#1. There are many choices to make about your treatment.

     Traditional...clinical trial...chemo...radiation...T-cell...bone marrow transplant after chemo?

#2. Research all your options...if you can’t do it...ask someone you trust to do it for you.

#3. Gather a team...tell your friends & family what you are going through & gather a team of people to help you.

     You will need rides...prescriptions picked up...injections possibly...dinners...self-care...portable electronics...music &/or movies.

     Please ask for help...treatment is exhausting...there are wonderful humans in your life who are good at these things...get their help!

#5. Make decisions based on your personality and your tolerance for each treatment....you are the only one who knows YOU. ❤️

#6. Have friends or family with you in the hospital.          They can bring a blow up mattress or there are cots available for your room. It’s always nice to have help and not overtax the nurses who have multiple patients to take care of. And that way you get help immediately or someone can advocate for you.

#7. Your physicians will give you their best advice based on your type of cancer.

     The reason you have to choose is because there is no 100% guarantee that your treatment will work. 

     Haleigh had ALL twice and went through chemo twice and her leukemia was gone both times. The first time we looked into BMT but decided against it. The second time we chose a bone marrow transplant as a way of keeping her cancer gone. But her match was not compatible...her new bone marrow attacked her organs & we spent 2 months in the hospital while she got progressively worse each day and eventually died. 

     We have a family friend who went through mouth cancer & stopped his radiation before it was considered “finished”...he felt it was too harsh and he’d had enough at that point...he’s still alive.

     Haleigh’s 2nd cousin developed sarcoma while she was pregnant. She waited until after delivery to have her cancer treatment. Her cancer had spread so they tried chemo to shrink the tumor with no results...a clinical trial which worked...her tumor was operable...then amputation of her leg to be sure her cancer would not return...after amputation she unexpectedly developed bone loss in her neck and required another surgery which resulted in internal hemorrhaging and she passed away this year.

     There is no absolute right or wrong choice...there is no guarantee. You can do everything “right” and still not get the result you wanted. So just take the very best care of you! Ask for help...use your network of friends and family...research...speak up and make the best decisions for you!! No regrets!! ❤️❤️❤️