Category: Nurse’s Corner
Tips for Planning Ahead When Traveling for Mesothelioma Treatment
Through my journey of caring for mesothelioma patients one characteristic shines through – persistence. It seems like a no brainer that people will do anything to live a little longer, but anything can mean a lot for many patients. Will you travel hundreds of miles to a treatment facility?
It is not easy to be away from home and to be ill. It becomes emotionally and physically exhausting. Mentally you need to be on your game. You will be gathering new information regarding your health, plans for treatment and expectations. When traveling for your treatment, you also have the added burden of planning how far you are willing to travel from home, where will you stay, who will travel with you, and if the treatment involves surgery or sometimes experimental studies, how long will you be gone.
So now you have decided to go the distance and take the plunge, and rearrange your life. Everyone knows there can be complications, but mentally planning for this can be very difficult. Complications can mean pain, more surgery, stopping chemotherapy temporarily and possibly extending your length of stay.
As I write this it does not sound bad, but living it is totally different. I see countless patients and families travel for their treatment, but I am not sure I could. Once you have an end date in mind and you begin planning to go home, changing that date can be devastating. Staying in the hospital longer than planned is never good, but when far away from your friends and family it can be even harder to handle.
Consider these few tips that can help keep your stress down when you travel for your mesothelioma treatment.
- Extend your deadline so you won’t be disappointed if you have to continue treatment longer.
- Get a coach. There are nurse coaches specifically designed to help mesothelioma patients. They can help with anxiety, pain, recovery and maintaining positive outcomes.
- Talk to a fellow mesothelioma patient. Unfortunately these treatments are not easy, but they can help ease your pain, extend your life and allow you to enjoy time with your family. Often time there are patient to patient programs where you can reach out and talk with someone who has already endured this situation and can offer tips.
If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please contact us.
Mesothelioma Nurse Suggests Mentally Preparing for Surgery for Quicker Recovery
You or your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or maybe it is not yet official and you need to have a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. You are frightened and terrified of the unknown and what you know of the disease. Is there anything that can ease your suffering and put your mind at ease?
Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body Techniques, by Peggy Huddleston, is a book for everybody who is going to have surgery. It emphasizes the importance of preparing – physically, emotionally and spiritually – before, during and after your procedure. Long before you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, you have had experiences that can affect how you heal from your surgery and how effective the treatments can be.
There have been clinical studies done that document that people who prepare for an operation have less pain, fewer complications and recover sooner. Ms. Huddleston’s book focuses on how people can use their emotions, attitudes and human spirits to enhance the healing process. She has developed a five step plan to help prepare people for surgery and for the healing that needs to take place.
In brief, the five steps are:
- Relax to Feel Peaceful,
- Visualize Your Healing,
- Organize a Support Group,
- Use Healing Statements,
- Meet an Anesthesiologist.
“Using these techniques will help you: feel calmer before surgery, use 23-50% less pain medication, recover faster, save money on medical bills,” says Huddleston. Sometimes claims are made that cannot be substantiated. This book is in its 5th edition, has scientific research to back it up, and is endorsed by leading MD’s in the country. There has long been known the connection between attitude and healing and the importance of positive thinking in the recovery process.
If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected]
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Nurse Learns From Mesothelioma Survivors
As a nurse, I ask my mesothelioma patients many questions. The ones that pop into my mind are what was their asbestos exposure, and are they starting treatment or are they back for more treatments. If they have previously been treated and are back for a follow- up appointment, I try to find out to what they attribute their survival.
The definition of a survivor is the state or fact of continuing to exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal or difficult circumstances. Mesothelioma is right up there with the most difficult of circumstances. I am always fascinated by what helps keep mesothelioma patients alive and getting out of bed every day.
One woman said she simply follows the instructions of her physicians. Sometimes these are the most basic like walking, taking multivitamins, and eating a healthy diet. I sat with a patient who had mesothelioma seven years ago and she told me that she just tries to focus on the positive. She focuses on her breathing and her last scan that was negative for any recurrence. She stays in the moment and tries to improve on areas that are not as strong. She told me she goes to therapy. This women does not want to be defined by her mesothelioma, but by her actions. She is out and about on social media helping people out with their own personal journeys.
