Math Class is Important In Determining Your Cancer Prognosis

Who knew math class would be so important later in life? Here's the problem: You get a cancer diagnosis and your doctor starts spouting numbers at you. You survival rate is this, but if you do this treatment it could be more like this. All of us sit there in a daze looking at the numbers and blindly staring at your doctor and trying to make a decision.

If you are lucky, your doctor says 'take all these numbers with you and go home and think about it'. If you are unlucky you forgot all the math you ever took and can't decide if a 60% survival rate is better than a 40% death rate. And if you are afraid of math, skipped too many classes, or just hate numbers, you get really stuck.

However we have now medical research to the rescue as this is has become a recognized issue:

"Many of the toughest decisions faced by cancer patients involve knowing how to use numbers – calculating, evaluating treatment options and figuring odds of medication side effects.

But for patients who aren't good at math, decision science research can offer evidence-based advice on how to assess numeric information and ask the right questions to make informed choices."

So there is a bunch of research that was done and you can go read it all. In my mind, what it boils down to is this (and write everything down):

• Ask your doctors for the numbers
• Ask them to explain what they mean without using numbers - is this better or worse than average?
• Ask about the risk in real numbers, not just in comparison. If something is 0.3% and its doubled, that is still a low risk. 
• If there are too many numbers, ask your doctor to tell you what are the two best options and base your discussion and thought process on those.

Finally, take a number friendly person to go with you and explain all the numbers to you.

And stop worrying about all those missing math classes and forgotten algebra so you can help yourself determine the best treatment protocol for yourself.

I Need A Vacation

After a lot of deep thought, I need a vacation. I mean a real vacation which does not involve medications, doctor appointments, and any aches and pains. I would prefer it include a beach, warm sand, and the feeling of health.

Just a thought.

Why Bother?

For some reason I have had a similar conversation with different women on the same topic: why take tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors after initial breast cancer treatment. Aromatase inhibitors are Arimidex (anastrozole), Aromasin (exemestane), and Femara (letrozole)

The conversations all boil down to:

• What if I get side effects? They have heard they are awful and could cause them some real problems. But if you don't even try them how will you know if you will experience the side effects?
• What exactly do they do? They don't really understand that they would reduce their recurrence risk by being on them
• Why do I have to be on them so long? It used to be five years and now new research has come out to say ten years is better. And more research is going on that may lead to even longer treatment periods

[As I write this, there is a commercial on TV for Botox for migraines. Botox is botulism, which is a very nasty germ...]

I have had friends who do the same thing with their medications.They over think them and won't take them because they have heard that the side effects might be bad. Or the withdrawal from the drug could be bad. 

You won't know if you might get side effects if you don't try the medication. And you won't get the potential benefit from the medication if you don't take it. How is your doctor supposed to treat you if you won't even try their recommended medication?

Once Again I Wasn't The Patient

And it was nice. I went to visit my brother for the weekend. And didn't really see him. He had a kidney stone (and a lot nastier word to describe it) that caused him intense pain.

I did get to go to Lowes with him to get parts of his upstairs sink. I also ran and emptied his dishwasher twice. Drove his children all over the place and visited him in the hospital. I fed his cat several times. I walked his girlfriend's dog a bunch of times - including in a snowstorm. I let the dog hog the bed one night and then I let the cat snuggle the next nights. I had dinner with his ex-wife and two of the children one night. I also drove 7 hours to see him and then 7 hours home.

However it was fun. I am glad I went. But because I didn't see him much, I will go back out and visit him later this spring.

Honestly it was nice that I wasn't the patient for once. I feel like I am always at doctors or hospitals. (Today I have my 15th doctor appointment of 2017.)  But it was a long drive.  I find it very different for me not to be the patient - the one the doctor wants to talk to. They couldn't care less about me and I like that part. There are no questions about my numerable ailments, pain levels, or anything. I can be part of the furniture. I think I need less time with medical people.

What An Oncologist Should Not Say to a Cancer Patient

We hear all about good doctors and not so good ones. But every so often we hear about the one's you really do not want.

Yesterday someone told me about the recent visit to her oncologist for her breast cancer treatment. She brought her sister with her for moral support and to help her out. I think she said her sister asked the oncologist something about that after chemo the tumors would be gone. And the oncologist replied with 'unless there are any other tumors'. I don't remember the exact words but the point is NEVER say that to a cancer patient.

Seriously, what was she (the doctor) thinking? You want your oncologist to be full of reassurances that after this nasty brutal treatment you endured that the chances are pretty good that you are on your road to recovery. Yes, we know that you can get more tumors at any time. Just because you are treated you are not out of the woods (ever). If that was my oncologist I would be shopping for someone else.

So if your oncologist says anything like this, run, don't walk, away and find a new one. Clearly that doctor doesn't quite get it.

Some Kinds of Cheese Can Cause Breast Cancer - Really?

Okay, I am done. I do not care what about any more news about what can or can't cause breast cancer. I am done. The latest info is that consumption some kinds of cheese can cause breast cancer. That would be American, cheddar, and cream cheese. I never eat American cheese - because its basically 'fake food' - but I probably make up for that in the amount of cheddar and cream cheese that I eat.

But that's it. I am done. I quit smoking because it causes cancer (and it smells). But that's it. I no longer care about what might cause cancer. If I listened to all the advice that is out there, I would be living in a cave existing on organic food and distilled water, staying out of the sun and away from any thing that could be carcinogenic.

I love cheese. I love good cheddars, I love a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese. I like the smelly soft cheeses. I love blue cheese. I love feta cheese, especially on a Greek salad. I want to learn how to make my own cheese. I am not going to stop eating cheese. And that's it.

Why don't they just tell us that breathing causes cancer and we can all hold our breath for the rest of our lives.

I Am Not A Warrior

I cannot begin to tell you how much the tv commercial for the Avon 39 annoys me. "Warriors Wanted" is so awful on so many levels.

The woman in this ad who is the 'warrior' doesn't look anything like your typical breast cancer patient. She is too young and looks too healthy. Maybe she is supposed to be walking for someone else. But sorry no. Also, wearing a low cut tank top is not the best attire for a long walk. You want sun protection and a hat. I think the Photoshopped 'pink' does nothing for her as well.

Finally, the whole idea of being a warrior is so out of touch. For me it has the same implication of the s-word. There has been a lot of push back from the breast cancer community on the terms used to describe people with cancer. The s-word, and all the 'fighting' terms are not appreciated by many people with cancer. And they are all a bunch of labels to me anyway.

I think they need new copy writers to come up with new terms that are acceptable to the cancer community.