ON CANADIANS, THE COLD AND CANCER

I recently returned from a scenic and wonderful cruise to the eastern seaboard of Canada along the St. Lawrence Seaway. I visited several communities. In Canada, they do not call these population centers villages, cities or towns, but communities. Every sign on the road as you drive along says welcome to our......

LIGHT SHINES THROUGH THE CRACKS OF CANCER

“Ring the bells that still may ring, Forget your perfect offering, There’s a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in” I would not expect a crime mystery to have a verse like this which was written by Leonard Cohen. However, it is highlighted in the famous book, A Fatal Grace,......

STILL LIFE AND CANCER- TEACHINGS FROM A MYSTERY NOVEL

A favorite mystery author for many readers is Louise Penny and her featured detective, Armand Gamache. I have several friends and relatives who kept recommending these books. I decided to read the first one in the series when I visited Montreal, where the fictional characters live. It is titled Still Life, and......

WHY AM I ALWAYS SO TIRED – A LOOK INTO CANCER FATIGUE

Fatigue is an often-mentioned side effect from cancer and its various treatments. It is not the type of fatigue where a good night’s sleep will “cure” us. It just seems to go on and on. A standard dictionary definition of fatigue, according to Medicine, is, “extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion......

A CANCER LESSON FROM A TV SHOW

It is interesting to observe the lessons one can learn from a supposedly recreational television program. I was watching a new series this year called “New Amsterdam.” Surprisingly, the show features a medical director of the hospital who has cancer. He was talking to a Rabbi with cancer faced with what seemed......

CANCER SURVIVORS WAIT FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP

“I am waiting for the other shoe to drop,” is a popular expression I have heard many times. I thought I understood this saying, but I truly didn’t until I was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer typically isn’t treated the way I originally thought, which was a straight line from diagnosis to treatment......

THE GIFT OF WINTER FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

I have a wonderful friend who does Reiki on me. She is very special, and a spiritual person. We were talking about winter coming up and I mentioned I was behind in my writing. “Winter is such a gift” She said. “People don’t realize they can stay inside and get things done......

CANCER CHANGES EVERYTHING – AND NOTHING

I was watching a television show I have mentioned in some other articles. The show “New Amsterdam” features a medical director of a hospital who has cancer. He talks honestly about his cancer journey. One of the statements he made to a colleague was, “Cancer changes everything – and nothing.” I stared......

BEING OFF CHEMO MAY BE TEMPORARY – BUT SO IS LIFE!

Being in remission can be both exhilarating and scary! As many of my readers know, I have a blood type of cancer and thought I would be on chemo without a break for the rest of my life. We all know that putting chemo into our bodies is pouring poison into our......

COPING WITH THE TIDAL WAVE OF CANCER

By Jane Biehl PhD Like many people I was very naïve about how much cancer would change my life. I thought that one got cancer, was treated and afterwards was “cured” and moved on. Of course I knew there were others who passed away from this devastating disease, and have lost dear......

HOPE IS AROUND THE CORNER FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

I was feeling upset and depressed. I had a terribly insensitive oncologist early in my cancer journey who told me that the average length of time for this type of cancer was 104 months. The worst of it is she stated this with same emotion as asking me if I wanted a......

CANCER AND ANGELS IN DISGUISE

I have been asked several times whether I believe in angels, and I do. I remember my Mother telling me that my sister was a preschooler when she insisted she saw an angel. My wise mother never attempted to dissuade her. How do we really know that angels don’t appear to innocent......