ASCO done! And, ??? best reason for a melanoma specialist

Great post, Celeste, I hope it helps some newer patients understand a little more why it is SO important to have a knowledgeable melanoma specialist by your side! I especially love your prayer at the end, AMEN! 

🙂

Great post, Celeste, I hope it helps some newer patients understand a little more why it is SO important to have a knowledgeable melanoma specialist by your side! I especially love your prayer at the end, AMEN! 

🙂

Great post, Celeste, I hope it helps some newer patients understand a little more why it is SO important to have a knowledgeable melanoma specialist by your side! I especially love your prayer at the end, AMEN! 

🙂

I so wish that it was possible to tell  the people that come here that due to the recent advances in reserarch  and FDA drug approval ,  that the diagnosis ,and treatment for early stage or advanced melanoma has now been made easy and straighforward and  is therefor ;for those diagnosed with any Stage of Melanoma to find  effective answers and treatment with ease.

 Bubbbles has set forth some stuff which I would like to expand

1) You are your own best advocate

2) Do not be afraid to question medical decisions —-or authority.

3) The "best" is subjective".  If a doctor will not listen or discuss or answer your concerns or questions…………..his or her credentials are of no concern.

4) There is a reason we are equipped with two ears and one mouth.

All in all, in many ways,  it is still the same as what I faced many years back.

Just like docrtors, not all treatments are created equal nor apply the same to any two of us.

The absolute best person to have in your corner is a pissed off, questioning and answer driven person.

That is YOU.

I get it though that not everybody is good with that in your face approach; so if that is not you, enlist someone.

ASCO and every doctor aside……………………………………….we are each responsible for our own destiny and health , and I will not, ever give that up.

An old blues singer,now dead,  Katie Webster, once told me about her "state of pisstivity" at a small gathering in Burlington NC ;  that was a good lesson.

Seems to me that somehow  Katie sprinkled some dust on you Bubbles !

Cheers,

Charlie S

I so wish that it was possible to tell  the people that come here that due to the recent advances in reserarch  and FDA drug approval ,  that the diagnosis ,and treatment for early stage or advanced melanoma has now been made easy and straighforward and  is therefor ;for those diagnosed with any Stage of Melanoma to find  effective answers and treatment with ease.

 Bubbbles has set forth some stuff which I would like to expand

1) You are your own best advocate

2) Do not be afraid to question medical decisions —-or authority.

3) The "best" is subjective".  If a doctor will not listen or discuss or answer your concerns or questions…………..his or her credentials are of no concern.

4) There is a reason we are equipped with two ears and one mouth.

All in all, in many ways,  it is still the same as what I faced many years back.

Just like docrtors, not all treatments are created equal nor apply the same to any two of us.

The absolute best person to have in your corner is a pissed off, questioning and answer driven person.

That is YOU.

I get it though that not everybody is good with that in your face approach; so if that is not you, enlist someone.

ASCO and every doctor aside……………………………………….we are each responsible for our own destiny and health , and I will not, ever give that up.

An old blues singer,now dead,  Katie Webster, once told me about her "state of pisstivity" at a small gathering in Burlington NC ;  that was a good lesson.

Seems to me that somehow  Katie sprinkled some dust on you Bubbles !

Cheers,

Charlie S

I so wish that it was possible to tell  the people that come here that due to the recent advances in reserarch  and FDA drug approval ,  that the diagnosis ,and treatment for early stage or advanced melanoma has now been made easy and straighforward and  is therefor ;for those diagnosed with any Stage of Melanoma to find  effective answers and treatment with ease.

 Bubbbles has set forth some stuff which I would like to expand

1) You are your own best advocate

2) Do not be afraid to question medical decisions —-or authority.

3) The "best" is subjective".  If a doctor will not listen or discuss or answer your concerns or questions…………..his or her credentials are of no concern.

4) There is a reason we are equipped with two ears and one mouth.

All in all, in many ways,  it is still the same as what I faced many years back.

Just like docrtors, not all treatments are created equal nor apply the same to any two of us.

The absolute best person to have in your corner is a pissed off, questioning and answer driven person.

