chapter 5: part 3

continued from chapter 5: part 2

The most intriguing information about cancer treatment came from our friend Jack. He called to say that his friend Harry ran a small independent pharmaceutical lab holding a patent on a drug currently being tested by a renowned doctor in Montreal. Hal talked to Harry, who was wildly enthusiastic about its potential. The major asset of this drug was that it was considered to be non- toxic, which means it won’t harm normal body cells and it was said to boost the body’s natural defenses.

The drug had been developed by a veterinarian who had satisfactory results injecting it into animals with tumors.

Harry said that one doctor in our city was permitted to inject this drug, once a week for five weeks and there were absolutely no after effects. The one criterion was that the tumors must be small so that they could be eliminated through the body. As far as we knew, Hal’s tumors would qualify for size and Harry offered to make the drug available to Hal at no charge.

I phoned a medical acquaintance at the hospital where I had previously worked to ask her what she knew about this drug; she checked with the Pharmacy Department and called back to say that while it was still in the early testing stages, it was being tested in Montreal on terminally ill patients.

I asked her, “ Look, I know the final decision is up to us, but if you had colon cancer with traces in the liver, what would you do?”

Her answer was, “Well, what have you got to lose?”

She was right. The appeal of a drug that doesn’t cut, burn and poison was huge, but what we were most afraid of, if we opted for this treatment, was that we would be out of touch with the cancer hospital and the oncologist we would soon meet. Somewhere I read a slogan I never forgot—“Not to decide is to decide.” Ultimately, we chose not to follow up on this treatment and years later when I searched for an update, it hasn’t proved itself.

Keep in mind that when a breakthrough for your cancer comes, your oncologist will be at the head of the line to get help for you.

Two of my new pals from a support group were Ellen and Curt. They had the most difficult time because there weren’t facilities equipped for Curt where they lived in cottage country. They had to endure a long drive into the city for his chemo and stay with their daughter while this was being done. Then there was the long drive home, when he would not be feeling good.

Ellen heard later that another friend with the same kind of cancer was given his chemo by capsule, and she feels bitter that she had never heard of this option.

This is where you need the information up front. Presumably a capsule was not right for him, but then again, could it have been?

They had been going to a hospital in the west end of the city, which meant they had to drive in from the country and right across the city. Added to this tiring fact, Ellen slowly began to realize she Curt had a doctor who had limited vision about cancer treatment and she finally asked that Ken be transferred to Princess Margaret, the cancer hospital and that was done.

She then felt she was getting him the best help possible.

continued in chapter 5: part 4