Recently, someone asked me about my choice to do chemotherapy, knowing all the brutal side effects that go along with it. I didn’t know how to respond – my overwhelming feeling was that it wasn’t a choice. Not one made after hours of careful contemplation and research and weighing up the options anyway. My diagnosis … More Choices?
Here are five more tips for helping someone with cancer. To read the first five, click here for Part 1. Gifts will brighten their day Thoughtful gifts are always a great way to brighten someone’s day and remind them that they’re not alone. Here are some ideas: Personalised gifts: Gifts that focus on healing and resting: … More How to Help Someone with Cancer (Part 2)
I know what it’s like to be a cancer patient, but I don’t know what it’s like to help someone through treatment. It must be awful to watch a loved one suffer, and not be able to do the one thing you want to do most – take the cancer away from them. The only … More How to Help Someone with Cancer (Part 1)
Thoughts on Confronting Cancer in your Twenties A decade of transition and uncertainty If you had to pinpoint one word to define your twenties, it would probably be transition. I have friends who are in full-time education, full-time work, full-time work and part-time education, living alone, living with friends, living with family, renting, meeting with … More On Young Adults & Cancer
“After this cycle I’m taking the PET-CT results to the MDT to discuss ABVD vs BEACOPP efficacy chance on EFS. We also need more filgrastim to help prevent neutropenia and an X-ray and ultrasound to check PICC line positioning.” When I entered the cancer world, a few months prior to my consultant uttering these words, … More An A-Z of Chemo for Lymphoma
As I sat waiting in the oncology ward today, a man sat in front of me wearing a hat that said “THIS IS YOUR EVEREST.” Interesting, I thought. I suppose cancer treatment is the toughest endurance test many of us will face. It does seem right to compare it to summiting Everest, the highest mountain … More This Is Your Everest
Here are my final five top tips for chemo. To read the first ten, click here for Part 1 and click here for Part 2. Track your symptoms but prepare for chaos In theory, because chemo is given in cycles, it is possible to track your symptoms and work out how you will be feeling on … More Top Tips for Chemo (Part 3)
Here are five more top tips for chemo. To read the first five, click here for Part 1. Be prepared for both mind-numbing boredom and total over-stimulation A lot of my chemo days felt like going to school. I was dropped off for 9, my dropper-offer delivering me to the receptionist who checked my name … More Top Tips for Chemo (Part 2)
“Chemo is your friend, they said……it nukes the cells, it knocks ‘em dead!” Chemotherapy is the process of using cytotoxic drugs to kill cancer cells, that is cells that are dividing uncontrollably. They don’t just kill the cancer cells though, they also kill normal fast-dividing healthy cells, like hair cells, which leads to all sorts … More Top Tips for Chemo (Part 1)
“Your hair will drop out if we use this kind of chemo, but it will grow back” my consultant said, not realising the emotional impact his statement had on me. I shrunk inside and touched my head protectively as the sentence rang in my ears. Despite being told I had a life-threatening illness, the hair … More “It will grow back” and other thoughts on hair loss
Laura writes... 