HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - The traditional diet of Greece and cancer.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 11-25-2011, 03:59 PM

I always say, Listen to your Inner Voice. You may call it your gut. By any name, it is your Spirit talking to you. And it can be counted on for excellent guidance.

By the same token, if you are with a doc who is very nice but... Look elsewhere for answers. Don't waste time with those that think your pain is a manifestation of your imagination. Nor stay with a doc who responds to your questions as you try to get your brain around something -- You don't have to understand, let me do the worrying. WRONG.

If a doc shows disdain for your mention of 2nd opinions, know that any really good doc welcomes more input. Is that comfortable in his or her own skin.

If the problem persists, go bigger. It may be inconvenient, but you may have to travel to an expert who can tell in a heartbeat what's happening to you. These are pearls.

I had 4 oncs at one time. Each was brilliant, each had a slightly different take on my situation. One was a stem cell guy (1 of an additional 2 who specialized in this, as I was considering such a transplant and was gathering information) -- this one was an hour away from my then home in NY, and at first in a dark, dank basement office. Finally he moved to a grand institute. Either way, there were always longgggg lines waiting to get to him. Even if you had the first appointment.

I was mid chemo and feeling really rotten. But both my husband and I loved this genius and felt we'd make an exception for his inconvenient location(s) and the 2 hour waits. In general, we refuse to go to anyone who leaves you hanging for hrs. But this guy was worth the wait.

Hope you're feeling way better, RB!

That doc, BTW, was one of 2 oncs who said, next time bring me your CT scans so I can have "my" radiologist read them. And so we did. And both, independent and unaware of one another, disagreed w/my regular radiologist's report. It was those 2, back in '99, who each said, I don't believe what I am looking at are tumors (splattered throughout my liver). They appear to be the dead remains of tumors. Cyst-like. Filled w/fluid.

What does this mean, we asked my wonderful and inconvenient onc?! It means, he paused and beamed his familiar smile, and sang out -- You are... in... cautious... remission!

And so it was! And has remained so since '99.

Listen to your Inner Voice and follow wherever it guides you. Your Spirit loves you more than any human being on this earth.

Sending healing energy to you all,

Andi

11-25-2011, 03:59 PM	#358
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	The traditional diet of Greece and cancer. I always say, Listen to your Inner Voice. You may call it your gut. By any name, it is your Spirit talking to you. And it can be counted on for excellent guidance. By the same token, if you are with a doc who is very nice but... Look elsewhere for answers. Don't waste time with those that think your pain is a manifestation of your imagination. Nor stay with a doc who responds to your questions as you try to get your brain around something -- You don't have to understand, let me do the worrying. WRONG. If a doc shows disdain for your mention of 2nd opinions, know that any really good doc welcomes more input. Is that comfortable in his or her own skin. If the problem persists, go bigger. It may be inconvenient, but you may have to travel to an expert who can tell in a heartbeat what's happening to you. These are pearls. I had 4 oncs at one time. Each was brilliant, each had a slightly different take on my situation. One was a stem cell guy (1 of an additional 2 who specialized in this, as I was considering such a transplant and was gathering information) -- this one was an hour away from my then home in NY, and at first in a dark, dank basement office. Finally he moved to a grand institute. Either way, there were always longgggg lines waiting to get to him. Even if you had the first appointment. I was mid chemo and feeling really rotten. But both my husband and I loved this genius and felt we'd make an exception for his inconvenient location(s) and the 2 hour waits. In general, we refuse to go to anyone who leaves you hanging for hrs. But this guy was worth the wait. Hope you're feeling way better, RB! That doc, BTW, was one of 2 oncs who said, next time bring me your CT scans so I can have "my" radiologist read them. And so we did. And both, independent and unaware of one another, disagreed w/my regular radiologist's report. It was those 2, back in '99, who each said, I don't believe what I am looking at are tumors (splattered throughout my liver). They appear to be the dead remains of tumors. Cyst-like. Filled w/fluid. What does this mean, we asked my wonderful and inconvenient onc?! It means, he paused and beamed his familiar smile, and sang out -- You are... in... cautious... remission! And so it was! And has remained so since '99. Listen to your Inner Voice and follow wherever it guides you. Your Spirit loves you more than any human being on this earth. Sending healing energy to you all, Andi __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...