A good friend of mine at work had melanoma on her foot. Removed it and they biopsied some lymph nodes in her leg and found cancer there
They are going to do a CAT scan and see how many lymph nodes are involved. If it's spread past a few in her leg she told me she's not going to treat it and just live out her life the best she can.
I'm in shock and I am just heartbroken for her. She's in her early 50's.
Metastatic cancer is the worst. It's such a punch in the gut.
Please encourage her to see what her treatment options are before making a decision though, there are a lot of new ones for metastic melanoma (like targeted and immunotherapy) that could really improve her quality of life even though a cure isn't available.
Before she had the results she made up her mind that she wasn't going to treat and she told me that she knows that people won't understand. I told her to promise to at least listen to the options.
If it is only in the nodes in her leg she can have those removed and she seemed like she might do that. It just depends how far it has spread.
Several institutions have clinical trials on immunotherapy treatment for melanoma. It's had such success some investigators are actually calling the patients "cured" because they haven't had relapse so far and it's been a few years with the first trials. Science has advanced a lot she doesn't have to make a decision between dying or living miserably. If encourage her to be open to something like these trial.
Let me know if you'd like some guidance on how to find these trials.
My boss died of this a couple of years ago. It was his second time around so from the first time until he died was over 10 years and he fought it. He also worked right up until 3 or 4 months before because he felt good. Encourage her to try trials even if they do not help her they may help others.
Her brother is fighting cancer and has been sick for many years.
She doesn't want to go through that and says she wants to "work hard and party hard" and just enjoy the time she has. She told me the hardest part of all of it will be everyone making her feel guilty for not getting treatment.
I'm going to be supportive of whatever she decides.
Post by orangeglow on Sept 19, 2014 21:02:40 GMT -5
This makes me so sad. I completely understand her feelings, but I hope she doesn't jump to conclusions before she hears all her options. As someone who cares about her, you are in my thoughts.
Chemos aren't all bad anymore either. My husband's current treatment makes him tired for 3-4 days then he's back to normal. He's back working full time now when 2 months ago we really thought he didn't have much time left. He has Stage IV cancer.
Chemos aren't all bad anymore either. My husband's current treatment makes him tired for 3-4 days then he's back to normal. He's back working full time now when 2 months ago we really thought he didn't have much time left. He has Stage IV cancer.
I am so glad to hear that your husband is doing better. What a miracle.
Is he still in treatment and working? You seem very strong.
Thank you very much for your kind words. You and your husband will be in my thoughts as well.
I just got off the phone with my dad's wife and she strongly suggested that we go there for Christmas this year. My dad has pancreatic cancer and said that she has been seeing him decline quickly.
I just got off the phone with my dad's wife and she strongly suggested that we go there for Christmas this year. My dad has pancreatic cancer and said that she has been seeing him decline quickly.
Oh no! I hope you get to spend good time with your dad. I'm so sorry.
The whole thing has been a clusterf&^% from the beginning and the medical facilities where he lives suck. I can write a tome on just what was required to FINALLY get him diagnosed. However, he thinks that they're good and nothing either me or my sister can say can convince him otherwise.
I'll be going out there in a couple weeks for a long weekend, then at Christmas along with the rest of my siblings and their kids.
Adding another Fuck Cancer. I am so sorry calamity and mich1 and I hope your DH stays strong and healthy @ameliapond and incogneato and anyone else I missed.