Is My Cancer Different?

A question I have asked, and to be honest, I still don't have a full scope, "big picture" answer of all I had and survived but I made it through because I was a big part of my care team. I do know, asking this question does make a difference. When I asked, I had yet to discover there was a Facebook group with the very question as their name. For me the answer has been different, and now with an "all-clear" status, I still wonder what the true answer overall for me is now, knowing all I know now of what I now live with and have been treating. This group is one of the great resources that I feel many doctors, surgeons, nurses and every cancer patient should be part of. Every cancer case IS different, just as every treatment is different. To follow on one liver cancer case to see how it would turn out, would scare anyone. I know this to be true. I am one case of liver cancer. And my case is by far, very different, very rare as two doctors have told me on both ends of my journey.  I have shared posts from this group in my Facebook, and I do hope it reaches some people, who will share it with others, so that one day, this question will land on the lips of someone who is just diagnosed asking his or her doctor, and will remember hearing of this question in the past.  It just may be the question to trigger a lifesaving test, that otherwise the doc would wait on in favor of "lets see how things go from here". Perhaps this test may find something that will change a misdiagnosis, and find a more critical path to take to treat the patient who asked "Is my cancer different?".  When you think of all the little things that can change outcomes,  and think how "voicing" your concerns can push your oncology team to explore all possibilities of your case, it sure becomes a major contrast of the opposite thoughts of not saying anything at all,  being silent, never asking,  never getting that extra  minute of your doctors' time to think of what it can be, never  giving chance to spawn a thought in his or her mind, perhaps of another case sounding  similar to yours, triggering that inner voice the doc has that can create the decision to order that yet unknown critical test to eliminate any possibilities in search of all correct paths to properly treat your case.

I want you , the reader,  to take one minute, and think of a moment in your life, one instance in your life, where you later wished things would have evolved to a better result, and you know, now, that  had you  asked a question, or even said something to change that moment, things would have turned for the better.

Think of something close that fits this?
  ...  I know we all have at least one moment in our lives like that. And if you don't, then I honestly wish you continued success in having a perfect life, lol.  We all  wish  we had such a life, lol,  but the truth is,   we do have regrets, big ones, little ones, insignificant tiny ones, and most have got over the event and carried on, with life.

Now think about this scenario....
   ...you have been diagnosed with cancer, and the doc says its a common type, but you feel it don't fit what he says but you are so distraught from the news at the moment, you cant conjure the words to ask, but in the comfort of home you do a search on your diagnosis online, what you find are the many symptoms that don't exactly match yours, but you find that another type within the same category of your diagnosis has more similarity as all you been feeling. Now on follow up (or perhaps you call in to say "Im coming in to see my doctor now, fit me in, Im on my way!"), you choose to ask, if your diagnosis is  different to other common cancer diagnosis. Your doctor then asks you what made you ask, and you explain. With this explanation your doc orders another test, and that test finds something that was missed before, something that requires immediate treatment. Your doc later on says how lucky you are to have asked about your diagnosis and you have a good prognosis based on catching it just in time.       ...just in time.        Think about how things could have turned out had you stayed silent, and not asked.  It sure would not be another event in your life that you would simply get over and carry on from.

This site has many great resources and links to other resources to help inform everyone, patient, caregiver, the curious, and give tons of info that can help anyone find the right paths instead of freaking out uninformed and newly diagnosed (I was one).

     * Being informed
              is the first step
                    to fighting cancer! *


 That goes for anyone, even if you dont have it and luckily never do. Perhaps you will be  the one to know, help, love, or even be the caregiver for another who will go through cancer. You can make a difference.

Read, share, post, copy/paste to every email as a signature if you have to,  this link...http://ismycancerdifferent.com/

Here are more links for more info from the site directly that can help you, and/or to spread awareness:

5 Must-visit sites when your diagnosed with cancer

When diagnosed, as soon as possible, ASK THESE QUESTIONS

Share this with those you know who have just been diagnosed, share all the links too ;)

If you can, print and post this up, use your imagination to spread awareness! It can save a life! o:')

Thank you for reading and sharing,  *hugs* Be well.
    Bye for now!    ~Jenn  o:)