Health – Page 2 – SOLUTIONS Cancer Resource Center, Inc.

October 12, 2020

Falling for Fall

As we enter into the fourth quarter of the year, we can only look back with great wonderment of what we have experienced within the last 8 months of 2020. Last year this time, we were out and about with a sense of knowing how to best navigate through our day. Whether it is going in for a cancer screening, doctor’s appointment, therapy, work, shopping or just running some simple errands – those days are long gone. We are now living in the era of a pandemic that is taking the world by it’s throat.

The new protocols are set to help us mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. While there are some people who are resisting the guidelines set by the top healthcare professionals, there is a majority of people who understand the importance of taking a unified approach to not only protect themselves but to protect others.

Fall is here and the chill is in the air. It is the time where we stay indoors more often. Families are huddled at home keeping warm. Not to mention those who live with room mates where there is limited control on the comings and goings of each person, including whom they may bring into the space. There is also the homeless shelter mixed with families and others who are also sharing a space. Why are we considering these people? We are a part of society. We travel to and from work, use the public transportation, open and close doors, shop in the stores, ride in car services, among other things. The people who have the highest risk of dying from COVID-19 are those who have pre-existing conditions. If you have cancer or even as a cancer survivor, it is important to avoid being exposed to the virus.

It is very important to make every effort to adhere to the standards of keeping a distance from others, wearing a mask, washing your hands and avoid touching your face. When you return to your living space, wash your hands. When you bring your groceries in, wipe them down with a disinfectant, wipe down the handles of the appliances, the door knobs, the faucets, any handle that is frequently used should be disinfected – including the handles on the toilet as well. I know it all seems to be a bit much but as we are still learning more about the virus each day, we cannot afford to let our guards down. With her most nurturing efforts, my mother would say – an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. If only we could all take that approach, we may be able to get through this pandemic with less fatalities than we had in the height of the Spring and Summer season.

November 14, 2019

My Life. My Choice.

When faced with a diagnosis, one never really knows what they will do or how they will handle it. I never thought of it. I live a fairly healthy lifestyle. I avoid caffeine, alcohol, not much of a fan of sweets, rarely eat fast foods or take out. I take fitness classes alternating Pilates, spin/cycle and running throughout the week with Sunday as my rest day.

I had a pain in my side, it was beginning to concern me as it was not going away. At first I thought that it may have been caused by something I picked up, or pulled a muscle or some other reason. I decided that I would go and get checked, my doctor assumed by the description of my symptoms that I may have kidney stones. He referred me to a urologist who scheduled me for an ultrasound.

The pain was still there but it was not unbearable, just uncomfortable. I guess I was getting used to it. I had the ultrasound and was told that the doctor will call me with the results to schedule the surgery. I left feeling relieved. I looked forward to having the stones removed.

It was about five days later when the doctor’s office called and told me that I needed to come in for a follow up visit. I thought nothing of it as I just believed that it was to schedule the surgery to remove the kidney stones or at least discuss the options. I knew something was wrong when the doctor came in the room, she was different, she was not smiling, she sat down and signed on the computer while greeting me and asking me how I was doing – at the same time scrolling on the screen. Finally, she looked up at me, sighed and told me that I have kidney cancer.

Surprisingly, I just listened as she told me that I will have to have surgery to remove the cancer. It was a small mass and she said we can monitor it over time and as long as the mass is not growing, we can keep an eye on it. She also mentioned the ablation procedure which is less invasive and will have minimal to no side effects or we can remove the mass and try to preserve the kidney. She wanted me to think about it.

When I left the office, I sat in the car and just stared blankly not focusing on anything in particular. I think it was about 45 minutes before I started the car to leave the parking lot. I don’t even know how I made it home. I opened the door to my apartment, placed the keys on the table, went directly to my bed and fell asleep.

I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed that I had missed several calls. I went back to bed and laid there in the dark, quiet room alone. I thought about my day and how it all changed around 1:45 pm and it will never be the same again.

