Category: Nurse’s Corner
Mesothelioma Nurse Encourages Patients to Seek Help for Insomnia
Mr. M. had been diagnosed with mesothelioma a month ago, and he was preparing for surgery. An issue that seemed to be effecting his quality of life was insomnia. He had difficulty falling asleep and once he did he woke up several times a night then had difficulty getting back to sleep. As a result, he was “exhausted” all the time, had little energy, and both he and his wife felt he was depressed. What can he do to improve his sleep hygiene?
Insomnia is a common health complaint. It is estimated that insomnia affects up to 50% of people after being diagnosed with cancer. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. People who suffer from insomnia usually have difficulty falling asleep, wake up often during the night, have trouble going back to sleep, wake up too early in the morning, or feel tired upon waking.
Insomnia and subsequent sleep disturbances can have undesirable effects on patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. In some cases, it can lead to fatigue and mood disturbances, but of most concern is that it can contribute to immuno-suppression. A mesothelioma patient needs to boost their immune system to help fight the disease. If you are not sleeping, it can lead to feeling fatigued during the day, and if you are fatigued, your immune system is compromised. The key to finding the appropriate treatment for insomnia is to understand what is causing it in the first place. Is pain an issue? Untreated pain can affect a night’s sleep as well as anxiety or depression.
When a mesothelioma patient has insomnia it is important to bring it to the attention of the patient’s care team. Together, they can develop a plan to treat or manage insomnia. Just like there are many causes for insomnia, there are many treatments that include combining medication with other therapies.
Mr. M was depressed and was in pain. Both can be treated once they are identified. Relaxation tapes and seeing a counselor to talk about the impact of the diagnosis on him and his loved ones were both recommended. Pain medication was added to the treatment, and he began to see the results and feel better.
With a diagnosis of mesothelioma it is very important that you don’t minimize the problems that you are facing. If the issue is affecting your health, no matter how small you think it is, tell your medical team. There are therapies that can work. There is help and it can help improve your quality of life.
If you are interested in reading and learning more about this, or if you have any question about any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Giving Thanks to the Researchers and All the Breakthroughs in Mesothelioma Research
Although Thanksgiving has just passed, we can still give thanks for the research advancements made for patients with mesothelioma. Here are three promising studies in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment phases of mesothelioma.
The time between exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma, it can be decades, has long presented challenges for the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. In an October 22 article by Sandy Bauers in The Philadelphia Inquirer, she describes a four year study that involves researchers from genetics to chemistry who will study people exposed to asbestos. Why do some people get mesothelioma and others do not, can it be prevented? The study will take place in Ambler, Pennsylvania, a site of closed asbestos factories. The study is funded by a federal grant of $10 million to The University of Pennsylvania’s Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology.
Diagnosing mesothelioma and presenting the best treatment options for each patient has been the focus of many research projects. Does the volume of disease as measured on a Cat Scan help in the clinical staging of mesothelioma? View a presentation on YouTube by Dr. Ritu Gill from last month’s IMIG conference in South Africa to find out. In the short video, she describes a multi-center clinical trial and the promising results.
Another promising clinical trial reported at October’s IMIG conference is being led by Dr. Raphael Bueno, Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston. According to an Oct. 24 press release, from Verastem, “Results from a Window of Opportunity study in surgically-eligible patients demonstrate a reduction in pFAK, cancer stem cell markers, and tumor size following 12 days of treatment with VS-6063.”
For all the researchers and all the discoveries that help ease the suffering of the mesothelioma patients and their families, we give thanks!
If you have any questions about any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].
Sources:
- The Philadelphia Inquirer
http://articles.philly.com/2014-10-20/news/55201486_1_asbestos-waste-ambler-superfund - (Oct. 24 press release, from) Verastem
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=250749&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1981229 - (YouTube by) Dr. Ritu Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whug_4C5UVA
President Declared November as National Family Caregivers Month
“Each day, courageous individuals step forward to help care for family members in need, their quiet acts of selflessness and sacrifice telling a story of love and devotion. Across our country, parents and children, siblings and spouses, friends and neighbors heroically give of themselves to support those in their lives affected by illness, injury, or disability. During National Family Caregivers Month, we salute the people who play difficult and exhausting roles, and we recommit to lifting up these Americans as they care for their loved ones while protecting their dignity and individuality.
In the United States, more than 60 million caregivers provide invaluable strength and assistance to their family members, and as the number of older Americans rises, so will the number of caregivers. Many of these dedicated people work full time and raise children of their own while also caring for the needs of their loved ones. Caregivers support the independence of their family members and enable them to more fully participate in their communities, and as a Nation, we have an obligation to empower these selfless individuals.” ~ Presidential Proclamation — National Family Caregivers Month, 2014
The reality is without family caregivers, we would not be able to care for the sick. All of us at some point in our lives, for some period of time will have the opportunity to take care of someone. We are them.
[expert_info author=”Rashida Jones”]“I know that in life there will be sickness, devastation, disappointments, heartache- it’s a given. What’s not a given is the way you choose to get through it all. If you look hard enough, you can always find the bright side.” [/expert_info]As I look back on some of the family caregivers I have encountered over the years, some of the faces and names, and their stories, come to mind. The newly married wife of a young mesothelioma patient, how supportive and loving she was and how well he did. The next time I saw them he had gained twenty pounds, looked and felt wonderful; she had aged, and lost ten pounds, but her smile could not have been brighter!
