If overdiagnosed with cancer, was something done wrong?

If your loved one keeps delaying or avoiding needed medical attention, an obstacle may be that the task never makes it to the top of the daily to-do list.

If a loved one delays or avoids a doctor visit to avoid bad news, what can you do?

What can you do if your loved one says “If I go to doctors, they find problems.” In the setting of worrisome symptoms, a healing response depends on what’s behind the refusal.

A wrenching and exasperating situation is watching a loved one choose to delay or refuse needed medical attention. The loved one knows (s)he needs medical attention. The loved one believes in the value of medical attention. Yet the loved one doesn’t act. What is going on? What can—and can’t—you do?

When my oncologist reassured me “Your exam is normal,” I wasn’t convinced I was okay. Neither was he. Unwilling to wait and see whether my worrisome symptoms improved with time, he handed me a requisition for a scan.

All I could do was hope for good news, a response as reflexive as squinting in blinding light. It never occurred to me to question whether “good news” was the best thing to hope for.

It’s at least as important to be able to identify your glimmers as your triggers.

A sniffle. An upset stomach. A headache. A low-grade fever. Those minor symptoms you’d normally ignore, at least for a few days, now speed your pulse and trigger distracting thoughts. Is it Covid-19? Am I okay? Should I isolate myself?

Beware the hype about quickly developing a vaccine against Covid-19. Some things cannot be rushed.

My life improved this weekend after listening to Dr. Weekes explain her approach to self-treating anxiety. It will continue to improve as I practice her approach while navigating the tumult caused by biologic threats and social upheaval.

When teacher-author-activist Kathy LaTour departed this world on June 19th, she left behind legions of people whose lives are better because of her—including many patients and caregivers who never heard of her. She also left behind words of wisdom, a few of which I’ll share.

“Why are you taking unnecessary risks?” That question replays in my head each time I learn of friends who put themselves at risk of catching Covid-19. I fear for them because I care about them. I fear for me, living with immunodeficiency. What should I do? That’s not a rhetorical question.

Seeing a National Cancer Survivors Day (NCSD) t-shirt doesn’t always inspire. For some, the sight can elicit confusion, discomfort, or annoyance. In honor of the 33rd NCSD this past Sunday, let’s look at NCSD pride. 

Some people talk about hope as if it’s a magic wand. For a healthy perspective on hope, keep in mind:

Clinical psychologist Jenny Taitz offers some tips to Reduce Your Risk of PTSD After Lockdown that sound familiar to those who've navigated the trauma of cancer.

Emotions can keep you from getting good care. To help you win the battle among your emotions, think about healing hope.

I’d planned to share a marvelous piece about making plans in uncertain times. Then Covid-19 hit. Suddenly the advice offered in Dare to Plan, by oncology social worker Hester Hill-Schnipper, felt outdated. A closer look revealed timeless insights. Tweaking the specifics can help us through the uncertainty of this pandemic.