Spot On Lung???

Howdee,

Sorry to hear you're scared. Saying it's understandable -- which it is - won't make you feel any better.

Regardless of what our pathology reports say, or what range of treatments will best work for us, I imagine we're all scared at times. How we each tackle this, handle it, is to state the obvious, so individual.

You have not shared your reasons for why you have opted so far against the treatments recommended by your oncologist.

I can only assume -- and sorry if I'm wrong - that it might have been because you were worried about side effects of chemo and radiation?

As I opted for a mastectomy over a lumpectomy - be gone every single cell possible I thought - I did not have radiation, but after an intense couple of back and forth weeks, I decided to proceed with chemo, although in my particular case it only offers a 2-3 per cent statistcal improvement in warding off a recurrence over a ten year period and I was in a "grey area" where they would not outright recommend it to me (but interestingly all said I'd made the right decision when I said I would go ahead).

I was scared of side effects; I worried about going through the trauma of it and maybe for nothing; but ultimately I decided on the basis of wise advice from one woman on this site, as well as my own research, and sensible advice from the oncology register taking care of me on the day of my first treatment, that I would have it, and I don't know if the chemo gods are looking after me as a result, but I've been able to work and play almost as normal through the whole process so far (two treatments down, two to go with round three next Friday).

I am very, very scared at the prospect of recurrence (at 47 I want to live to be at least 87), so I have decided to do everything I can to make that possible.

There's no easy answers with this; no easy path; but you matter, and perhaps think of radiation and chemotherapy not as things to be scared of, but of things to make you better.

I can only speak for me, but I know when I have those middle of the night (or day) horrible what-if moments, it calms me down almost instantly to remember I have done and am doing all I can to beat this, and that has to count for something.

I've posted a blog on what the first ten days of round one were like...and round two has basically been the same...don't know if reading it might allay some of your concerns about what lies ahead. Again chemo is different for everyone, but it's not always terrible for everyone either.

Hope all goes well for you in coming weeks and stay in touch to let us know what you decide and how you're going.

x