Cancer Monitoring

[eve1974]

So it's time for my husbands 3 monthly check, he's been in remission from AML (acute myeloid leukaemia) for about 2.5 years now and yet every time the 3 month test comes around the worry returns, Any other survivors, (of any cancer) feel similarly at test time?

[Buenchico]

I've not quite got to that stage yet. (I've has 7 months of chemo this year and I'm now just over halfway through 37 radiotherapy sessions). However I think that my attitude towards periodic check-ups is likely to be reasonably positive, because that's the way I am generally (i.e. I'll be thinking "At least I'm still around to be called in for a check-up, which is definitely better than the alternative"!).

I can't say that I might not be very slightly worried. (I suppose that it's only natural). However I didn't exactly go into panic mode when I was called back into the hospital after my prostate op. I knew that the only reason I could think of for that would be that they were going to tell me I'd got cancer but I just shrugged my shoulders and though "OK, let's just find out what they've got to tell me". Later, when I was told that the scans showed my cancer had spread to my bones and lymph nodes, and is incurable, I still didn't worry greatly. I just asked a direct question: "Will I still be here this time next year". Fortunately the answer was in the affirmative but even if it hadn't been, I'm sure that I would have just thought "Oh well, que sera, sera" and then got on with what was left of my life.

I know that not all people are the same but I'm simply not the worrying sort really.

[eve1974]

Buenchico you seem to have a great mindset. Tbh husband (ie the one who had the BigC) is quite pragmatic. Its me, the wife, that lives in fear.

[Buenchico]

I think that's often the way, Eve. It's not the people who've got cancer that do the most worrying but those around them. My friend in Italy seems to be far more worried about my cancer than I am!

[eve1974]

Ty for your reply ...you always tend to speak sense on here... and u buenchico clearly have a friend in Italy who cares very much for you X

[Stickybottle]

I have a friend who goes through a similar experience every 12 months and he’s always very down in the dumps when it’s near.
Sadly it’s an understandable human reaction, to which there is no obvious answer.
Everyone in that position has my utmost sympathy.

[rowanwitch]

I was like that with Dave, I could illegally access his results from the hospital computer but I never did. I always prepared for bad news knowing if I did I could hide my feelings in the consultation and be ready to support him afterwards. Your worry is a natural loving thing, if you weren't worried it would show you really hadn't got a grasp of the situation.

[mallyh]

mr mally has to go every six months now for checks and until they say alls well i can relax x

[Peter Pedant]

um
pray
I relapsed never having gone into remission ( what?) in 2016
and had 'salvage chemo' for what remained of my miserable life. 50% are dead within 6 m. Glum looks, doctors looking at the floor

and 48 months later. we know there are people like you but we dont know why nor how to do it - the prof discharged me....

so hope....
and good luck

the only discriminator is - - - do you feel OK?
no other question or test works
(NHL stage 111-1V for those of a technical bent)

[Peter Pedant]

// I could illegally access his results from the hospital computer but I never did.//
good
we had a colleagues wife and she asked our opinion
and then dang oi
the hospital pursued us for data offences

so I construced a consent from the wife

and the Hospital STILL pursued us.
Chrissakes she has given us permission, it is lawful!

I dunno - it wasnt the offences it was the people we thought

[eve1974]

///and 48 months later. we know there are people like you but we dont know why nor how to do it - the prof discharged me.... ///

That is amazing. I truly mean it. Cases like yours (the no logical reason ones) must gladden the team so much x