I actually I planned to send you PM this Friday after hours when it is possible to do so by those of us using free I-Hub services. I was to ask you what were the symptoms that your dear wife experienced toward the end. Out of the blue this link was posted here on I-Hub where I could clearly see what I have experienced so far because it matched step by step my situation.
After reading it and realizing that I already match everything up to One to Two Weeks Prior to Death paragraph, at that moment I have decided to come out with my situation which I will explain to all of you reading this post in a few sentences.
Mid July during one week of hospitalization and after a bunch of CT's from head to toe was done, including PET and biopsy, it was discovered that I have a lung cancer, which already metastasized to many bones outside of my rib cage, never mind with the damage done to a few of my ribs and vertebra.
Doctors couldn't believe that I was in "dancing" mood and happy as a lark. When I provided them with links about bavituximab, in short version, I could tell that immunotherapy wasn't what they were trained for and also I was told that it is not available.
Then I expressed that I have read plenty about the nasty effects of chemotherapy or radiation treatments and I will not accept those treatments. I was reassured that all decisions are in my hands and I have right then signed my refusal in order to get Doctors and hospital of the hook.
I told them bluntly that I will not allow existing treatments to ruin my immune system and that I will continue this journey free of existing "medications" with the exception of pain killers which I depend on until now. Given that the end result (DEATH) is the same, I choose the path which will not ruin my immune system earlier than death by cancer anyway.
By the beginning of September I was done with visits to clinics and hospitals for consultations etc. Original hospital where I was in July provided me with the same prescription for pain killers which I started to use already during July's hospitalization. Early in October I consulted with a private doctor about pain killers that I was on and he immediately put me on different kind because the "stuff" that I was on would make a hole in my stomach. Here is my remark >>>>> Potentially I was to bleed to death instead of dying from cancer, lucky me!
Are you bored yet?
This private doctor in his late forties is a great fan of my situation because he loves attitude of this almost 72 years old patient. His own father died from same cancer and he was the most miserable man during his last months of life as per Doctor's words.
He strongly recommends that I keep my spirits up, carry on like nothing happen, enjoy good food, good wine and companionship of the best registered nurse whom I married 50 years ago.
That is where my biggest thank you goes to. To my sweetheart.
krakonos
P.S. When I asked doctors in July how come I was diagnosed so late with stage 4B since beside occasional discomfort during the past year and few "knife like" stabs under my shoulder blade here and there I was told this: PAIN IS YOUR FRIEND and you had no friend to bring here earlier.
P.P.S. I had an X-ray done about 2 years, which didn't show anything suspicious. That said, I was told that CT Scan would have shown it. So for those of you who like me brushed aside a bit of discomfort by being macho man it does pay, if available to you, to go to a private clinic and get a CT Scan done, since in many countries waiting time through medical care systems is horrendous.
I hope that my disclosure here may be one day helpful to some of you here.