If you know anyone who has ever had brain cancer or cared for a brain cancer patient, you know this is a very tough situation. Depending on the type of tumor, the prognosis is often very pessimistic.
Lasers have been used to treat cancers since the seventies, but brain surgery is always risky. The idea of using heat to "cook" a tumor is not something people find easy to embrace. Is this changing with the AutoLITT system developed by Monteris, a Canadian company?
This technology is being used to treat gioblastomas and other difficult-to-treat brain cancers, especially helpful for high-risk patients. It's minimally invasive and pain-free. Many patients are up and walking less than 24 hours after treatment.
This new treatment for brain tumors was approved for use in 2009. There are reportedly almost a dozen hospitals in the country that currently offer the technology. Among them are the Smilow Cancer Center (Yale-New Haven), the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Monteris just secured $9 million in new financing, offering hope to many cancer families that their loved ones may have access to the AutoLITT treatment. As more and more doctors are trained to use the system, patients will have more and better options, even when their brain tumors are untreatable by more conventional means.
If you or a loved one have a brain tumor that has not been successfully treated, AutoLITT may make a difference in cancer management. Some patients may gain only six months, while others gain years. It's not always easy to predict the success rate. Sometimes hanging in there means you live to fight another day. When the tide turns, it's important to be there and take advantage of the opportunities. The good times are what help you to ride out the bad. That's what cancer management is all about -- part hope, part patient advocacy, part persistence. Quality of life is always important, and the AutoLITT system seems to work with that concept.
If you feel that you or your loved one can benefit from treatment, don't hesitate to find out more. Tackle the issue head on and get the facts. It may or may not fit the needs of your family situation, but if it does, it's worth considering when all else has failed.
If you want more information about Monteris and its AutoLITT system, check out their website:
http://www.monteris.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like more help as a cancer caregiver, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides
If you would like a free copy of my ebooks in popular formats, visit my Smashwords pages:
The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love
The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Caregiver Support: How to Help Yourself
These are also available at Amazon, Baker and Taylor, Barnes and Noble, Diesel, Kobo, and Sony.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Where You're Treated Matters -- Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center
I've heard horror stories from cancer patients and their caregivers about their experiences with cancer treatment in various hospitals and medical centers. From people being shuffled off into solitary confinement for the lonely hours of intravenous drips to a serious lack of communication on the part of medical staff with such relevant information as a loved one's terminal condition, the list of complaints is often long and scary.
That was not my mother's case when she was treated by the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center and I can prove it. After more than two years, I can still tell you a little something about the people who cared for her. That's because they were memorable for the compassion and kindness they showed my mother throughout her treatment.
What can I tell you about Dr. Dowsett? Behind his serious demeanor lurked a good sense of humor, and sometimes he would make a wry, unexpected comment that had us laughing. He always sported a really spiffy tie, thanks to his bargain-hunting wife, also a physician. My mother loved that he appreciated his wife's efforts to make him a "GQ" guy. If I asked about a new kind of treatment in the news, he would explain what was and wasn't appropriate in my mother's case. That may not sound like a big deal, but it demonstrated to me that he was up-to-date in his knowledge of advances in radiation practices for cancer treatment. That instills confidence in the patient and family.
My mother adored Shelley, the radiation nurse who checked her in on each visit to radiology. "You remind me of Meryl Streep!" she would say as Shelley took her vital signs. With a calm, patient manner, Shelley would smile sweetly, never mentioning that she was much, much younger than the Oscar-winning actress. Never rushing my mother, always supportive, Shelley was a reassuring presence during exams.
Diane was the nurse who would always stop by to say hi while we were waiting in the radiology lounge. Cheerful, approachable, she always wanted feedback on what was working and what wasn't working. This genuine interest in helping us get my mother through cancer treatment counted for a lot. Diane, like my mother, loved good movies, and she introduced us to the joys (and convenience)of Netflix. When my mother was too ill to go out, we signed up for Netflix and she had the chance to see some really good movies.
Carl and the other "kids" in the radiology meant a lot to my mother. That's because they always treated her with affectionate respect. Carl used to surprise my mother when he spotted her waiting for her chemotherapy. He would sneak up, appearing at my mother's side to offer a big, friendly greeting. She was thrilled for him when Carl graduated from school and was hired as a full-time radiation tech.
Anne, the nutrition expert, was literally a life-saver. As a lot of cancer patients do, my mother lost too much weight before we were able to reverse the trend. Anne sat with us in her office, explaining how to feed a cancer patient who also happened to have diabetes. With a hearty laugh and a quick wit, she offered encouragement and sage advice, and she helped us understand my mother's frustration with the need to eat and lack of appetite, offering positive solutions to get her back on track.
With a radiant smile and twinkling eyes, Denise was one of the kindest, gentlest people in the oncology department, which was good, because she was the one taking blood samples. I remember her as "the hugger", who would wrap her arms around my mother and tell her how happy she was to see her again. My mother looked forward to seeing her on visits to the hospital and to receiving that hug.
Karen was my mother's oncology nurse, always sashaying in and out of the treatment room with the patience of a saint, no feathers ruffled even on the most hectic of days. What I liked about Karen was that I could call her with a question and she would get back to me with the answer. She was always good at sharing tips about managing the side effects of the cancer drugs my mother was receiving, clearing up any confusion and helping us to know what to expect.
When Karen had a day off, Donna would often fill in, dispensing my mother's chemotherapy drugs. A very experienced nurse, she was always available if there was a problem. I ran into her at the grocery store after my mother passed away and I felt compelled to thank her for all of the wonderful treatment she and the others provided. They made chemotherapy bearable for her.
Marcia? Oh, full of life and passionate! On her stark white lab coat, she used to add her own whimsical touches, like big, colorful buttons. Marcia, as a nurse practitioner, was the one who explained things about over-the-counter medications interfering with the chemotherapy. If one pain reliever didn't work well enough or was dangerous on certain treatment days, she had no qualms about prescribing another. Comfort was paramount. Marcia was a problem-solver who liked things to go right for patients, so she often went out of her way to make good things happen.
Dr. Bob's office was like a whimsical version of what a doctor's office would look like on the Cartoon Network, and I think it defined him not only as a doctor, but also as a human being. There were illustrations done by his young patients taped up to the walls, along with a Sponge Bob Square Pants figure. The jungle-print drapes, solar-powered pith helmet, and photograph of him jogging in Africa amongst a herd of elephants were all part of a decorating blitz by Marcia and a few others in the department to celebrate Dr. Bob's vacation in Africa. You've got to love a guy who does such serious work and surrounds himself with very "unserious" stuff. Dr. Bob was a straight-shooter as an oncologist. He was big on quality of life, something my mother really appreciated. Dr. Bob always treated her with respect, making it clear that it was her decision on when to say enough was enough. It made it easier for me, when her health had seriously deteriorated, to ask her if she felt she was ready to go into hospice care. As a result, we got a lot done in her final weeks, tackling the things that mattered most to her and fulfilling her wishes.
I could go on and talk about the valet parking attendants, who always hustled to get the car back as quickly as possible. My mother loved the greeter at the front desk and even the "gift shop lady". I appreciated Dr. Dowsett's and Dr. Bob's schedulers. They offered appointments that fit my mother's physical limitations and need to rest.
Does the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center sound to you like a scary, cold, or unfeeling place to go if you have cancer or like a patient-focused medical facility where the staff is welcoming and warm? A cancer treatment center is always more than just a single doctor or nurse. It takes many people to get the job done. With a disease like this, especially if the cancer is manageable, you and your loved one are likely to spend a great deal of time there. All the more reason to make quality of life and treatment a priority by picking a good cancer center.
For more help as a caregiver, visit:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
For a free copy of my ebook in popular formats, visit:
The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love
You can also find my free caregiver guides at Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, Baker and Taylor, as well as Smashwords.
That was not my mother's case when she was treated by the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center and I can prove it. After more than two years, I can still tell you a little something about the people who cared for her. That's because they were memorable for the compassion and kindness they showed my mother throughout her treatment.
