A cancer survivor often contemplates which is the lesser of two evils – cancer or treatment?
PUBLISHED February 15, 2020
Jane has earned three advanced degrees and had several fulfilling careers as a librarian, rehabilitation counselor and college teacher. Presently she does freelance writing. Her articles include the subjects of hearing loss and deafness, service dogs and struggling with cancer. She has been a cancer survivor since 2010.
She has myelodysplastic syndrome, which is rare, and would love to communicate with others who have MDS.
I know I have an unusual perspective on the question of which is worse, the treatment or cancer, due to my type of cancer. In 2010, I was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). I could not pronounce it, much less spell it!She has myelodysplastic syndrome, which is rare, and would love to communicate with others who have MDS.
Approximately 10,000 cases are diagnosed each year. My unique type, del (5q), is only 10% of the total number of MDS, which makes this even more unusual. I was also younger than most people when first diagnosed, plus being a woman makes this rare because this disease is traditionally more prevalent in men. I only report this because every one of us has an unusual journey not to be compared to anyone else. Fortunately, my journey has been ten years long, which is a long time in the cancer world. MDS is treatable but not curable, and I knew this from the beginning.
As I contemplate the last ten years and ask myself which is worse – cancer or the treatment (in my case chemo) I honestly find it to be a toss-up!
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