Awesome Cancer Survivor

Join me for WEGO Health’s Webinar: Navigating Your Health Narrative!

I just registered for WEGO Health’s exciting new webinar and I wanted to share with everyone.  Here are the details on the webinar:

 What: Navigating Your Health Narrative Webinar

Who: Health Activist Panel with Lisa E, Erin B, Jenni P, and Amanda D

When: Thursday April 21^st 8pm EST - it will last an hour

Where: Your computer!!

Sign up here and you’ll get all the details!

The webinar is for anyone from seasoned bloggers to blog-readers who want to start their own blog. The webinar will cover the basics of blogging and include more advanced tips and tricks for promoting posts, managing your time, and establishing your blog “voice” and how to raise awareness about your condition through blogging. 

By signing up you’ll also have a chance to ask specific questions for the Health Activist panel that will be answered during the live Q&A portion of the webinar. You’ll get access to the archived version of the webinar!  See you there!

 

What's your Cancer Age?

Have you seen the Real Age calculators? Basically, it seems that we can calculate our real age by factoring in things like smoking, diet, exercise and medical history.  The goal is to keep your real age as low as possible.  Apparently, staying "young" is the key to good health and longevity.

Well, I've been thinking about this real age test, and feel it really does Awesome Cancer Survivors a serious injustice.  We get better as we age, not as we force our "real age" to a more youthful number.  As cancer survivors, each passing year adds to our collective strength and overall health.  In sharp contrast to the Real Age, a higher Cancer Age is a true status symbol!  To address the Real Age test's shortfalls, I'm rolling out a new test.  It's called the Cancer Age Assessment^TM. 

This assessment will reward cancer survivors with their true Cancer Age!  Your Cancer Age reflects the pain, anguish, and sheer guts it took for you to battle cancer and continue on as an Awesome Cancer Survivor.  As awesome cancer survivors, we've all experienced more in our lives than most people.  Your Cancer Age lets everyone know that you are a super hero! 

Take the Assessment!

Write down your Current Age:    ________________________

If you've never had cancer, subtract your current age from your current age.  You're at 0. Please stop here. Your cancer age is 0.  There are no prizes for you.

If you've had cancer, please continue.

Add 5 to your current age for each cancer diagnosis. 

If you were diagnosed with Cancer before 18, add 100.

If you were diagnosed with Cancer between 18 and 50, add 10.

If you were diagnosed with Cancer after 50, add 5.

If you had Chemo, add 25.

If you still remember the names of all your chemo druges, add 10.

If you lost your hair going through chemo, add 20.

If you had Radiation, add 20.

If you had surgery for cancer treatment, add 10.

If your oncologist attended your wedding, add 20.

If your pharmacy is on speed dial, add 5.

If you like MRIs, subtract 20.

If you have copies of all your medical records, up to date, add 25.

If you don't have any of your medical records, subtract 10.

If your primary care physician takes your calls on the first ring, add 10.

If you've redecorated the oncology waiting room because it was looking a little drab, add 50.

Results:

Add up your score and arrive at your Cancer Age^TM.

1-50 - Congratulations, you're an Awesome Cancer Survivor! Welcome to the club.  You're on a path to becoming a truly empowered survivor.

51 - 1000 - WOW! Not only are you an Awesome Cancer Survivor, you're a true old soul. You're a sherpa, guide, expert, and treasured resource for other cancer survivors.  You've battled cancer with grace, wit, charm, and alot of grit and perserverance.  You have an ability to reflect on the past and see great possibilities for the future.  You live each moment to the fullest and you're making sure that everyone around you lives the same way.  You see beauty in all things and truly live a life with a happiness that aches.  Without you, the cancer survivorship landscape would be a lonely place.  Thank you for all you do! I'd climb a mountain with you!

  

1000 + - Your score is off the charts! Please contact me immediately, I think there's a clinical trial out there somewhere specifically for you. Seriously. Call me right now!

Proudly display your Cancer Age on your site!  Want the Cancer Age badge - let me know.  Leave a comment and tell me your Cancer Age!