What can I tell you about Dr. Dowsett? Behind his serious demeanor lurked a good sense of humor, and sometimes he would make a wry, unexpected comment that had us laughing. He always sported a really spiffy tie, thanks to his bargain-hunting wife, also a physician. My mother loved that he appreciated his wife's efforts to make him a "GQ" guy. If I asked about a new kind of treatment in the news, he would explain what was and wasn't appropriate in my mother's case. That may not sound like a big deal, but it demonstrated to me that he was up-to-date in his knowledge of advances in radiation practices for cancer treatment. That instills confidence in the patient and family.
My mother adored Shelley, the radiation nurse who checked her in on each visit to radiology. "You remind me of Meryl Streep!" she would say as Shelley took her vital signs. With a calm, patient manner, Shelley would smile sweetly, never mentioning that she was much, much younger than the Oscar-winning actress. Never rushing my mother, always supportive, Shelley was a reassuring presence during exams.
Diane was the nurse who would always stop by to say hi while we were waiting in the radiology lounge. Cheerful, approachable, she always wanted feedback on what was working and what wasn't working. This genuine interest in helping us get my mother through cancer treatment counted for a lot. Diane, like my mother, loved good movies, and she introduced us to the joys (and convenience)of Netflix. When my mother was too ill to go out, we signed up for Netflix and she had the chance to see some really good movies.
Carl and the other "kids" in the radiology meant a lot to my mother. That's because they always treated her with affectionate respect. Carl used to surprise my mother when he spotted her waiting for her chemotherapy. He would sneak up, appearing at my mother's side to offer a big, friendly greeting. She was thrilled for him when Carl graduated from school and was hired as a full-time radiation tech.
Anne, the nutrition expert, was literally a life-saver. As a lot of cancer patients do, my mother lost too much weight before we were able to reverse the trend. Anne sat with us in her office, explaining how to feed a cancer patient who also happened to have diabetes. With a hearty laugh and a quick wit, she offered encouragement and sage advice, and she helped us understand my mother's frustration with the need to eat and lack of appetite, offering positive solutions to get her back on track.
With a radiant smile and twinkling eyes, Denise was one of the kindest, gentlest people in the oncology department, which was good, because she was the one taking blood samples. I remember her as "the hugger", who would wrap her arms around my mother and tell her how happy she was to see her again. My mother looked forward to seeing her on visits to the hospital and to receiving that hug.
Karen was my mother's oncology nurse, always sashaying in and out of the treatment room with the patience of a saint, no feathers ruffled even on the most hectic of days. What I liked about Karen was that I could call her with a question and she would get back to me with the answer. She was always good at sharing tips about managing the side effects of the cancer drugs my mother was receiving, clearing up any confusion and helping us to know what to expect.
When Karen had a day off, Donna would often fill in, dispensing my mother's chemotherapy drugs. A very experienced nurse, she was always available if there was a problem. I ran into her at the grocery store after my mother passed away and I felt compelled to thank her for all of the wonderful treatment she and the others provided. They made chemotherapy bearable for her.
Marcia? Oh, full of life and passionate! On her stark white lab coat, she used to add her own whimsical touches, like big, colorful buttons. Marcia, as a nurse practitioner, was the one who explained things about over-the-counter medications interfering with the chemotherapy. If one pain reliever didn't work well enough or was dangerous on certain treatment days, she had no qualms about prescribing another. Comfort was paramount. Marcia was a problem-solver who liked things to go right for patients, so she often went out of her way to make good things happen.
Dr. Bob's office was like a whimsical version of what a doctor's office would look like on the Cartoon Network, and I think it defined him not only as a doctor, but also as a human being. There were illustrations done by his young patients taped up to the walls, along with a Sponge Bob Square Pants figure. The jungle-print drapes, solar-powered pith helmet, and photograph of him jogging in Africa amongst a herd of elephants were all part of a decorating blitz by Marcia and a few others in the department to celebrate Dr. Bob's vacation in Africa. You've got to love a guy who does such serious work and surrounds himself with very "unserious" stuff. Dr. Bob was a straight-shooter as an oncologist. He was big on quality of life, something my mother really appreciated. Dr. Bob always treated her with respect, making it clear that it was her decision on when to say enough was enough. It made it easier for me, when her health had seriously deteriorated, to ask her if she felt she was ready to go into hospice care. As a result, we got a lot done in her final weeks, tackling the things that mattered most to her and fulfilling her wishes.
I could go on and talk about the valet parking attendants, who always hustled to get the car back as quickly as possible. My mother loved the greeter at the front desk and even the "gift shop lady". I appreciated Dr. Dowsett's and Dr. Bob's schedulers. They offered appointments that fit my mother's physical limitations and need to rest.
Does the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center sound to you like a scary, cold, or unfeeling place to go if you have cancer or like a patient-focused medical facility where the staff is welcoming and warm? A cancer treatment center is always more than just a single doctor or nurse. It takes many people to get the job done. With a disease like this, especially if the cancer is manageable, you and your loved one are likely to spend a great deal of time there. All the more reason to make quality of life and treatment a priority by picking a good cancer center.
For more help as a caregiver, visit:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
For a free copy of my ebook in popular formats, visit:
The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love
You can also find my free caregiver guides at Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, Baker and Taylor, as well as Smashwords.
Friday, April 20, 2012
When Hope Fades
The hardest thing about cancer is when hope fades, when over time, there are so many complications it becomes almost impossible to stay in the battle.
Cancer can be a very tough foe. Sometimes it's exhausting to do what is necessary to live. It's like you're always running in place and getting nowhere. But when you start running backwards, it's heartbreaking, because you know you are falling behind, with no way to catch up.
I read a news report the other day about Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, in a coma after battling what the press speculates is liver and colon cancer. What makes this most heart-wrenching is that he declared himself cancer-free in March of 2012, after he said tests showed no signs of the disease. Over time, Robin Gibb has been like most cancer patients, running back and forth to the hospital for treatments and for medical emergencies. This time, the news doesn't look good. Pneumonia is complicating his already precarious health situation.
It comes on the heels of the premiere of his latest musical endeavor, "The Titanic Requiem", with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, written for the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Too ill to attend its premiere, it is a piece he worked on through his illness with his son, Robin-John. Like many cancer patients, having a goal to meet seems to have helped him cope.
When I was in high school, I scored my first super 8mm art film with The Bee Gees' tune, "The First of May". I recall lots of apple blossoms and sunlight in my shots. It was the first time I ever learned how to splice and edit film. Years later, I danced the night away under the sparkle of a disco ball, as the Bee Gees sang "Staying Alive". I once even saw them in concert in Passaic, NJ. For me, the Bee Gees were a part of the good times and bad times in my life, a way to recall the memories through song.
Celebrities are often larger-than-life characters, never quite real, but when they get cancer, they become very human. That's because those of us who have loved ones with the disease, or who have lost loved ones, know the toll on the human heart. Cancer is the great uniter. We understand the struggle, so we offer our hopes and prayers to our brothers and sisters, even those we don't know.
Cancer sometimes creates so many obstacles that it is almost impossible for the body to make progress. Sometimes, just when you think you have the disease licked, just when you think things are turning around, those complications turn everything upside down and you get slammed into a brick wall. That's when the soul starts to give up, to say enough is enough.
I've known cancer patients through the years. Some were supposed to be just fine and they suddenly succumbed to the complications of the disease. Others, who were expected to die, somehow managed to survive. It's not always easy to predict the course of cancer on the body. Sometimes there are vulnerabilities that don't show up on a scan or x-ray. Sometimes things happen over which we have no control.
Hope is very often the first casualty in the battle with cancer. When hope fades, things seem to quickly spiral out of control, crashing down around our feet. That's because we need hope to find the courage and inner strength to fight cancer.
Sometimes we find hope in the strangest of places -- in the words of a stranger, in a sunbeam streaming through a window, or within the heart, in a moment of sudden clarity, when we know whatever happens, it happens for the best. We've done all we can and it's time to let go and let God take the helm. It's that sense of peace that we so desperately need. That's the sound of love rising up, reminding us that we are not alone, that there are people who love us, whom we love, enriching our lives through the darkest of days. Where there is love, there is hope that whatever happens, we will get through it as we need to get through it. Seek the peace within the heart. That truly is the music in every soul, and every soul has a song. For Robin Gibb and every other cancer patient struggling, I wish you hope, courage, peace.
UPDATE: As of April 24, 2012, the media reported that Robin Gibb awakened from his coma and was communicating with his family. Still frail, diagnosed as having advanced colorectal cancer, the singer has vowed to perform again. He's not ready to give up or give in. Who knows? He may yet elbow that fat lady off the stage!
