Wendy Harpham on Healthy Survivorship

The Hope of "Yet"

Sometimes one little word can lift you from disappointment or even despair.

Live Each Day As If It Is Your Last

CURE is a superb magazine. Excellent writing and graphics serve its mission. As its tagline says, "combining science with humanity, CURE makes cancer understandable." As if that weren't enough, subscriptions are free to survivors and their caregivers.

As a member of the advisory board, I recently submitted a guest blog post, entitled Mantra for a Healthy Survivor

Happiness in the Storm of Alzheimer's Disease

You will never hear me call cancer or any other horrible disease a "gift." So how can I talk of happiness when dealing with Alzheimer's Disease (AD)?

Heberden's Node

Years ago, I was waiting at a red light on my way home from my oncologist's office. A boat-like car slowly pulled up next to me. I looked over and saw a gray-haired woman sitting up straight. Her gnarled fingers gripped the steering wheel at 10 and 2, as if she was doing a pull-up to peer over the front hood.

Staring at her, I had a powerful thought:

Healthy Hope

During this week's interview, I introduce the notion of "healthy hope" and illustrate how this hope evolves as your circumstances change and your outlook matures. Here's another example:

The Art of Survivorship

Last evening I was interviewed by Betsy de Parry on Lymphomation Live, a weekly webcast sponsored by Patients Against Lymphoma. In this show entitled "The Art of Survivorship," we discuss how knowledge, hope and action help people become Healthy Survivors. The information and advice are addressed to patients dealing with any medical challenge (not just cancer) who want to get good care and live as fully as possible.

The hour-long interview is available online by clicking here.  I hope it helps.  With hope, Wendy

Hope and Happiness After Colostomy

Hope is complex and dynamic, comprised of patients' many different hopes that wax and wane as their circumstances change and as their outlook evolves. I define "healthy hope" as hope that helps patients get good care and live as fully as possible.

Here's a useful way of looking at the hope-and-happiness issue after colostomy:

Hope, or Relief?

Why would patients with permanent colostomies be happier than patients with temporary colostomies?

Mind Game of Hope

Why would a patient pretend that a temporary debility (such as a colostomy) is permanent?

 

Hope, or Grief?

Yesterday's post discusses a study in which patients who are told their colostomy is temporary are less happy than those who believe it is permanent. I'd like to suggest an alternative explanation to "holding on to hope" as the explanation for the unhappiness. 

The Toughest Stage

Which is most challenging: The day you are diagnosed with cancer? The day you begin treatment? The days in the middle of treatment? The days after you complete treatment and begin your recovery?

Unexpected Treasures

When I was in practice I had little free time. During those precious minutes when I was not responsible for the care of my patients or my children, I was highly selective with what I was willing to read or do. But I paid a price.

Hope or Action?

In a letter to the editor of the NYTimes, Samuel Reifler opens with "Some advice to the Obama campaign: Lose 'hope.'" He then shares his perception of hope: