I was just curious since luckily I don't have a lot of first hand knowledge with a lot of cancers. Of course, I know many people who have it or have passed away with it, but that is different then diving into all the details of the type cancer.
I keep reading over and over how multiple myeloma is such an individual disease and was just curious if all cancers are like this or are most cancers kind of a routine progression line that they follow and routine treatment plan?
Well, now that I say it, I guess you could say multiple myeloma is that as well, for the most part, same cocktails, etc.
I guess what I am am really wondering is, do people usually react to things in a routine fashion with other cancers or are they just as baffled as multiple myeloma patients are? It is an individual disease and who knows exactly how each person will progress?
Also one other crazy question. I hear people say all the time to see a multiple myeloma specialist, which I have a few times along my journey. Every time, each specialist has told me the same thing my local oncologist has said and agree with what he is doing and or what his next course of action should be.
I am grateful and maybe I just have a great local oncologist that is in tune with all of this multiple myeloma junk."Thank God for that"
How has your experience been with seeing a local/general oncologist? Mine seems to keep tabs on me extremely close and advises me to see a multiple myeloma specialist at certain times along this journey.
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Terri Michigan - Name: Terri Michigan
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 45
Re: Are all cancers this different ? Mostly just rambling...
Hi Terri, I know how you feel. You wonder if doctors are on autopilot.
I'm a healthcare professional and I know that when we see certain conditions, we have a protocol to follow to include testing, treatment, etc. And with some patients, we know what will work, and others we just have to try different things. There are even patients where we know the end point with or without treatment.
Having said that, my immediate family has had 4 different kinds of cancer -- and I mean different. My brother and dad both died from different cancers, and my mom is a survivor. All three were predicted correctly by their doctors. I personally really like my local hematologist. He keeps close tabs on me, we correspond via emails a lot, and he keeps in contact with a myeloma specialist.
I don't think myeloma treatment is necessarily cookbook, but I do think the doctors have guidelines to follow and they will do their best for our overall / long-term survival. They even have to be creative. (Now look who's rambling!)
Is it safe to say "Go Blue"?
I'm a healthcare professional and I know that when we see certain conditions, we have a protocol to follow to include testing, treatment, etc. And with some patients, we know what will work, and others we just have to try different things. There are even patients where we know the end point with or without treatment.
Having said that, my immediate family has had 4 different kinds of cancer -- and I mean different. My brother and dad both died from different cancers, and my mom is a survivor. All three were predicted correctly by their doctors. I personally really like my local hematologist. He keeps close tabs on me, we correspond via emails a lot, and he keeps in contact with a myeloma specialist.
I don't think myeloma treatment is necessarily cookbook, but I do think the doctors have guidelines to follow and they will do their best for our overall / long-term survival. They even have to be creative. (Now look who's rambling!)
Is it safe to say "Go Blue"?
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gardengirl - Name: gardengirl
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Nov. 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Are all cancers this different? (mostly just rambling)
Safe to say Go Blue LOL Not a huge football fan myself, but my parents and a lot of friends definitely are.
Thanks for your reply, I was just going to go back and see if I could delete it and saw you had replied. I am just feeling a little down today, knowing I have to start chemo some time this month. Then I read about your family! I am so very sorry for everything that you have had to go through and glad you have a doctor keeping good tabs on you. Praying you will be the lucky one in your family to never have to have cancer! I hope you are a positive person, more so then me. I know the wondering what if about the future holds for me is torture in itself some times. Hope the same is not true for you.
Stay healthy & happy,
Terri
Thanks for your reply, I was just going to go back and see if I could delete it and saw you had replied. I am just feeling a little down today, knowing I have to start chemo some time this month. Then I read about your family! I am so very sorry for everything that you have had to go through and glad you have a doctor keeping good tabs on you. Praying you will be the lucky one in your family to never have to have cancer! I hope you are a positive person, more so then me. I know the wondering what if about the future holds for me is torture in itself some times. Hope the same is not true for you.
Stay healthy & happy,
Terri
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Terri Michigan - Name: Terri Michigan
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 45
Re: Are all cancers this different? (mostly just rambling)
I've had four cancers diagnosed, not including multiple myeloma, and the others seem straight forward, but my multiple myeloma seems to change within the original type.
I'm not sure though if it is actually changes, or the fact that I'm seeing it at an earlier stage leaving remission than I did at my initial diagnosis.
I'm not sure though if it is actually changes, or the fact that I'm seeing it at an earlier stage leaving remission than I did at my initial diagnosis.
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Wayne K - Name: Wayne
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself, my sister who passed in '95
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/09
- Age at diagnosis: 70
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