I need cancer patients

The amazing nurses I work with

I was debating on my blog topic for this week while sitting and watching the Superbowl. And then the Chevy commercial came on. I wasn't quite sure what it was about, but the look on the wife's face were tears of appreciation and joy and the look on the husband's face of thankfulness and complete adoration reminded me of so many relationships I've witnessed within my job. And then came the truth, it was exactly about that. February 4, 2014 is world cancer day. And while I'm not a Chevy fan, I appreciate that they spent their Superbowl money to raise awareness. Check out the commercial:

I've had this thought running through my head for a few weeks about how it is viewed that my patients need me. They need me to draw their blood, take their vitals, listen to their symptoms and help manage them, help make things clear and explain things, teach them about different things, give them their medications, listen to their struggles, and so much more. Even on the toughest days... the days where I struggle to smile or struggle to focus I know without a doubt I was made to be a nurse; specifically a nurse to cancer patients. It is on these days of struggle that I especially need cancer patients.

I feel strange saying that I need cancer patients, but it is true. I want to make it clear... I have a strong dislike, really a hate, for cancer and wish that it didn't exist, but I have first hand witnessed how something so ugly can produce some of the most beautiful stories.  These patients and their families make my life so much richer. Through their battles I learn so much. Through their love for each other I learn so much. Through their ability to show their struggles I learn so much. My absolute favorite aspect of my job is sitting down and talking with these patients and their loved ones. It is knowing that at the end of the day I just don't put medications in them and draw their blood, but that I truly have spent time with them. That when things get tough, they trust me.

I think back on some of my favorite patient stories, and to be honest they are often hard stories, but beauty within them. The young dad who was going home on hospice, but still chose to enjoy every moment he could with his wife and son despite the excruciating pain he was in. The middle aged woman who thought I was crazy because I wouldn't leave her side when she had elevated blood pressure, but smiled at me. I had the privilege of taking care of her almost every shift and her smile sticks in my head and heart. She had a grace about her that few have. One day I came in and I remember the shock I had as I heard she was actively dying. I had the privilege of knowing this incredible woman, and I had the privilege of taking care of her in her last few hours. Her grace shined through in her final breaths.

I remember the man who had ulcerative colitis and on top of that a new diagnosis of cancer. He had a longer medical history than almost anyone I've ever seen. I took care of him for 3 nights in a row. On night one he could barely sit up on his own. By night 3 he was getting out of bed and walking. I have rarely seen such courage, hard work, and determination. It was through this patient I learned what determination truly looks like.

I could talk for hours about the love I have witnessed in so many husbands eyes as they look at their wives. Often these women have lost all their hair, many have had mastectomies, and their color is gone. Their physical beauty is altered by all of this and normally many scars. But this is where I've witnessed what true love looks like. Because in these husbands eyes all I saw was love; pure adoration for their wives. It has been in these stories I've been challenged not to settle. To find a love that is as true as these that I've seen.

Just last week while my patient is facing cancer, which makes so many of my battles seem insignificant, a very special patient wrote ME a note of encouragement. I had had a very bad week (you can read about it here) and this patient was encouraging ME. It is true when I say, I need cancer patients. They make my life so much richer. And I am so blessed and thankful to call myself a nurse of cancer patients.

So as world cancer day is here (or possibly it is after it as you are now reading this), I want to challenge you. Challenge you to learn the stories of the wonderful people who face cancer daily. Challenge you to see how you can help raise money to fight this horrible disease. Challenge you to join in supporting these wonderful people during or after their battle. Challenge you to walk alongside the loved ones of those who have faced this disease not directly, but through walking this battle with a loved one. I promise you won't regret learning their stories.

Trust me when I say, you will not regret getting to know these incredible stories and these incredible people.

How are you going to fight?

