Ok, I know you have heard it over and over: rest, eat right, manage stress, exercise, moderation of alcohol. Having been through breast cancer I look at these and try to practice what I preach but it seems a juggling act some days. Today I learned that it is much better to boil or steam your veggies rather than microwave. The example was broccoli and to steam it for 3-4 minutes rather than microwave that will destroy important nutrition(enzyme) in less than one minute. In the same venue, it discusses weight and that is a modifiable risk factor and that 7 in 10 Americans are overweight and also learning that cancer numbers continue to grow especially as we age and baby boomers are flocking in this area. We do have behaviors we can modify to decrease our chances of getting cancer: not smoking, exercise, weight control, and all the other things that constitute good health. So how am I doing on my juggling act? Well I don't smoke, I have a few pounds I need to shed, I have a glass of wine a couple times a week, and I continue to learn how to cook better. I rarely eat beef and I am trying to incorporate more vegetables and fruit each day. I still take my multivitamin but my sleep habits are poor at best and exercise, well right now, I am struggling. I have hit hibernation mode between the snow and cold. I did at one time in my life live in Jacksonville,FL and I will be the first to admit, I was so much more active. These cold, dark days and waking up in the dark and it getting dark after supper, well, I need to motivate myself better. I was doing some yoga and felt something pop inside so am also doing some watchful waiting but that may all be due to my 62 years adjusting to new requirements. I need to make sure I get 30 minutes in each day of exercise. Since I had breast cancer, there are times that I just fall into survivor mode. My healthcare team is diligent if I tell them anything is out of whack. Now, knowing that, how hard do you think it is to keep level headed when yet again another biopsy as we just aren't sure, or your blood work is low, we will keep following it and hope that it has nothing to do with anything else. Ok, peel me off the ceiling! Well not really, I used to feel that way, now I just look to moderation in everything and one step at a time moving forward. We can be our own best friends or our own worst enemy. I chose to be nice to myself and make it a great day, and yes, I have a massage scheduled and that is truly my own self prescribed intervention to keep me going. Makes it a great day
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There is a word that we in the healthcare field banter around alot but that is not a familiar word to most people until the need arises. Palliative care aims to reduce pain and increase comfort for any patient with a serious illness regardless of their prognosis. This service is underutilized as is Hospice and most referrals come until the last two months of life or less. Palliative can begin at time of treatment. It is a better approach to help reduce or prevent cancer related pain. It is another layer of support that is available to the patient and focuses on Spiritual, Physical, and Emotional levels and incorporates the interdisciplinary team including: physicians, pharmacists, social workers, and complementary health providers and religious advisers. This is often confused with HOSPICE which is typically offered in the last six months of life. The misunderstanding is often the patient and family think if they go to Palliative care that they can't get treatment and are often afraid that this means the team is giving up on the patient. Palliative care not only looks to control pain issues but also psychological concerns to practical issues. Palliative is not about giving up on the patient but helping them through treatment. This service allows the patient to focus more on her treatment and recovery and the patient knows that if there is a recurrence that they can then re-enter the palliative program. There are patients that do go into hospice after palliative care and that is another subject but suffice to say it also looks to pain control but also quality of life. Hope this little insight helped and also that they day will come when we don't have to even talk about cancer but for now, palliative care- helps to make it a better day! S
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AuthorMy name is Sue Kilburn and I am a clinical nurse breast cancer educator at the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Archives
March 2015
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