"Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 378 | The stage is not as important to focus on as his response to treatment, and that varies a lot. I would encourage you both to make a list of your questions before every visit to pin down the specifics of what they are saying. What does treatable mean to them? What options are they offering you following the chemo radiation? I would want to know where they think this is going.
Is he being treated in a comprehensive cancer facility? There is a link to those on the home page of this website. No matter what the treatment recommendation is, it's good to get an explanation of the pros and cons. You can also get second opinions to see if there are other treatments or clinical trials being conducted.
Remember that no two cancers are exactly the same and that the treatment can change based on the response of the patient and overall health issues. My husband and I like to be proactive and be told every detail, but not everyone wants that. It's a personal comfort level rather than a right or wrong approach. I do want to stress the need to tell the medical team every symptom or concern he's having so they know where you're coming from and so they adjust the treatments accordingly.
Do you have good support from family and friends? I'm sorry to hear about your fiance and I think you can only take it one day - or moment - at a time right now. Regards JoAnne
JoAnne - Caregiver to husband, cancer rt. tonsil, mets to soft palate, BOT, 7 lymph nodes - T3N2BM0, stage 4. Robotic assisted surgery, radical neck dissection 2/06; 30 IMTX treatments and 4 cycles of cisplatin completed June 06.
|