November 9, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. A Disease to Manage.

The Oncologist in Mexico was the first person to speak about my disease over the long haul. I had just met her and I was in her office to have my infusion chemotherapy. She was young and optimistic. And she mapped out my future. She told me that in the world of today, breast cancer is a disease that can be managed, just the same as diabetis. Her English was understandable but I had to listen carefully to her words. But she mapped out my plan. "First you will continue your infusion, which is strong. When your pleural effusion has gone along with the mass in your chest, you will switch to an oral chemotherapy, which you will be on and off for the rest of your life. But you will have a full, active live while you manage your disease". No one else had said that to me but she proved to be correct. While I was in her office, a lady came in to pick up a package. The good doctor told me that the lady was picking up her oral chemo. She looked healthy. She had her hair. I was looking at my future. She also told me that at the moment, there was no actual cure for my disease. But she pointed out to me a long list of other dieases in the same category. Even headaches she told me. There is no cure. But we manage our headaches. And she told me that my disease would be managed too. So now I continue along my path to manage my disease. I continue on Ibrance which has removed most cancer from my bones. And a year ago I took radiation treatments which removed a big cancer from my spine. Now tomorrow I will go for radiation to get rid of the new cancer in my sternum. All the while I live and enjoy my life. My disease is not cured. But it is being managed. My young Mexican Oncologist was correct.