I am battling [prostate]cancer and I am winning.

I keep a journal online at:
http://prostate-cancer-log.blogspot.com

summarized from 4/22/2007 on that blog:

If you have just been told you have cancer by your doctor, do NOT get
upset.

Here are some steps I suggest you consider:

1)-Get smart on your specific cancer as breast cancer is not
pancreatic cancer and is not brain cancer. Each cancer is different
and there are even subtypes of cancers. Ask the doctor what you have
and get smart fast (use the web, books etc).

2)-Tell everyone you know RIGHT AWAY. They or someone they know may
have already done lots of research and thus may know great doctors
and/or hospitals.

3)-You may have to decide between the three major approaches to
cancer, i.e. surgery, radiation and chemotherapy (I have had all
three!).


4)-Pick your doctor and hospital carefully. The nearest hospital may
not be the best hospital for you.
TOP RANKED HOSPITALS OVERALL:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/.../honorroll.htm

TOP RANKED HOSPTIALS FOR CANCER:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/...pecihqcanc.htm

5)-Keep a diary of everything that happens as it WILL be a real blur
after a period of time.

6)-Ask your doctor AND the hospital for copies of all your biopsies,
tests, blood tests, cat-scans, bone scan, pet-scans, mris etc.

7)-Prepare a one-page summary of your health for the unexpected ER
visits.

8)-If you can, whenever you meet with a doctor, have another person
come with you and this person's role is to bring a notebook and write
down what the doctor says.

9)-Lastly and just as important, keep a positive outlook. Say every
day that you will beat cancer. Attitude is perhaps 50% of the reason
people beat cancer.

Joe
joec_49@hotmail.com

JoeC wrote:
> I keep a journal online

> If you have just been told you have cancer by your doctor, . . .
> Here are some steps I suggest you consider:

I strongly agree. And let me add a corollary to # 7 (Prepare a one-page
summary of your health for the unexpected ER visits):
Prepare something similar tailored to each specialist you want to
consult. My core history remained the same, but each specialist saw some
facts, concerns, and questions unique to her field's benefits and risks
and my priorities therein.

I found, and many doctors have volunteered, that these helped them
immensely. These documents and the preparation that went into them also
reduced my time from diagnosis to treatment by something like 75%,
thusly: "Bruce, Dan here. I got a new PC pt here you should see ASAP.
He's here from out of town, and he's so well prepared you can get up to
speed in two minutes. Can you squeeze him in today? Great; I'll send him
down there now."

Conversations much like that happened several times, each one saving me
many weeks compared to seeing new specialists in the U.S. and several
months compared to the UK.

I.P.

On Apr 23, 4:36 pm, JoeC <joec...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ...
> Here are some steps I suggest you consider:
> ...

An excellent list Joe.

Thanks. And good luck with your battle.

Alan

"JoeC" <joec_49@hotmail.com> wrote in message
newsc9q23dvrpra61m2a6kv62bppe0j1e2b5n@4ax.com...
>I keep a journal online at:
> http://prostate-cancer-log.blogspot.com
>
> summarized from 4/22/2007 on that blog:
>
> If you have just been told you have cancer by your doctor, do NOT get
> upset.
>
> Here are some steps I suggest you consider:
>
> 1)-Get smart on your specific cancer as breast cancer is not
> pancreatic cancer and is not brain cancer. Each cancer is different
> and there are even subtypes of cancers. Ask the doctor what you have
> and get smart fast (use the web, books etc).
>
> 2)-Tell everyone you know RIGHT AWAY. They or someone they know may
> have already done lots of research and thus may know great doctors
> and/or hospitals.
>
> 3)-You may have to decide between the three major approaches to
> cancer, i.e. surgery, radiation and chemotherapy (I have had all
> three!).
>
>
> 4)-Pick your doctor and hospital carefully. The nearest hospital may
> not be the best hospital for you.
> TOP RANKED HOSPITALS OVERALL:
> http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/.../honorroll.htm
>
> TOP RANKED HOSPTIALS FOR CANCER:
> http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/...pecihqcanc.htm
>
> 5)-Keep a diary of everything that happens as it WILL be a real blur
> after a period of time.
>
> 6)-Ask your doctor AND the hospital for copies of all your biopsies,
> tests, blood tests, cat-scans, bone scan, pet-scans, mris etc.
>
> 7)-Prepare a one-page summary of your health for the unexpected ER
> visits.
>
> 8)-If you can, whenever you meet with a doctor, have another person
> come with you and this person's role is to bring a notebook and write
> down what the doctor says.
>
> 9)-Lastly and just as important, keep a positive outlook. Say every
> day that you will beat cancer. Attitude is perhaps 50% of the reason
> people beat cancer.
>
> Joe
> joec_49@hotmail.com

Overall, a good list
but...

"9)-Lastly and just as important, keep a positive outlook. Say every
day that you will beat cancer. Attitude is perhaps 50% of the reason
people beat cancer. "

This simply has not been proven to be true. On the contrary, studies such
as this one:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in598832.shtml
indicate that there is no positive correlation between "positive attitude"
and cancer survival.

No doubt a positive attitude makes us more pleasant patients to be around
and that may even buy you a little more personal care and attention etc.,
but we shouldn't propagate the notion that, if you think happy thoughts, you
will get better.

I doubt it actually HURTS to have a positive attitude but it has not been
conclusively proven to HELP beat cancer.

Humbug.
Now, don't get me started on the benefit of prayer... : - )

JP

JoeC wrote:


> I keep a journal online at:http://prostate-cancer-log.blogspot.com
>
> summarized from 4/22/2007 on that blog:
>
> If you have just been told you have cancer by your doctor, do NOT get
> upset.
>
> Here are some steps I suggest you consider:
>
> 1)-Get smart on your specific cancer as breast cancer is not
> pancreatic cancer and is not brain cancer. Each cancer is different
> and there are even subtypes of cancers. Ask the doctor what you have
> and get smart fast (use the web, books etc).
>
> 2)-Tell everyone you know RIGHT AWAY. They or someone they know may
> have already done lots of research and thus may know great doctors
> and/or hospitals.
>
> 3)-You may have to decide between the three major approaches to
> cancer, i.e. surgery, radiation and chemotherapy (I have had all
> three!).
>
> 4)-Pick your doctor and hospital carefully. The nearest hospital may
> not be the best hospital for you.
> TOP RANKED HOSPITALS OVERALL:http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/.../honorroll.htm
>
> TOP RANKED HOSPTIALS FOR CANCER:http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/...pecihqcanc.htm
>
> 5)-Keep a diary of everything that happens as it WILL be a real blur
> after a period of time.
>
> 6)-Ask your doctor AND the hospital for copies of all your biopsies,
> tests, blood tests, cat-scans, bone scan, pet-scans, mris etc.
>
> 7)-Prepare a one-page summary of your health for the unexpected ER
> visits.
>
> 8)-If you can, whenever you meet with a doctor, have another person
> come with you and this person's role is to bring a notebook and write
> down what the doctor says.
>
> 9)-Lastly and just as important, keep a positive outlook. Say every
> day that you will beat cancer. Attitude is perhaps 50% of the reason
> people beat cancer.
>
> Joe
> joec...@hotmail.com


Thank you, Joe C...

--
Best
Greg