Posted 1/31/2016 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Beth & Gary ("Celebrate Life") ~
I always follow your posts and we've been connected on many other posts, present and past.
I want to speak for all of us, if I may --- and say something special to both of you, based on all of your treatment experiences ... I'll try to find the words to convey my gratitude ...
First of all, it means so much to all of us here that you are experiencing such a meaningful DROP in your PSA levels after going through so many treatments over time.
What I want to THANK YOU for is this --- you are sharing your story with all of us --- and your story is really giving me and so many others continued HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT for the future ---
The reason is that you've been through a series of treatments and pursued many of the newer breakthrough treatments --- and I'm thankful that you have been on the "cutting edge" of these new treatments, as they have emerged --- you are BLAZING THE TREATMENT TRAIL for others --- you are putting down stepping stones for others to walk upon --- including me --- and I owe you a debt of gratitude for that.
I know others here feel the same way, Beth and Gary --- true words, and I speak from the heart.
What is really inspiring to so many of us --- you have gone through some treatments, then pursued additional treatments, such as additional rounds of chemotherapy --- and THEN finding that some of the original medications can then be tried AGAIN after re-sensitizing the body to the medications again --- that's true HOPE right there waiting for all of us, sailing behind you in your wake.
That possibility is SO valuable to all of us --- and the fact that you are sharing your treatment experiences with all of us is valuable, beyond all words --- these medications didn't exist five or ten years ago --- so there aren't people that I personally know who have your wealth of treatment experiences to share directly with me --- so we NEED folks like you to forge ahead as you have been --- and letting us all see that some of these newer medications can work for a time, then something else can be tried, and in some cases --- the original medication can be used SUCCESSFULLY yet again ! Your story ... and your experiences ... are shining a light on the path for all of us to follow in the future.
I'm on ZYTIGA right now and believe me, I'm holding on as tight as I can to its power and effectiveness for as long as I can --- it's still relatively new, in the history of prostate cancer treatments --- doctors are still finding ways to maximize the effectiveness of the newer medications like XTANDI, XOFIGO, and ZYTIGA --- what's really hopeful is that maybe, someday, I might be able to re-try ZYTIGA or something similar like XTANDI and have it work all over AGAIN ! That's what's happening right now in YOUR story, and I'm grateful to you both. Hopefully, we will continue to hear other stories like yours --- that some of the medications can be re-tried, over the course of time, and found to be effective once again after original resistance occurs.
Your story is giving all of us that HOPE --- I just wanted to share my sincere gratitude to both of you. Keep living your story ... and keep sharing your story. I'm a grateful reader of your story !
My sincere thanks, Beth & Gary, as we all continue to CELEBRATE LIFE with both of you,
"Cyclone" From Iowa State