For patients like Sue, there sometimes remain more questions than answers. She recently underwent her third round of chemotherapy and endured multiple blood clots. With her insurance covering only limited interventions, she is deciding what to focus on and where to receive her care. Her story, like many others, continues to be written.
Dr. Ilana Yurkiewicz
I am deeply aware of the difficulties that are a part of the world of cancer – and the heartbreak. How can we hold up scans triumphantly showing no recurrence in some patients while others suffer one failed treatment after another? When should we push for more therapy and when should we shift our efforts toward comfort? What should we prioritize – medically and personally – if time is limited?
These questions are hard, but I cannot think of any that are more meaningful.
This is a column about patients and uncertainty as I pursue my hematology and oncology fellowship and grapple with these questions. I look forward to sharing them with you each month.
Dr. Yurkiewicz is a fellow in hematology and oncology at Stanford (Calif.) University. Follow her on Twitter @ilanayurkiewicz.