[RobinP]

Thanks for reminding everyone here to be your own best advocate. Unfortunately, physicians often treat cancer patients as second class citizens, fearing their illness, ignorant of treatment options, resulting in neglect of appropriate medical interventions. However, that does not preclude those that have the disease from receiving the best care possible if you want it, you just have to be more aggressive in your approach by becoming your own patient advocate and understanding your disease by continual self education and by pushing your doctors to order the right medications. I truly believe that your willingness to be your own patient advocate may very well determine your span from here to eternity. May we all be ever vigilant.

Al, I hope you don't carry that guilt about your sister with you. Instead, realize you can now help others via of that tradegy and that's exactly what you are doing via of this post.