For more help with your cancer or home hospice caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides
For a free download of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
For a free download of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Home Hospice Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/111015
Cancer can be a very tough foe. Sometimes it's exhausting to do what is necessary to live. It's like you're always running in place and getting nowhere. But when you start running backwards, it's heartbreaking, because you know you are falling behind, with no way to catch up.
I read a news report the other day about Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, in a coma after battling what the press speculates is liver and colon cancer. What makes this most heart-wrenching is that he declared himself cancer-free in March of 2012, after he said tests showed no signs of the disease. Over time, Robin Gibb has been like most cancer patients, running back and forth to the hospital for treatments and for medical emergencies. This time, the news doesn't look good. Pneumonia is complicating his already precarious health situation.
It comes on the heels of the premiere of his latest musical endeavor, "The Titanic Requiem", with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, written for the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Too ill to attend its premiere, it is a piece he worked on through his illness with his son, Robin-John. Like many cancer patients, having a goal to meet seems to have helped him cope.
When I was in high school, I scored my first super 8mm art film with The Bee Gees' tune, "The First of May". I recall lots of apple blossoms and sunlight in my shots. It was the first time I ever learned how to splice and edit film. Years later, I danced the night away under the sparkle of a disco ball, as the Bee Gees sang "Staying Alive". I once even saw them in concert in Passaic, NJ. For me, the Bee Gees were a part of the good times and bad times in my life, a way to recall the memories through song.
Celebrities are often larger-than-life characters, never quite real, but when they get cancer, they become very human. That's because those of us who have loved ones with the disease, or who have lost loved ones, know the toll on the human heart. Cancer is the great uniter. We understand the struggle, so we offer our hopes and prayers to our brothers and sisters, even those we don't know.
Cancer sometimes creates so many obstacles that it is almost impossible for the body to make progress. Sometimes, just when you think you have the disease licked, just when you think things are turning around, those complications turn everything upside down and you get slammed into a brick wall. That's when the soul starts to give up, to say enough is enough.
I've known cancer patients through the years. Some were supposed to be just fine and they suddenly succumbed to the complications of the disease. Others, who were expected to die, somehow managed to survive. It's not always easy to predict the course of cancer on the body. Sometimes there are vulnerabilities that don't show up on a scan or x-ray. Sometimes things happen over which we have no control.
Hope is very often the first casualty in the battle with cancer. When hope fades, things seem to quickly spiral out of control, crashing down around our feet. That's because we need hope to find the courage and inner strength to fight cancer.
Sometimes we find hope in the strangest of places -- in the words of a stranger, in a sunbeam streaming through a window, or within the heart, in a moment of sudden clarity, when we know whatever happens, it happens for the best. We've done all we can and it's time to let go and let God take the helm. It's that sense of peace that we so desperately need. That's the sound of love rising up, reminding us that we are not alone, that there are people who love us, whom we love, enriching our lives through the darkest of days. Where there is love, there is hope that whatever happens, we will get through it as we need to get through it. Seek the peace within the heart. That truly is the music in every soul, and every soul has a song. For Robin Gibb and every other cancer patient struggling, I wish you hope, courage, peace.
UPDATE: As of April 24, 2012, the media reported that Robin Gibb awakened from his coma and was communicating with his family. Still frail, diagnosed as having advanced colorectal cancer, the singer has vowed to perform again. He's not ready to give up or give in. Who knows? He may yet elbow that fat lady off the stage!
For more help with your cancer or home hospice caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides
For a free download of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
For a free download of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Home Hospice Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/111015
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
How Do You Amuse a Sick Child?
One of the things I learned long ago is that it is difficult to keep a hospitalized child engaged and amused over time. Very often kids with serious illnesses, diseases, and disorders wind up spending long days lying in bed, in between tests, examinations, and treatments. It can be even harder when kids come home from the hospital. What are parents to do?
I just published my latest free ebook, "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Amusing Sick Kids". There are tips, advice, ideas, and games galore. Whether you need a quick game to play while you wait for the doctor to arrive or you want to do some bonding with your child, this is your go-to guide for keeping your sanity. Download it for free in the format of your choosing:
"The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Amusing Sick Kids"
If you're a health care or home care provider, you should know that The Practical Caregiver Guides are not affiliated with any health care agency or service provider. They were written out of my passion for caregiving and the need to provide useful education that is accessible to all. That means that these guides are also available to agencies and service providers who want to help families provide better care. Just pass along the Practical Caregiver link to a family in need. Help them to work with you to keep their loved ones healthier and happier.
If you need more help with family caregiving, visit:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
For a free copy of "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love", visit my Smashwords page:
"The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care"
I just published my latest free ebook, "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Amusing Sick Kids". There are tips, advice, ideas, and games galore. Whether you need a quick game to play while you wait for the doctor to arrive or you want to do some bonding with your child, this is your go-to guide for keeping your sanity. Download it for free in the format of your choosing:
"The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Amusing Sick Kids"
If you're a health care or home care provider, you should know that The Practical Caregiver Guides are not affiliated with any health care agency or service provider. They were written out of my passion for caregiving and the need to provide useful education that is accessible to all. That means that these guides are also available to agencies and service providers who want to help families provide better care. Just pass along the Practical Caregiver link to a family in need. Help them to work with you to keep their loved ones healthier and happier.
If you need more help with family caregiving, visit:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
For a free copy of "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love", visit my Smashwords page:
"The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care"
Monday, March 5, 2012
I CHALLENGE YOU TO "LIGHT ONE LITTLE CANDLE" -- Books for Cancer Families
I'm going to come right out and admit it. I'm a big believer in reading books with kids. To me, it's one of life's sweetest opportunities to bond, and I have long been an advocate. That's why I want to thank Fox CT's Sara Cody for sharing "Light One Little Candle": http://www.ctnow.com/lifestyle/parenting/mommy-minute/hc-mommy-minute-20120305,0,5817847.story
To me, "Light One Little Candle" is the ultimate gift to cancer families. When Joelle Pauporté was being treated for aggressive breast cancer, she read to her 4-year-old daughter not only as an activity they could share on days when Joelle had little energy and stamina in reserve, but as a way of building memories between a dying mother and a child who would need to remember the amazing woman who loved her. Dr. Pauporté was a psychiatrist by training and a loving mother by nature. She wanted to build a library for her daughter that could be treasured long after her death.
Joelle got started on her dream of "Light One Little Candle". The goal was to make new books available to cancer families at cancer centers, books that could be lovingly inscribed. Her circle of friends and family have continued this program since her passing in 2005 at the age of 36. Currently, there are 14 cancer centers in CA, CT, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, and UT. Fourteen? That hardly seems like enough.
One of the saddest experiences I had when I was working with children was meeting kids who had never heard a Mother Goose rhyme, never known the beauty of "Good Night, Moon", never laughed or cried or sighed over a good book while snuggled by a parent. No child should ever grow up without a "good night story". It's that last few minutes of the day when we are about to enter Dreamland. It's important for children to know that they are safe, they are loved and protected from things that go bump in the night.
Reading aloud isn't just for the younger kids. Learning to listen is an auditory skill that must be practiced as a child learns to process information. Long after the pictures disappear from the page, adults can still read with their kids. It's a great opportunity to talk about a story, to imagine how it all turns out in the end.
I also know how hard it can be for cancer families to find positive ways to bond when a loved one is going through cancer treatment. Very often, kids get the short end of the stick when a parent, grandparent, or even a sibling is being treated. If you've spent any time at a cancer center, you know there's a lot of sitting around and waiting. There's a lot of stress and distress. When you need a little relief, reading to a child can be a magical way to relax and release all that tension. Reading is as rewarding an activity for adult as it is for a child. Carving out little moments for reading is good therapy for all. We need to feel close to those we love, even when cancer comes between us. We need the chance to put the disease aside and just be together.
The beauty of books is that they can be a very soothing experience. Sure, you can sit on a sofa and read. But you can also cuddle in bed, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying picture books or chapter books. The imaginary world comes alive with a good book, even through cancer treatment. And it's okay to invite others to the reading. You can take turns making the pages of a book come alive.
