Really good points, Celeste. What a blessing to have your sons.
I'm just going on and on here because I so deeply appreciated when other women were trying to share and be supportive for me in my toughest times, and I'm hoping I can give something back.
We all know that research is often funded by companies who want a particular outcome (usually to sell products), so whether it's good or bad research, you feel like you can't trust it. However, there's a ton of reliable research out there that isn't funded by manufacturers (esp. with BC). We WILL one day find a cure, but in the meantime...
We also know if you get one "definitive" answer, just wait a little and you'll get one proving the opposite. 😀 😀 All you can do is listen to trusted sources, get loaded up on info as best you can then make decisions you can live with, come what may. Only God gets to know all the answers.
Yes, definitely consult with your doctor - not for them to decide but to thoroughly inform you -- it's YOUR life at the end of the day. No matter what choices you make, cancer recurrence is ALWAYS a risk. If it comes back, we won't be able to prove why, whether you did or didn't choose any given treatment (anyone who says you can is selling something). So don't torture yourself. We're just improving our odds and making sure our quality of life now AND in the future is always at the core of our decisions.
Lean into God and have faith you'll be stronger and braver than ever at the end of this ride. < 3