Feeling relieved………….
My meeting
with my ‘old’ Oncologist went better than expected.
I started
by asking him to show my online, what my survival rates were (for my type of
Breast Cancer, ER negative, HER2 positive, Ki67 positive) if I stopped
Chemo versus I continued Chemo and had Herceptin also known as Trastuzumab.
(struggling to pronounce the second name)
After he
had entered my data, I asked him to turn the screen around, so I could see it.
I was surprised to see that the medical profession in Spain use the NHS
website. www.predict.nhs.uk/predict.html
in English. The reason I stress ‘in English’, up to this point I was not aware
that the Oncologist spoke English. Anyway that is beside the point.
Looking at the statistical data from the NHS, I was delighted to read the following.
Anyone with
my type of Breast cancer, who only has the tumour removed has a 76% survival
rate without any further treatment up to 5 years, for 10 years that is reduced
to 67%.
Interesting
by having Chemo, my chances are only increased by 8% up to 5 years and 10% up
to 10 years.
Bearing in mind that Chemo kills my good cells and weakens my immune system, which is likely to result in other illnesses I have mentioned before, then choosing the Chemo option in my case, would be a lot of pain and sickness with all the associates side effects to suffer, in the knowledge that the % increase of survival is so low.
Bearing in mind that Chemo kills my good cells and weakens my immune system, which is likely to result in other illnesses I have mentioned before, then choosing the Chemo option in my case, would be a lot of pain and sickness with all the associates side effects to suffer, in the knowledge that the % increase of survival is so low.
Looking
further by having Chemo and Herceptin / Trastuzumab, then my survival rate
would increase by 12% over 5 years and 14% over 10 years. Now what I don’t
know, and the Oncologist did not voice an opinion, by me opting to only have
Herceptin / Trastuzumab, what the % increase in life expectancy would be then.
I imagine according to these statistics better than 76% over 5 years and better
than 67% over 10 years.
I am a
visual person and absorb information better visually, therefore looking at the
graph, the blue means my survival rate having had the op. Positive,
great. The orange adds the life expectancy after Chemo treatment and the
green / turquoise add the life expectancy after Chemo with Herceptin /
Trastuzumab.
For me this
has now become crystal clear. If the percentage increase of choosing the Chemo
road of hell, would have been significantly higher, it would have been a
‘no-brainer’ for me.
Isn’t it
almost frightening, to think that by going to through what I can only describe
of a road of hell, (Chemo hell) the increase chance of survival is so low. Why
would I do that to myself and my body, not to mention my mind?
I did feel sorry for Dr Navarro, my Oncologist, when I asked him, as he could not believe what I was telling him, how many people had opted out of Chemo in my position, he replied by saying ‘None’. I imagine he thinks I have a ‘death wish’ or am simply ‘suicidal’.
Well I am neither. I am just chasing what I believe is best for me and I guess time will tell. Would it be great if I was still alive in 15 years, cancer free, having walked away from Chemo. J
I did feel sorry for Dr Navarro, my Oncologist, when I asked him, as he could not believe what I was telling him, how many people had opted out of Chemo in my position, he replied by saying ‘None’. I imagine he thinks I have a ‘death wish’ or am simply ‘suicidal’.
Well I am neither. I am just chasing what I believe is best for me and I guess time will tell. Would it be great if I was still alive in 15 years, cancer free, having walked away from Chemo. J
Hi Anke - do you remember me ? Elonka Mohr ? - in your earlier posts you wrote that your parents always moved from country to country so you had no childhood friends - and yes we never stayed in contcat - here and then but not much - but reading that you had cancer - emphasis on HAD - well its cut out not so - got to be positive - I been thinking about you a lot and looked at photos of when you lived in South Africa and the good friends we were and our parents. You hav enot chnaged - you grab life by the horns - the go getter - the always smiling, postive gorgeous looking Anke !! I have read every blog and actually cry reading it all. Because I would react to all just like you have. To the cancer to the kids coming home, jumping on your bed suprising you and you cry and ask yourself are you a wuss - NO - you are just human. Gosh I woul dlov eto just fly over and sit by the pool and drink a hole bottle of wine with you an blabbb about life !!
ReplyDeleteLuckliy I have been spared of any serious illness thus far - touch wood - so I can not give any sound advise. I read your blogs and take note of many things and can only concurr that you need to keep you body alkaline - apple cider & bicarbonate of soda. To not go for chemo is a brave decision - but I think only a person that has been for a strong chemo session can relate to all you are going through. I am sending you pure, fresh engergized oxgyen all the way from sunny South Africa - may it oxygenize your cells and you be 200% clear of any cancer cells. Big hug and kiss Lonka
Hi Lonka, I can't believe it! So lovely to hear from you after all these years. I still have the old school photos in year 1! I remember your house so well, your parents and Birgit your sister. I hope this finds you all well. Thank you for your kind words, I plan to fight this, and yes, as I am writing this, in theory, my cancer has been cut out!! If I have any cancer cells left anywhere, then hopefully Herceptin and a combination of natural remedies, including what you are mentioning, should hopefully do the trick. If you fancy and have time, let's email. My email address is ankek
ReplyDeletewerner@gmail.com. huge hugs back Anke xx