A Friend Said Something Today...
And I'd never thought of it this way...
There is terminal cancer and incurable cancer...and though either way both may get you...the difference is that if fortunate incurable still means that they can control it to some extent and you may still be around for quite some time so unless you are told bluntly there is nothing that can be done, there are still more positives than negatives. And yes, they are getting cleverer all the time...
And as an afterthought isn't that the situation I am in with my kidney problems?
I am on strong drugs that control and dampen down my body's immune system to stop it attacking my own kidneys, the drugs I take are very toxic but I am still here and under in other circumstances I suppose I could be seen as having something terminal but what has happened instead is that something incurable for now is being stabilised. It still gives many problems but you live with it.
On the other hand having had a few days to think about it...
So far no one has use the word terminal or inoperable ...I/We have had to come to that conclusion because they say chemo is out and I assume surgery. If Radio Therapy could kill it on its own, perhaps it could be beaten...but if they are not giving(perhaps for all the right reasons)any of the treatments that could halt the disease, they are making the cancer terminal/inoperable by their actions and are allowing it to spread. I am unsure how I feel about that. Especially, when it still seems to only be in the one spot which is accessible and carer's, district nurses and myself can see such an improvement already after the Radio Therapy.
And we have to assume that we were told the truth regarding Mum's scan approx 8 weeks ago which only showed slight fluid on one lung, some osteoporosis and a slight mark on the liver which they hope is not it spreading but could have been there for ages and harmless. The fluid could be drained so that scan seems pretty good to me.
I don't know if they will say Mum should have another scan to see how things are going or just look at how the tumour has reduced and leave it at that. With the option of calling her in every so often to monitor things and perhaps give more radio therapy when it is safe to.
There is terminal cancer and incurable cancer...and though either way both may get you...the difference is that if fortunate incurable still means that they can control it to some extent and you may still be around for quite some time so unless you are told bluntly there is nothing that can be done, there are still more positives than negatives. And yes, they are getting cleverer all the time...
And as an afterthought isn't that the situation I am in with my kidney problems?
I am on strong drugs that control and dampen down my body's immune system to stop it attacking my own kidneys, the drugs I take are very toxic but I am still here and under in other circumstances I suppose I could be seen as having something terminal but what has happened instead is that something incurable for now is being stabilised. It still gives many problems but you live with it.
On the other hand having had a few days to think about it...
So far no one has use the word terminal or inoperable ...I/We have had to come to that conclusion because they say chemo is out and I assume surgery. If Radio Therapy could kill it on its own, perhaps it could be beaten...but if they are not giving(perhaps for all the right reasons)any of the treatments that could halt the disease, they are making the cancer terminal/inoperable by their actions and are allowing it to spread. I am unsure how I feel about that. Especially, when it still seems to only be in the one spot which is accessible and carer's, district nurses and myself can see such an improvement already after the Radio Therapy.
And we have to assume that we were told the truth regarding Mum's scan approx 8 weeks ago which only showed slight fluid on one lung, some osteoporosis and a slight mark on the liver which they hope is not it spreading but could have been there for ages and harmless. The fluid could be drained so that scan seems pretty good to me.
I don't know if they will say Mum should have another scan to see how things are going or just look at how the tumour has reduced and leave it at that. With the option of calling her in every so often to monitor things and perhaps give more radio therapy when it is safe to.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 4:44 pm
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