Rays of Light at Karmanos

The first five months of my twenty-first year were spent killing cancer.

It started with surgery in Grand Rapids, MI and then it continued with chemotherapy at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detriot.





I designated different people "Team Captain" as I faced different obstacles. The last official Team Captain was nurse Robin (pictured left, waking me up).

Every morning she really got a kick out of waking me up. You can tell by the smile on her face. In fact, I think it is the first thing she did when she got to work. I guess it got her day started off right.

She is a big reason reason I didn't go insane... well, not too insane while I received "chemo therapy." Chemo is not therapeutic for the mind except that it is the only human hope of survival anything else is a miracle, an act of God, in my opinion.

I read Lance Armstrong's book It's Not About the Bike and he illustrates the improtance of a superhuman Nurse practitioner. I thought that Lancey would, of course, get the best Nurse practitioner known to man, but apparently I was probably wrong. Robin King is, in my mind, the kindest, most effective, and intelligent professional a cancer patient could hope to be working with. She has my utmost respect and admiration.

There is a boatload (def: overwhelming amount) of details to manage when it comes to killing cancer. Robin is a cancer killing machine, and she does it with a smile.

I wanted try to avoid war-metaphor when describing this chapter of my life, but it fits really well.

There are several battles taking place when one fights cancer. First, you have the mind, soul, spiritual, emotional, ect. battle. Secondly there is the logistical battle. I sang a song while in the mist of a logistical battle. It goes like this:

It's a logistical nightmare...
It's a logistical nightmare...
It's a logistical nightmare...
It's a logistical nightmare...
Repeat as necessary







Here are two people who really made my stays at Karmanos great. I never prayed to God to send angels to gaurd me. Thankfully, I didn't have to because I was sent a host of them to surround me during those times. Agnus and Christine are the epitome of nursing at its best. In addition, they are great people - hardworking, compassionate, and fun. Christine, on the right, is wearing a pin that sends a message about what she is an expert at.

Coping with Cancer: Staying Sane

Here are some ideas that helped me.

1. Hospital gowns are dehumanizing. I detest them. Wear street clothes to keep your sanity while in hospital whenever possible. After spending four months in hospitals nobody forced me to wear a gown (except before and during surgery, which is fine). If they try to get you to wear one, act like you are going to get around to it. They will likely stop nagging you, unless you are dealing with a control freak nurse - and they are out there (more tips on dealing with them later). It is likely that they don't care if you wear one or not, but they have to ask you because of some silly hospital policy that is in place because the supplier of the gowns wants patients to consume them. People in the cancer business like nurses and doctors want you to be comfortable, drug companies and med suppliers only care about pocketing your cash. Do what you have to for you to keep your sanity.

2. Try to think of what makes you and others around you smile. Humor was a nice drug for me during my tough times. Here is my point: surround yourself with good things you cherish. Humor could be one. If flowers are your thing - ask for them. If chocolates are your thing - ask for them. If books are your thing - ask for them. If art is your thing - ask for it.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for what you WANT. It will be meaningful and fulfilling for people to help you. When you have cancer your WANTs are pretty much NEEDs. Of course, within reason. We learn to be polite growing-up by not asking for what we want. I remember going into the grocery store and seeing a three year old saying "I wann wan, I wannit mamma, I wannit, I wannit." So, it is understandable that we have these rules when for our civility. When I was in the hospital, most people and almost all my family said that they want to help in some way. So, right there is an open door that suggests that people are more than willing to help. When we humans see another person suffering we naturally want to help. It is like a reflex. So, as a cancer survivor, I want to tell you that you can help those around you by asking for help when you WANT it. It will be meaningful and fulfilling for them to help you. Don't be afraid to ask for the little things. Little details make all the difference for you. Little things that I asked for include:

• subway subs (Brandon Odell)
  
• chocolate and oranges (aunt Kathy)
  
• Lebanese food (aunt Kathy)
  
• exercize bike in the hospital (I asked about 25 nurses, doctors, ect)
  
• I asked for an IV Tech to do my IV's (that was huge, nobody is better than Anthony- he inserts IV's like Michael Jordan shoots free throws)
• I double, triple, quadrupled checked with multiple people that chemo equipment was functioning properly(staff)
  
• rides to the hospital (Jon Ramer, Mom, Mick Joynt, Aaron Jameson)
  
• soups and stews at home (Gary Lindstrom, Mom)
  
• pottery lesson (David Szot)