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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 354292" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>As I was told - they can't tell us things like that because nobody knows.</p><p></p><p>My initial reaction to all of tis with me, was "I had cancer, until they took it out."</p><p>Then I was told that now I've had a diagnosis of cancer, I have to consider that it has not been totally removed (regardless of what the surgeon said) but to always consider there could be a cell in there, that my body has to fight. So we can be, say, five years down the track and say, "I do not have a diagnosis of cancer recurrence" but still never know for sure that I'm in the clear.</p><p></p><p>Something else they didn't tell me (I don't think) but I already knew - our bodies are throwing possibly cancerous cells, often in our life especially as we get older. Most of them, the vast majority, get recognised by our immune system and blasted out of existence almost as soon as they form, so they're never a problem. The problem comes with the "one that got away". So in effect, all of us are living with cancer, because the risk is never zero for any of us. But if you are healthy, fit and having all your check-ups, then you can be confident that your immune system is doing its job well.</p><p></p><p>Stang, with your dad it is quite possible that several things have happened:</p><p></p><p>1) they didn't properly inform him, so he was not able to give fully informed consent (surely they would have warned him that his artificial hips would have to be taken into account?)</p><p></p><p>OR</p><p></p><p>2) they didn't know, because it hasn't happened before to anybody so with nothing ever written down about this problem, he is the first ever patient to have these issues (not actionable under Aussie law, anyway)</p><p></p><p>OR</p><p></p><p>3) the information/knowledge was there that they needed to be careful, but they were slack and didn't take the necessary precautions (definitely worth checking, it seems to me this would be actionable because it would have been preventable).</p><p></p><p>There are two main issues - foreknowledge (was it there for him, was it there for the doctors?) and the ability to prevent problems (was the hip thing an issue which made treatment unpredictable, and they simply couldn't prevent the overburn effect but it still meant that treatment was the option likely to give him the best chance even so).</p><p></p><p>So IF they knew it was going to be a problem, IF they could have been more careful, IF they warned him adequately - a lot of ifs which need to be nailed down so you know exactly where you are with them.</p><p></p><p>Don't worry about 'spooking' me with regard to my own impending radiotherapy. They've been good about giving me full disclosure (as far as I can ascertain). I've been warned of a few possibly nasty problems and I still can pull the plug on it. I could, if I choose, go back to the surgeon and say, "OK, take the whole thing. That negates my need for any radiotherapy. And while I'm under anaesthetic, give me a tummy tuck at the same time and stash it where my boob used to be."</p><p>That would give me a tummy tuck, a boob job and a pass on the radiation treatment, all in one go. It is tempting. But then - the surgery carries its own risks, of infection as well as the anaesthetic.</p><p></p><p>Janet, your dad's radiation could be deliberately aiming at the lymph glands too (mine won't be, because they were clear). The side effects you describe are ones I was warned about, even though they're not aiming at my lymph glands there will be some spillover. I already have some swallowing problems at times, I really don't want more. But if I accept the treatment, I have to take whatever happens.</p><p></p><p>All this discussion isn't causing me any anxiety - actually, it's helping me give more considered thought to the full range of my options. In my life I've had some medical/health industry training, so I'm fairly laid back about it all.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 354292, member: 1991"] As I was told - they can't tell us things like that because nobody knows. My initial reaction to all of tis with me, was "I had cancer, until they took it out." Then I was told that now I've had a diagnosis of cancer, I have to consider that it has not been totally removed (regardless of what the surgeon said) but to always consider there could be a cell in there, that my body has to fight. So we can be, say, five years down the track and say, "I do not have a diagnosis of cancer recurrence" but still never know for sure that I'm in the clear. Something else they didn't tell me (I don't think) but I already knew - our bodies are throwing possibly cancerous cells, often in our life especially as we get older. Most of them, the vast majority, get recognised by our immune system and blasted out of existence almost as soon as they form, so they're never a problem. The problem comes with the "one that got away". So in effect, all of us are living with cancer, because the risk is never zero for any of us. But if you are healthy, fit and having all your check-ups, then you can be confident that your immune system is doing its job well. Stang, with your dad it is quite possible that several things have happened: 1) they didn't properly inform him, so he was not able to give fully informed consent (surely they would have warned him that his artificial hips would have to be taken into account?) OR 2) they didn't know, because it hasn't happened before to anybody so with nothing ever written down about this problem, he is the first ever patient to have these issues (not actionable under Aussie law, anyway) OR 3) the information/knowledge was there that they needed to be careful, but they were slack and didn't take the necessary precautions (definitely worth checking, it seems to me this would be actionable because it would have been preventable). There are two main issues - foreknowledge (was it there for him, was it there for the doctors?) and the ability to prevent problems (was the hip thing an issue which made treatment unpredictable, and they simply couldn't prevent the overburn effect but it still meant that treatment was the option likely to give him the best chance even so). So IF they knew it was going to be a problem, IF they could have been more careful, IF they warned him adequately - a lot of ifs which need to be nailed down so you know exactly where you are with them. Don't worry about 'spooking' me with regard to my own impending radiotherapy. They've been good about giving me full disclosure (as far as I can ascertain). I've been warned of a few possibly nasty problems and I still can pull the plug on it. I could, if I choose, go back to the surgeon and say, "OK, take the whole thing. That negates my need for any radiotherapy. And while I'm under anaesthetic, give me a tummy tuck at the same time and stash it where my boob used to be." That would give me a tummy tuck, a boob job and a pass on the radiation treatment, all in one go. It is tempting. But then - the surgery carries its own risks, of infection as well as the anaesthetic. Janet, your dad's radiation could be deliberately aiming at the lymph glands too (mine won't be, because they were clear). The side effects you describe are ones I was warned about, even though they're not aiming at my lymph glands there will be some spillover. I already have some swallowing problems at times, I really don't want more. But if I accept the treatment, I have to take whatever happens. All this discussion isn't causing me any anxiety - actually, it's helping me give more considered thought to the full range of my options. In my life I've had some medical/health industry training, so I'm fairly laid back about it all. Marg [/QUOTE]
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