One doesn’t pay close attention to the nuances of the treatment for cancer until one needs to. It makes sense that unless we have an unusual penchant for or fascination with reading up on amazing medical treatments, we don’t take the time to learn of the problems, the solutions, the symptoms, or the side effects. Such is the case with my best friend of twenty-nine years.

She is a clinical nurse with specialization in Geriatric Nursing. She is well equipped about all aspects of medical knowledge as well as other types of knowledge. Surprisingly however she was not aware of cancer and the latest treatments that are available unless she was diagnosed as suffering from invasive cervical adinocarcinoma. We were both unaware of cancer and only had knowledge about the side effects that comes with chemotherapy and radiation techniques. Now of course we know much more than we knew at that point of time. She now goes for her treatments and I would here tell you the process of the treatment of cancer that she underwent.

It was in 2005 that Vaness was diagnosed with cancer. She was taken for surgery and the malignant growths that threatened to overtake her lymph nodes were removed by a radical hysterectomy. She next had to go for a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan. This test helps to verify the diagnoses and helps doctors decide on the further course of treatment. PET and a few other tests showed that the cancer was spread up to her lungs and reached down to the vaginal area. A reputable surgeon then called Vaness and told her to discard the standard method of treatment of the disease and advised her to extricate the affected lymph nodes. (It is not possible to remove all the lymph nodes as these aid our endocrine system and help in secretion and in other systems). A lot of suggestions came her way but she opted to follow the surgeon’s advice and on the 14th of February she underwent surgery for the second time.

This was followed by the radiation and chemotherapy sessions. The doctor at first explained to her clearly about these two methods and also showed with the help of statistics the chances of the occurrence of a side effect. It opened our eyes. We realized that the rate of not having control over our bowels or losing hair was very low. We also learnt how most of the symptoms were actually psychogenic, that these were brought on to us by our own thinking and had nothing to do with the effects of the chemo and the radiation therapy.

After about two months of her first diagnosis, Vaness who was then administered an IV that was used in one side of her body, went to have two more medications. She had to take Glutamine and Compazine. While Glutamine energizes the immune system, Compazine helps to prevent the nauseated feeling that is the result of the use of Amaphostine injection(s).

After a few days Vaness went for her very first treatment of the disease. She had to undergo chemo for a few days in a row and then on a weekly basis. The Palliative radiation therapy took care of the symptoms and also brought about an improvement in the quality of life but it however did not cure, there has never been a cure for cancer.

The treatments of chemo and radiation cannot last for more than ten weeks as these are potent enough to kill the person. While the treatment is strong enough to take care of the disease it also has the power to kill the patient. The medical experts, friends and the patient’s own mind have in many respects helped in the amazing recovery of a number of women. It is heartening to note that the percentage of women who survive to narrate the tale is on the rise.

Tags: Cancer

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