That is YOU.

I get it though that not everybody is good with that in your face approach; so if that is not you, enlist someone.

ASCO and every doctor aside……………………………………….we are each responsible for our own destiny and health , and I will not, ever give that up.

An old blues singer,now dead,  Katie Webster, once told me about her "state of pisstivity" at a small gathering in Burlington NC ;  that was a good lesson.

Seems to me that somehow  Katie sprinkled some dust on you Bubbles !

Cheers,

Charlie S

I really enjoyed reading your blog post. Thank you.

I know that this an American website but I also know that many people living in other countries, like me, use it. I am in the UK.

I would like to make the point that we don't all have access to cutting-edge clincal trials. However that does not mean that we cannot have the best care possible within our local framework.

My consultant is not working at the leading edge of melanoma research. However, she is aware of it. My PhD was about the behaviour of tumour cells and she has always been able to answer all my questions. She sends me research papers after our consultations.

What she is is an expert on treating people with melanoma. It is all she and her team does, day in and day out.. She offers the best treatment that is available within the NHS. She treats the person not the disease. She and her team have managed to treat me despite my phobia of doctors and hospitals. They work closely with other teams in the hospital when their patients have more than one condition.

She only has access to standard treatment approved by the NHS and funded by the NHS or the UK Cancer Drugs Fund. If one of her patients qualified for one of the drug trials in the UK and she thought it gave him or her a better chance, she would tell him or her about it. I am confident that she knows about every one of them.

The downside is that melanoma patients in the UK may have less access to experimental treatments.

The upside is that the 'approved' treatment is pretty good and is moving on reasonably quickly. What makes the difference is how good your local melanoma team is.

Mine is great.

I really enjoyed reading your blog post. Thank you.

I know that this an American website but I also know that many people living in other countries, like me, use it. I am in the UK.

I would like to make the point that we don't all have access to cutting-edge clincal trials. However that does not mean that we cannot have the best care possible within our local framework.

My consultant is not working at the leading edge of melanoma research. However, she is aware of it. My PhD was about the behaviour of tumour cells and she has always been able to answer all my questions. She sends me research papers after our consultations.

What she is is an expert on treating people with melanoma. It is all she and her team does, day in and day out.. She offers the best treatment that is available within the NHS. She treats the person not the disease. She and her team have managed to treat me despite my phobia of doctors and hospitals. They work closely with other teams in the hospital when their patients have more than one condition.

She only has access to standard treatment approved by the NHS and funded by the NHS or the UK Cancer Drugs Fund. If one of her patients qualified for one of the drug trials in the UK and she thought it gave him or her a better chance, she would tell him or her about it. I am confident that she knows about every one of them.

The downside is that melanoma patients in the UK may have less access to experimental treatments.

The upside is that the 'approved' treatment is pretty good and is moving on reasonably quickly. What makes the difference is how good your local melanoma team is.

Mine is great.

I really enjoyed reading your blog post. Thank you.

I know that this an American website but I also know that many people living in other countries, like me, use it. I am in the UK.

I would like to make the point that we don't all have access to cutting-edge clincal trials. However that does not mean that we cannot have the best care possible within our local framework.

My consultant is not working at the leading edge of melanoma research. However, she is aware of it. My PhD was about the behaviour of tumour cells and she has always been able to answer all my questions. She sends me research papers after our consultations.

What she is is an expert on treating people with melanoma. It is all she and her team does, day in and day out.. She offers the best treatment that is available within the NHS. She treats the person not the disease. She and her team have managed to treat me despite my phobia of doctors and hospitals. They work closely with other teams in the hospital when their patients have more than one condition.

She only has access to standard treatment approved by the NHS and funded by the NHS or the UK Cancer Drugs Fund. If one of her patients qualified for one of the drug trials in the UK and she thought it gave him or her a better chance, she would tell him or her about it. I am confident that she knows about every one of them.

The downside is that melanoma patients in the UK may have less access to experimental treatments.

The upside is that the 'approved' treatment is pretty good and is moving on reasonably quickly. What makes the difference is how good your local melanoma team is.

Mine is great.