Wendy Harpham on Healthy Survivorship

Happy Despite Brain Cancer Diagnosis

Journalist Jeffrey Weiss offers testimony to the benefits of "hopeful acceptance"--accepting a poor prognosis while hoping for the best possible outcome. In "How I'm Happy Despite My Brain Cancer Diagnosis," Weiss shares his personal path to Healthy Survivorship: 

A Risk of Empowering Patients--Part III

Patient empowerment is intended to help patients.  Like any power, it can harm. 

Laura Miller's Epiphanies and Regrets while Dealing with Cancer Again--Part II

In my last post I shared two of Miller's epiphanies. Here's more:

Laura Miller's Epiphanies and Regrets While Dealing with Cancer Again - Part I

Former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller wrote a smart and powerful editorial, with hope that "Perhaps some of what I've done (and, unfortunately, haven't done) can help others."

Web-based App Improves Survival--Part II

How can an app improve survival?

Web-based App May Help Improve Survival

What if an app could help improve (1) survival in cancer patients, (2) patients' quality of life and (3) the cost effectiveness of cancer care? 

The Difficulty of Reporting Minor Symptoms--Part III

Recent posts outlined some of the many reasons patients may experience conflict and distress when deciding whether to call about minor symptoms. What's a Healthy Survivor to do? 

The Difficulty of Reporting Minor Symptoms -- Part II

What's challenging about reporting minor symptoms? They're less frightening. Shouldn't they be easier to report?  

Difficulty of Reporting Minor Symptoms

After someone has been through cancer treatment and recovery, a new mild symptom is no big deal, right?  Well, maybe. In the next few posts, we'll explore the difficulty of reporting minor symptoms in long-term survivors (LTS) who want to be Healthy Survivors.

Colonoscopy Comparison

Colonoscopy naturally makes you think of all the inconvenience and yuck. Here’s the problem: If you compare the colonoscopy experience to your normal routine, you might be tempted to delay (or decline) the cancer screening test.

The Dilemma of Hoping to be an Exceptional Responder

To be an exceptional responder, you must maintain hope that treatment will work for you, even if it rarely works in patients like you.  My concern about success stories like mine and Ella Remmings' is that some people draw the wrong conclusion from stories of exceptional responders. 

Lesson on Action in Beckett's "I'll go on."

Healthy Survivors influence their outcome positively through proper action.

What if Watching the News Upsets Me?

For people dealing with illness, the evening news can present a dilemma: "Watching the news upsets me. Not watching gives my illness control over my life." 

Dropping a Seriously Ill Friend

Nurse Carol A. Miele writes about her life with Stage IV breast cancer to help people understand and talk about the challenges many such patients face in their efforts to embrace life.

Active Surveillance and Cure

In a few clinical situations, patients with a potentially curable  low-risk cancer have the treatment option of active surveillance. What is active surveillance and what are the challenges of pursuing that option?

Speed Matters for Healthy Survivors with Heart Disease

Racing the Clock, Saving the Heart focuses on progress in minimizing the time between a heart patient making contact with the medical team and undergoing heart-muscle-saving interventions. It's a fascinating account of the science, politics and practical issues of progress in treating patients with heart disease. 

Why Patients Do Cancer Walks

In Why Patients Keep Walking, I share with professionals in oncology why I keep doing the Dallas Lymphoma Walk.   A few excerpts:

The event provides a stage to honor my extraordinary survival—and everyone who has played a role in it. The public display, like an annual booster shot, immunizes me from taking any of it for granted.

Lessons Learned from the Death of Dave Goldberg

After a tragedy, looking for life-enhancing lessons and making positive life changes give meaning to a seemingly senseless event. So what can we learn from the accidental death of Dave Goldberg, who suffered fatal head trauma and hemorrhaging while exercising on a treadmill?

The Case for Breast Self-Exam

Mammogram Mess offers a way to think about the conclusions of a large study suggesting that mammography does not save lives, as reported in the NYTimes article, Vast Study Casts Doubts on Value of Mammograms?

Reader Gillian commented, "But haven't they also told us that [breast] self-exam [BSE] is not useful/important?"

Saving Time--Part III

For this series on the time pressures on today's clinicians, let's look at the evolving culture in which they work.

The Story Behind the Overblown Story of Penicillin Allergiies -- Part II

My September 15th post in response to Penicllin Allergies Overblown introduced the problem of physicians over-prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics when penicillin would be the more appropriate drug.

This week, the Washington Post relayed the CDC's warning of an impending catastrophe of drug-resistant infections.

The Story Behind the Overblown Story of Penicillin Allergies

Journalist and infectious disease specialist Dr. Abigail Zuger tackled one rarely discussed aspect of the serious problem of drug-resistant bugs: overuse of penicillin alternatives due to patients claiming penicillin allergy when, in fact, they are not really allergic.

Naked Statistics

You can hate math and not give a whit about statistics. But if you care about your health, you will finish up your summer reading with a fantastic new book: Naked Statistics. Stripping the Dread from the Data.

Who's Calling the Shots?

Here's the dilemma: Your loved one wants to drive, saying, "I feel fine." Your loved one's doctor said  (s)he cannot drive until cleared at the follow-up visit that is still 2 weeks away. What do you do?

Music for Coping

An interesting article in the current issue of Arts & Health reviews the findings of a study that looked at Music as a Method of Coping with Cancer.