In a loved one's arms, a child feels safe, protected, and most of all loved. But is it not also true that when we read, when we see those trusting eyes looking up at us, we have purpose in life? We are motivated to do better, to be better when children rely on us. We appreciate the joy they share with us when they are happy. A child's giggle is contagious. Its pure innocence invites us to put aside the adult world and find our inner kids again, if only for a little while.
I challenge you to start your own chapter of "Light One Little Candle" at your cancer center. So many times, friends and relatives don't know how to help cancer families. This is a great opportunity to get people in the community involved. It's a great way to support your local bookstore, too. (But feel free to order online -- I don't really care how you purchase a new book. Just do it.) One book. One new book for a child who needs to build memories. Do it for Joelle, because she had the dream. Do it for your neighbor down the street, who has a rare blood cancer, or for the little girl in your son's fourth grade class, whose Daddy is battling brain cancer. Do it because you love books. Do it because you survived cancer. Do it in memory of someone you lost to cancer. One book. One child. One family bonding despite cancer's tight grip. Memories that will last a lifetime.
www.lightonelittlecandle.org
___________________________________________________
A Special Note to Book Lovers: This is "Read an Ebook Week" -- March 4-10, 2012
Smashwords, an independent publisher of more than 85,000 ebooks, is currently promoting free and discounted ebooks to celebrate. You can visit the special catalogue and find books to download during this week. Pick a category. Whether you want knitting directions, jokes, romance, or mystery, you can find it here. (A word of caution -- if you are a fuddy-duddy like me, put the adult filter on, so you can skip the erotic books....):
http://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1
As always, my Practical Caregiver Guides to Cancer, Home Hospice, and Basic Care are available for free at my Smashwords page. I am also an author of fiction. My Practical Caregiver Capers feature caregivers and those they love in "who-dunnits". My Bodacious Baby Boomer Escapades feature characters who are older, wiser, and not ready for the rocking chair. This week, you can read all of my books for free. Use the coupon for each title and get reading!
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
For more help with your cancer caregiving, visit my website:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
To me, "Light One Little Candle" is the ultimate gift to cancer families. When Joelle Pauporté was being treated for aggressive breast cancer, she read to her 4-year-old daughter not only as an activity they could share on days when Joelle had little energy and stamina in reserve, but as a way of building memories between a dying mother and a child who would need to remember the amazing woman who loved her. Dr. Pauporté was a psychiatrist by training and a loving mother by nature. She wanted to build a library for her daughter that could be treasured long after her death.
Joelle got started on her dream of "Light One Little Candle". The goal was to make new books available to cancer families at cancer centers, books that could be lovingly inscribed. Her circle of friends and family have continued this program since her passing in 2005 at the age of 36. Currently, there are 14 cancer centers in CA, CT, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, and UT. Fourteen? That hardly seems like enough.
One of the saddest experiences I had when I was working with children was meeting kids who had never heard a Mother Goose rhyme, never known the beauty of "Good Night, Moon", never laughed or cried or sighed over a good book while snuggled by a parent. No child should ever grow up without a "good night story". It's that last few minutes of the day when we are about to enter Dreamland. It's important for children to know that they are safe, they are loved and protected from things that go bump in the night.
Reading aloud isn't just for the younger kids. Learning to listen is an auditory skill that must be practiced as a child learns to process information. Long after the pictures disappear from the page, adults can still read with their kids. It's a great opportunity to talk about a story, to imagine how it all turns out in the end.
I also know how hard it can be for cancer families to find positive ways to bond when a loved one is going through cancer treatment. Very often, kids get the short end of the stick when a parent, grandparent, or even a sibling is being treated. If you've spent any time at a cancer center, you know there's a lot of sitting around and waiting. There's a lot of stress and distress. When you need a little relief, reading to a child can be a magical way to relax and release all that tension. Reading is as rewarding an activity for adult as it is for a child. Carving out little moments for reading is good therapy for all. We need to feel close to those we love, even when cancer comes between us. We need the chance to put the disease aside and just be together.
The beauty of books is that they can be a very soothing experience. Sure, you can sit on a sofa and read. But you can also cuddle in bed, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying picture books or chapter books. The imaginary world comes alive with a good book, even through cancer treatment. And it's okay to invite others to the reading. You can take turns making the pages of a book come alive.
In a loved one's arms, a child feels safe, protected, and most of all loved. But is it not also true that when we read, when we see those trusting eyes looking up at us, we have purpose in life? We are motivated to do better, to be better when children rely on us. We appreciate the joy they share with us when they are happy. A child's giggle is contagious. Its pure innocence invites us to put aside the adult world and find our inner kids again, if only for a little while.
I challenge you to start your own chapter of "Light One Little Candle" at your cancer center. So many times, friends and relatives don't know how to help cancer families. This is a great opportunity to get people in the community involved. It's a great way to support your local bookstore, too. (But feel free to order online -- I don't really care how you purchase a new book. Just do it.) One book. One new book for a child who needs to build memories. Do it for Joelle, because she had the dream. Do it for your neighbor down the street, who has a rare blood cancer, or for the little girl in your son's fourth grade class, whose Daddy is battling brain cancer. Do it because you love books. Do it because you survived cancer. Do it in memory of someone you lost to cancer. One book. One child. One family bonding despite cancer's tight grip. Memories that will last a lifetime.
www.lightonelittlecandle.org
___________________________________________________
A Special Note to Book Lovers: This is "Read an Ebook Week" -- March 4-10, 2012
Smashwords, an independent publisher of more than 85,000 ebooks, is currently promoting free and discounted ebooks to celebrate. You can visit the special catalogue and find books to download during this week. Pick a category. Whether you want knitting directions, jokes, romance, or mystery, you can find it here. (A word of caution -- if you are a fuddy-duddy like me, put the adult filter on, so you can skip the erotic books....):
http://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1
As always, my Practical Caregiver Guides to Cancer, Home Hospice, and Basic Care are available for free at my Smashwords page. I am also an author of fiction. My Practical Caregiver Capers feature caregivers and those they love in "who-dunnits". My Bodacious Baby Boomer Escapades feature characters who are older, wiser, and not ready for the rocking chair. This week, you can read all of my books for free. Use the coupon for each title and get reading!
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
For more help with your cancer caregiving, visit my website:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
Friday, March 2, 2012
SAVE THE DATE -- 12TH ANNUAL STOWE WEEKEND OF HOPE IS COMING UP!
If you or a loved one has been touched by cancer, you may be interested in the 12th Annual Stowe Weekend of Hope. It's a big, happy festival of people who have or have survived cancer and the families who love them. Save the date, because it's coming up May 4-6, 2012:
http://www.stowehope.org/
Why am I telling you about this event? Because I think having the chance to rub elbows with fellow survivors, to have access to fun, education, and Vermont can be a healthy thing.
What can you expect from the Stowe Weekend of Hope? First-time cancer attendees receive complimentary accommodations. There are discounts for returning participants. Throughout the weekend, you can choose from more than 40 medical and supportive care seminars presented by renown New England physicians and practitioners; wellness and creativity sessions; intensive workshops by cancer type; an inspirational ecumenical candlelight service; and opening and closing ceremonies.
Best part? The setting. In the winter season, Stowe is a beehive of activities. It offers fine food, shopping, and recreational activities in a charming mountain village setting. That's great if you're a snow bunny and you're swooshing down the hills like Hannah Kearney. But Vermont isn't just for skiers. My favorite times in Vermont were had during the warmer months. There is something wonderful in those verdant hills. You can enjoy the fresh air and the many wonderful opportunities to hike, to walk, or just to sit and kick back in a place where the people are hard-working, friendly, and down-to-earth.
There are organized events throughout the weekend, including a dance party with the Ross Livermore Band, a "lantern tour" of Stowe, complete with ghost stories, and even a marathon. You'll find yourself going to events all over the village, and you'll have the chance to try out the best of Stowe's restaurants on your "free time". You can wander the streets in search of that perfect bite. How delicious is that?
You may even want to extend your visit in Stowe to take in some of the many other fun activities that abound in the Green Mountain State. There is the Farm at Morrison's Corner, the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory (Ice cream? Count me in!), Gregg Hill Gardens, and the West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Park. You can go hiking in one of the nearby state parks, play some golf, do some fly fishing, even work out on a bungee trampoline. There's also the Cabot Creamery Cooperative, which makes award-winning cheeses, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products in nearby Cabot, Vermont (Greek yogurt is often recommended as a great food for cancer patients -- full of protein, easy to digest, and packing good, healthy calories).
