Ryan,
Sorry to hear about your girlfriend. I hope everything works out for you guys. My father was given 6-8 months to live in ’90. He went to Duke U. to talk to the Dr’s because in SC he did not like what they had to say. He basically was trying to get into an experimental program that only 10-12 people (in the world!) were in at the time that had inoperable cancer. They told him the program was full. He stayed in Duke for months and would literally wait at the doorstep for these Dr’s day and night when they came and left from their office. To make a very long story shorter, they finally put him in the program to shut him up. His persistence really paid off. At the time the Dr’s that were doing this program told him that they were basically going to poison him and he was going to have to try and stay alive. The procedure was called interlukin 2 (sp). Its not chemo, it is applied with shots. Some patients died from the procedure. Most of the patients that did not die during treatment about (85%) are in total remission and are doing ok. This procedure is a lot more common now and all that were in this program had inoperable cancer. This was basically their last chance. My father is doing great now. He has to drive (or fly) to Duke every 6 months for his check-ups. Even know he bitches and moans about it, he knows how lucky he is. The best thing about this is that we are pretty tight now. Before we barely had a relationship after my parents got divorced.
Please don’t give up. Explore every avenue. They are making discoveries and finding cures everyday. I have a lot of info on his treatment if you would like copies, just email me offline. (t_dabney@yahoo.com)
Hang in there and give her everything she wants.
Tom