? Lately I have heard this question asked by
callers several times. Whether it is by an 80 year old gentleman with slow
growing lung cancer, by a 52 year old lady with advanced ovarian cancer or a
young lady with breast cancer. The answers, with numerous qualifications, is
yes for three reasons.
But first, let's discuss the qualifications. The treatments must be
recommended by a qualified oncologist. If there is any doubt about the
qualifications of this physician, get an independent second opinion. Check
with PDQ at Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) to be certain the
recommended treatment is a state-of-the-art therapy or a clinical protocol
that is proving itself successful.
The first and foremost reason for always trying the chemotherapy when
recommended by a physician is that you, the patient, are always the boss. You
are not making a long term commitment. You are agreeing to try it - to take
it for as long as you want - to quit whenever you want. You are the boss. You
may be afraid of the side effects or have heard horror stories. These may not
apply to this drug or they may not apply to you. Every patient is different.
Your doctor must warn you about the possible side effects. Some people get
sick from things that do not phase another. Tremendous strides have been made
in the treatments. They are far more palatable than they were years ago. I
have heard how bad certain drugs were and then others said they didn’t bother
them at all. If the needle hurts you too much, you say stop it. If the first
treatment makes you too sick, you don't take another. If the first round
leaves you feeling too bad, you don't opt for a second. You are the boss.
The second reason is that you know you will lose if you don't try. Cancer
grows geometrically. It isn't going to stay the same as it is today. The less
tumor burden you have, the better the chance the chemotherapy can do its job.
If you procrastinate, your chances of success dwindle. Cancer is a disease
that does not allow the statement, I wish I would have.Go for it, try it.
You can never be sorry.
Third, and this is something a lot of people including physicians do not
realize, is that the quality of life is a lot better fighting to live than
waiting to die. No matter how sick the drugs made me feel, I guarantee I felt
a lot better than I did before taking them when I had no chance to live and
was just waiting to die. I welcomed being made sick because I knew if those
drugs were making this great big body of mine that sick and that weak, what
they must be doing to those weak dumb little cancer cells. Even though I was
horribly sick, the quality of my life was far better than those five days I
waited with no hope. And here it is 20 years later and I'm playing tennis
every day, traveling, being with my children and grandchildren. Life is great
and it is worth fighting for.
|
|
|
|
Additional Authors: |
|
|
|
|
Works Cited: |
|
|
|
|
Article Links: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
|
|
|
|
|
These review articles are the opinions of the authors. Some of the views may be controversial.
CancerNews.com™ does not directly endorse the work. We merely present it as part of our service.
Please read the disclaimer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Team5 Corporation located in Manhattan (New York) is a Web Development company specializing in
large scale database driven web sites.
{www.team5.com}
|
|
|
|
|
Search for great prices on apparel, electronics, sporting goods and more.
Buy online and save.
{www.shoppingnews.com}
|
|
|
|