A Cost of Cognitive Deficits

Months ago someone emailed me a request to read his new cancer memoir. If someone trying to help others asks me for help, I usually say "yes." So a few days later, a review copy arrived.  

Unfortunately, after reading it and before reviewing it, I misplaced it.

Letting Go Part V

10 days ago, I promised to write about "letting go" and grief. Ironically, since then I've had to let go of blogging. 

Think Twice Before Praising Weight Loss

Until recently, if I saw someone who had lost excess weight, without hesitation I'd say something positive like, "Wow, you look terrific!"

Then I read "Why You Should Think Twice Before You Praise Someone For Losing Weight."

Help Me Live

Have you ever worried about saying the wrong thing to someone facing a medical challenge? If you are a patient, have you ever been hurt by something someone said?

Journalist and cancer survivor Lori Hope answered "Yes" to both questions and decided to do something about it. 

Dietary Pattern for Health

After a cancer diagnosis, patients ask, "What should I eat? What foods should I avoid?

The answers found in magazines and offered by clinicians and purveyors of alternative therapies often paint a confusing picture of contradictions.

Decreasing The Risk of Delirium

A study designed to determine risks associated with hospitalization and delirium in patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) contains important lessons for Healthy Survivors.

"Doctor, I Use Dietary Supplements"

What are Healthy Survivors to do if they want to go against their physicians' medical advice and take dietary supplements? 

New Nutrition and Activity Guidelines for Survivors

Up-to-date, science-driven guidelines on nutrition and exercise after cancer were published in the April 12th issue of Ca - A Journal for Clinicians, a publication of The American Cancer Society. Although addressed to healthcare professionals, the material is accessible to patients (free, online) and includes a section written specifically for lay readers.

Choosing Wisely Campaign - Part II

In my last post, I introduced the Choosing Wisely™ campaign, an effort by clinicians to avoid overuse or inappropriate use of tests and therapies. Obviously, a successful campaign would save lots of money. But the campaign is motivated by a higher goal that reflects the mission of Healthy Survivorship.

Relieving Major Depression in Cancer Patients

An Oncology Times article caught my eye: "Relieving Major Depression in Cancer Patients: Specific 'Biopsychosocial' Method Found Useful."  It reviewed a study that addressed the impact of an intervention developed to treat depression, reduce stress and help patients develop coping strategies.

Problems with Generics

Did you know that when you take a generic drug, you essentially forfeit the ability to sue the company making the drug for damages if you experience an adverse event?

Be a Good Patient; Study Up - Part II

In yesterday's post, I introduced an article/video to clarify some of the points. Today I want to focus on the quote, "Hope cannot be false."

Scan Anxiety and Healing Hope

In my January 21st post, I shared a vignette that illustrates the notion that what you hope for affects whether your hope helps or hurts you.

Now let's look at the challenge of coping with the evaluation of a worrisome symptom. What can Healthy Survivors hope for? 

What are You Hoping For?

Challenges prompt new desires. If in school, we want to graduate. If ill, we desire wellness. While dealing with a challenge, how much hope do you have? Does it even matter?

Ranting and Healing - Part II

In yesterday's post, I shared my reaction to a rant found on a cancer-related listserv. I explained my concerns regarding such expressions of anger, disappointment and frustration.

So what are Healthy Survivors to do if, for example, they learn they had not received important information about aftereffects of treatments they received?

Revoking FDA Approval: Right or Wrong? - Part IV

My last post provided an outline of the FDA's approval process. I cringed while writing it, knowing 250 words couldn't capture the investment of time, people and capital. 

Managing Uncertainty: Hope

In my October 20 and November 19th posts I provided links to the first two essays of a 4-part series on managing uncertainty. In the November 25th issue of Oncology Times, you can read part 3, titled Managing Uncertainty: Hope.

Here's the problem: Patients' reactions to uncertainty may interfere with Healthy Survivorship.

Calming the Fear of Recurrence

Fear that cancer will return is a near-universal fear of patients whose cancer is in remission. This fear can interfere with getting good care and/or living fully. For Healthy Survivors striving to calm this fear, a 6-minute video may help.

Managing Communication

An interesting press release from the University of Texas supports my long-standing contention that it is better to ask a patient, "How are things?" than to ask "How are you?"

Your Medical Mind

My recent posts have discussed some of the difficulties of modern medical decision-making in the context of PSA testing for prostate cancer. A new book by Harvard oncologist Jerome Groopman and Harvard endocrinologist Pamela Hartzband offers help to Healthy Survivors: Your Medical Mind: How to Decide What is Right for You.

Does PSA Testing Save Lives or Not? - Part III

While the furor over PSA testing plays out in the media, my sympathies lie with men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer . At the end of the day, the patient has to decide what to do.

My Bad?

My August 6th post shares a report on a new technology for breast cancer screening. I confess: I did not check out the story.

Talking About Side Effects of Cancer Treatments

Effective communication is an essential element of Healthy Survivorship. So I felt honored when MD Anderson Cancer Center's Dr. Walter Baile invited me to write and narrate an audiovisual module titled TALKING ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS OF CANCER TREATMENTS

Hope or Letting Go - Part IV

Perhaps most troubling to me of  Hope or Letting Go, was Dr. Youn's question about whether the patient and his wife should be given a chance to say good-bye. 

2011 Cancer Resource Guide

Cure in association with the American Cancer Society has published a superb booklet for people with cancer: the 2011 edition of their Cancer Resource Guide.