To Survive with Cancer

James C. Salwitz, MD doesn't use the term Healthy Survivor. Still, the story he tells offers a name and face to the idea that patients in difficult circumstances can find Happiness in a Storm.

Dr. Salwitz, "a medical oncologist with a career-long interest in the relationships of patients and doctors to the medical system, especially around end of life issues," according to his Twitter page, gave his essay a bold title: To Survive Cancer You Need to Accept You are Going to Die.

 It opens, "To have cancer is to change forever.... Each of us copes with the diagnosis differently. How people adjust and move on with their lives are lessons in humanity."

Then Salwitz shares the story of Stan to illustrate one such lesson. At a time good for you, take a moment to read To Survive with Cancer, found on the KevinMD blog.

Stan discovered that to be set free, he needed to drop the burden of struggle. The notion of freedom echoes the essay, The Cancer Freed Me, by Paul Tsongas that I blogged about on Independence Day 2009. And the reference to a struggle echoes the January series on Grief and Acceptance found on this blog, particularly Part II.

I find it helpful to hear the same message presented different ways by different people. I hope you find it useful, too.

Comments

[Denise McGorrin]

Do you have a link to Paul Tsongas' editorial? Thanks.

[Wendy S. Harpham, MD]

Hi Denise,
Oops. Thanks for pointing out the I neglected to include a direct link. Clicking on "The Cancer Freed Me" will take you to an earlier post that discusses Tsongas' article.

Here you go:
http://tinyurl.com/HS-TsongasNYT

Let me know if you still have trouble getting to the piece.
with hope, Wendy