Young adults and cancer

I can relate to young adults with cancer. I wish the organizations that exist now existed in the early 1980s. But since there was not internet and we paid for long distance calls, it would probably have been by paper mail. And all the support groups were full of  'old people'.

I saw this article in a recent email from Cure Magazine (and I'll say it again, if you have cancer and do not read this, you are really missing out on a great resource) and of course I had to read it. Its a review for a new book by Dr. Anne Katz called "This Should Not Be Happening: Young Adults with Cancer".

In general I like the idea of this book. From what the review says it touches on many of the areas that are key for young adults with cancer - sexuality, fertility, and body image - but I have a concern.

There is no evidence given that she was ever a young adult with cancer. I am a firm believer in 'if you haven't walked the walk, you cannot talk the talk'. Now I am sure she wouldn't publish her medical history on her website, but it would be nice to know if she could relate from the first person point of view.

So I am going to put it on my reading list but am put off by this one little issue.

Seeing is believing

So headlines this morning report that the new chief of Blue Cross in MA says that reining in costs is a top priority. Well, that sounds like political campaign words - 'its all about taxes' but in the world of health care, its all about premiums and coverage. Call me a skeptic after decades of jumps in health insurance premiums and decreases or more complicated rules for getting coverage. I will take a wait and see approach on this one.

Just the other day, it was reported that a hospital charged $300 for a $17 device. So you can see why I am a skeptic.

One thing I am not a skeptic on is this new study that palliative care extends the life of cancer patients. Back when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer and had two surgeries and was starting chemo and was a tiny bit stressed, I joined a support group at a local non profit (where I now work) which also offered wellness activities including Reiki. I was a skeptic then but desperate - not sleeping, totally stressed, a tiny bit crabby. I was offered a reiki session and poo pooed it. But then I tried it and felt nothing during the session but went home and took a nap - and actually felt rested.

Now the organization I work for, has expanded their offerings to include reiki, meditation, polarity and all sorts of activities for those touched by cancer - current and former patients, caregivers, and family members.

So maybe my skepticism will change to optimisim if the health insurance rates stop having these giant jumps and over charge for things - just like the government was accused of in the past - the $50 box of paper clips.