Vermont is the quintessential family-friendly place to be. You and your kids can find adventures and educational opportunities at every energy level, even when there are serious restrictions due to health issues. Maybe that's why the Stowe Weekend of Hope is such a great opportunity for cancer survivors and their families. You will be among friends, people who understand and support the challenges cancer presents. It's like a big hug for your soul.
If you would like more help with your cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
If you would like a free copy of "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love" in popular ebook formats, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
http://www.stowehope.org/
Why am I telling you about this event? Because I think having the chance to rub elbows with fellow survivors, to have access to fun, education, and Vermont can be a healthy thing.
What can you expect from the Stowe Weekend of Hope? First-time cancer attendees receive complimentary accommodations. There are discounts for returning participants. Throughout the weekend, you can choose from more than 40 medical and supportive care seminars presented by renown New England physicians and practitioners; wellness and creativity sessions; intensive workshops by cancer type; an inspirational ecumenical candlelight service; and opening and closing ceremonies.
Best part? The setting. In the winter season, Stowe is a beehive of activities. It offers fine food, shopping, and recreational activities in a charming mountain village setting. That's great if you're a snow bunny and you're swooshing down the hills like Hannah Kearney. But Vermont isn't just for skiers. My favorite times in Vermont were had during the warmer months. There is something wonderful in those verdant hills. You can enjoy the fresh air and the many wonderful opportunities to hike, to walk, or just to sit and kick back in a place where the people are hard-working, friendly, and down-to-earth.
There are organized events throughout the weekend, including a dance party with the Ross Livermore Band, a "lantern tour" of Stowe, complete with ghost stories, and even a marathon. You'll find yourself going to events all over the village, and you'll have the chance to try out the best of Stowe's restaurants on your "free time". You can wander the streets in search of that perfect bite. How delicious is that?
You may even want to extend your visit in Stowe to take in some of the many other fun activities that abound in the Green Mountain State. There is the Farm at Morrison's Corner, the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory (Ice cream? Count me in!), Gregg Hill Gardens, and the West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Park. You can go hiking in one of the nearby state parks, play some golf, do some fly fishing, even work out on a bungee trampoline. There's also the Cabot Creamery Cooperative, which makes award-winning cheeses, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products in nearby Cabot, Vermont (Greek yogurt is often recommended as a great food for cancer patients -- full of protein, easy to digest, and packing good, healthy calories).
Vermont is the quintessential family-friendly place to be. You and your kids can find adventures and educational opportunities at every energy level, even when there are serious restrictions due to health issues. Maybe that's why the Stowe Weekend of Hope is such a great opportunity for cancer survivors and their families. You will be among friends, people who understand and support the challenges cancer presents. It's like a big hug for your soul.
If you would like more help with your cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
If you would like a free copy of "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love" in popular ebook formats, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
Thursday, February 23, 2012
CARIS'S CANCER TECHNOLOGIES PERSONALIZE TREATMENT
One of the most impressive women I ever met when my mother was undergoing cancer treatment was a lady who had survived two decades with the disease. How did she do it? She paid attention to her body. She got to the point where she could tell when the cancer was spreading or returning. She went in search of cancer treatment. She was not content to just accept it as her fate in life. Her husband was a supportive partner as she endured, managed, and directed her own cancer care. Why does this matter? I learned a lot from her that day as we talked in the chemotherapy room. She knew life is precious, that we are here to live life and to love. One moment in time can change a life for the better or for the worse. When we hesitate, when we accept the status quo without question, we are victims of our fate. When we accept the opportunity to learn what we can about cancer, when we begin to embrace the opportunities provided by emerging technologies, we help our loved ones to manage the disease better. Don't close your eyes and look away because your loved one has cancer. Be proactive. Become aware of what's available and what it can do for you and your loved one.
I'm a big believer in using technology to attack cancer and knock it out of the loop. Caris Life Sciences has a new program for cancer patients that enables better, smarter treatment:
http://www.mycancer.com/biopsy
Caris even has a checklist of questions to ask the oncologist, so that you and your love one better understand the type of cancer and the options for treatments. The idea is to individualize the cancer in order to provide the best treatment for the specific situation.
Anyone who has ever had cancer or cared for someone with cancer knows that it can be tough to withstand the rigors of treatment. Sometimes that's harder than the cancer itself. With a more personalized treatment plan, unnecessary guesswork goes out the window. Cancer treatment is no longer "one-size-fits-all". When oncologists and hematologists can see markers in blood that indicate cancer long before it shows up on a scan, that's a head start on cutting cancer off at the pass. The sooner you know, the sooner you or your loved one can be treated. That means less treatment because it's more effective at catching the cancer earlier.
One of the hardest things for cancer patients is to hope when things look bad. If your loved one has late stage cancer, you might be tempted to give up and give in. Would it help you to know that a new study showed that even late-stage cancer patients increased their survival rate by almost 30% using molecular profiling? That means that 3 out of 10 late-stage cancer patients thrived by using this technology. Three more people now live who would have died without the technology.
Any good cancer caregiver knows that working with a loved one's radiology, oncology, and surgical team is imperative in keeping him or her healthier. It's always important to be able to discuss the cancer and the options, because the better you and your loved one understand cancer, the better you and your loved one can manage the disease. And the better the cancer is managed, the better life will be for the whole family.
For more help with cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
For a free copy of "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love" in popular ebook formats, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
I'm a big believer in using technology to attack cancer and knock it out of the loop. Caris Life Sciences has a new program for cancer patients that enables better, smarter treatment:
http://www.mycancer.com/biopsy
Caris even has a checklist of questions to ask the oncologist, so that you and your love one better understand the type of cancer and the options for treatments. The idea is to individualize the cancer in order to provide the best treatment for the specific situation.
Anyone who has ever had cancer or cared for someone with cancer knows that it can be tough to withstand the rigors of treatment. Sometimes that's harder than the cancer itself. With a more personalized treatment plan, unnecessary guesswork goes out the window. Cancer treatment is no longer "one-size-fits-all". When oncologists and hematologists can see markers in blood that indicate cancer long before it shows up on a scan, that's a head start on cutting cancer off at the pass. The sooner you know, the sooner you or your loved one can be treated. That means less treatment because it's more effective at catching the cancer earlier.
One of the hardest things for cancer patients is to hope when things look bad. If your loved one has late stage cancer, you might be tempted to give up and give in. Would it help you to know that a new study showed that even late-stage cancer patients increased their survival rate by almost 30% using molecular profiling? That means that 3 out of 10 late-stage cancer patients thrived by using this technology. Three more people now live who would have died without the technology.
Any good cancer caregiver knows that working with a loved one's radiology, oncology, and surgical team is imperative in keeping him or her healthier. It's always important to be able to discuss the cancer and the options, because the better you and your loved one understand cancer, the better you and your loved one can manage the disease. And the better the cancer is managed, the better life will be for the whole family.
For more help with cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
For a free copy of "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love" in popular ebook formats, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
Sunday, January 22, 2012
DR. MEL GOLDSTEIN
Dr. Mel Goldstein passed away on January 18,2012. The much loved weather forecaster was a Connecticut fixture for many years. There was nothing he seemed to love more than wild weather. Even when his home was devastated by Hurricane Irene, Dr. Mel did not rage against the wind.
Why am I telling you about Dr. Mel? While his death is a loss for his family, friends, and TV viewers, his life has been a gift to the world. Ever passionate, ever inspiring, Dr. Mel received a diagnosis of melanoma sixteen years ago. He was supposed to die. He could have died. He might have died. But Dr. Mel was not your average cancer patient, and that's what you need to know about him.
Not only did Dr. Mel go on and survive that melanoma, he didn't quit there. He wrote "The Idiot's Guide to Weather" and "Dr. Mel's Connecticut Climate Book", donating proceeds to cancer research. He took that diagnosis and defied it to the best of his ability.
Maybe it was his love of weather that inspired him to overcome the odds. Whether it was a massive blizzard, a powerful electrical storm, or a shore-wrecking hurricane, Dr. Mel was fascinated by nature's power, and he always brought that passion to his weather forecasts. He seemed to respect Mother Nature while still understanding the impact of her devastating blows for those unfortunate enough to be in a storm's path.
