By: Annette McElhiney
Nemesis is defined as, “the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall.” This word seems perfect to characterize neuropathy as for many people with post chemo neuropathy, the condition literally causes us to take numerous, unwanted falls.… Read more
With the number of cancer survivors growing every day, the question of what to eat after a cancer diagnosis is quickly becoming a hot topic. Some survivors believe it is of little importance: they have already been through cancer, so … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
“Resilience presents a challenge for psychologists. Whether you can be said to have it or not largely depends not on any particular psychological test but on the way your life unfolds. If you are lucky enough to … Read more
You’ve probably heard the adage that you are more likely to regret the things you didn’t do than the things you did. Maybe there’s a long lost love that got away, a career you wish you had pursued, a trip
… Read moreBy: Annette McElhiney
I’ve mentioned frequently, I’m not a medical doctor or a scientific researcher. I’m simply a former nurse, retired college English and Womens Studies Professor, and an 8-year survivor of IIIC ovarian cancer who wants to improve my … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
All my life women have surrounded me— so I am very comfortable in their presence. However, when I received my diagnosis of III C Ovarian Cancer in 2008, I felt like a lone rigid pillar of ice. … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Most of us are aware of how animals can affect our state of mind both physically and psychologically. For years I taught in an inner city urban college made quite accessible to people who were differently abled. … Read more
Early detection saves lives. If you didn’t go to the grocery store in October or somehow managed to avoid the marketing genius of the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, then this might be news to you. So here it is once … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Having been reared on a farm in the Midwest, I’ve always thought of April as a time of new awakenings. The leaves emerge, the grass turns green, the gentle warm rains sprinkle down, animals are born, and … Read more
When you’re diagnosed with cancer, there are so many feelings to experience that it’s difficult to put a name to them all. A regular listing of emotions stretches from upset, shocked and dismayed to scared and anxious.
After being told … Read more
Jack and Connie were married for 38 years. “We were living the dream,” he says. But the shock of Connie’s diagnosis was like “going 100 miles an hour, only to stop on a dime.”
He describes his wife as the … Read more
You have cancer. Treatment is taking a toll on you physically, emotionally, and mentally. On any given day, you may be nauseous, tired, anxious, or scared. You would like to hide from the world, but you have children who need … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
For 20 years teaching Literature and Women’s Studies courses in college, I recognized March as Women’s History month and African American History month. Having watched some of the 2016 presidential debates, I’ve been repulsed by the Xenophobic … Read more
A diagnosis of cancer is a significant source of chronic stress for patients and their families, but it doesn’t have to be, according to Nancy W. Fawzy, PhD, RN, Board President of Triage Cancer, Culver City, CA. According to Dr. … Read more
Cancer has always been a constant in my family. Even at an early age, I’ve always known I was at risk: many uncles, aunts and 3 of my grandparents lost their lives to cancer. When a few cousins were diagnosed, … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
My German maternal grandmother, Matie Frederika Liebe Carolina Block Eilers lived all her life on a farm in Missouri. At age 75, she mowed her yard with a push lawnmower and then drove herself to town where … Read more
Rachel Banov Gould was just 30 years old when she had an abnormal Pap smear, and a series of tests revealed cancerous cells in her cervix. It was February 2011, and she was newly married; she and her husband, Ben, … Read more
Christine Bray, 36, of Northern Virginia, is happy to call herself a cancer survivor. Six years ago, at 30, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Since then, she’s been through myriad treatments including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She’s seen her … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
My husband and I (married 54 years in January) have been through many health crises in our lives together. He has had 3 heart surgeries and now lives with stage 4 kidney disease. I soon will be … Read more
For the first chunk of her adult life, Peg Ford had plenty of jobs. Secretary for the Toronto Maple Leafs ice-hockey team. Administrative assistant for a mortgage banking company. Freelance public-relations and marketing consultant. Then she was diagnosed with ovarian … Read more
