On this day....

I am sure all or most of you have a Facebook account. On This Day is an interesting thing. It reminds us where we have been and in some cases how far we have come. I checked mine this morning and was reminded of this....

2 years ago today, I had an appointment to meet with a new oncologist. My previous one had left and I was assigned one sight unseen. It was not a good "blind date". First impressions started with being left hanging for 2 months on important test results. I fell through the cracks and he failed to give me information I needed in a timely manner. I was not impressed before I walked in and certainly not as I walked out. 

When he walked into the exam room. He shook my hand and had hardly closed the door before he told me my cancer was back. He then went on to state that since I was 58 years old and it was an early onset recurrence, there was nothing they could do other than try and keep me alive and comfortable as long as possible. According to him I was considered stage 4 terminal. 

His words broke me but somehow I was still able to ask to see the scans and then question how a small less than 1/2 inch tumor that was not attached to any organ was not worthy of aggressive treatment. I was told it was inoperable and would mean life long chemo in hopes of extending my life for as long as possible. He told me no surgeon would risk operating on me again. When one gets this kind of news they should not have to fight for their rights for treatment. But I somehow found the strength to do it and today I am still here. I pushed to see my surgeon from my first diagnosis, when I met with him he was not concerned about doing surgery and went in and took the little "grape" out a few days after our appointment. He also helped me get a new oncologist. I do not know what he said on my behalf but I now see the head of the oncology department. She recommended the most aggressive chemo after surgery and for 6 months I lived through that treatment because I was fighting for my life. 

This day 2 years ago was a hard day. It left me scarred. I still suffer from and am in treatment for PTSD from the shock of that heartless diagnosis. I also have a lot of emotional triggers from the years of going through cancer tests and treatment. I don't have to tell all of you that living every day with the unknown takes its toll. 

But I am here. I am alive and HE WAS WRONG. I have no clue what tomorrow will bring. I start back with all my every 6 month tests again in January, they will tell me what the next stage of my life will hold. But if I had listened to him 2 years ago, I would most likely be dead now. The last 2 years have had their challenges but they have also been amazing. They were worth fighting for. 

I share this because I want everyone to understand how important it is to fight for yourself. Advocate for your rights. Drs are human, they can be wrong or just not good Drs. If you or the life of someone you love is dependant on their decision. Don't blindly follow their lead. You have a right to be part of your own treatment with a Dr you feel confident in. Fight for it. Your life could depend on it.

MAlice