A Letter From The Man Who Was Supposed To Have Died
The most positive thing is that it has made me appreciate ...
An old friend of mine is battling cancer. I shared with him this email from a patient who was given only a few months to live. I was personally encouraged by this note and have been sharing it with friends and patients in need. Please feel free to forward or share with your friends battling cancer. Here it is:
Dear Dr Yeung
I have just noticed your name in my outlook "contact" folder and I thought I
would drop you a line to update you.
In February 2000 I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, you operated and
removed the tumour and my left kidney. At the time, you advised me that I
now was in your record books on two counts, 1) largest scar, 2) largest
tumour. Unfortunately in July 2000 at a routine check, the cancer had
reappeared at the original site and spread to my lungs. The prognosis was
very bleak and I was given 6 to 12 months to live.
However, I returned to London, and have been helped by some remarkable
consultants. The recurrence at the original site turned out to be my spleen
that had moved into the space vacated by my kidney, the carcinoma in my
lungs was renal cell and has been kept in check with various chemo and
immuno therapy regimes. I remained clear for more than two years, but in
July 2003 the cancer appeared in my liver. I had further therapies and
surgery has successfully removed, the liver has regrown and is clear.
I am under no illusion that I will not eventually succumb to this horrible
disease, but I have always remained positive, and with the help of you and
the other remarkable doctors I fight on.
The most positive thing is that it has made me appreciate how precious life
is, and I enjoy every day to the full.
Regards and thanks,
NC
May your friends (or you) derive strength and wisdom from NC's experience.