Wednesday, March 7, 2012

My Bone to Pick with the Big C

Here in the Land of False Labor (another impressive bout last night lasting until 2 am)  I have been catching up with cable shows I do not have (along with the drugs I need I wish I brought my own computer as the little boys have made this one nearly unuseable).
In the Big C, our heroine Cathy has Stage 4 melanoma. In Season 2, she is enrolled in a clinical trial along with her new friend with the same diagnosis.This must be some drug because the only side effect it seems to have is loss of fingernails. She is thrilled with her fingernails falling off as she believes it is a sign that it is killing her cancer. She hides this sign from her friend because she knows he still has his fingernails and thus his cancer. Indeed the drug fails him and he dies though not before noticing her attempt to hide the missing nails and being struck with a mixture of resentment and envy.

By the same logic, I should be having a recurrence now because I had less side effects than others on the same regime. I am afraid that those on chemo will now worry that lack of side effects will doom them.

So despite saying she is tired, our cancer patient has a full head of beautiful hair, glowing skin, works a full time job and takes a new job coaching swimming at a high level, throwing parties, dealing with her needy family members and then running a marathon. Even her doomed friend still runs though he admits that running five miles now feels like running six (mean while my friend on my chemo didn'thave enough breathe to finish a sentence). Death comes quickly for her (Hugh Dancey) cute friend.One week he is running, the next week he can't breathe.

Despite the glaring misportrayal of being on chemo, the show is amusing,well written, and well acted. It does show how cancer changes ones priorities.

Back in the Land of False Labor and Wild Little Boys, we did the long walk to the OB hoping it would jumpstart something. Dr. Sweet Young Thing was happy to report that she should last the whole 2 weeks until the planned section. She has dilated a bit since Sunday..half of a petite Asian finger. Ms  Baby Girl now is about 8.5 lbs. Comeout;comeout!

2 comments:

Holly said...

What was your treatment protocol? I had lumpectomy, dose dense AC/T and 35 rads.

Sue in Italia/In the Land Of Cancer said...

My treatment was the same as yours except I had less radiation (21 doses..probably higher pertreatment)

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