There was an elderly couple who had been together for a long time, she had mesothelioma and he doted on her, took notes, and was happy to do anything he could for her.
A middle aged couple, married for twenty years with no children – she had mesothelioma, she was the light of his life. He would travel half way across the country to work in order to keep their medical insurance, so that she would have the care she wanted at the institution she wanted.
The stories will never make the headlines, but they are more important than any celebrity, or business deal, or latest fad to sweep the nation. They are happening every day, look around and be thankful: we have them among us.
Family caregivers are the bright side!
Mesothelioma Nurse Takes Workshop Designed to Help Her Help Patients Heal Faster
I was recently working in the intensive care unit when I received a patient from the operating room. She was 65 years old and had her lung removed because of mesothelioma. She was a pleasant woman who was awake and able to converse with me. I was getting her settled, which can be time consuming, and I was able to explain my movements and my tasks to help alleviate some of her anxiety.
Soon her husband came in to stay with her, and I included him in my explanation of the plan for recovery, as well as explaining our policies. It is important to include the family and patient in the plan of care.
As our afternoon progressed, I found the patient and her husband fascinating. The patient, who I will call Rose, was unique and had something that I was drawn to. As our afternoon continued, I learned about her personal journey. She lived with her husband and had a supportive family. Unfortunately, her brother-in-law was battling cancer as well. This couple had been faced with their own cancer story and were also weighed down by other family member’s cancer as well.
Rose had received chemotherapy preoperatively, and as she says, it was rough. She had lost some of her hair, and she was petite, with not much excess weight. She continued to tell me about her life and her journey with mesothelioma. I still felt something was different about her. Then she told me she had taken a workshop prior to her surgery – Peggy Huddleston’s Prepare for Surgery Heal Faster.
Rose and her husband explained that someone contacted them after they requested this workshop. She explained to me this woman called them and spent approximately an hour on the phone call using mind body techniques. It is a five-step process to prepare for surgery (or chemotherapy or radiation). My shift ended and I said goodbye and wished them well.
As I drove home that evening I thought about her and realized I had to investigate more about Peggy Huddleston. Thank goodness for Google. I found her on the internet and called her. We had numerous conversations about her workshop and how I had met Rose. I got the book. I read it from start to end and sat back and thought about it.
My next step was to take the workshop. It was a two-day workshop to become trained on how to offer this workshop to patients. The course was on a Sunday, and I drove about 40 miles to see this woman at her house. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical and uneasy about this. I really was not sure what to expect.
One hour after meeting her I was hooked. I was fascinated by her thoughts, stories and ideas. We continued through the day and into the next with information offered on how to make a difference for this these patients. I felt like this was no accident and this is the basis of me being a nurse, I want to make a difference, especially for mesothelioma patients.
The two days flew by like no other conference/workshop I had ever been to, and I have attended my fair share. I was energized and excited about this new way to help people. So now I too can offer this workshop to help people with their medical treatments.
If you need something else try this. I have seen a lot during my career and this works. Besides making you feel well, there is research that shows this workshop reduces length of stay, and lessens the need for pain medicine. There are many testimonials about this program – and Rose was one of them saying it made a huge difference in her recovery and journey with mesothelioma.
If you are interested in reading and learning more about this, or if you have any question about any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].
Nurse Recommends Flu Shot for Mesothelioma Patients
Should mesothelioma patients and their family members take the flu shot? This question was posed to a panel of mesothelioma experts at the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation’s regional conference held October 10, in Chicago. The panel all agreed that, yes, everyone should unless there was an overriding, rare, reason not to take the vaccination.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the flu shot for everyone over the age of six months. It is particularly recommended for high-risk individuals who are more prone to flu complications, such as pneumonia. The list includes: people age 65 years or older; women who will be pregnant during the flu season; people who live in nursing homes; anyone with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma, or with any condition that weakens the immune system, such as diabetes or HIV; caregivers; any person in close contact with someone in a high-risk group, such as health care workers and household contacts; children younger than age 5, but especially those younger than 2 years old.
The flu by definition is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated every year. The flu can cause mild to severe illness. Some of the symptoms are fever, aches, chills, extreme tiredness, and lack of energy. These symptoms come on quickly. Other symptoms include headache, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and chest discomfort.
Up to 20% of Americans get the flu each year. More than 200,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized each year, and somewhere between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths are flu-related. According to the CDC, in the past flu seasons when the match between flu vaccine and circulatory strains of flu virus is close, a flu shot is 71% effective in reducing the flu-related hospitalizations among adults of all ages, and 77% percent effective among adults age 50 and older.
The evidence is in. Roll up your sleeves and get the flu shot! If you have had a reaction in the past to the flu shot, or have a severe egg allergy check with your doctor. If you are unsure call and ask, the benefits could be lifesaving. The flu in a mesothelioma patient who has had chemo, is a challenge that is best avoided!
If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].
Free Mesothelioma Patient & Treatment Guide
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It contains a wealth of information and resources to help you better understand the condition, choose (and afford) appropriate treatment, and exercise your legal right to compensation.
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