The next morning, I called my mother and left a message. She called me back and said that she was coming over for breakfast. She had no idea and was just excited to come over to my apartment, it has only been a year since I moved out after graduating college and started my first professional job. I knew that it would be very hard to tell my mother the news.

My mother and I had breakfast and after we finished, I told her that I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. She looked at me with her mouth wide open and a loud indescribable shriek came out. It was at that point that I hugged her and began to cry. It was the first time that I cried and I cried because she was crying. I wanted to be brave, but I broke down. After we were all cried out, it was as though we knew that it was time to figure out the next step. I shared the options with my mother and she recommended that I get a second opinion and then she would allow me to make the best decision for my treatment.

My mother said “Kim, I am here for you. Whatever you decide, it’s your choice. At that moment, I had another overwhelming feeling of fear. I had no idea what is best for me. I did not want to have the surgery so perhaps I should wait and see. Let’s monitor it. Then again, I should probably go with the ablation as it is less invasive with a quicker recovery time with little to no side effects (but what it was not all removed?). Maybe, I should just go for the full on removal option, I still have another kidney that works and once it’s gone I can get back to living my life. But why did I have cancer in my kidney? If I take it away, will it return for my other kidney? Whatever happens in the end, it is my life, my choice.

September 13, 2019

Cancer, Depression and Faith

Is it possible to have faith and still be depressed?

Savannah is struggling with her recent diagnosis, her doubts and the struggle with her faith. She was a church girl who attended church all of her life and has always had her faith in tact. A few weeks ago, Savannah was diagnosed with breast cancer and recently began chemotherapy. She was optimistic as she tapped into her faith believing that she was going through a phase which was just a setback in her health. Interestingly, Savannah was engaged to her longtime boyfriend Karl and was looking forward to planning their wedding. She had her bridal magazines, her pen and her daily planner, along with her iPad to work on during her chemotherapy treatments. She was all prayed up and was encouraged by the survivor stories that she had heard.

The one thing that she was not prepared for was how awful and weak she would feel after treatment. She heard from other survivors who said that they had treatment during work hours (lunch) and continued to work through their treatment. She knew that she would not be able to work, at least not now. She worried that she would not be able to make it through her treatments. Slowly, the doubts began to build up.

Savannah questioned her faith. She prayed, she had prayer warriors praying for her. She believed in the power of prayer but now she with every treatment, she felt weaker and weaker. Her hair began to fall out in clumps, the texture of her skin changed and she no longer answered her phone or respond to the text messages from her family, friends and coworkers. Although she would check in on her social media accounts, she no longer posted or engaged with others. She broke down and cried while looking at the photos of others having a great time. She became emotionally overwhelmed when she saw some photos of her friend Char’s husband celebrating her birthday. It was an extravagant affair, he surprised her and all of their family and friends were there. Savannah was invited and had planned to attend. She RSVP’d well in advance of her cancer diagnosis. Now, here she was watching life go on without her. She wondered whether she would see another birthday. Would she marry her best friend? Will they be able to have a family?

Karl was there for her reassuring Julia that they will get married. He wanted her to be his wife as she was the love of his life. He believed that she would be healed. He prayed and trusted in his prayers. He noticed that Savannah was not like herself. She was outgoing, ready to hang out with their friends and now she was often in bed, the curtains drawn, watching movies and checking on her friends by looking at their social media posts. She rarely responded to the friendly check in from her friends on her page even though she read them.

Determined to make Savannah feel better, Karl encouraged her to seek counseling. She reluctantly agreed. She began to question whether going to counseling meant that she was not trusting or believing in God. She wondered if she would be judged for her lack of faith. Savannah knew that she was not feeling like herself but wondered if she got back into her social circles, church and getting out more often – she would begin to feel better. However, Karl convinced her that counseling would be great for her. In fact, he offered to go with her and sit in with her whenever she needed him.

Although the counseling helped, the feeling of failing to have faith lingered. Savannah has completed her treatment and is waiting for the results. She hopes that it will be all clear. She is looking forward to moving forward with her life and marrying her best friend – Karl.