OkayMeanwhile

My oncologist tried to stop my chemotherapy* treatment last week because of a one-page synopsis he had read regarding my recent MRI, which mentioned that one of my brain tumors had progressed. It turns out he had never actually looked at the MRI itself; and the specialist who wrote the synopsis had not actually compared the new images to my previous MRI from 2024. I was skeptical, as my symptoms had not progressed; so I asked my oncologist to show me a comparison of the two most recent MRIs, to demonstrate the growth. So, he brought them up on his screen and showed me a clear difference between image on the left and one on the right. "But the one on the left is the 2017 MRI," I said. "We both know the tumor has grown since then." The doctor was surprised, and said, "You're right. I'm not sure why the 2024 MRI isn't showing up." Anyway, we had to go to a different room and use a different computer to find last year's images. When my oncologist finally brought them up, he realized there was a clear REDUCTION in the size of my tumor, as well as a loss of contrast, indicating that the tumor was dying. So, the chemotherapy was working after all! Had I taken my doctor at his word, and stopped my chemotherapy, I would have soon needed an extremely risky brain surgery that would have changed my life forever. We are living through a crisis of competence in America — or is it in the world as a whole? It is absolutely essential that we remain vigilant and look out for our own health, because we apparently can no longer trust our doctors to do it for us. Remember to ask questions, get second opinions and, above all, don't just assume that your doctor is infallible. Now more than ever, your life is in your own hands.