 

 

 

 

A Patient's Decalogue

I just read Ellen's great post on a Physician's 10 Commandments over on WEGO Health. The list is very comprehensive and made me realize that many people could benefit from reading this perspective. In keeping with this theme, I thought I'd add to the great conversation by creating the Patient's version -- The Patient's Decalogue. Decalogue is the greek word for "10 thoughts." Here's my top 10 Rules for Patients:

The Patient's Decalogue

1. Always be prepared: What's the best to ensure you get excellent care? Go to your appointments prepared to ask questions.
2. Ask questions: Don't take everything your doctor says at face value. If you don't understand a term or a recommended course of action, ASK about it. If you're not comfortable with a decision or procedure, you are entitled to discuss everything with your doctor or nurses before making any decision.
3. Never leave an appointment confused or upset: When dealing with your doctor, make sure you leave an appointment with all the information you need. Appointments can be stressful at times, but make sure you don't leave the doctor's office confused or upset. Do the best you can to make sure you understand everything that's going on - right down to the routine tests or scans you might need.
4. Don't be afraid to seek out a second opinion: - Every great doctor knows that patients should be expected to and sometimes will seek out second opinions. My doctors have always encouraged me to seek out second, even third opinions when dealing with my cancer diagnoses over the years. My respect for my core team of doctors have grown over the years as I've watched them restate their beliefs that, ultimately, the patient must be happy with their course of treatment, no matter who makes the final decision. Doctors that understand this and accept this make dealing with any health condition much easier to handle.
5. Be honest: If a doctor asks if you take herbal supplements, make sure you tell them. Don't tell the docs that you take your vitamins, or prescribed drugs if you don't do that. I can't believe the number of patients that feel this "isn't a big deal!" It's a great, big deal. If you tell your docs that you "exercise everyday" or "take those multi-vitamins" and don't; you could be setting yourself up for some serious health care problems. Be open and be honest. Your doctors are there to help you - as uncomfortable or embarrassing as it might be to talk openly about a health concern, if you're not honest, it makes it difficult for the doctors to do their jobs!
6. Speak up: This is very similar to point #2. If in doubt, ask questions and speak up! Your opinion counts too. Keep in mind, as the patient, eveyone's there for you. Everyone's ultimate goal is your health. If you don't get the feeling that your medical team is there to help you, it may be time to move on. It's your life, and your health!
7. Have a family member or friend go with you: If you have concerns about recording or remembering key pieces of information discussed during your appointment, bring a family member or friend to act as your helper or note taker. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, I brought my husband with me to all appointments (he was my boyfriend at the time!) to take notes. He took incredible notes and recorded many bits of information I didn't recall at later dates. When dealing with a new diagnosis, you may be overwhelmed at the information being tossed out during your appointment time. Don't be afraid to ask the doctors to slow down and explain what you want to understand.
8. Talk about your pain: Chronic pain is often overlooked and dismissed by many health care professionals. It's difficult to quatify, making conversations about pain stressful for some patients and caregivers. If you're in pain, talk about it. Tell your doctor. Don't dismiss your own feelings - you owe it to yourself to always seek out the best, most comprehensive care.
9. Be respectful: Respect the people there to help you. Being respectful goes a long way to help you form key relationships with your doctors, nurses, and medical team.
   
   And finally......
10. Thou shalt not google excessively, compulsively, or with reckless abandon: This is a big one! I've fallen for this one a few times myself. Just because you can check out any and every health condition by running a search "on The Google" doesn't mean it's a good idea. When looking for information online, stick to the key sites. For cancer, I always start at The National Cancer Institute - cancer.gov. While searching the depths of the web might help you uncover all the information you think you need, it's still a wide open space, with little regulation on content. Keep that in mind when printing off reams of information to drag into your doc's office. [Yes, I've done that before...]

I've used these rules as my guidelines over the past years and I think they've served me well. What would you add?! Please feel free to add your thoughts. Tell me what guides you as a patient!

The Pinkification of the NFL

Have we finally hit the point of no return?

The National Football League announced today that all football games throughout the month of October will feature players with pink gloves, pink cleats, and pink arm bands. How effective will this campaign really be in a month when the airwaves are saturated with pink products and breast cancer awareness campaigns?

Read all about the NFL's Crucial Catch Campaign.

I just completed an unofficial, highly unscientific and unsponsored research study on the NFL.com.

 

1) I went to NFL.com.

2) In the search box, I typed prostate cancer and hit return. I received 10 hits.

3) In the search box, I typed breast cancer and hit return. I received 400 hits.

Think about that for a moment. The website that provides tons of news and content on the bastion of all manly man sports and it has only one meaningful article on prostate cancer from 2009? Why?

Then think about this: Here are the stats comparisons for Prostate and Breast Cancer from Cancer.org [PDF]:

New Cases in 2009:

Breast Cancer 194,280

Prostate 192,280

Estimated Deaths in 2009:

Breast Cancer 40,610

Prostate 27,360

Do those numbers surprise you? They surprised me. Why does the NFL throw its marketing muscle behind breast cancer? Where's the support for prostate cancer? What am I missing? Let me know your thoughts!

Health Activists - do we really need more pink? Check out my challege for October!