You may all know I am a devotee of seeking 2nd opinions and todays
results was no exception. You may also know I am a devotee in seeking
out those doctors/oncologist who provide HOPE and there are many. Today
was no exception as well.
Let me refresh your memory, if I may, as why I took Barb to yet another
2nd opinion, last one was 8 months ago.
Just recently she received a raving report that 98% of her cancer was
gone according to cat-scans. She originally had a metastasis of all her
lymph glands, pelvic, abdomen, chest and neck, diagnosed with a very
rare ovarian-non-ovarian disease. There has been no evidence of disease
other than the neck in the last 6 months of scans and her tumor marker
has been at normal for that period of time as well. Her oncologist told
her to keep doing what she has been, all the steps to wellness that she
has been following and didn't want to see her for 2 months rather than
one and no scans for 6 months rather than 3 months. This was very good
news, but I believe we needed to go a step further and seek means to
rid her of the disease in its entirety that is the reasoning for a 2nd
opinion.
WE consulted with a doctor whom we have been seeing over the past two
years, but we flip flop or alternate with another fabulous oncologist.
We alternate because they both have varying ideas, bring hope, and we
seem to be more satisfied that way. One is a medical oncologist and the
other is a gynecological oncologist.
Today we saw the gynecological oncologist. He gave Barb a very thorough
pelvic and rectal exam as well as breast exam and studied the reports
and examed the area where the scans indicated lymph node involvement.
His opinion was this: He felt, as did our Oncologist that if Barb were
to have a needle biopsy of this neck area that it would NOT SHOW CANCER.
Their opinion is that this lymph node involvement was very slight 5mm,
less than a quarter of an inch and that it is very common to have lymph
node involvement in this area in many human beings, maybe as a result of
a virus, or a cold or that it is just common. His opinion was to
continue on with Tamoxifen, and he said he has patients ( I like to call
those with cancer, survivors) are on this therapy for as long as 10
years with no signs of side effects and still works. I know this was not
the case with Lillian and other great ladies. He suggested we see him
again in 6-8 months after the next scans and medical information.
I did ask him this, out of curiosity. "Do you ever tell those with
cancer that you feel can not be treated,,how long they have to live".
He said "unequivically no, unless they force me to tell them." I asked
him what do you do in a situation like that when you feel there is no
treatment? He said usually and every case is different, they recommend
clinical trials and usually they have tumor boards where they meet with
other oncologists and come up with some form of treatment or suggest
other facilities to be treated, but he or his colleagues never take away
HOPE. I believe him.
The reason I bring this up is that I have read several cases here in the
last few days where docs tell their patients how long. That is not the
case in every case. I seek doctors, for my Barb, who are willing to
provide them with the best of protocal treatment available and to bring
them HOPE as he did today when he said "he felt there was no more
cancer". No way of telling, but in his opinion he said "go home and do
what you have been and hugged her".
Thought you would all like to know and share our joy today. HOPE comes
from many sources....the medical community should be no exception in
fact we need them, their brilliance, research, treatments and their
compassion and bedside manners. Its called HOPE.
God Bless YOu All
marty auslander
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