Laughter

My mom beat non Hodgkins Lymphoma twice, once a couple years ago but first about 15 years ago. I remember her telling me about a couple non medical tools she used. Guided imagery: a white knight riding his big white horse through the cancer cells and killing them like moles with his shiny sword.

Laughter therapy: watching comedies, telling and hearing jokes and even fake laughing causes our bodies to release feel good healing chemicals. Which leads me to my experience with cancer and laughing and smiling. I have heard zero cancer humor. I have walked the halls of Mayo Clinic, my oncologists office and now at NIH where I return tomorrow.

The only joke I have heard is: "What do you call a waiting room full of people talking about their maladies?" . . . . "An organ recital!" A lot of folks don't even get it. Sometimes if I tell it I get a looks of disapproval. Disapproval not because I am humorous at the wrong time, but rather most anytime I am around cancer patients. A doctor in her closed little room with me commented how refreshing it was to hear a patient express a sense of humor.

At times I do deal with uncomfortable situation with humor - it can be a method of keeping others off guard and at a distance. But other times for me it is just a human way to find light in a very dark piece of life. Grieving needs a break and it turns out taking that break is healthy. Maybe I can mostly just let loose a contagious smile here and there. I need to laugh.

Since receiving the additional drug, Avastin (Bevacizumab Injection) 2 weeks ago I have felt several old symptoms with a new twist and a couple new symptoms (side effects). My blood pressure became a problem 2 days after injection. 192/104 highest so far as measured by the cuff they sent home with me.

I called the NIH doctor on call, he got back to me in minutes and asked me to begin the blood pressure (BP) med they sent home with me. A few hours later the head of the entire project walked me through adding a second BP drug and monitored my status from 2 thousand miles away. By 11:30pm his time Sunday night, finally the cuff showed a BP of 138/80 and we said good night. Safe, and I have his cell number. He and all the medical staff - I believe my God is working through their hands to help me and the next guy to heal. Thank you!

Since that first Sunday after the first injection I have been dealing with what time is best to take each drug I am on: Tarceva the chemo drug; a preventive type inhaler drug; Lamictal for depression and two BP drugs. That means the pill schedule I use to deal with fatigue/sleeping, mental fogginess, decreased balance, mild diarrhea and the reverse, flushed face and acne, has to change. What I combine and take when has an impact on my functionality at different segments of the day.

I'm not whining, just saying so you know why my mood changes or my voice sounds off or if I wal funny. Beyond that I am so very grateful my chemo does not cause debilitating sickness - I know many have it worse. And yes, Chemo is still my friend.
Bill