No, Minnie, I'm not under going any treatments. While I am part of a clinical trial, I was randomized into the control group. Which means no medication for me. The clinical trial of which I am a part has to do with chemo-prevention.
When I first found out I was sick and as I proceeded through treatment and recovery, I have always tried to learn as much as I can about this disease. I became esspecially studious after treatment ended and there was that awful wait between the end of treatment and the first follow up. I'm not a person of faith, so I guess the study gave me the feeling that I was still doing something about my disease, rather than waiting for the other shoe to drop.
(I'm happy to say, by the way, that I've passed my one year anniversary since dx and I'm still disease free)
Anyway, I have been studying this stuff for months and months now and I'm always coming across something new. I try not to waste time on quackery, looking for things based on science. Well, I came across the book I mentioned above at my library and read it. I was blown away by all the research mentioned therein that had nothing to do with the "big three" treatments. There are so many variations to collection of diseases known as cancer that I could never hope to become really knowledgeable about it, but I will never stop trying. Suffice to say there are some genetic based treatments that look very promising.
I believe knowledge is power. I believe a knowledgeable and informed patient has a much better prognosis. If I end up with a recurrent primary or a second primary, I want to be armed to the teeth. In the mean time, I hope to help everyone I can.
On a very personal note, I took the loss of Lynn pretty hard. She was my first "friend" on the forum. The first to reach out to me with a private note. We were both recent "graduates" of M. D. Anderson and had some of the same doctors. While I understand and respect her decision to deal with her recurrence her way..........damn it. Let's not mince words....I'm f$%^*&@ furious she's gone.
Find the book. Read it. Never give up.
Take care,
-Brett
