Chemo, a second time

[DFW]

11. Going through chemo requires a special kind of courage

My wife had cancer twice. The first time, it was in 2001, and she had several rounds of chemo under which she suffered horribly.

The second time was in 2016, and it was a rare form of cancer known among specialists here as “the murderer,” since it is very silent, pretty much always fatal, and only makes itself known when it’s too late. Her onc said it was the earliest he had ever seen it discovered, and scheduled an immediate operation. It lasted five and a half hours, and they took 84 (!!!) biopsies. The doc was amazed when, 3 days later, they ALL came back negative. He said he had never seen that in thirty years. He said for the first time, he would give a patient the option of no chemo. We asked about the odds of survival. He said he thought 50-50 either way, but he thought chemo wouldn’t improve her situation, but it was her call. Remembering her agony from 15 years before, she decided to risk no chemo.

We have the deepest respect and wonder for anyone willing to go through it more than once.