What Connecticut loved best about Dr. Mel was his genuine enthusiasm for all things weather. Sincere, smart, and savvy -- that was Dr. Mel Goldstein. He was the antithesis of the usual TV weather man, and you could tell that just by looking at him. This was not a slick guy in an Armani suit, reading a teleprompter, with perfect teeth and Hollywood hair, worrying about the November ratings. Dr. Mel was more like your high school science teacher, down-to-earth and real, slightly geeky because he never met a storm he didn't love. He had a life-long romance with the science of weather and he wanted you to love it every bit as much as he did. I suspect his wife, Arlene, didn't resent his other mistress, Mother Nature. They seemed to fit together as a couple, and when she spoke about her husband, she was not just his loyal caregiver. She was his biggest cheerleader.
It was that genuineness and sincerity that viewers in Connecticut loved about Dr. Mel. He was a real human being, with a real human heart. It was hard not to love this piano-playing man. He was like no other. He was Dr. Mel.
As his family and friends mourn the loss of the man himself, Connecticut mourns the loss of a beloved weatherman. But the world mourns the loss of an inspiration for cancer patients. He was more than his disease. It did not define him as a man. He lived his life to the best of his ability under difficult conditions, continuing to embrace opportunities to pursue the things he enjoyed. He saw a storm and knew that when the worst was over, there would be sunshine again, even if there wasn't a rainbow with a pot of gold. He sowed the seeds of hope for every cancer family and encouraged us to believe that it's never over until the fat lady sings. The fat lady sang on January 18, 2012. But even after she finished the last note of her aria, it was not truly over, for we will keep the sweetness of Dr. Mel's song in our memories. His legacy will live on in cancer research and in the hearts of those whose lives he touched by being a passionate and compassionate man.
For more help with your cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/
For a free downloadable copy of my ebook, "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love", visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
Why am I telling you about Dr. Mel? While his death is a loss for his family, friends, and TV viewers, his life has been a gift to the world. Ever passionate, ever inspiring, Dr. Mel received a diagnosis of melanoma sixteen years ago. He was supposed to die. He could have died. He might have died. But Dr. Mel was not your average cancer patient, and that's what you need to know about him.
Not only did Dr. Mel go on and survive that melanoma, he didn't quit there. He wrote "The Idiot's Guide to Weather" and "Dr. Mel's Connecticut Climate Book", donating proceeds to cancer research. He took that diagnosis and defied it to the best of his ability.
Maybe it was his love of weather that inspired him to overcome the odds. Whether it was a massive blizzard, a powerful electrical storm, or a shore-wrecking hurricane, Dr. Mel was fascinated by nature's power, and he always brought that passion to his weather forecasts. He seemed to respect Mother Nature while still understanding the impact of her devastating blows for those unfortunate enough to be in a storm's path.
What Connecticut loved best about Dr. Mel was his genuine enthusiasm for all things weather. Sincere, smart, and savvy -- that was Dr. Mel Goldstein. He was the antithesis of the usual TV weather man, and you could tell that just by looking at him. This was not a slick guy in an Armani suit, reading a teleprompter, with perfect teeth and Hollywood hair, worrying about the November ratings. Dr. Mel was more like your high school science teacher, down-to-earth and real, slightly geeky because he never met a storm he didn't love. He had a life-long romance with the science of weather and he wanted you to love it every bit as much as he did. I suspect his wife, Arlene, didn't resent his other mistress, Mother Nature. They seemed to fit together as a couple, and when she spoke about her husband, she was not just his loyal caregiver. She was his biggest cheerleader.
It was that genuineness and sincerity that viewers in Connecticut loved about Dr. Mel. He was a real human being, with a real human heart. It was hard not to love this piano-playing man. He was like no other. He was Dr. Mel.
As his family and friends mourn the loss of the man himself, Connecticut mourns the loss of a beloved weatherman. But the world mourns the loss of an inspiration for cancer patients. He was more than his disease. It did not define him as a man. He lived his life to the best of his ability under difficult conditions, continuing to embrace opportunities to pursue the things he enjoyed. He saw a storm and knew that when the worst was over, there would be sunshine again, even if there wasn't a rainbow with a pot of gold. He sowed the seeds of hope for every cancer family and encouraged us to believe that it's never over until the fat lady sings. The fat lady sang on January 18, 2012. But even after she finished the last note of her aria, it was not truly over, for we will keep the sweetness of Dr. Mel's song in our memories. His legacy will live on in cancer research and in the hearts of those whose lives he touched by being a passionate and compassionate man.
For more help with your cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/
For a free downloadable copy of my ebook, "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love", visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
HIT THE ROAD!
Bogged down by your loved one's cancer? Feeling miserable because your loved one is feeling miserable? Break out of the cancer doldrums. Hit the road!
It may sound trite, but there are many good reasons to do this. First, cancer is already consuming so much of your shared life. You're already wrapped up in the fear, the anxiety, the reality of cancer. It's important to rise above it, even for just a little while.
Take a hour, a day, a week, but make an effort to build new memories. Go to the movies. Go to a new restaurant. Have an adventure in a day. Cancer closes up the world around you, making you a prisoner of your loved one's disease. Plan a "jailbreak" with your loved one. Be whimsical and make it fun. Or be serious and make it moving. Take charge of what can be controlled in life, because cancer is often more than just a disease. It's a lifestyle. Today, more people are living with and managing their cancer. That means there's still time to live, to breathe, to share, to enjoy. Whether you plan a special trip to an exotic locale or a drive through town, reconnect with the ordinary and the extraordinary without packing that cancer. Give your loved one a holiday from the disease. Shove it in a corner, turn off the light, and have some fun.
Memories live in our hearts. If they are bad ones, they can drag us under. If they are good ones, they can motivate and inspire us to believe and to achieve. Hit the road and make some good ones, not just because your loved one has cancer, but because the two of you share a special bond. Get out that nail file, my friend. It's time for you to spring your buddy from that cancer jail. Hit the road!
For more help with your caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/
For a free downloadable copy of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
It may sound trite, but there are many good reasons to do this. First, cancer is already consuming so much of your shared life. You're already wrapped up in the fear, the anxiety, the reality of cancer. It's important to rise above it, even for just a little while.
Take a hour, a day, a week, but make an effort to build new memories. Go to the movies. Go to a new restaurant. Have an adventure in a day. Cancer closes up the world around you, making you a prisoner of your loved one's disease. Plan a "jailbreak" with your loved one. Be whimsical and make it fun. Or be serious and make it moving. Take charge of what can be controlled in life, because cancer is often more than just a disease. It's a lifestyle. Today, more people are living with and managing their cancer. That means there's still time to live, to breathe, to share, to enjoy. Whether you plan a special trip to an exotic locale or a drive through town, reconnect with the ordinary and the extraordinary without packing that cancer. Give your loved one a holiday from the disease. Shove it in a corner, turn off the light, and have some fun.
Memories live in our hearts. If they are bad ones, they can drag us under. If they are good ones, they can motivate and inspire us to believe and to achieve. Hit the road and make some good ones, not just because your loved one has cancer, but because the two of you share a special bond. Get out that nail file, my friend. It's time for you to spring your buddy from that cancer jail. Hit the road!
For more help with your caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/
For a free downloadable copy of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
Friday, December 30, 2011
INCLEMENT WEATHER AND HOUSE FIRE SEASON -- HAVE A PLAN
This is the season when people take unnecessary risks. Are you one of them? Are you endangering your loved one? Be smart. Be prepared. Can you prevent a catastrophe at home? In an emergency, if you need to evacuate the house, what will you take with you?
Start your New Year off right. Take a few minutes today You could save a life:
1. If you don't have smoke detectors or they are out of date, buy new ones and make sure they are properly installed. Replace batteries in your smoke detectors. Use a permanent marker on the back to note the date. This way, you will know it was done.
2. Do you have a carbon monoxide detector? This will alert you if dangerous levels are building up in your home. Buy one and properly install it. If you have one, change the batteries and mark the date, so you know it was done.
3. If you need to get out of the house in an emergency, make sure you have important information that you will need in a convenient folder or on a USB stick. Or save it in "the cloud", so you can access it wherever you are. You'll want contact numbers and any pertinent information on your loved one. Why not also add family information that you'll need? Don't forget to have your loved one's identification and insurance information handy.
