One Hill, Many Voices: Stories of Hope and Healing

Harmony Hill Retreat Center currently has over 1,000 books in their offices. We borrowed this photo from their facebook page.We are excited to honor Rosemary Spyhalsky, RN, OCN, HN-BC, Nurse Coordinator for Providence Integrative Cancer Care Program and Cobie Whitten, PhD, Providence Integrative Cancer Care Advisor. They are both featured in the new book, One Hill, Many Voices: Stories of Hope and Healing.

From Harmony Hill Retreat Center's website:

"Harmony Hill’s newest book One Hill, Many Voices: Stories of Hope and Healing by Donna Cameron and Kristen Leathers. While cancer is central to a number of the stories told in One Hill, Many Voices: Stories of Hope and Healing, they are really about living authentically. Along with the picturesque background of Harmony Hill we are introduced to individuals who reconnected with their own lives and accessed their own inner wisdom and healing.  Woven among the individual stories of hope, healing and homecoming is the story of one woman, Gretchen Schodde, whose vision and perseverance made Harmony Hill a reality. These illuminating stories about real people in real situations remind us all that living our lives on purpose is our true work."

For more information please visit Harmony Hill Retreat Center's website >>

Part II: Five strategies for coping with fear of recurrence

In my previous post we talked about the fear your cancer will come back. If you missed it you can read it here (click on this link).

Strategies to cope with fear of recurrence include:

• Talking with your health care provider about a customized follow-up care plan based on your diagnosis and treatment.
• Gathering reputable, evidence-based information. Your health care team can help identify what symptoms to monitor and what not to worry about; every ache does NOT mean the cancer has recurred.
• Reducing your stress level. Different folks find different strategies helpful – experiment with a variety of methods (e.g., walks, yoga, gardening) and create a toolbox of calming thoughts and behaviors.
• Understanding that fear of recurrence is normal – you are not “crazy” for feeling fearful.
• Getting help.

Although fear of recurrence is a completely normal response, that does not mean you need to suffer through it alone. If the emotional upset interferes with what you want to be doing and thinking about, help is available (e.g., individual counseling, support groups, etc.). If you had diabetes no one would suggest that you simply will your blood sugar into a normal range. Cancer can be an isolating enough experience; you need not suffer the emotional roller coaster by yourself. Fear, anxiety, and depression can be treated and the quality of your life improved.

Many cancer survivors report that as they work through the distress, they feel renewed vigor, have a greater appreciation of life, improve their health behaviors, reassess their priorities, and experience a greater sense of “being in the moment.” Providence Regional Cancer System has resources and support to help you navigate fear of recurrence.

• Combating End of Treatment Stress
• Cancer Transitions Program: Have You Just Completed Active Cancer Treatment
• Survivorship Evenings & Free Resources

Introducing Jan Crawford, Breast Cancer Survivor

Photo Caption: Jan Crawford, and her daughter Cortney Crawford stand with James Lechner, MD, medical director of the Providence Regional Cancer System, following his lecture at the Cancer Survivor Event in June of 2011.

I've had the honor of meeting Jan Crawford three separate times in the past month. When we met most recently, she was excited to share the news about her latest accomplishment. She had just been credentialed as a Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist. This meant she could officially start turning her passion into a profession. She wants to use her exercise expertise and her personal experience with cancer to help others figure out how activity can help them get through cancer, too.

Jan's path towards this goal started three years ago. In October 2007, she had a mammogram that revealed lumps in her breasts. She wasn't overly worried, though. Ever since high school, she had dealt with an unusual number of benign breast lumps. However, this time was a little different. She decided she wanted to end the underlying stress she felt whenever she found a lump. Her solution: to undergo a prophylactic (preventive) double mastectomy.

Her surgery took place on December 19, 2007. Expecting a routine recovery and a little downtime to enjoy the holidays, she was devastated to learn instead that she had breast cancer -- including aggressive cancer on her right side. Her surgeon told her she needed more surgery as soon as possible, and she was back in the operating room the next day.

In January she started chemotherapy treatments. And in May she underwent reconstructive breast surgery. All of this left her unable to work for 10 months; not surprising due to her on-the-feet job as a flight attendant. She finally went back to work, but then learned that surgery was not quite finished for her. Possible side effects of her chemotherapy drugs included uterine or endometrial cancers, so she decided to have a hysterectomy. She says she doesn't regret that decision because her physician found suspicious areas during surgery that may have led to cancer in the not-so-distant future.

Today Jan talks easily about her cancer, treatment and the many emotional and psychological issues that have accompanied her experience. She emphasizes how much exercise helped her cope with what she was going through, including the "fog of cancer" that she felt stuck in frequently. Now she wants to help other people with cancer discover how activity can improve the quality of their lives, too. She's currently exploring the practical side of how she can make this happen, and hopes to have a place available soon where she can offer guided exercise sessions for other cancer survivors.

In future blog entries that Jan is planning on writing, she'll talk more about her experiences as a breast cancer survivor and her dream of sharing the benefits of exercise with other survivors.

Please, welcome Jan to the blog.

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Wanted: DVDs, Blu-Rays, Books, Magazines & CDs

A PRCS patient in Centralia watches a donated DVD on one of the available dvd players.Attention Lewis County Residents!

Bring in and donate your used or new DVD’s, Blu-Rays, Books and CDs (in good condition) and magazines (no more than one year old). 

Please be sure that the material you donate is appropriate for viewing in a public  and/or family-oriented setting.

Items can be dropped off in one of the donation collection boxes found throughout Providence Centralia Hospital at:

• Carolyn’s Café (near back wall/computer)
• Front Desk
• Providence Professional Building Employee Break Room (2^nd floor)
• Foundation and Volunteer Offices (2^nd floor Providence Professional Building, rooms 204, 205, 216).

Items donated will benefit the patients of Providence Centralia Hospital and Providence Regional Cancer System-Centralia. See one of our patients benefiting from a donated DVD in our post, "Your first chemotherapy session"

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Bagpipes and fiddles are good for your soul!

Harmony & Hope
Tuesday, July 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Providence Regional Cancer System
4525 Third Avenue SE, Lacey
All are invited, to RSVP call 360.493.7768
View flyer >>

James Lechner, MD, oncologist and medical director of the Providence Regional Cancer System, had a brainstorm last year at band camp. An accomplished fiddle player himself, Dr. Lechner and his wife Michele, a bagpiper, regularly attend music schools, where they take intensive instruction from well-known, professional musicians.

Dr. Lechner was energized by the music of an ensemble of acclaimed Cape Breton fiddlers—and the idea for Harmony and Hope was born. Dr. Lechner invited his musical mentors to perform at the first Harmony and Hope concert in January of this year, featuring Cape Breton fiddlers Andrea Beaton and Glenn Graham playing alongside bagpiper Colin Gemmell.

Nearly 200 people attended; the enthusiastic reviews poured in.

Soon, a second Harmony and Hope celebration was on the books for July 12. Dr. Lechner says he has wanted to present an event like this for years. “I’ve had a desire to do some kind of culture and humanities program for local cancer patients, although I wasn’t sure what shape it might take,” he says. “I believe we humans need arts in our life. Patients in the middle of cancer treatment are not always able to enjoy art and music. They are wrapped up in therapy, they very likely feel ill a lot of the time. The pleasures of life are often put on the back burner during treatment.”

We hope all patients, family members, staff and others will enjoy the performance as part of a social outing, in a safe place where you already feel comfortable. See you there!

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