Reflection about the quality of life from many perspectives often shows that those factors that are largely blamed by the ‘cancer’ were in fact, in disarray before. Cancer treatment reframes the level and awareness of intimacy amongst couples. It will either strain or strengthen a relationship so honest communication is vital. However, it is not uncommon for marriages and long-term partnerships to be put under an enormous strain. For women not in relationships, it heightens the impact on fertility, and impact on finding a new partner who is accepting of her physical changes.For many though, a feeling of emotional disconnection from herself and partner is not uncommon in the first twelve months, especially if there are other factors creating pressure. It is almost as if the enormity of the diagnosis flings each into her or his space to sort them out. And in this space there is a lack of connection. It is common to suddenly be at a loss of what to say to each other; for both to feel useless and abandoned in the relationship – any attempts of ‘support’ seem futile. One of you may be focusing on the practical issues facing you while the other is in need of intensive emotional support at that time. Nothing seems to synchronize. The potential threat to life is now compounded by the potential loss of self-esteem, partnerships, relationships and an uncertainty of how the other will now accept her as a ‘new and unknown’ person.It is a common immediate reaction to focus on the physical – the healing of the body, and often because of the frustration associated with the slow progress of recovery, anger and hostility toward each other may emerge. The ‘healing’ of the emotions and mind usually comes after acceptance of the condition has commenced, although in the initial phases you may feel the need for strong emotional affirmations. For relationships that are fragile, dealing with the healing of the physical can often be too much to bear and relationships disintegrate, often permanently. For women with children, the coping during this time is usually focused on trying to maintain the relationship for the ‘children’s sake’. It is important to discuss any relationship issues you may have with your doctor, as they understand this is a normal outcome of treatment.Talking about your feelings either with each other, or in a support group, may help rebuild your life, release the tension and relearn how to be aware of and understand each other’s way of coping. Understanding during this time that life is possibly going to be out of balance makes it easier to develop realistic ways of coping. Understanding that underlying the angry outbursts and unexplained ‘new’ behaviour is often an expression of fear, a reaction that cannot be expressed in more harmonious ways. For that person, at that time, regardless of whether they are patient or carer, it is the only way she knows how to react. It is when the reaction is abnormally hostile or angry and the person is not aware of the ongoing intensity of the reaction that counseling may need to be sought.As this was the third round with a family member having cancer for my husband, he was not very communicative about it except with his brother.We’d just keep the family going for the boys benefit. He didn’t really care about changes to my physical appearance things like that. The fact that I was alive was enough. EmilyHe always seemed to be positive and in control. ‘You’re going to get better; you’re going to survive this.’ That struggle for survival was a bit above expectations sometimes. It was very evident he was more nervous about my survival especially after my first round of chemo. I was told his worry was normal. Giuliana My husband has been fairly supportive and does not get frustrated or irritated.I have always been the initiator of sex but it has changed. I read that orgasms aren’t as good after surgery but that is not the case. My sex life is O.K. Caroline*38/144/5*
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So why get so excited about fruits and veggies? Because fruits and veggies are the richest sources of antioxidants on the planet, and unless some breed of space invaders lands with a recipe for antioxidant cream pie with an antioxidant soda chaser, we are stuck with them. Wait, there’s more.Fruits and vegetables are perfectly balanced sources of antioxidant created by nature to have just the right amount, in the right proportion to other vital nutrients, for maximum benefit and absorption.Many fruits and vegetables contain more than one powerful antioxidant so that eating one gives you the power of two or more free radical fighters. A good example of this combo principle is broccoli (vitamin beta-carotene and calcium), where you get the protection of three nr; antioxidant nutrients in just one food.Fruits and vegetables are nutrient-dense. Because fruits and vegetables have such a high concentration of antioxidants, water and fibre, there i room left for—you guessed it—fat. So the more you eat, the less you we’ and the younger you get. Need any more reasons? I didn’t think so.*62\323\8*
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Lithium, a light metal, acts on nerve fibres by being substituted for potassium which occurs naturally in the body and has an important role in the conduction of impulses along nerves. Lithium carbonate has been used in the treatment of mood changes for some years. It can be highly effective but the dose which controls severe depression is near to that at which unwanted effects appear, particularly shaking of the hands (tremor). For this reason, the level of lithium in the blood has to be carefully monitored.More recently, success has been claimed for the use of this drug in much smaller doses (too small to affect depression) in the treatment of chronic migrainous neuralgia, the maximum success being achieved after about 30 weeks of treatment. It cannot yet be recommended for general use.When a person is stimulated with a flashing light the brain produces a visual evoked response. If the intensity of the stimulus is increased, the brain can respond in one of two ways: the electrical response of the brain can increase (i.e. be augmented) or it can decrease (be reduced). Looked at simplistically, people can be divided into ‘augmented, who might be expected to be adversely affected by outside stimuli, and ‘reducers’, in whom the brain’s response is damped down. In patients with manic depression there is a relatively high proportion of augmenters. Augmentation or reduction is not an inbuilt programmed form of response and treatment with lithium can turn an ‘augmented into a ‘reducer’. The change occurs at the same time as any improvement in the previous mental state. Work is now being done to see whether migraine patients in general turn out to be augmenters.
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