Guest fountainhall Posted September 3, 2010 Posted September 3, 2010 Catherine Zeta-Jones, wife of actor Michael Douglas, has expressed her fury in People magazine that her husband’s throat cancer was not discovered earlier. "He sought every option and nothing was found. I knew something was up. He knew something was up." Douglas, who was diagnosed three weeks ago, has completed his first week of two months' radiation and chemotherapy. Earlier this week, Douglas told US talk show host David Letterman that a biopsy had revealed he had "stage four cancer", which means the cancer has spread. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11162442 Years ago I had a friend who had also felt something was wrong at the back of his tongue, but had waited for well over a year to have it checked. Eventually a doctor took a biopsy which was discovered to be cancerous. An operation removed a small part of the tongue, he completed chemotherapy and was told there was no more cancer. The surgeon had caught it in time. Three months later he again felt something wrong. Initially he was told, don’t worry. Only later was it discovered that the cancer had reappeared. This time, he flew to London for an operation by a specialist in that type of cancer. Half his tongue was removed. The cancer had not spread. Yet another three months later, I met him and his wife at a party. He was not looking happy. He told me that, whilst he had been told during his latest check-up that all was well, he “knew” and could “feel” the cancer was back. Sure enough, within another 6 weeks he was sitting in the same surgeon’s office being told that his only hope of survival was for half his entire face to be amputated. His wife asked if taking that horrific and drastic step would ensure the cancer would be destroyed. The only comment the surgeon made was that if the operation did not take place, her husband would be dead within 2 or 3 months. So Mike had the right side of his face removed. After the operation, the surgeon had to tell his wife that the operation was not a success. Mike died 2 months later. If there is a moral to this sad tale, it must be that we should all pay attention to and act on what our own bodies are telling us. I am sure tj will agree with that. Quote
