Eight Out of Ten
When I was going through the medical procedures leading up
to my lung cancer surgery my surgeon, Dr. Wudel, explained that there would be
a better chance of long term survival if I would have the entire lower lobe of
my left lung removed. The removal of the
entire lobe would be more apt to get all the cancer. So, after the first surgery whenever the
cancerous tumor was removed and confirmed to be primary lung cancer there was a
decision to be made. The doctor’s
recommendation was to go back in and take the entire lobe which would give me
an 8 out of 10 chance of survival for five years or more.
I groaned to him that
8 out of 10 did not sound very good to me.
He assured me that 80% survival rate for five years or more was a good
percentage. But, somehow lying there
with tubes coming out of nearly all my bodily openings, IVs in both arms, two
drainage tubes in my back and side, heart monitors stuck all over my chest, and
oxygen in my nose, I did not feel extremely comfortable with 8 out of 10, nor
excited about going back into surgery.
Why not 10 out of 10? That would
have been more reassuring. Without the
total removal of the lobe the doctor would want me to return every three months
for a CT scan. As it turns out, even
with the lobe removal, he wants me to return every four months for x-rays and
an annual CT scan.
The entire episode caused me to think about
percentages. Obviously the 80% is an
average. For some the survival rate is
much less and for some much higher. So,
the 8 out of 10 is an average of all who have had this type of lung cancer
surgery. Can I beat the odds? Only time will tell. For the time being I must try to be satisfied
being an 8 out of 10. Thinking of the
number 8, have you ever played billiards or pool and experienced the
frustration of being behind the 8 ball?
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