Perhaps I'm just more attuned to it, but I seem to be hearing this in all sorts of places. And it's making newspaper headlines, too. I think it's right that everyone has the opportunity to discuss all treatments options, and I do understand the toxic effects of chemotherapy, so it's not to be undertaken lightly. But what are the alternatives? Change your diet? Meditate? Exercise? Yes, all three are useful but what of the big cancer-beating treatment? The one thing that will whack those cells into submission. If you've had surgery and radiotherapy and the tumours are still there, chemotherapy can offer the next line of treatment.
And in Mom's case, the first three rounds of chemo were well-tolerated, reduced the size of the tumours by half and kept the paraneoplastic symptoms at bay, so that Mom could enjoy life, have a holiday and not think about having cancer for a few months.
The fact that it didn't work in the end is something we have come to terms with, but on balance I would still say I am satisfied with the chemotherapy protocol Mom followed, and I am grateful for those months with Mom.
The problem is that the oncologists are so busy and often only the registrar is available in clinic, so discussion is limited. And there is limited funding for staff to spend as much time as needed with patients and their families. That's partly why I started this blog, to try to raise awareness of the options, the questions to ask, where to get help, and for others to know that so many families are going through the same thing. It doesn't have to be a struggle, God knows the treatment is bad enough.
Stay positive, listen to your body, surround yourself with love and don't forget the treats.