This was the question Jeff & I asked ourselves when he was diagnosed with Stage 2 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  It was also the question that friends and family asked as well.  It was not a decision we arrived at lightly or even quickly.  When we had received all the information surrounding the diagnosis, treatment, timeline and cost, we reached out to our General Practitioner back in Canada to ask the tough questions.  Would they accept the Cat Scan, bloodwork, ultrasound tests etc. results, or would they need to run them all again? How quickly would Jeff be referred to see an Oncologist, and could we choose who that doctor would be or where he would be treated? And most importantly how fast would treatments begin?  These questions were what we NEEDED to know now!  It would determine whether we proceeded with the recommended treatment here in Mexico or booked flights home to treat it in Canada.  The answers to those questions were not reassuring, nor were they a guarantee.  Our GP stated, he could refer us to our small-town local Oncologist, that It would be up to him to accept the results of the tests, and it would be up to that doctor to determine whether he would refer us to a Cancer treatment centre in Toronto like Princess Margaret Hospital that specializes in these types of treatments.  There would be no guarantee on when we could see the Oncologist, to how quickly treatment could begin.  The other questions we asked ourselves were, where would we stay? we would need to be somewhat close to his treatments, which meant the possibility of renting an apartment, which also meant not being able to control Jeffs environment.  It wasn’t as though he needed to live in a bubble, however Covid or even the common cold could be a risk to his ongoing treatments and recovery.  So, after weighing the pros and cons, we decided with a resounding YES, to proceeding with treatment here in Mexico. We needed to be proactive not reactive with this situation.    Why?  Because from tests, biopsy, and treatments, we could start NOW!  not 2 weeks, a month or more later.  We were not willing to wait and see if Jeffs Cancer would move to a Stage 3 or 4.  Now, some may say, but now you have to pay for all of the treatments, meds, test etc.  Yes, we did, and it was worth every single peso!  When I mentioned in a previous post it was a no brainer, here is why: All tests (bloodwork, cat scans etc.) are done daily here at state of the art hospitals and labs in the 2nd biggest city Guadalajara, Mexico, our doctors made themselves available via calling or Whatsapping them, to which they would respond typically within minutes to hours to any questions/concerns we had, the comfort of Jeff’s treatment room and the amazingly attentive nurses and staff at Anker Clinic (see photo for room Jeff was treated in monthly), and last but certainly not least of all, the support system of friends and family, and comfort of our own home.  It felt like in Canada, we would be isolated from everything and everyone, but here at our home, we would not have to battle this alone!