3 of my favorite oncology RDs and I

On a final note we want to share in the rejoicing of a miracle of baby Charlie. His mother shared their story here: But this only happens to other people Christa shared this incredible news on facebook just the other day and we are SO excited for baby Charlie and his parents:

"I know many of you have been following our journey, and I just have to let you know about our latest miracles. A little over two weeks ago we began patching Charlie's good eye with an eye patch daily in effort to strengthen the bad eye. The Dr. said that "we could not patch enough". I had high hopes that he would see to of that eye immediately, and things would be great. This unfortunately was not the case. It was very difficult to watch Charlie's happy demeanor change every time we patched him. He would hang his head and just check-out. He would not respond at all to Scott or I visually and that was pretty heartbreaking. It seemed cruel to me to be putting him through this, but we knew we had to stay with it. We began to pray. Jesus healed the blind in the Bible, right? God has brought Charlie this far, so why wouldn't he continue to work in his little life? So we continued to patch, but I needed an attitude adjustment with it. Patching was something I dreaded because Charlie didn't enjoy it, and it's unbelievably difficult to keep an eight month old engaged for a couple hours a day when he can't see. I tried new things everyday to stimulate his other senses, but I was definitely running out of ideas. I was reading one morning in my devotional, Jesus Calling (highly recommend!) and it challenged me to thank God for the very things that were troubling me. Patching immediately came to mind! It hit me that I really should be thankful for the very opportunity to patch Charlie's eye - just 6 months ago we were given a 0% chance of saving his eye. Six months ago the idea and patching and the possibility of having vision let alone an eye were out of the question. How sad that I quickly forgot how far God has brought us. What a mammoth perspective shift! Thank you Lord for that wake-up call. Anyways, that was on the 27th. Yesterday on the 29th Charlie showed his first glimpses of vision in that eye. While we had him patched yesterday he responded with a smile to Scott's silent silly faces. I'm typing through the tears right now because I just really feel like we once again witnessed God's healing hand on our boy. Charlie also reached for and successfully obtained two remotes intentionally. This was amazing! So today we patched again, but this time I laid the remotes out on the floor and he crawled to them! What an amazing God we serve. So we continue to pray for progress and sight, and be thankful for the very things that are troubling us. I'll try to get a video of it tomorrow and post - it's truly amazing!"

Ways you can help:
Kim's Fundraising Page
Denis's St. Jude fundraising page

No Shave November: What's the Purpose? (a female's perspective)

This week, I have devoted to 'Movember' or as some might refer to it as 'No Shave November'.  Some individuals do it for the sport of growing a beard where as others may do it for awareness.  Either way, beards grow in numbers during the month of November!

I questioned the purpose of this endeavor….

Was it because men wanted to compete and take pride in their growing accomplishment?  'MY beard is fuller than your beard!'

Was it because they wanted to feel cool and fit in? 'Well everyone else is growing one…I guess that is the IN thing to do…'

Was it just to get back at girlfriends and wives that just don't have enough hours in the day to shave their legs? '….Now you know how I feel hunny…it's gross isn't it!'

Next, what the heck are the rules of No Shave November besides the obvious?  Aren't men at least given a chance to trim or groom at all?  The answer is "negative ghost rider" (Top Gun reference)  No trimming.  No shaving.  No touching the beard until December 1 hits!  30 days of growing, itching, and showing off that manly facial hair…supposedly...

So what does any good researcher do?  They Google the request of course.  Google gave me a lot of information to sift through.  It was pretty comical and informative actually.  This whole No Shave November thing is actually taken pretty seriously!  Here I just thought it was the man's excuse to annoy their significant others and obnoxiously show off…here is what I found!

http://www.heavy.com/social/2013/11/no-shave-november-beards-movember-photos-memes-moustaches-women-girls/6/

This website is all inclusive with video, diagrams, and reasons to participate.  It definitely has some compelling arguments as such to join the bandwagon.  They are promoting the growth a burley beard.  Are these men trying to look like Lumberjacks?  Not bad for the first round Google but, I think you can do better.  http://www.no-shave-november.com .

Ahh….here.  Now we are talking!  An actual Facebook Page…https://www.facebook.com/NSNCharity/info.

I mean, even the Huff Post Style Dept is writing about it!  This article had "best of" photos from Instagram.  SO….#NSN has to be legit right?  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/no-shave-november_n_4274893.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

On a less shallow note, the American Cancer Society also is mentioning this November phenomena. Their approach is very different than the other thoughts or information I found online.  Their purpose is to raise money.  That is pretty cool.  You can get T-shirts for your donations, create No Shave Teams and really give it a new purpose.  It didn't appear to promote awareness toward any one specific cancer as noted on their website just to raise awareness of cancer as a whole.

http://www.no-shavenovember.com/#!apparel-and-donations/cee5

The concept is a solid one.  "The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.  Donate the money you usually spend on shaving and grooming for a month to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle." (http://www.no-shavenovember.com/#!what/cjg9)

One other site that I came a crossed in my search is Adhere Creative's fundraising site for "Fighting Prostate Cancer" through No Shave November.  They are a Creative Marketing Agency out of Texas.  I really don't know anything about them aside from finding their fundraising page.  If you are interested in checking their cause out though, please feel free to do so!  They have a fun and interesting way of presenting this fundraiser: http://fundly.com/adhere-noshember.

