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A monthly newsletter for
cancer patients and those that support them, including |
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Special Anniversary Issue!
Article: "You WILL Forget" We Were Featured in The Wall Street Journal!
Cancer humor from the trenches
This and that
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... About the Caring and Coping Newsletter Please forward us to everyone you know who is a patient, caregiver, survivor, or medical professional. (Be sure they know it's from you, though; I don't want them to think I spammed 'em!) Patients/caregivers: please tell your doctors, nurses, family, and friends about us! Medical professionals: please tell your patients and colleagues about us! |
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Article: "You WILL Forget" When Chris was in the middle of her chemo treatments a woman came to our table in a restaurant and said that she, too, had gone through chemo and wanted to know how Chris was doing. Chris had been approached before, but there was something different about this woman's demeanor. It soon became apparent what it was that was different. "Look at my hair," she said with enthusiasm, pointing to her long, thick, black locks. "It came back with a vengeance! It's curly now and I just love it!" Then came the pearl. "My treatments and chemo were hard, but now it's over and I barely remember it. It's amazing how quickly you forget the bad stuff." At the time, this was very comforting to hear because when you're in the middle of it it seems like it will never end. Here was reassurance from someone who had been there; she did not minimize the difficulty but rather acknowledged it, and then assured us that when it was over she would forget a lot of it. She was right. On this sixth anniversary of Chris's diagnosis we certainly remember that she went through chemotherapy (twice, now, as it turned out) but the memories of the unpleasant part of it have indeed faded. We can recall the treatments, the nurses, what was said, what we did, the driving to and from treatments, etc., but the side effects and discomfort are both a distant memory. Here's the best part - we didn't have to do any work or anything special for this to happen! I guess it's just human nature, sort of like the pain of childbirth. I don't have any personal experience with this because neither Chris nor I have ever actually given birth, but we have it on good authority that it is a pain that is quickly forgotten. Although the reasons for this are different than the reasons we forget about the unpleasantness of treatment, I'm going to stick with the analogy. With childbirth it is the joy of the result that causes you to forget the pain. With treatments it is the joy and sense of accomplishment when it is over. What I'm saying here is to take heart that, although it is discouraging and difficult to go through your treatments, you WILL come out the other side and forget the bad stuff. Our restaurant friend did. Chris did. You will too. |
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Cancer humor from
the trenches ...from audiences, readers, and me! After a recent program in Columbus, OH a woman offered this: "I have a friend who couldn't bear to have her head shaved, so she waited until the very last minute. After she came back from the salon with her hair cut to the nubs, she was sitting on the couch with her husband when her teenage son walked in. He took one look and said, "I hope you didn't pay for that haircut!" |
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While I was in Columbus I had the opportunity to visit the Zangmeister Clinic, which was very impressive to say the least. The decor and feel of the facility was so soothing and peaceful it was hard to believe that such serious medicine was practiced there. And BIG; room for 90 chemo chairs! (As a point of reference, our wonderful clinic has 8.) "Only" 45 were in use, though, the other 45 were for expansion. Just about every clinic I visit has a unique innovation, and Zangmeister was no different. Their claim to fame is painted ceiling tiles above the chemo chairs. They are painted by school children, family of patients, and by the patients themselves and the colors and variety were stunning. How comforting it must be to gaze at something so beautiful and personal during chemo infusions. |
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Meanwhile, back at the
ranch... With all of the nature that surrounds us in the mountains, every now and then we happen upon one of those rare but wonderful glimpses into that wonderful world that we rarely see. Not too long ago we noticed the horses standing together in their turnout enjoying the sun and each other's company. Not too unusual. But what WAS unusual was the two ravens, one of which was sitting on each horse's back, enjoying the moment with them! |
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Our mission is to reduce stress and restore hope for cancer patients and their families. We do this by sharing our unique perspective in order to:
Caring and Coping is a no-cost component of
The
Patient/Partner Project.
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Why am I getting this newsletter?
The Patient/Partner Project (c) 2008 A Few Good People, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
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