"Parenthood" TV Show

pip57

I just finished watching the final episode of Parenthood.  I have been riveted by the breast cancer storyline this season.  

I thought they did an amazing job with the dx and tx.  It brought back many memories, good and bad.  However, I thought that they really glossed over things with the last show.  She bounces back from her cumulative tx very quickly.  Could any of you celebrate that day in a sitting position with a glass of wine?  And then the doctor says she is 'cancer free' just because he couldn't find anything on a scan.  Isn't NED the usual term and much more accurate these days? And then he tells her that you won't be considered 'cured' until 5 years out?  We are all too well aware that this is not true, yet people still seem to believe that.  

I guess I was most disappointed because it fed into the perception that once tx is over, you just re-enter life and get on with it.  I know that she gave that little speech about how it changed her, but will we see that in the future?  Thinning hair, neuropathy, lymphodema, scanxiety, vulnerbility......

Overall, I thought they did a better job dealing with the subject than other shows have done.  I just hope that they don't just leave it there and sweep it under the rug in future episodes.  That would be disappointing.

marjie

I'm not 100% up to date on it, but have been impressed with it too.  I really related with a lot of what was portrayed, and it opened some discussions where I would recall feeling a certain way, or my DH would remember something, and we'd talk about it...easier now that it's in the past.

I guess in TV land they can't really drag it out with all the ongoing SE's, health effects of the chemo/rads....but I get what you're saying!  I was wondering about her diagnosis because it was similar to mine (HER2+++) and I had a year of Herceptin, but I don't think they are doing that.  On the whole it was a little more realistic for some bits, but quickly taken care of and now "everything's fine" will kind of send the wrong message.  Let's face it - it's cancer, there's no cure...you are only a survivor until something else kills you! lol

msjag

I didn't see all the episodes, what I did like  on the last episode was the fact that when her husband eluded to "your done, now we can go celebate in hawaii"  she was able to express that it wasn't over just because the treatment was over.  So many people who haven't dealt with this have that opinion, you're done with chemo/rads, so its done.  I think Marjie is right, they won't drag out all the side effects, but at least it was one of the more realistic shows dealing with BC.   (margie, can you believe we are approaching 2 years since the start of rads.. I think Feb 3 was my last chemo and rads in march!)