In my column last week, I asked, "What is your experience with cancer?"
Here are the responses:
>My mother-in-law was (semi)-successfully treated within the past year for a strange form of lung cancer, and is doing fine now. However, one of my wife's close friends was also diagnosed with breast cancer around the same time, went through all the surgery and treatment, and was thought cancer-free a few weeks ago, until it returned with a vengeance in every part of her body and is now untreatable.
>husband was found with stage 4 prostate cancer but had no symptoms
>Diagnosed with very aggressive prostate cancer in 1997. Had radical prostatectomy that appears to have removed it all. I still go for checkups every six months and am active in the local American Cancer Society program. One of the men in my group was diagnosed with glioblastoma a year ago and gone five months later. Thanks for a very important and well written column.
>Hodgkins lymphoma, 6 mo chemo, cured!
>Seen too much, Lost too many good friends, although my mother lives still, 30 years after getting the message! Seen people not being able to fight, they lost so quickly. Always so hard.
>Father, friends, sister-in-law, more friends..........
>none so far
>My wife had a very good, insightful surgeon. The biopsy was negative, but the surgeon decided to remove the lump anyway. She removed the lump and it was found to be cancerous. She came and told me about the cancer before my wife came out of the anesthesia. In the recovery room, I had the honor of informing my wife that the lump was cancerous--one of the lowlights of my life. The cancer was caught early and my wife has been cancer-free for over a decade.
>Family member
>My grandmother was diagnosed in the late 80's with leukemia. I do not remember which type, but she was given six months to live. She did exactly what her doctor said in terms of rest, medication, diet, etc. She made it another 11 years, with two more different kinds of cancer being diagnosed and treated before she finally succumbed. At the original diagnosis, she had several young grandchildren and she wanted to LIVE.
>Diagnosed with prostate cancer eight years ago. Excellent treatment through the UK National Health Service. It is the duty of governments to defend their people. Why are the US happy to spend so much on "security" yet reluctant to support their own with proper medical care? Explains why US has one of the lowest life expectancy of developed countries. I do reinforce your view that facing up to the facts and reacting appropriately to symptoms is the answer. (By the way, I lied, I did pay for private treatment because I can, but know that NHS does provide equivalent treatment to majority of patients.)
>I lost my Dad to Colon Cancer in 2008, 4 months later my husband (38) was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophogeal Cancer. We are from Alabama and had 2 young children but we dropped everything and headed to MD Anderson in Houston, TX. They help give him almost 5 years with us, to raise our boys and create memories. He passed in 2013. In May 2015, his mother was diagnosed with Stage IV Lymphoma. Where does it stop?
>Prostate cancer. I agree completely with going to the best of the best. My Doc had done over 300 laproscopic prostate surgeries before mine. He knew what he was doing. My cancer was aggressive and at 55, it needed to be removed...
You may take this week's quiz here.
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