I met another patient yesterday who had an attitude of gratitude. It was really surprising, and he was so happy just to be alive. He could only say nice things about his medical team. And most of all he had plans for the future. He has a birthday coming soon and he plans to be home for that. This particular patient had many, many setbacks and has experienced all the emotions that one can endure. At one point during his hospitalization he refused to get out of bed and walk. This guy was negative early on, but today, he too is a survivor.
I am fascinated to find out what makes people survivors. There are many answers and there no wrong ones. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and you are living with this disease, guess what? -you are a survivor.
We are very interested to know what makes you a survivor. Please share with us and let us know your success story.
Feel free to contact us with your story or with any questions you may have about your mesothelioma treatment.
Mesothelioma Specialists Focus on the Patient
Everyone who faces mesothelioma also faces a myriad of choices for treatment. There are many scientists and doctors who have dedicated their careers to help curing this devastating disease. There are different thoughts on how to treat the disease and the patient, and new ideas and approaches are constantly being tested and investigated. Rather than one treatment being the “silver bullet” for mesothelioma, it is thought that depending on stage, cell type of the disease, and performance status of the patient, the treatment be tailored to the patient. The treatment options include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, as well as less aggressive options to just treat the symptoms.
The scientific process is a rigorous one that involves checks and balances. When searching for a treatment center for an opinion on mesothelioma, remember each center has an expert who has researched extensively, studied many patients and results, written scientific papers, and is an expert in the field.
Recently there has been controversy over whether extrapleural pneumonectomy, an operation to remove the entire lung, as opposed to a pleurectomy, an operation to remove the lining of the lung but spare the lung, is the best treatment option for the mesothelioma patients. There has been much discussion and as the discussion continues in the scientific community patients can wonder if they have chosen the right path. The mesothelioma patient and family can become confused as to what the best option is, and if their choices are the right ones for them.
Confusing claims and technical discussions can lead to questioning the treatment plan. Although progress is slow and research is ongoing it is vital for the relationship between the patient, family and their team of doctors to all know they are working for the best interest and best treatment options for the patient.
The discussions regarding all the treatment options for mesothelioma being presented by your medical team are all meant to offer the best approaches with the best interest of the mesothelioma patient at the center of the discussion.
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Mesothelioma Caregivers Can Reach Out for Help
Being a caregiver can be very rewarding, but there is also no doubt that it can also be life-altering and stressful. Most people never envisioned that they would become caregivers. Life took them on a path that they neither predicted nor planned for. Mesothelioma can have an incubation period of up to fifty years after exposure to asbestos to the first symptoms. During this time many roles have been established in your relationship with your family members, maybe caregiving was a part of it, maybe not.
Over the years of talking to mesothelioma patients and their families regarding the role of the caregiver, it is clear that due to the nature of the disease of mesothelioma the emotional impact of being a caregiver is lasting and can be very isolating. The stress involved can impact the caregiver’s health as well.
A recent study showed that caregivers can shorten their own lives by not taking care of themselves. The long-term stress has a cumulative effect on their health. Of the tips most often listed for caregivers, making sure they take care of themselves is the most important. If the caregiver is not healthy, caring for their loved one will not be easy and can suffer. Caregivers need to keep their own medical appointments, get plenty of sleep and eat well. Also, being informed about mesothelioma and what to expect next can help ease some of the stress of the unknown.
All this sounds good, but how do you possibly do it if you are caring for someone sick with mesothelioma? Accept help, organize the help, and allow people and friends to do specific tasks. Let yourself go out for the afternoon, and get a little distance between yourself and the one you are caring for for a few hours. Appreciate the help you get – you can’t be expected to be by your loved one’s side at all times.
Seeking help can take different forms for different personalities. Some people seek individual counseling, whereas others prefer support groups. Social media is a good place to start to find information about mesothelioma and to hear from others with the disease. Also, talk with your medical team for suggestions of an appropriate support group. Whatever the choice, please reach out to someone or some group to make your journey a little less lonely.
Mesothelioma has already made a huge impact on your life, don’t let it steal your health also.
If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please contact us.
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Free Mesothelioma Patient & Treatment Guide
We’d like to offer you our in-depth guide, “A Patient’s Guide to Mesothelioma,” absolutely free of charge.
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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