All in all, it seems as though males across the board have different reasons to participate in No Shave November.  Some for personal reasons, others for raising awareness, and many I am sure just simply to grow a solid beard.  Whatever the reasoning may be, November seems to grow in attention and beards seem to almost plague the universe for the month.  That is a simple fact.  I don't see this changing anytime soon either.

So from a female's perspective, if you can't beat them--join them?

http://www.heavy.com/social/2013/11/no-shave-november-beards-movember-photos-memes-moustaches-women-girls/4/

Totally just kidding…good luck for the remainder of No Shave November!

Catie Manning

Thou Shalt Not Shave

Well, it's November, and once again I have to learn to live with the changing facial hair of my husband. I have to admit that I do like some facial hair on him; not that I wouldn't love him otherwise, but he just looks better with a clean cut beard/chin strap. However this month, he participates in the famous "No Shave November" and starts the month off clean shaven and ends it with a mountain man look. 

While it's not my "cup of tea", I have learned that there are some things not worth fussing over. Sure, would I prefer it if he kept the look from our engagement pictures or wedding day? Yes. But hair grows/can be shaved. And so, I let him have his fun :) To all those participating in No Shave November- may the best beard win! Here is a before picture of my handsome hubby that was taken on November 1st at work. I will be sure to post a picture when the month up so you can see the change.

Stubborn Men

While many of our posts focus more so on women topics, this week we are talking about men. It is November. For many men this is the month they look forward to... no shave November. For many women, it is the month they dread, the month their husbands, fiances, partners, boyfriends, brothers, sons, etc. all have an excuse, and a valid excuse, not to shave.  Though I personally am not the biggest fan of facial hair, I am a fan of promoting cancer awareness. So alas, I will forfeit my battle against hairy faces for this one month to hopefully help men realize how being stubborn is being stupid when it comes to healthcare concerns and cancer prevention.

This past summer I was talking with a guy friend of mine and it is no secret in our circle of friends that he has had a health concern. Being the nurse who has a medical brain on even when I don't mean to, I started asking questions. This friend of mine had had this problem for 3 years and had yet to see a physician for it. At that moment I could very well have scared him (as a cancer nurse my thought immediately goes to yikes! that is what one of my patients first symptoms were!), but instead I gently (ok maybe more like sternly) encouraged him to go to a primary care provider to start. I then sent him the contact information of a good physician. Thankfully, he got an appointment shortly after that.

I would like to say I haven't seen this happen within the hospital, but I have. Unfortunately, a lot of times those cases were much, much worse than my friends.  They ranged from kidney failure, to metastatic cancer everywhere being found in the late stages, to a massive heart attack where I was his nurse as he took his final breath. I don't write these to scare you, but to show you that being manly isn't about refusing to get seen by a medical professional, but being manly is take charge of your own health and making the changes you need to make.

Driving through Michigan I always see this billboard...

Source

The statistics are out. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:

• Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests.
• Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
• Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes.
• Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization

Source: http://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/healthy-men/index.html

According to Mayo, the 3 leading health threats for men are heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injury.  Mayo makes a good point, for the most part these can be preventable in many aspects.  And with proper screening, prostate cancer can be found early on.

Men, hear me on this. You are not weak for seeking treatment. You are not weak for having depression. You are not weak for needing help with alcoholism. You are not weak for needing help to quit smoking. You are not weak for needing doctor because things just aren't right. You are not weak for needing extra testosterone. You are not weak for going to the doctor. You are not weak for needing a personal trainer. You are not weak for needing a nutritionist. In fact it is the exact opposite, you are strong for taking these steps to a healthier you so that you can be there for your loved ones. Some cancers can be preventable. Let's take those steps together.

I challenge you to make this sign the truth...

Source

Men, raise awareness 1 hairy face at a time. Women, let's let them have their beards for this one month to hopefully raise awareness and save some lives!

With that being said, we want to see you best no shave November pictures you've got, so send them our way!



Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mens-health/MY00394