This week I'm going to do something I've never done before within these margins. I'm going to repeat a posting in order to reinforce an important point about cancer treatment, or any treatment for that matter. I know it's hard, it's aggravating, it's annoying, it's expensive and it often feels pointless - but take them, please!
STATISTICALLY, THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IN MODERN MEDICINE IS NOT THE MYSTERIES OF THE MANY MALADIES, THE INSIDIOUS INGREDIENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL ILLNESS, NOR THE DEARTH OF DRUGS READY TO ATTACK THE DIAGNOSIS DILEMMA. THE ONE FACTOR THAT HAS THE GREATEST EFFECT ON PATIENT OUTCOMES IS COMPLIANCE. IN SIMPLE TERMS THIS MEANS - FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S ORDERS. WHETHER IT'S AVOIDING THOSE EXTERNAL FACTORS (IE: HABITS) WHICH CAUSE/EXACERBATE THE PARTICULAR CONDITION, ALTERING ONE'S DIET/ATTITUDE TO HELP AVOID/IMPROVE THE AILMENT, OR EMBRACING NEW ROUTINES/EXERCISES TO HELP REPAIR/FUEL THE INTERVENTION.
AND UNDERNEATH THIS ALL LIES THE MEDS. THOSE PILLS AND POTIONS THAT YEARS OF ARDUOUS RESEARCH HAVE BROUGHT FORTH WHICH CAN OFFER DRAMATIC SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'M NOT OF THE MINDSET THAT OURS IS A TIME-PERIOD WHERE WE CAN JUST LIVE AS RECKLESSLY AS WE WISH BECAUSE SOME MIRACLE PILL WILL SAVE US FROM OURSELVES. NOR DO I GLOSS OVER THE FACT THAT MANY POSITIVE MEDICAL EFFECTS COME WITH COMPANION NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS (EG: PAIN RELIEF AND ITS EVIL COMPANION CONSTIPATION). BUT RECUPERATION DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE OF SUCCESS UNLESS WE TAKE THE MEDS - THE FUEL THAT POWERS THE ENGINE OF RECOVERY.
FOR THOSE AMONG YOU WITHIN OUR SPHERE IN CYBERSPACE WHO ARE UNDER DOCTORS' ORDERS AND ARE A PILL-POPPER AS WELL AS YOURS TRULY - WHETHER ITS A DAILY 81MG ASPIRIN OR IN MY CASE AN EVERY-OTHER-DAY TEENY TINY DOSE OF CHEMO (REVLIMID 10MG), IT'S CRITICAL TO BE CONSISTENT AND COMPLIANT ABOUT THE REGIMEN. IF THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE OVERWHELMING OR THE RESULTS ARE SEEMINGLY SLOW TO COME, TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. MAYBE THEY NEED TO ADJUST THE DOSE AND MAYBE THEY NEED TO TRY AN ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTION - OR MAYBE YOU NEED TO TAKE THE MEDS AS DIRECTED AND GIVE THAT TOOL A CHANCE TO HELP YOU HELP YOURSELF. I AM - AND WE CAN, DO THIS TOGETHER . . . ONE DAILY DOSE AT A TIME.