4. Consider replacing candles and open flames with battery-operated and independent power sources that are safer. Remember that your loved one may not have the stamina or energy to flee in a fire, so err on the side of caution.
5. If you live in an area that is prone to ice and snow storms, be sure to be prepared. Know where blankets are, have a couple of days worth of food for your loved one that he or she can eat, and emergency supplies on hand -- consider an emergency radio.
6. Figure out ahead of time what you will do if the power goes out, the phones are down, and the roads are closed. Have a plan. If you know a big storm is coming, know where you will go and decide when you will evacuate.
Don't leave your emergency planning until disaster is upon you. Be proactive. And then, sit back with your loved one and relax. Happy New Year!
For more help with your caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/
For a free downloadable ebook version of The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page or your favorite ebook store:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
Start your New Year off right. Take a few minutes today You could save a life:
1. If you don't have smoke detectors or they are out of date, buy new ones and make sure they are properly installed. Replace batteries in your smoke detectors. Use a permanent marker on the back to note the date. This way, you will know it was done.
2. Do you have a carbon monoxide detector? This will alert you if dangerous levels are building up in your home. Buy one and properly install it. If you have one, change the batteries and mark the date, so you know it was done.
3. If you need to get out of the house in an emergency, make sure you have important information that you will need in a convenient folder or on a USB stick. Or save it in "the cloud", so you can access it wherever you are. You'll want contact numbers and any pertinent information on your loved one. Why not also add family information that you'll need? Don't forget to have your loved one's identification and insurance information handy.
4. Consider replacing candles and open flames with battery-operated and independent power sources that are safer. Remember that your loved one may not have the stamina or energy to flee in a fire, so err on the side of caution.
5. If you live in an area that is prone to ice and snow storms, be sure to be prepared. Know where blankets are, have a couple of days worth of food for your loved one that he or she can eat, and emergency supplies on hand -- consider an emergency radio.
6. Figure out ahead of time what you will do if the power goes out, the phones are down, and the roads are closed. Have a plan. If you know a big storm is coming, know where you will go and decide when you will evacuate.
Don't leave your emergency planning until disaster is upon you. Be proactive. And then, sit back with your loved one and relax. Happy New Year!
For more help with your caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/
For a free downloadable ebook version of The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page or your favorite ebook store:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
Friday, December 16, 2011
GIFTS FOR CANCER PATIENTS
It's that time of year, and if you're a caregiver for a cancer patient, you may feel stumped about what gifts to give your loved one, especially if it's been a tough cancer year.
When choosing, consider your loved one's needs. Is there neuropathy involved? Or a handicap? Or fatigue? Has he or she lost a lot of weight lately? Have things been too serious or very scary? Gifts that comfort can make your loved one feel safe and cozy.
Suggestions:
-- A soft lap blanket for napping
-- A comfy pillow to rest the head
-- A recliner
-- Easy-to-put-on slippers, slipper socks with treads, velcro-fastened or slip-on shoes
-- Clothing that doesn't require a lot of effort to put on -- sweats, lounge wear, pants with elastic waists, tops that don't have a lot of buttons
-- A funky cane -- something colorful, camouflage, folding, or even one that has a seat attached, for when your loved one gets tired and needs to just rest a minute
-- A colorful hat, scarf, or turban
-- A calculator and/or dictionary, to compensate for those "chemo brain" moments
But don't stop there -- consider other unusual offerings:
-- Dinner and a movie of your loved one's choice
-- A drive to see the Christmas lights
-- Tickets to a holiday show
Wherever your loved one is in cancer treatment and management, make your gifts fit his or her physical, mental, and emotional needs. Cancer always takes its toll on quality of life for your loved one. Whatever you can do to help compensate for the loss of opportunities and abilities is something that will empower and encourage your loved one. Sometimes the biggest gift you can give someone with cancer is to keep hope alive. No matter what happens, your commitment to be there through rain or shine, sleet or snow, is wonderful gift to give. Celebrate what is good at this very moment and put cancer on the back burner for a while. Love, not cancer, makes the world go around, caregivers!
For more free help with cancer caregiving, visit:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
If you would like a free downloadable copy of The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
When choosing, consider your loved one's needs. Is there neuropathy involved? Or a handicap? Or fatigue? Has he or she lost a lot of weight lately? Have things been too serious or very scary? Gifts that comfort can make your loved one feel safe and cozy.
Suggestions:
-- A soft lap blanket for napping
-- A comfy pillow to rest the head
-- A recliner
-- Easy-to-put-on slippers, slipper socks with treads, velcro-fastened or slip-on shoes
-- Clothing that doesn't require a lot of effort to put on -- sweats, lounge wear, pants with elastic waists, tops that don't have a lot of buttons
-- A funky cane -- something colorful, camouflage, folding, or even one that has a seat attached, for when your loved one gets tired and needs to just rest a minute
-- A colorful hat, scarf, or turban
-- A calculator and/or dictionary, to compensate for those "chemo brain" moments
But don't stop there -- consider other unusual offerings:
-- Dinner and a movie of your loved one's choice
-- A drive to see the Christmas lights
-- Tickets to a holiday show
Wherever your loved one is in cancer treatment and management, make your gifts fit his or her physical, mental, and emotional needs. Cancer always takes its toll on quality of life for your loved one. Whatever you can do to help compensate for the loss of opportunities and abilities is something that will empower and encourage your loved one. Sometimes the biggest gift you can give someone with cancer is to keep hope alive. No matter what happens, your commitment to be there through rain or shine, sleet or snow, is wonderful gift to give. Celebrate what is good at this very moment and put cancer on the back burner for a while. Love, not cancer, makes the world go around, caregivers!
For more free help with cancer caregiving, visit:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
If you would like a free downloadable copy of The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver
Monday, December 12, 2011
WHY A FREE DOWNLOADABLE CANCER CARE BOOK?
When my mother was being treated for cancer and I was her caregiver, I had the good fortune to meet some amazing people. Some were medical personnel, but most were patients and family members. Everyone has a story, but some stories are better than others. Why? Because they inspire us to do more and to be more. Along the road to life, there are many heroes who started out as ordinary people. As they battled cancer, sometimes over decades, they began to learn things about their disease, as did their caregivers. How you approach cancer management matters.
One thing I gained from having access to so many cancer patients and their caregivers over the years was reinforced by my own early experiences in working with pediatric cancer patients. With cancer, you have to keep hope alive. Make time to play when you feel good. Sometimes everything can hinge on just surviving a day longer. I learned that from little Scotty, deemed to be dying by his pediatric oncologist. I was called in to say my goodbyes because little Scotty wasn't expected to survive the weekend. As I sat with him in the ICU, I threw caution to the wind. I put aside his terminal diagnosis and I embraced the moment. Having pulled out my compact mirror to check my reflection, I was surprised by little Scotty's request. Could he put makeup on me? Who was I to say no to a dying child. By the time he was done applying eye shadow and lipstick, I looked like Snookie at the Jersey Shore. And therein lies the magic of living in the moment. Scotty laughed at the sight of me, and the sound of his laughter was contagious. Whatever was to come didn't matter. Scotty was having fun. He was being a child, even when the chemotherapy made him feel as sick as a dog. Soon he was into remission, back to being a rambunctious five-year-old with a silly streak a mile wide.
Do I suggest that his recovery was a miracle? No. I believe it was a combination of good oncology, good care by his family, and the chance to forget about the cancer long enough to be a kid again. Every cancer patient regular "fugetaboutit" time, when you put aside the disease and get back to who you are. There are hopes, dreams, plans, desires to be fulfilled.
When cancer caregivers understand that there are common tasks and strategies for helping their loved ones better manage their lives with cancer, that's when good things happen. Learning to live in the here-and-now, understanding that we have these moments to enjoy and we shouldn't waste them -- that's when good things happen. When we take our loved ones to cancer treatment and then take them out for fun, that's when good things happen. Treat the disease and then feed the soul.
That's why I created the free caregiver ebooks -- because of all the wonderful people I met along the cancer highway, who graciously shared some important life lessons with me. But I also learned from all the people who lost their joy, who clung to misery and anger with both hands on the steering wheel. Cancer is never an easy diagnosis. There is a lot of dread and uncertainty that comes with the territory. But for everyone who rose above, who let hope live in the heart, even for a day, you were my inspiration for The Practical Caregiver Guides. It's never over until the Fat Lady sings, so Carpe Diem!
