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

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

CANCER AND PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

I keep fumbling and dropping lids to water bottles and other items. When I climb the stairs to my apartment, I often feel like I am going to fall backwards and grab the rail. If I go out in the cold air, my fingers tingle for hours afterwards. What in the world......

CANCER AND PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

I keep fumbling and dropping lids to water bottles and other items. When I climb the stairs to my apartment, I often feel like I am going to fall backwards and grab the rail. If I go out in the cold air, my fingers tingle for hours afterwards. What in the world......

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

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

COPING WITH THE TIDAL WAVE OF CANCER

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

CANCER ‘SURVIVOR’:WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Isn’t everyone a survivor from the time of diagnosis to the end? One reader thinks so. By Jane Biehl PhD I never believed the old adage “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break me.” I have been terribly hurt by words and have, unfortunately, uttered phrases I......

MAKE THE INTERNET YOUR FRIEND, NOT YOUR FOE!

I receive e-mails and questions from people all over the country because of my website and articles I write for CURE®. There are so many poignant questions and concerns: “What chemo are you on?” “What are the side effects?" “I am scared to death to start chemo after reading about the side effects......

CANCER SURVIVORSHIP AND THE ART OF LETTING GO

I have a daily calendar on my desk with very wise sayings. One that really stood out was by J.C.Watts. “It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.” I had to think about this for a minute. We have all seen......

WHAT IS REMISSION

My doctor explained I was in what was called “partial remission.”  What does this mean?  Web MD https://www.webmd.com/cancer/remission-what-does-it-mean explains “The cancer is still there, but your tumor has gotten smaller – or in cancers like leukemia, you have less cancer throughout your body.” Complete remission means all your cancer cells are gone......

CANCER IS TRYING TO TEACH ME PATIENCE

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

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

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

PARTIAL CANCER REMISSION: TAKING IT ONE DAY AT A TIME

When I have my “what if”moments I remember this: Try to take things one day at a time I am in a curious, coveted, yet uncertain period of my cancer journey. “Remission” or what my doctor calls “partial remission” is here! A blood cancer such as mine is not curable. I have......