what date to use for survival time

Hi Jean:

My medical oncologist said that she calculates "survivorship" from the time one actually completes all treatments.

According to her explanation, medical professionals, particularly those conducting
"trials",etc., use the same date as it is considered the time point from which one
actually survived all treatment and was considered to have no sign of cancer.

Out of curiosity, I asked what it is considered when one may complete the original surgery, chemo, radiation, etc., yet have it not be successful and experience a recurrence, mets or perhaps the cancer continues to grow during treatment and she said that in such cases, one is considered to be "in active treatment", not cancer free, and statistically, one is said to be a survivor after 5 years, cancer free.

Like Cathy, I count from my diagnosis date,
which is the REAL moment in time when we must
begin coping with the reality of having
cancer, getting ourselves educated and making treatment decisions. In my opinion, all these efforts and the emotional turmoil we experience while coping, are the traits of a survivor. It brings many of us new skills, attitudes and character traits which perhaps we didn't have before. We begin the fight of our lives and in so doing, many of us give birth to a new "self" while on the front lines. A new self we'll continue to nurture and a new self that will grow into the best we can be.

Whatever the professional's consider me, I consider myself a 9 month survivor on a mission! Only time will tell how long I may
live in years but my personal sense of "living" is experienced and embraced in each day and each moment with the joy and
satisfaction that any 9 month old could share. Uncomplicated (as much as I can un
complicate it) and not wasting today worrying
about tomorrow too much. I think all doctor's should give a prescription to every
patient which reads: Take good care of yourself (emotionally, physically and spriitually), love, be loved and live in the moment. What else do we need? Surviving and surviving well are not necessarily synonymous. May we all survive well!!!

Love, light and laughter,
Inkblot

Hi Jean,

My husband and I use the surgery date for my survivorship. It was at that moment in time that the cancer was out of my body. And TODAY is the day. One year ago we were at the hospital. He just called me a few minutes ago while I was reading your email and congratulated me on my Lumpectomy Day. My doctor hasn't told me of anything specific that they use. I just figured the day that it was taken out was just as good as any. Good luck.

Keep smiling, Marion

mawmawmurphy said:

Hi Jean,

My husband and I use the surgery date for my survivorship. It was at that moment in time that the cancer was out of my body. And TODAY is the day. One year ago we were at the hospital. He just called me a few minutes ago while I was reading your email and congratulated me on my Lumpectomy Day. My doctor hasn't told me of anything specific that they use. I just figured the day that it was taken out was just as good as any. Good luck.

Keep smiling, Marion

Happy anniversary Marion ! It does feel good, doesn't it ?

Big hugs,
Cathy

mrsbe said:

Hi there Jean,
My doc uses the last day of treatment as being the marker and it also specifies this in the New England Journal of Medicine.
My One year marker is next week. Sooooo lets party!!!!!!!=)

Belinda

Congrats Belinda! Keep on dancin'!!!

Love, light and laughter,
Inkblot

Hmmm, I always use the date I was diagnosed as the "anniversary" of how long ago it was. It seems to me that makes sense. When you were diagnosed is really the start of the whole thing and so your "so far, so good" starts then? I think, Love, Shirlann

I count from the day I was born. :)Debw