If you would like to download my free cancer caregiver ebook, "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love", visit Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
If you would like more free caregiver education, video tips, and inspiration, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
One thing I gained from having access to so many cancer patients and their caregivers over the years was reinforced by my own early experiences in working with pediatric cancer patients. With cancer, you have to keep hope alive. Make time to play when you feel good. Sometimes everything can hinge on just surviving a day longer. I learned that from little Scotty, deemed to be dying by his pediatric oncologist. I was called in to say my goodbyes because little Scotty wasn't expected to survive the weekend. As I sat with him in the ICU, I threw caution to the wind. I put aside his terminal diagnosis and I embraced the moment. Having pulled out my compact mirror to check my reflection, I was surprised by little Scotty's request. Could he put makeup on me? Who was I to say no to a dying child. By the time he was done applying eye shadow and lipstick, I looked like Snookie at the Jersey Shore. And therein lies the magic of living in the moment. Scotty laughed at the sight of me, and the sound of his laughter was contagious. Whatever was to come didn't matter. Scotty was having fun. He was being a child, even when the chemotherapy made him feel as sick as a dog. Soon he was into remission, back to being a rambunctious five-year-old with a silly streak a mile wide.
Do I suggest that his recovery was a miracle? No. I believe it was a combination of good oncology, good care by his family, and the chance to forget about the cancer long enough to be a kid again. Every cancer patient regular "fugetaboutit" time, when you put aside the disease and get back to who you are. There are hopes, dreams, plans, desires to be fulfilled.
When cancer caregivers understand that there are common tasks and strategies for helping their loved ones better manage their lives with cancer, that's when good things happen. Learning to live in the here-and-now, understanding that we have these moments to enjoy and we shouldn't waste them -- that's when good things happen. When we take our loved ones to cancer treatment and then take them out for fun, that's when good things happen. Treat the disease and then feed the soul.
That's why I created the free caregiver ebooks -- because of all the wonderful people I met along the cancer highway, who graciously shared some important life lessons with me. But I also learned from all the people who lost their joy, who clung to misery and anger with both hands on the steering wheel. Cancer is never an easy diagnosis. There is a lot of dread and uncertainty that comes with the territory. But for everyone who rose above, who let hope live in the heart, even for a day, you were my inspiration for The Practical Caregiver Guides. It's never over until the Fat Lady sings, so Carpe Diem!
If you would like to download my free cancer caregiver ebook, "The Practical Caregiver's Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love", visit Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999
If you would like more free caregiver education, video tips, and inspiration, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com
Monday, November 28, 2011
WHAT DOES THE PRACTICAL CAREGIVER DO FOR CANCER PATIENTS?
Are you a caregiver for a cancer patient? Are you a cancer patient? Do you work with cancer patients? If so, the Practical Caregiver is the answer for caregiver education. Why?
I started the Practical Caregiver concept because I want people to know we can do a better job of supporting and educating caregivers. Does that matter for cancer patients? You bet it does. The more a caregiver understands the complexities of cancer care, the more easily he or she can address the REAL needs of a cancer patient.
Cancer and its treatment affect your loved one's:
1. appetite
2. diet
3. immune system
4. personality
5. energy level
6. life plans
Is the Practical Caregiver providing medical advice? Absolutely not. That's why we have doctors, nurses, nutritionists and others working on cancer treatment.
The Practical Caregiver provides education to cancer caregivers, to help you understand your loved one's experience better and to help you cope with the stress of being a cancer caregiver. It's available to any and all caregivers, regardless of what medical facility is treating their loved one.
Did you know that very often cancer patients are in need of different types of caregiving? Starting out treatment for cancer in the early stages is very different than catching it in a later stage. You will have to adapt your care and your own life to fit the specific needs of your loved one. Can you do this on your own?
Many times cancer treatment becomes a "serial" issue. Your loved one may have recurrences. These days, things have changed on the cancer treatment front. The disease is managed over years in many cases. As a caregiver, you will have to step up, step back, step up, and step back over and over again. When your loved one is feeling good, you won't need to provide as much care, if any. When your loved one needs your help, it's important for you to be there. That means planning for the future in reasonable, sensible ways. Expect to provide care, build your resources list, find out what you can use -- being prepared is important.
Cancer can also, in its later stages, be a progressive disease, so it's important to understand the issues in coping with a terminal illness. You, as a cancer caregiver, want to make your loved one as comfortable and active as possible. Life is about living, not about dying. We all die, without much choice in the matter. We can and we should choose how we live. Make it worthwhile.
What's the biggest issue for cancer patients and caregivers? Managing the fear of the disease. Cancer is the big black cloud hanging over a loved one's head. How do you comfort someone with cancer? How do you help him or her manage the fear better? Fear creates stress and stress takes it toll on everyone.
The Practical Caregiver's mission is to reduce cancer caregiver stress. I believe the better I can help you to understand what your loved one is facing, I can provide to you the tools to do a better job. And if you do a better job as a cancer caregiver, your loved one is likely to have a better, happier, healthier life. That's a win-win, isn't it?
So, cancer caregivers, use the Practical Caregiver's free education. Take advantage of the advice. Believe that what you do for your loved one makes a difference. When you care about more than just the cancer, life becomes fuller, richer, and worth living. Be inspired.
If you would like more help with cancer caregiving, check out:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
For help organizing the holiday caregiving (and who doesn't), check out my new book at Smashwords, available for download:
The Practical Caregiver's Rules for Happy Holidays
I started the Practical Caregiver concept because I want people to know we can do a better job of supporting and educating caregivers. Does that matter for cancer patients? You bet it does. The more a caregiver understands the complexities of cancer care, the more easily he or she can address the REAL needs of a cancer patient.
Cancer and its treatment affect your loved one's:
1. appetite
2. diet
3. immune system
4. personality
5. energy level
6. life plans
Is the Practical Caregiver providing medical advice? Absolutely not. That's why we have doctors, nurses, nutritionists and others working on cancer treatment.
The Practical Caregiver provides education to cancer caregivers, to help you understand your loved one's experience better and to help you cope with the stress of being a cancer caregiver. It's available to any and all caregivers, regardless of what medical facility is treating their loved one.
Did you know that very often cancer patients are in need of different types of caregiving? Starting out treatment for cancer in the early stages is very different than catching it in a later stage. You will have to adapt your care and your own life to fit the specific needs of your loved one. Can you do this on your own?
Many times cancer treatment becomes a "serial" issue. Your loved one may have recurrences. These days, things have changed on the cancer treatment front. The disease is managed over years in many cases. As a caregiver, you will have to step up, step back, step up, and step back over and over again. When your loved one is feeling good, you won't need to provide as much care, if any. When your loved one needs your help, it's important for you to be there. That means planning for the future in reasonable, sensible ways. Expect to provide care, build your resources list, find out what you can use -- being prepared is important.
Cancer can also, in its later stages, be a progressive disease, so it's important to understand the issues in coping with a terminal illness. You, as a cancer caregiver, want to make your loved one as comfortable and active as possible. Life is about living, not about dying. We all die, without much choice in the matter. We can and we should choose how we live. Make it worthwhile.
What's the biggest issue for cancer patients and caregivers? Managing the fear of the disease. Cancer is the big black cloud hanging over a loved one's head. How do you comfort someone with cancer? How do you help him or her manage the fear better? Fear creates stress and stress takes it toll on everyone.
The Practical Caregiver's mission is to reduce cancer caregiver stress. I believe the better I can help you to understand what your loved one is facing, I can provide to you the tools to do a better job. And if you do a better job as a cancer caregiver, your loved one is likely to have a better, happier, healthier life. That's a win-win, isn't it?
So, cancer caregivers, use the Practical Caregiver's free education. Take advantage of the advice. Believe that what you do for your loved one makes a difference. When you care about more than just the cancer, life becomes fuller, richer, and worth living. Be inspired.
If you would like more help with cancer caregiving, check out:
The Practical Caregiver Guides
For help organizing the holiday caregiving (and who doesn't), check out my new book at Smashwords, available for download:
The Practical Caregiver's Rules for Happy Holidays
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