No one ever wants to hear those words. They're devastating and in an instant life changes. But that's only really the beginning. Countless decisions need to be made after you receive and process this news. Sometimes you're able to take your time and weigh all of your options... and sometimes you just have to act.
When I was taken into the quiet room and told I more than likely had cancer, I had 48 hours to process the news. Between my back pain and day of tests (which aggravated my back pain even more) I was in a great deal of pain. I coped and clung to my family for those two days. Telling my sister and parents, who were all far away, was brutal. And at the end of those two days came a call which confirmed what the images had suggested.
Then came a visit with my oncologist. His recommendation was chemotherapy and that I start the following day. There was no guarantee to that my cancer would respond to the chemotherapy but he felt that my situation was urgent enough that I should start treatment the following morning.
Twenty-one weeks later & I have less cancer than when I started.
So why did I choose chemo? Given my profession, I definitely lean toward evidence based treatment. I prefer knowing that the treatment protocol has been tested and tweaked and tested again. The chemo that I'm on has been around for a number of years and its effectiveness and side effects are well documented. Almost always, side effects suck (except the ones which make shaving necessary much less frequently)... but if it's working, then it's worth it and I need to see the bigger picture.
There are many other alternative treatment options available as well. I certainly believe that a healthy lifestyle is important. I know that I could be eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising more regularly. And there are lots of other nutrition plans, supplements, etc. that are available which might be beneficial. Acupuncture or acupressure are also options. And the list goes on and on.
I have received numerous suggestions of diet, supplement and lifestyle changes that I could make in order to improve my outcome. These suggestions have come from people that love and care for me an want the best for me. While I may not have responsed to each of you individually, I have looked into most of the suggestions to see how they work and if incorporating other forms of treatments could be beneficial. I've even tried some forms of treatment I have never tried before!
At the end of the day, we each make decisions that we feel would be most beneficial to our own situation. For me, prayer is essential as my faith is the core of my being. Thank you to each one of you who have joined me in prayer. Even though we were unsure if my cancer would be responsive to this type of chemo, I also chose chemotherapy. Fortunately I haven't had too many horrible side effects. Some of them are cumulative and so the longer I'm on chemo, the more side effects I will experience... and the less cancer I'll have. I'm trying to make some dietary changes (hence leafy green vegetables in my fridge) and with the encouragement and support of my husband, I've walked more frequently this year than I have in years!
So for better or worse, that's where I'm at. Things may change as time goes on... but this is where I'm at today.
P.S. If you feel led to share information about other treatment options, please continue to bring them to my attention. I believe that they come from caring hearts and I will to listen to your suggestions.
How I feel about my cancer diagnosis most days.
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