Author Archives: surfingon

About surfingon

I live in Hawaii. I surf in the winter and swim in the summer. I have been a hospice volunteer with a contemplative-care oriented hospice for 25 years have been part of their team that trains new volunteers for the last 9 years. I have walked the colon cancer path with my beloved husband these past 5 years. He died very peacefully in April 2009. I now seek to share what we learned, to shed light on the many dark corners of this often mystifying, heartbreaking and heart-opening journey.

MAJOR HOSPITAL REFUSES TO PRESCRIBE NEW COLON CANCER DRUG

Posted on October 14, 2012

A 2003 law requires that Medicare must pay whatever price the drug manufacturer sets– plus a 6% cushion. Continue reading →

Posted in cancer treatments | Tagged Avastin, escalating costs of medical care, Medicare drugs, Zaltrap | Leave a comment

DO CANCER PATIENTS KNOW BEFORE THEY’RE EVEN DIAGNOSED?

Posted on March 22, 2012

I’ve wondered off and on about this possibility ever since John was diagnosed, but hadn’t really given it a thought– until yesterday. In searching for my passport, I came across John’s and was very surprised at my reaction to seeing … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiver to cancer patient, end of life, widow | Tagged cancer diagnosis no warning signs, emergency colostomy | Leave a comment

HOW DOCTORS DELIVER BAD NEWS TO PATIENTS

Posted on March 12, 2012

the ways in which a doctor’s sometimes unconscious decisions about how to present information impacts his patient Continue reading →

Posted in doctor patient communication, doctor patient relationship, end of life | Tagged doctor-speak, doctors communicating bad news, physicians self-interest, terminal candor, truth-dumping, unfavorable prognosis | 2 Comments

HOW LONG DO I HAVE, DOCTOR?

Posted on February 26, 2012

When therapy is available, physicians will blithely ignore prognosis. Continue reading →

Posted in doctor patient communication, doctor patient relationship, end of life, Uncategorized | Tagged discussion with doctor, end-of life prognosis, patient initiative in conversations with doctors, patient preferences for care, physician aversion to prognosis | 1 Comment

THE INTREPID WIDOW

Posted on January 15, 2012

Just a short note to let you know that I’ve started a new companion blog to this one, called Shedding Light on the Widow’s Journey. http://sheddinglightonthewidowsjourney.wordpress.com My goal is to fill it with the many things I’ve learned about living … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiver to cancer patient, Uncategorized, widow, widow | Tagged intrepid widow, living on my own, the widow's journey, widow | 1 Comment

ATTENTION CANCER PATIENTS WITH SWOLLEN LEGS

Posted on November 4, 2011

If you are a cancer patient who has been diagnosed with a blood clot and you now have a very swollen leg/legs that your doctor cannot explain, please read on– our experience may illuminate your own. Continue reading →

Posted in blood clots, side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatments, Uncategorized | Tagged blood clots in cancer patients, lymphedema, manual lymphatic drainage, post phlebotic syndrome, swollen red legs in cancer patients | 4 Comments

The simplest tool in my cancer comfort kit often gave the most profound results

Posted on August 4, 2011

My two most invaluable tools for pain control and comfort when I was caring for John at home were never mentioned by any of John’s doctors or nurses. Both were ultra low-tech and completely unrelated to drugs. The first I have … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiver to cancer patient, coping, end of life, Uncategorized | Tagged cancer comfort kit, cancer pain relief, comfort for cancer patients, heated rice bag for pain, peace and comfort for cancer patients | Leave a comment

IV HYDRATION AND TUBE FEEDING AT THE END OF LIFE– PROS AND CONS

Posted on May 28, 2011

Let me be very clear from the start: the question of wanting either of these interventions was never an issue for John when he filled out his Living Will. My many years of hospice experience had made the choice a … Continue reading →

Posted in end of life | Tagged dying of dehydration, IV hydration at the end of life, living will, starving to death, terminal delirium, tube feeding | 2 Comments

GRIEF, TWO YEARS LATER

Posted on May 22, 2011

My life symbolized in a mask, the unimaginable gift of how that grief has shaped me into a stronger, more resilient, deeper human being. Continue reading →

Posted in caregiver to cancer patient, coping, Uncategorized | Tagged grief, grief mask, widowhood | 1 Comment

Shedding Light On the Cancer Journey: the book

Posted on March 15, 2011

My dear and faithful readers: As of today, over 24,000 people have read and hopefully benefited from this blog– beyond my wildest expectation when I started this project almost 4 years ago. Such strong support has led me to turn Shedding Light On … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer staging, cancer treatments, caregiver to cancer patient, chemo toxicity, coping, doctor patient communication, doctor patient relationship, end of life, hospice, hospitalization, medication issues, patient advocate, side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatments, Uncategorized | Tagged shedding light on the cancer journey: the book | 2 Comments