PARCELING ENERGY WITH CANCER

“You look great. You have so much energy. You must be feeling good.” Daily I am bombarded with comments like this from well-meaning friends and relatives. Sometimes I just want to scream, “It is all an act, a façade. I am exhausted and all I want to do is go home and......

BEING VULNERABLE IS OK

I was incredibly naïve about cancer until I was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic syndrome. Previously I had believed that cancer was treated by surgery, radiation or chemo. The patient went into remission once the treatments were finished, and was done unless the cancer returned. A blood cancer is decidedly different. With MDS, since......

LIFE IS LIKE A PUZZLE

When I became a rehabilitation counselor several years ago, I had many clients whose lives had been turned upside down. I worked for a state vocational agency helping people with disabilities to obtain a job. We had wonderful resources at our command, including the latest technology, money to assist for college and......

HEARING LOSS DUE TO CHEMO

The diagnosis of hearing loss is a difficult one for any patient. However, it seems to pale in contrast to being diagnosed with a potentially deadly cancer diagnosis. After all, a hearing loss is a nuisance, but will not kill you. Cancer is much more serious. This is an attitude many professionals,......

CHEMO FOG IS NOT FUNNY – IT IS SCARY!

I was leaving the drive through at Wendy’s and glanced down at the passenger’s seat. My drink was in the cup holder, but where was my taco salad? I groaned as the person working in the drive through knocked on my window. I asked her where my “stuff” was. Alas, I couldn’t......

CANCER SURVIVORS AND OLYMPIANS: ARE THEY REALLY SO DIFFERENT?

I am one of the many Americans who love the Olympics, and the winter ones are my favorite. I enjoy the entire range of events from skiing, to snowboarding to ice skating. Ice skating is special to me. I am truly mesmerized by the gracefulness and beauty of the ice skaters gliding......

DO NOT WASTE TIME WITH CANCER – OR WITHOUT IT!

One of my dearest college friend’s, who knows me like a sister, gave me a wonderful plaque after I was diagnosed with cancer. It is a quote by Vivian Greene and says “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass: It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” I look at......

THE GIVING TREE AND CANCER

As a former children’s librarian, one of my favorite books was the classic story of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I used this book many times for storytelling. I learned the story in sign language to add more drama and meaning to the plot. I told the tale with a wide......

THE ANXIETY OF THE BONE MARROW BIOPSY

Any of us who has a blood cancer are likely to have undergone at least one bone marrow biopsy. This is a procedure where the doctor goes into the back of the hipbone and removes a small amount of liquid marrow. Then the doctor removes a small piece of bone tissue and......

PLEASE JUST HOLD MY HAND

I have been battling cancer for over eight years now. Eight years of chemo with devastating side effects. Eight years of going monthly and sometimes five days a month into the Cancer Center reminding me I am not well. Eight years of roller coaster ups and downs and in and out of......

LEARNING TO WALK AGAIN!

I have mentioned several times that I have a hearing-ear dog who accompanies me everywhere. She is my ears, my safety net, my constant companion, and my heart. She has alerted me to many dangerous and important sounds over the past ten years ranging from doorbells, to phones, to people coming up......

THE MAGIC OF TOUCH IN HEALING

Sometimes I think I should have been an anthropologist. I am fascinated by other cultures and religions and pounce on every chance to learn about them. Here in the U.S., we often make the mistake of thinking we are a more civilized culture. Recently, however, many of us are realizing having the......