By Jayne Beck
I am very lucky. My husband is the best caregiver. He is there for every appointment. Plus, he makes me a latte every morning and Häagen-Daz ice cream every night.
The key to happiness when you have cancer is to live like you don't have it. No one knows when their time will be up. Crying about your misfortune just makes you lose the time you do have. Sure, there are days you don't feel great, but the important thing is to enjoy the things you can. While you may need to make allowances for fatigue, make plans, go to the theater, the opera, the zoo (of course when the temperature is above freezing), eat out, and most important eat plenty of ice cream!
My husband and I eat out almost every day. Last winter I bought tickets for the Columbus Symphony, tickets for the opera and the Broadway show series. We just returned from a vacation in Europe. When my husband expressed concern about the cost, I told him: I have cancer and he is old - what are we waiting for? Next year we hope to go to Paris. Not everyone can afford to be so lavish, but most people do have places to enjoy that are within their means, even if it's just a weekend getaway.
I am very lucky. My husband is the best caregiver. He is there for every appointment. Plus, he makes me a latte every morning and Häagen-Daz ice cream every night.
We focus on having fun. When we go to the oncologist, my husband is the entertainment in the waiting room. It is amazing how a little humor can brighten the atmosphere among people dealing with all kinds of cancer.
Another thing is to pay attention to your doctor. If something does not sound right, question it. Doctors are not gods, and carcinoid patients have often been initially misdiagnosed. It is also a good idea to have two doctors that you trust. I have been lucky to have two very good oncologists. One basically takes care of my routine checkups and shots, and the other is with a noted cancer hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where they get involved with trials, both for procedures and new drugs. They have a team that specializes in carcinoid and other neuroendocrine cancers. I have been fortunate to be a patient there. Living only 20 minutes from a hospital that specializes in your disease is a major advantage.
Most of all, think positive. I was diagnosed 19 years ago. Initially I was depressed. I had a seven year old son and thought I might not get to see him grow up. He is 26 now and I am still here. I decided I was going to live to be 89 and I told my husband I expected him to care of me all of my life. He quipped that he would be 101 then.
Best of health and happiness and hope for an effective treatment!