I Didn't Know You Were a Doctor!

Ever since my diagnosis in January of 2013, I have been given tons of unsolicited medical advice on what cures cancer. Everyone I knew, and even didn't know, turned in to highly educated medical oncologists. Any herb, supplement, fruit and illegal substance has hounded its way in to my news feed or Facebook page. Everyone knew someone, who knew someone, who knew someone who was cured of cancer by smoking or ingesting cannabis. Which, is a fancy name for the very illegal substance marijuana (married to a cop here, folks!).  A sister of an acquaintance was cured of cancer by sprinkling turmeric on her food. I should eat the fruit of the tree on the tallest mountain, that sits next to the purple primrose on a Saturday evening at approximately 8:02 while standing East on my head in a country I cannot even pronounce because if I didn't know, that cures cancer. And there’s the ever popular “cancer foods” that I should eat which prevent cancer. Prevent? I think we are a little late for that. And my ever favorite- of course, the pharmaceutical companies do not want me to know any of this. It's a big conspiracy. 

 I wasn't aware of your medical degree! I didn't know you spent roughly 14+ years working on your doctorate specializing in oncology. I mean let’s break it down, shall we.

You did all this:

-Finished Pre-med or obtained your Bachelor degree which takes approximately 4 years 
-Went to medical school which averages 3-4 years 
-Enrolled in a Residency program for 3 years
-Then took a couple months to study for your Board to qualify for fellowship 
-THEN worked on your fellowship for 2-3 years focusing on oncology 
- And finally completed your Board examination in Oncology which can take about 6 months

Congratulations, Doctor! And in the meantime, you ran clinical trials on your cancer curing hoopla, which can take years to get to human trials and YEARS in human trials before becoming approved.

Um, hello, I have cancer. I am pretttttyyy sure if there was a cure, I would know it before you or your sister, brother, aunt, great uncle or second cousin would. And not that I am a doctor, but I got me one of those. A specially skilled, highly educated, CHIEF of Oncology at my hospital. He’s the big cheese. I think he would be greatly offended if he didn't know there was a cure for cancer before the rest of the civilian population.

There is no cure for cancer, I don’t care what anyone says. I don’t care what you read and I sure as shit don’t care what your momma told ya! Please, read this carefully: Every single cancer cell in each person’s body is absolutely unique. There are no two people with the same kind of cancer cells in their body. Each person reacts differently to the drugs they use to treat cancer. Because, that’s all they do- treat it, they do not cure it. Sometimes the cancer cells react accordingly to a drug and diminish with no metastasizes, which is great- however, a person with similar type of cancer could react completely differently and end up with metastasizes. There are a gazillion environmental factors to add in, genetics and so on and so forth. I can tell you of many vegans, vegetarians, HEALTHY women you have died from breast cancer. Even if one person was “cured” from the fruit of a Zabillybonbon tree that does not mean it will work for the next thousand people in line after them. Because, let’s say it together, everyone’s cancer is different!

Am I being a smart ass? Yeah, I am. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but have you ever heard of the saying “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”? The same applies to this situation. If you yourself, have never been diagnosed with cancer, have never been through chemotherapy, the emotional tolls, side effects of radiation, the surgeries, the appointments, the heartache, the financial burdens- then you are not qualified to offer any unwelcomed medical advice to someone with cancer. How can you possibly know what it’s like unless you have been through it yourself? I know, I know, you’re just trying to be nice, and I get that, I really do; but seriously, if you don’t think I don’t know of, I don’t wish for- I don’t dream of a cure, you’re insane, because I think about it every second of every day of my life. It’s my reality. Not yours. If you want to do something nice for me, offer to cook a meal for my family during my upcoming double mastectomy, offer to help with the kids, drive me to an appointment, clean my house, offer anything other than medical advice.