DOES CANCER BECOME WHO WE ARE?

By Jane Biehl PhD Several of us bloggers have written about how cancer has impacted us. We fight to tell people “I am more than my cancer.” The slogan for Cure Today, which I love, is “I am more than a patient.” I certainly agree and there are many other aspects of......

HEALTH MONITORING AFTER CANCER-SHOULD WE LET STUFF GO?

I was receiving a stern and deserved lecture from my eye doctor. “It’s been too long since you have been here.” “Oh two years,” I replied. Since I waited five years before that appointment, I was actually proud of myself. “No- it has been three and a half years,” he corrected me.......

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......

ATTITUDE MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

The attitude we have makes a huge difference in our lives and with cancer it can help us to live longer! I bought a doggy daily calendar online for 2019 with all different breeds of dogs. There is a wise saying for each day pictured with an adorable dog. I am truly......

CANCER IS TRYING TO TEACH ME PATIENCE

Impatience was my worst trait growing up. I was constantly reminded how low my patience level was. I remember my mother repeatedly telling me over and over again, “You need to be patient.” Now that she is gone, my older sister has reminded me a time or two about this. I laugh......

CANCER SURVIVORS: TAKE IT DAY BY DAY, KEEP PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Sometimes all we can do it put one foot in front of the other to keep going. Recently I was lucky enough to be featured in a newspaper article highlighting my books and telling about my journey with first hearing loss, then cancer. The reporter, unknown to me, interviewed a wonderful friend......

HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL? A QUESTION TO ASK CANCER SURVIVORS

I learned a long time ago whenever someone had a tragedy happen – such as a loss of a loved one – to say less rather than more. A platitude like “This is God’s will,” or “There is a reason for everything that happens,” is just not what the person needs to......

CANCER IS A LOT LIKE DRAWING

JANE BIEHL PHD PUBLISHED DECEMBER 04, 2019 What do erasers, drawings, cancer and life all have in common? More than you might think. One of the hardest things about life is our uncertain future. Will we live a long or short life? When will we die? Will we be sick for a......

PLEASE QUIT TELLING ME IT’S NOT THE CANCER

Many people have shared their experiences after a cancer diagnosis and treatment with me. I have several friends on Facebook, who mention a secondary cancer, a new diagnosis, or another medical problem that they feel is related to their cancer, but have been dismissed by both friends and professionals. However, I monitor......

WHICH IS WORSE, CANCER OR TREATMENT?

A cancer survivor often contemplates which is the lesser of two evils – cancer or treatment? I know I have an unusual perspective on the question of which is worse, the treatment or cancer, due to my type of cancer. In 2010, I was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). I could not......

THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

I have been on the Patient Advisory Council for our local cancer center for several years. I was asked by the staff to be on it and felt privileged to join. I realized after I became a part of this inspiring group of cancer survivors that the people on the committee are......

A SIMPLE SCRATCH AND CANCER

Sometimes on the cancer journey, the side effects of treatment are not always the ones you expect. Most of us cancer survivors know the reality of “typical” (for lack of a better word) side effects of cancer and chemo. I am going to lump cancer and chemo together because we often are......