If breast cancer is making you feel like you’re going crazy, you are not alone. Actually, if you are a breast cancer patient and you aren’t feeling stress, anxiety or depression, you are more likely to be the one who is losing your mind!
I truly believe the solution to finding a cure for breast cancer might be as simple as believing in “The Power of One.” If each of us can do one small thing to help, we will move mountains. As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It will be hard for you to walk more than a few blocks or into more than a few stores without seeing a special promotion to support the cause. While in the end, it is money that will drive the research which will put an end to cancer, there are so many other ways to give of yourself. Each and every one of us can play a small but meaningful role in making a difference. Together, we can make the way easier for breast cancer patients everywhere.
As someone who has never sat face to face with a doctor telling me I had breast cancer, I can only guess how I would react. Contrary to what I might imagine, the first question most women ask by far is whether or not they will loose their hair. Until I really thought hard about it, I assumed they might want to know their chances of survival, whether to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy, or a hundred other health related questions.
Then, I remembered an incident that happened a few months ago when I had my last haircut. The girl next to me had gorgeous, shiny black shoulder length hair. She was in a state of apoplexy because she claimed the stylist had cut off more than an inch of her hair. She was collecting clippings from the floor, sobbing, and demanding a ruler to measure the exact amount cut. In my estimation, even her best friends, if she had any, would not even notice she had a hair cut.
Then, I remembered an incident that happened a few months ago when I had my last haircut. The girl next to me had gorgeous, shiny black shoulder length hair. She was in a state of apoplexy because she claimed the stylist had cut off more than an inch of her hair. She was collecting clippings from the floor, sobbing, and demanding a ruler to measure the exact amount cut. In my estimation, even her best friends, if she had any, would not even notice she had a hair cut.
Do you know what the most common question a woman asks when she is told she has breast cancer? You’ll probably be as surprised as I was at the answer. The first thing a woman usually wants to know is whether or not she will lose her hair. At first, I thought of all of other possible questions I would ask like lumpectomy or mastectomy, one breast or two, chemo or radiation, and perhaps most important, what are my chances of survival? Fortunately, I am not one of the 250,000 women who are diagnosed each year or one of the 40,000 who will die from this disease. That said, I now have absolutely no idea how I would feel or what I would think in a similar situation. At least for today, instead of being a patient or a survivor, I am one of the sisterhood of women who sincerely wants to know how to compassionately help women who find themselves on this unexpected and unwanted journey.
Yoga was first developed around the sixth and fifth centuries BCE in ancient India. It is now practiced throughout the world and for good reason. Yoga and meditation are believed to be significant factors in both preventing illness and boosting the immune system to fight off or eliminate disease. In the last half century, more and more research is showing that regular practice of yoga and mediation substantially improves the outcome for women with breast cancer.
Many years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that essentially affects how my body regulates itself. I have learned to deal with most of the limitations that my illness imposes, but the one thing that I can’t seem to accept is the chronic fatigue. I had always had a sunny disposition and seemingly boundless energy, but I had to learn that, for the most part, I only had enough juice to accomplish one or two activities a day. The rest of my time is spent resting so I can recharge my battery. I once read that many people would rather give up a limb in exchange for getting their energy back. I am one of those people, but I have recently learned it doesn’t have to be a binary choice.
When I decided to get involved in raising money to increase breast cancer awareness, I discovered that breast cancer patients and survivors deal with fatigue that is similar to mine. So I set out to understand what breast cancer related fatigue is, and what can be done to minimize it.
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