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[educatoraspatient]

Shared elsewhere on 9/13

Eight years ago today, I added cancer survivor to my bio... Today was the day I had the surgery that helped save my life. It was followed by six long months of chemo. We have to remember (and sometimes even embrace) that the personal can become professional (and vice versa) and as prolific as cancer and other chronic diseases are, we also have to remember that our professional lives are comprised of complex humans, who may be dealing with more than just their "9-5 to do list"... So here I am... eight years after my professional life became personal and then professional again... taking all that I have learned and taught/13 about cultural competency and health equity over the last 20 years and adding in my personal patient experience... presenting and educating wherever I can on the opportunities to make cancer care more culturally and linguistically appropriate and seeking all the places we can advance health equity. We have much to learn from each other and can use our personal and professional lessons learned to improve the lives of so many. take care of yourselves and take care of each other.

[educatoraspatient]

The potential is exciting...

[educatoraspatient]

[educatoraspatient]

Personal Insights on Cancer, Chronic Illness, and this COVID Quarantine

This thought popped into my head back in late April/early May (who knows, time is so weird these days)... 

I was noticing how easily I had fallen into this whole quarantining thing… little angst, little loneliness, and few concerns about not going out… upon reflection, I realized I had slid back into the same mindset I had when I was going through cancer treatment… Care packages have been replaced by grocery delivery, but everything else is largely the same… 

You stay home to stay healthy. You nap, you read, you check in with friends, you binge watch television, but you stay home to stay safe and occasionally to avoid the odd looks at your bald head, or the dark circles under your eyes, but primarily to stay safe. 

It wasn’t until I heard about the death of Chadwick Boseman that I felt compelled to share this…

The cabin fever, the anxiety, the stress of not knowing it is safe to go out that has been brought on by COVID… this is what individuals with cancer and many other chronic illnesses feel everyday. 

I hope that quarantining may have given Mr. Boseman, his first chance to lay low… to spend time with family, laughing, trying to stay healthy and trying to overcome the insidious disease that was ravaging his body for four long years. 

But as we continue to adapt and reenter the world… I want you to remember the feelings of uncertainty, dread, and occasional hopelessness and know that there are those feeling those feelings every day even when the world isn’t on fire. 

So please think twice as you complain on social media how much it sucks to be home… sometimes we have no choice… Practice compassion with those you know who are going through treatments or conditions that compromise their immune systems…Send them care packages or texts or silly cards for absolutely no reason. 

We rarely know what goes on behind closed doors… Now that the majority of our doors have been closed for a while, maybe we can know ourselves a little bit more… 

[educatoraspatient]

Presented at this a few weeks back. Such a hugely important topic. I spoke about my patient experience, but also my professional/SME perspective that we need to do better and not necessarily more, we need to make things (all the things) more culturally and linguistically appropriate, and (I didn’t think about this until after, but what I want all my Med Ed folks to think about)... We need to modify the paradigm of See One, Do One, Teach One to include How Would You Explain this to Your Patient (in a culturally and linguistically appropriate, health literate manner)... 

[educatoraspatient]

5-years-post-chemo

Five years ago today, I was coming home having finished my 16th out of 16 chemo treatments. It is as surreal now as it was then. I **had** cancer. Past tense, and yet as I have shared countless times it is still with me daily. 

But this is for new thoughts and more next steps... because while it is with me daily, this is the last of the **big** anniversaries... my chances of recurrence are at their lowest and from here on out it is icing... making it to this moment is what was on the ‘to do list’. 

I spent today being as present as possible... a very snowy day outside allowed me to introspective and quiet with my dog, Ella Jane. I got to stretch and flex creatively through my photography (images taken today and over the course of a recently finished epic ART marathon). When cleaning off 4+ inches of snow of my car, I did not have discomfort/pain from the implants nor do they seem to feel crooked due to tense muscles (yay!).. 

My heart is full and my slate is clean. 

I have so much gratitude for each of you.

I know how lucky I am and I promise to continue to share my story and strive to make a difference until everyone can share my outcome. 

thank you, thank you, thank you.

xo

d

[educatoraspatient]

[educatoraspatient]