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Journal by Gaaark
My wife's white cell count has stopped doubling (she thought it was going to be at 60 from 30, but it's only at 45.... So, good news in a way...the next test in 3 months should show better? the progress.
Here's hoping it levels out and just becomes chronic and steady.
Fingers crossed.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Agnes' Law:
Almost everything in life is easier to get into than out of.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Monday May 20 2019, @08:11PM (4 children)
Well, at the risk of (all-too-typical-engineer) bluntness, I would be worried, but I usually try to direct worry into a sense of urgency and action. You Canadians are too nice! Not the time to be nice to the disease. Please be proactive against this thing. I just sent my dad on his way to a new urologist appt., armed with a list of questions I got mostly from Mayo. Not offensive, just simple questions about some treatment options. Sadly my mom passed away last December, but was in and out of hospitals, doctors, etc., and I was involved some of it (long story). I was amazed at how much the doctors responded to my questions, thoughts, etc. I wish I had gone to med. school, BTW. Anyway, I'm always very conscious of doctors' egos, personal pride, etc., so I'm very careful to play very naive and ask simple questions, timed carefully, etc., but please don't let this go too long. The earlier the treatment is started, the better the outcomes. Low-dose chemo might be the best thing for her. There are oral ones with almost no side-effect. As the AC mentioned above, there are many types of leukemia, and there's no reason to wait and see. Sorry- I'm chomping at the bit here. I know a top top top -many really - oncologist who gets top score ratings in the whole metropolitan area he's in (Philly) where there are many top top hospitals (all competing with University of Penn.).
A PET scan will show where the bone problem is- where the leukemia is being produced (and spreading). Focused ("stereotatic") radiation will stop the problem. Then you'd wait and see if it has spread, or if it resolves (which it very well could).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @11:15PM (3 children)
I think you are worrying them unnecessarily. It can be counter-intuitive, especially for an engineer that is used to taking action and fixing things, but there is a simple truth: Sometimes the best course of action is watchful waiting. This includes certain adult-onset leukemia patients. In most cases, leukemia self-limits, and that is probably what the doctor is looking for and probably sees with the leveling off of the WBC count. I know people who have lived with counts around 100 for years, with no ill effects other than taking a day longer to recover from colds and flu. Once it levels off, or doesn't, the doctor will have a better idea of what they are dealing with and come up with a proper treatment plan. To be frank, using the wrong treatment plan and shooting from the hip can just make the problem worse.
You are probably feeding off of Gaaark's sense of powerlessness, which is understandable. This is probably because he has been cut out of the discussions with the doctor and wife. Other than being more involved in general (hence my suggestions in another comment), what he really needs is a peek at the doctor's decision tree for the watchful waiting. This will provide the knowledge that the doctor is listening to the patient and other members of the care team, and considering all options, rather than just kicking the can down the road.
I'd also highly recommend that Gaaark and his wife get couples counseling with someone that specializes in chronic medical conditions. They can make a large difference in dealing with diagnoses like this. I can't speak for Canada, but they are often covered by insurance in the U.S. if you get the doctor to make the referral.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Tuesday May 21 2019, @01:47AM (2 children)
I had a lot to say, but decided not to post it. I do appreciate your thoughts, you're making a lot of good points, and I believe you're trying to help, but I wish you'd log in. That you post AC strongly discredits you. Can't tell one AC from another. And you're trying to be too personal and intricate, but it's a conflict because AC is by definition impersonal.
Please don't psychoanalyze me. You don't know me, and you can only know a very very little about me here on SN. I'm far far more than an engineer. You're much too sure of yourself, when you have very little actual facts. I don't psychoanalyze people, and I especially would not write my conjectures here. I have no sense that Gaaark feels helpless. He can speak for himself.
I don't mean to worry Gaaark, and if I do hopefully he'll post something and we'll discuss it directly. Gaaark himself wrote: "But her doctor is still concerned, which is worrying." So since he implied he's already worrying, I'm hoping to inspire him (them) to be proactive. I think waiting is gambling. I've found doctors have become very passive. Early definitive diagnosis will lead to the correct treatment.
OhMyGosh, does the AMA know that? Better go tell them!
Wisecracks aside, you're completely misinterpreting what I've written, and you may be the AC who does that a lot here, or maybe there are many of you. What I'm advocating and suggesting is correct testing, definitive diagnosis, and go from there. Waiting is a gamble. It's time for proaction. ("proactive" is a recently coined word, so I'm coining one.)
Again, I had much more to say, including many many direct examples, but it's not worth it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 21 2019, @03:59AM (1 child)
I apologize if I offended you, as that wasn't my intent. It was also not my intent to psychoanalyze you either. Nor minimize you as a person or professionally by echoing your self-reference of being an engineer or hitting too close to home.
I am also not sure of myself either. The only one with any medical knowledge and first-hand knowledge of what is going on with OP's wife is their doctor. I can only state what I know from my experience and echo what people say. When someone describes themselves as being subject to "drain and strain" or describes themselves as feeling impotent, I take them at their word; just like I did with you when you said you were an engineer, "direct worry into a sense of urgency and action," and recommended a specific diagnostic and treatment plan.
I think we all have the best interests at heart, but having numerous family members going through cancers (including leukemia) of various stages, I've seen first hand what unprovoked stress can be generated by second-guessing the experts. Watchful waiting is often the proper treatment to many conditions, including cancers, as long as it is done according to a decision tree in a treatment plan. This is well-known because the side effects of treating cancers can be worse than the cancer. In addition, we have no idea what the doctor is even thinking, as we are relying on what we were told is the memory of what they were told by someone based on what they remember they were told by someone else. They could very well have what you imply is lacking. I'm just trying to say that they are the experts with the first-hand knowledge and if you don't trust them, why the hell are you seeing them anyway?
Regardless, I am going to attempt to disengage from this conversation, as it is apparent that we are both feeling attacked, despite the lack of intent to do so, and it seems to no longer be productive for anyone.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Tuesday May 21 2019, @06:49AM
Thank you for your very kind words. You did not offend me. I'm an adult and if you offended me, I'd tell you. I'm sorry if you felt attacked- certainly not my intent. I've never had good verbal skills and am misinterpreted all the time.
Much to write and I started an attempt but getting too tired. I'll write more in a day or so. Please get a login! That way I won't confuse you with the AC who has harshly directly attacked me several times here. And it always includes him making statements based on his conjectures which are based on strange misinterpretations, mental short-circuits (connecting disparate things), psychoanalyzing me, on and on, rather than trading facts and ideas, and a discussion thereof.
:)
(really I just need to stop responding to ACs..., as many others do not.)