Postby gfpiv » Tue Oct 30, 2018 7:10 pm
Mike, for what it's worth, I think you're doing exactly the right thing to give yourself the best fighting chance to beat this thing, despite the huge inconvenience and cost. And I'm incredibly frustrated on your behalf about the discontinuation of the Codman pump...IMHO it should be borderline illegal not to allow another company to use the patent to produce it "generically"...we're literally talking about lives in the balance. Of course, it all boils down to money...Codman pumps are relatively cheap to make, last a long time, and only have a limited universe of consumers (300 per year, reportedly)...so why would they care that much about continuing to produce them if it didn't add much to their bottom line? I wonder if J&J company's calculus might change a little if the CEO or a member of his family developed a case of stage IV colon cancer?
Sorry for the cynical attitude, I just wish more patients had the option of this criminally underrated treatment that has given me and so many others here a new lease on life. In any case, I hope that whatever treatment path you take, you have a long and happy future ahead of you too. And kudos for taking the responsibility of educating yourself and being your own best advocate.
-Chip
Chip
DX stage IV CC Jan '10, numerous unresectable liver mets
FOLFOX + Avastin Feb-Jul '10
Colon resection, HAI install Aug '10
Systemic FOLFIRI and hepatic FUDR Dec'10-May'12
Chemo break May'12-pres (tumors calcified & stable, knock on wood)
Billiary bypass surgery and SBRT on pesky liver met in 2015