It's a trap. A trap of hope and what-ifs. I've fallen into it. Every time someone asks me "How is your mom doing?" it's followed by "I know someone who. . . ." had this kind of cancer and lived 15 years.
My mother told me she didn't want to hear any of those stories, but she called me on Sunday to repeat one about the guy who was given 6 months and lived 15 years after he went to MD Anderson. This inspired her to make the decision to try to get in there. I encouraged her. At this point, what can it hurt? The oncologist only said "I don't know. It won't be weeks or months. It's very slow-growing." So it could be years or a decade or more. Hell, no one knows for sure regardless. It's all in the mind and how you approach it.
For now, the stories don't have an impact on me. I don't discourage them. People want to help. It gives them a way of expressing empathy. Right now, I appreciate it. But it might be weeks or months when I won't.
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