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Even after a couple of years of negative scans and a decreasing frequency of visits to my oncologist, I still stop by this forum every once in a while, just to keep up with what's happening in the melanoma world.It's encouraging to see posts like that from Kim K who are even further out after treatment responses, and nice to read the posts of others checking in, still NED.
In some ways, I feel like I no longer belong to "the group," having had a rapid and complete response of my Stage IV disease with the ipi/nivo combo. I no longer feel like I am a Stage IV patient, even though, technically, I am but with the post script "in remission" on my medical record.
Several weeks into the clinical trial, when I first allowed myself to recognize the first signs of a reversal of my disease, I wrote a blog entry (http://daveschronicle.blogspot.com/2014/02/melanoma-time-for-stage-5.html) with a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that a new, Stage V category be added to the melanoma lexicon to represent those who have had a complete response to one of the newer therapies. I would like to think that Stage IV is behind me (even maintaining an awareness that recurrence, or a new primary, is still a possibility), and that the aspiration for the future is a natural progression for all Stage IV melanoma patients to a disease-free state of Stage V.
Good to hear from you and that you remain NED!!! I just had my Stage IV, but NED for 6 years anniversary, (melanoma for 13) this past April. However, don't know that I would like the title of Stage V. That has strong connotations of Emma Thompson's character in Wit….in which she notes…"we all know there is no Stage V!" How bout…. Stage 4-EVER!!!???? c
Good to hear from you and that you remain NED!!! I just had my Stage IV, but NED for 6 years anniversary, (melanoma for 13) this past April. However, don't know that I would like the title of Stage V. That has strong connotations of Emma Thompson's character in Wit….in which she notes…"we all know there is no Stage V!" How bout…. Stage 4-EVER!!!???? c
Good to hear from you and that you remain NED!!! I just had my Stage IV, but NED for 6 years anniversary, (melanoma for 13) this past April. However, don't know that I would like the title of Stage V. That has strong connotations of Emma Thompson's character in Wit….in which she notes…"we all know there is no Stage V!" How bout…. Stage 4-EVER!!!???? c
Glad you posted this, Dave! Always good to hear from folks that have been Stage IV and are holding steady at NED. We all need reminders that such a thing is possible. How about Stage IV-gettaboutit.
Glad you posted this, Dave! Always good to hear from folks that have been Stage IV and are holding steady at NED. We all need reminders that such a thing is possible. How about Stage IV-gettaboutit.
Glad you posted this, Dave! Always good to hear from folks that have been Stage IV and are holding steady at NED. We all need reminders that such a thing is possible. How about Stage IV-gettaboutit.
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