Fitness Files: Battling doubts on battling cancer

Six years have passed, yet the memory is fresh.

As my husband recovered from cancer surgery, his room at Hoag Hospital was on a floor that allowed dogs!

My daughter and I decided to bring good cheer with a visit from her Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy.

Rachel, K’ya and I bounded into Paul’s hospital room, followed by two Candy Stripers asking, “Can we observe?”

To my surprise, my husband’s internist stood by his bed. I caught this sentence: “So, you’ll be having chemo-light. Your oncologist was already here to inform you, right?”

My groggy husband nodded his assent.

I kicked out the Candy Stripers, and in the confusion of the moment, the doctor left too.

We remained, shocked by the new reality. Chemo? Serious diagnosis. Nausea. Fatigue. Future health?

The puppy wasn’t enough to rid us of dread and confusion. We had received 100% good news pre-surgery, from blood tests and biopsies to, then, a successful surgical procedure.

When did the need for chemo treatment come in?

My husband is proactive. His mentality is to get the job done.

I suggested a consultation and a second opinion, but the doctor’s message set him on a course like a bullet: once fired, never taken back.

He left the hospital, regained strength, and had the port-o-cath inserted.

The oncologist would have had time during the post-surgical recovery period to educate us regarding the reasons for chemo, leaving us to make a decision.

In any case, we went to the first post-op appointment with the oncologist. As my husband sat on the examining table, new port-o-cath inserted, I asked the doctor, “What are the chances cancer would reoccur if we did not have chemo?”

“Two percent,” he said.

Since nobody says chemo’s a 100% guarantee cancer will not return, I was left with the question that still haunts me: Would we have gone with the chemo if we’d taken time to consider the low reoccurrence rate?

Too late at that point, my husband resisted my line of questioning. He wanted no doubts entering his mind regarding his treatment.

Six years later, Paul’s cancer has not reoccurred. However, he does suffer from neuropathy of the feet, a side effect of chemo. The icy/burning pain prevents formerly enjoyed long hikes, and we cannot accept enticing trekking invitations from friends.

Marty Makary’s recent Time magazine article, “The Cost of Chasing Cancer” ends with “…we have a quiet epidemic of unnecessary, costly and sometimes harmful medical care.” He says, “The problem of unintentional harm is far bigger than many suspect…”

In my husband’s case, there was a good chance we would have listened to the oncologist, done some research and decided to take his advice, but it would have been with informed consent, not a rush job.

At the very least, I am an advocate of careful consultation after a patient recovers from surgery. I hope physicians make a provision for the patient to include another person to partner in analysis of treatment and side effects. This would help erase lingering doubt.

Newport Beach resident CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK is a retired teacher who ran the Los Angeles Marathon at age 70, winning first place in her age group. Her blog is [email protected].