I am not against lowering stress, using meditation, yoga, art, or anything anyone wants to do or indulge in, to feel better, cancer patient or not. I do a few of these things and more...I do whatever works for me. But I must express what bothers me about reading articles about de-stressing for cancer patients. Here are few words from an article I read: "Stress is especially dangerous for those with cancer- its even been tied to lower survival rates..."
I don't doubt that this is true...hasn't it been said for years that less stress is better for your heart, your immune system, you...everything? So less stress should also be beneficial to cancer patients...and some articles even note all the reasons we are stressed. Well, duh-huh. It's like this report my friend told me about, which pointed out that women who wanted children and experienced failed IFV attempts are often more depressed/stressed and consequently more likely to become ill and/or die than women who successfully had children. Captain Obvious strikes again. Who the hell awards grant money for this?
Those words-stress as dangerous to those with cancer-good grief. Guess what is really dangerous? Cancer!! Know what makes cancer patients stressed? Cancer! Know why cancer is so stressful? It kills! How about I point a loaded gun, safety off, at your head and tell you not to be stressed?
My point is that it is natural to be stressed in stressful situations. In the beginning I felt an unreasonable pressure to be a "good cancer patient" as a result of interactions with people I know and exposure to various articles constantly lecturing why stress is bad and how to get rid of it as if it were unnatural, and that all of human society must collectively strive to obliterate, not just alleviate it. I used to watch that show Charmed, about three good witches charged with protecting innocence with their magical powers. In one episode they upset some cosmic balance and every one had to be happy all of the time, and the merest hint of an expression of a slightly negative emotion could get a person arrested/killed...except the characters could not talk about death, because everyone was acting like it did not exist.
Sometimes I felt like that television episode in Cancer Land, especially the cancer swathed in the white ribbons. When assaulted with this don't worry be happy attitude, I felt as though my legitimate emotions were being dismissed (sometimes I still do)-that I was getting dismissed for not getting on the rah rah rah train. I no longer feel this pressure because mainly it was self imposed because I thought I needed to fulfill everyone else's expectations. Now I feel: screw your expectations! I AM allowed to feel the bad along with the good, and so are you. I know I am not the only one who just gets more stressed when told not to be stressed.
But, worst of all, those words, stress is dangerous to cancer patients, once again suggest the notion that anyone can exert control over cancer, or life, even. One of the worst interactions non-cancer patients have with cancer patients is when "they" start asking those slightly accusatory questions like, "did you smoke?". Sometimes, those without cancer, almost blame us, to put "us" on the other side of an imaginary line so "they" can remain safe, and therefore unlikely to get cancer. I know I was once a "they" or an "I". "I" thought quietly to myself, "I" do or don't do xyz, "I" am safe, "I" won't get cancer. WRONG! I'm sure that everyone can think of that one anecdotal situation of someone so healthy, running miles every day, happy as I don't know what, etc., and the person still got cancer. It happens. We are powerless, and the randomness and meaningless is still a major struggle for me, as is the lack of control, but that is a whole other post.
The cause of cancer is unknown, which is why people still get it. And it's nice some medical research is advocating for recognizing the health benefits of less stress-hell if it results in medical insurance coverage of yoga classes or whatever, wonderful. But what would really relieve my stress is the knowledge there will be better, easier-to-take treatments, should my cancer get worse.
Love you all and truly mean it...(and God loves you too),
Shanna Brock
LUNGevity National Hope Summit: I'm participating in an event to raise money to fight lung cancer—and I need your help!
I'm planning to attend LUNGevity Foundation's National HOPE Summit in Washington, DC, in May - it's a special conference just for lung cancer survivors like me. If I can raise $1000 or more in donations, LUNGevity will cover my travel expenses, including US round-trip transportation and hotel accommodations.
Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit LUNGevity Foundation, the leading private provider of research funding for lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease.
Please join me in my efforts to stop lung cancer—the leading cancer killer—now!
Official prayer warrior page for my fight against lung cancer: facebook.com/hope4shanna
Official blog Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shannabananahealthandfitness
My Go Fund Me Page (any and all donations will help with my medical funds) gofundme.com/hope4shanna2016
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