Greetings again from the enchanted land of Colorado. I hope you are enjoying this warm and sunny day, even with the ongoing ground-snow. Lew and I saw the radiation person today in our first appointment in the what’s-next category. Kelley attended on Facetime. Each small visit to the next new doctor takes us further into the unfolding saga of both medical care in the privileged world, and the personal journey through cancer diagnosis/care.
We first saw a financial planner, then we saw a nurse, then we saw himself. And, Dr. Patrick Richard ( pronounced Ri-shard ) was a delight. We had good care, with unhurried, unpressured time from him to explain things and answer all concerns.
Financial planner??? Uh-huh – apparently, she is the keeper of all the tawdry things that others then don’t have to drop their hands into. Money matters ( or adequate insurance )
So here is how it works. There are three general categories for treatment.
Chemotherapy – whole body poison – gets everything, including hair follicles everywhere. Best for more advanced cancer.
Radiation – pinpoint targets cancer, every day for a week, lasting effects none, short term effects burns, maybe a chance of the radiation hitting the heart, or lung, and fatigue.
Hormone Blockers – of which I think there are three types, Tamoxifen being one – all three with potentially horrendous side effects. Gotta commit for 5 years to know. That works by depriving the greedy cancer cells of the hormones that they feed on if you’re that type of girl. I am, apparently.
The statistics seem to favor doing both radiation and hormone blockers for me. I get to choose. The lovely Dr. Ri-shard took no stand for or against, it and allowed that some people choose nothing following surgery, with no judgment. Those risks are upward of 20 % recurrence. Not bad odds if you are flinging the dice, right? The blockers in combination with radiation take the risk down to about 2%. But you must be on the blockers for five years, they say. I’d hate to die and leave the treatment unfulfilled.
I have more investigation to do, a little research, and prayers for wisdom and guidance in my choices, but at this point, radiation is my preference, without blockers, as the quality of life issues matter too. Radiation might begin with a Cat Scan model of my torso (?) chest (?) on the 23rd so that they can plan the pinpoint location. I must admit I have never had so much attention to my chest – I was a Catholic school girl after all, and such boldness was mightily discouraged.
I’ll know more when I know more, but I am looking forward to getting this behind me. You all know how impatient I am, and I would like this DONE. I have places to go and want to fully live this beautiful life as I can.
I can feel us getting closer to ending this party, and I am excited to say that nothing I have done here has been awful or unbearable, just a bit difficult. People are kind and thoughtful. The medical industry is a corporate one, and somewhat screwed up, but we live in places where care is available, and or where I have not had to be alone and wondering how will I cope, where will I go, and who could I call? Thank you, family, and friends, for your generosity of time, offers of help, and thoughtfulness in general. Life is better with you in it.
Judy