When Steve Lockwood was diagnosed with cancer he was discouraged. But instead of giving up, he and his wife Joannie started talking to friends, co-workers and physicians. They did their homework and looked at all their options. That's when the decision became clear.
The Diagnosis
In April 2010, Steve was experiencing mild diaphragmatic pain. He began treating it with aspirin, but the pain continued to linger. A month went by without any change, so his physician ordered "a battery of tests," including a CT scan, to determine the cause.
His diagnosis was devastating - Steve had stage IV pancreatic cancer. "Since the outcome of this type of cancer is poor, I was somewhat discouraged," says Steve. "I wanted to know what the timeline might be for survival, so I could get my affairs in order." Sadly, his physician gave him only six months to live.
Seeking Options
Joannie began gathering information and asking people for referrals. Her co-worker recommended Dr. Nagourney. She spoke very highly of him, so they immediately made an appointment. "He was very honest about my case," says Steve. "Dr. Nagourney made no promises, but told me he had success in similar cases."
After exploring a number of other options at highly respected cancer centers in Southern California, Steve and Joannie decided to go with Dr. Nagourney's course of treatment, as it made the most sense to them. "It was nice to be offered some hope and a realistic representation of my chances of survival," says Steve.
Second Chance
It has been one year since the diagnosis and they are enjoying their lives together. "We feel completely blessed for every minute," says Joannie. "In the beginning, it was not a good prognosis, but things did turn around and I'm here today to talk about it," says Steve.
Read more about patients and families whose lives have been touched by Rational Therapeutics.
