cathy’s blog

Please keep Cathy in your prayers at this time

**UPDATE** - Cathy passed away at 1 pm Houston time Friday, October 12, 2007 - please continue to keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

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friendsofcathy.com

October signifies the real beginning of the fall season for many of us. Leaves are falling off the trees, the air is cooler, and it’s time to excavate the Halloween decorations out of attic. With the changing of the seasons often comes a changing of how we feel. With all the craziness that defines our lives, many of us complain about being depressed from time to time. Experts now say that 12 million women actually do suffer from depression, and fewer than half are being treated for it. You can get screened for free at hundreds of sites across the country on October 11th, National Depression Screening Day. Check out www.mentalhealthscreening.org to find the location nearest you.

I have spent some time following political causes recently, and found some interesting information. From Martha Washington to Laura Bush, America’s first ladies have been amazing advocates for the public good. Did you know that Martha Washington organized female volunteers to aid wounded troops, benefiting the Revolutionary War Veterans? Or that Dolly Madison helped rebuild the White House by saving many treasures when the British burned D.C.? Lucy Hayes was all about temperance and suffrage, and pushed for women’s voting rights, and Florence Harding was the first First Lady to actually vote. Lou Hoover helped the Girl Scouts with her publicity efforts, while Eleanor Roosevelt was a champion of civil rights. Mamie Eisenhower raised funds for research on heart disease, after Ike’s heart attack, Lady Bird Johnson is well known for her landscape beautification projects, and Rosalynn Carter worked to bring emotional disorders “out of the closet”. If you were first lady, what would you champion?

I recently returned from Clarksdale, Mississippi, the “home of the blues”. When I drove into the town (population 20,000 is what they claim, but I question it), I felt like I had entered a time warp. It would appear at first glance that everyone here is impoverished (I somehow feel bad writing the word “poor”), that this town just came to a grinding halt sometime in the 50’s and never progressed. There are no visible new businesses, no civic improvements, no progress at first glance. Or second. But upon deeper investigation, I started to feel like I was looking for the wrong thing. Everywhere I turned, people were happy. Chivalry is not dead, it’s alive and thriving in Clarksdale. People know each other, they like each other, they help each other. People move slowly, but it’s because they stop and talk to everyone else on the way to where they’re going. Everyone is important, and treated with respect. Children and the elderly are universally loved, and everyone seems to have a wonderful secret. And maybe they do!

Two summers ago a group of women who were preparing for a charity walk for breast cancer met to decide their team name. One of the participants (a mother of five and stage four cancer patient) tossed out an idea: how about “Save 2nd base,” a playful allusion to the high school system where the “bases” signify the progression from kissing to sex. Remember that expression? She designed a T shirt, drawing two baseballs at breast level above the slogan. The shirts sold like wildfire, and are in boutiques all over the east coast with money donated to breast cancer charities. Who says that cancer can’t turn something devastating into a good thing?

I am lucky enough to be one of the working press at the first ever Presidential Forum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This morning, Lance Armstrong welcomed the Democratic candidates that came to explain their views on two very important issues, namely cancer research and health care. The event is televised on MSNBC, and hosted by Lance and Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s “Hard Ball with Chris Matthews”. I was up close and personal with Hilary Clinton, John Edwards, Bill Richardson and Dennis Kucinich, all of whom explained what they would do if they were elected President. There were about 2700 people in the audience, and when the question was asked “how many of you have been touched by cancer?”, there was a sea of arms waving in the air. Questions included everything from “would you make cancer a top priority?” and “do you take contributions from insurance companies?” to “do you support stem cell research?” and “what would you do first in the Oval Office?” Tomorrow will feature the Republican candidates. The point of all this? To make sure that the promises these candidates make about cancer research (and other diseases that ravage our citizens) and health care in an effort to get elected are recorded, and that the candidate that wins is held accountable. Cancer is the number one killer of Americans under the age of 85. It deserves to be a national priority.

Shuffling through the mail the other day, I came across a letter with the return address “The White House, Washington D.C.” I was skeptical at first, but upon opening it, I found a note from the United States Press Secretary Tony Snow. To me! Hand-addressed and an actual signature! He and I have something in common–we both are colon cancer survivors. Here’s part of what he said “Thank you for taking the time to pull together literature about beating cancer. That’s one of the great things about being an American: people in this country just want to do the right thing for others. And having been the recipient of your kindness, I can assure you that I’m doing everything in my power to learn from and emulate your example.” Isn’t that cool?

“Eat your vegetables!” We’ve all heard it throughout our lives, but here’s a gentle reminder. Did you know that the top three cancer-preventing vegetables are eggplant, broccoli and cabbage? Eggplant has chlorogenic acid (helps prevent cancer), broccoli has sulforaphane (which disarms cancer-causing substances) and cabbage has high levels of isothiocyanates(especially good to cut the risk of breast, lung and colon cancers). Put down that cheeseburger!

I recently read an article in the New York Times about a woman diagnosed with cancer. The first doctor gave her six months to live. The second and third said chemotherapy might buy her a little time, but that was her only option, A fourth offered to operate. The patient’s name is Karen Pasqualetto, and in her support group, she talks about “being saddened to hear how other patients with advanced disease take the word of a single oncologist. She says if she had done that, she would already be dead. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common, and is yet another example showing that in order to survive cancer you MUST have money, access to hospitals, personal drive and motivation, an education, the ability to sort through the medical world and the insurance maze. Time and time again, “Type A” people are conquering cancer, due to their own determination and tenacity. It shouldn’t have to be that way, but the more I talk to patients across the country, the more I find that the successful ones (and that has MANY different definitions) share that same characteristic. Think about this: there is no one exactly the same as you are. So why would we assume that the standard protocol given to the guy/gal next to you in the waiting room would be exactly what you need? We need to recognize two concepts—that each of us is indeed different and our approaches to how we fight cancer will be different, and (and this is the most important one!) that it’s okay to look out for yourself. Yesterday I talked to a another long-term survivor, who’s mantra is ” Don’t be a sheep. Question everything and be your own best advocate!”

I don’t know about you, but I quit showing up on time for doctor’s appointments years ago. I am ALWAYS on time, or better yet, early. As I tell my students, in the business world, 15 minutes early is the new “on time”. But when I was thrust into the cancer arena which required spending more time in waiting rooms than I spend asleep (or so it seemed), I began to chafe at the fact that I was NEVER talking to a doctor when my appointment time came around. Just yesterday, I spent 2 1/2 hours in a waiting room, to then spend 12 minutes updating a doctor about my condition (no change), my diet (no change) my side effects (none), and to have my vitals taken (no change). But every now and then, I am surprised and heartened. I went to an initial consultation for a root canal (and that’s always something fun to do!), and I was early (thank heavens…old habits die hard). I was sitting in the waiting room, and a man came in for an appointment. I actually heard the receptionist say “I’m sorry, Mr. Smith, but our appointments are scheduled so that our patients do not have to wait more than 5 minutes to be seen. You were 22 minutes late, so I’ll have to ask you to reschedule.” I about fell over. I love that doctor. I love that receptionist. I love the fact that I can be on time/early and it will be rewarded. If you have anything to do with health care, I challenge you to do the same thing for your patients!