Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one who doesn't approve of big pharma. And now it turns out that in general more of us disapprove of big pharma and think they are ripping off patients who rake their prescription medications. Its nice to know I am not alone in being critical.
You can read the article here. Big pharma companies have a lower favorability rating than the erect of the healthcare industry, airlines and banks. And only slightly more favorable than oil companies.
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Things that annoy me
I am sure you all can think of things that annoy you. We all have our pet peeves. But since its my blog, I get to tell you mine. You can feel free to leave a comment about yours if you want too.
I always get annoyed by people making assumptions. You know they assume you are going to die because you have cancer. Cancer is not fun but its not necessarily going to kill you. You could get hit by a bus anytime. Think of it that way for a bit. But I really hate it when people make assumptions about others relating to health. You have no idea what I am going through so stop assuming anything about me. You can ask me about it but don't assume I want to tell you my entire medical history. I will tell you what I feel like discussing but I am not going to have an in depth discussion about my health.
Then there are the idiotic thoughts about my health by, well, idiots. Those are the people that either:
I also get annoyed by things like people who stop their car in the middle of the road for no reason, people who use their cell phones in restaurants or movie theaters, and at the cat who won't eat enough because he's old and can't smell his food, but you get the point.
See, I'm not perfect. I am just a normal person stuck inside a body that has lots of health crap.
I always get annoyed by people making assumptions. You know they assume you are going to die because you have cancer. Cancer is not fun but its not necessarily going to kill you. You could get hit by a bus anytime. Think of it that way for a bit. But I really hate it when people make assumptions about others relating to health. You have no idea what I am going through so stop assuming anything about me. You can ask me about it but don't assume I want to tell you my entire medical history. I will tell you what I feel like discussing but I am not going to have an in depth discussion about my health.
Then there are the idiotic thoughts about my health by, well, idiots. Those are the people that either:
- Ignore the fact I have health issues and can't do what I used to do. Do you want to go hiking? We are going peak bagging this weekend. You should come with us.
- Assume I will be cured. (See assumptions above.) I am not going to be cured. The best hope is no further health issues or disease progression. Stop telling me that because I had a back procedure, I must be fine now.
- Tell me how I feel. You must not hurt much today since you didn't work yesterday. Um, pain and fatigue don't give me breaks because I took a day off. That day off was to recover from the days before. (I think I am stuck on assumptions here).
I also get annoyed by things like people who stop their car in the middle of the road for no reason, people who use their cell phones in restaurants or movie theaters, and at the cat who won't eat enough because he's old and can't smell his food, but you get the point.
See, I'm not perfect. I am just a normal person stuck inside a body that has lots of health crap.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Those other second opinions
So you get diagnosed with any not-so-fun ailment because you had some tests and the radiologists or pathologists read your results and told your doctor what the diagnosis was. However, as a new study points out, not all test results are black and white.
This new study found that pathologists only agreed 75% of the time when reviewing breast biopsy results, until they met and discussed the results. The study recommends in the end that perhaps a second opinion is warranted if the results are not clear cut. Sometimes your doctor can be the one who gives the second opinion but other times, you may need a second pathologist to review the results.
I had never thought about this ever. I know I have had x-rays, biopsies, scans, etc where the doctor has added comments to what the radiologist or pathologist has said. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid, my rheumatologist waited to get back to me on the results of my x-rays because she wanted a specific radiologist to review them because they were very good at detecting RA in x-rays.
But I had never thought of asking if I could have a second pathologist or radiologist look at my biopsy or scan results. It would never have occurred to me. But it completely makes sense. If something is subjective at all, maybe more than one person should look at it. A new point to ponder. And this study also says to ask your insurance company if this is covered... which sounds like some might cover the second opinion.
This new study found that pathologists only agreed 75% of the time when reviewing breast biopsy results, until they met and discussed the results. The study recommends in the end that perhaps a second opinion is warranted if the results are not clear cut. Sometimes your doctor can be the one who gives the second opinion but other times, you may need a second pathologist to review the results.
I had never thought about this ever. I know I have had x-rays, biopsies, scans, etc where the doctor has added comments to what the radiologist or pathologist has said. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid, my rheumatologist waited to get back to me on the results of my x-rays because she wanted a specific radiologist to review them because they were very good at detecting RA in x-rays.
But I had never thought of asking if I could have a second pathologist or radiologist look at my biopsy or scan results. It would never have occurred to me. But it completely makes sense. If something is subjective at all, maybe more than one person should look at it. A new point to ponder. And this study also says to ask your insurance company if this is covered... which sounds like some might cover the second opinion.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
A Novel Idea
Let's ask the patients what they want. In the past, funders for the biotech world never thought that patient's opinions matter. I mean really, what possibly could the patient's opinions matter in funding start ups in biotech?
Now funders are asking patients about their opinions as well as on sales and marketing of a drug.
Think about it for a moment, the car industry spends millions upon millions on customer surveys. How else would they know that the number of cup holders is so important to minivan moms? Its an age old theory to ask the end users of a product what they think - hence Amazon reviews. But it took a long time to get to biotech.
I have a bunch of opinions for on my medications as well:
Now funders are asking patients about their opinions as well as on sales and marketing of a drug.
Think about it for a moment, the car industry spends millions upon millions on customer surveys. How else would they know that the number of cup holders is so important to minivan moms? Its an age old theory to ask the end users of a product what they think - hence Amazon reviews. But it took a long time to get to biotech.
I have a bunch of opinions for on my medications as well:
- Stop making giant pills. Squish everything down into little bitty ones that are easier to swallow. But make them bright colored so you can find them if you drop them on the floor.
- No medications should have the side effect of 'may cause weight gain'. They should all suppress your appetite
- About those bubble packs where you have to press the pill through the foil? No, no, no, a thousand times no. They make my hands hurt.
- And the stretchy foil impossible to break plastic that tops vitamin and pill bottles? Outta here. They need to be the nice easy paper ones that I can rip off with out a sharp instrument.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
The cancer patient's interpretation of the doctor's advice
I came upon this article by a surgeon who has partnered with some cancer patients to come up with this advice when you are blindsided by cancer. While I agree with it overall, of course I have a few comments.
His advice is summarized as:
Own your cancer and your life. Don't just give up. Keep ownership of your life and take ownership of your cancer. Be a participant in the decision making process. Get a cancer buddy/caregiver to help you through this and hold your hand, bring your bowls of ice cream, and glasses of wine.
I think you should go to the internet for information with the caveat that you find out the good places to go for information on your cancer. Do not wildly Google your cancer and the words 'death rates' - you will only stress yourself out. But if you have information to direct you to where the information is about your cancer where you can learn the right kind of information which is not a pack of lies, aka a pile of hooey. My tip, if you do not know where to start, always start with the American Cancer Society.
I never really have selected my 'physician partners'. What I have done, is ditched any which I did not like. But I have never physician shopped or second opinion hopped.
Two critical features about your cancer are:
"First, you must learn how your specific type of cancer behaves, as each (breast, prostate, whatever) is unique. Second, you must understand your specific cancer stage."
This will help you greatly to understand where you are and what are your options. You are putting a name on it. Which leads me to my personal requirement:
You cannot have an ailment or take a medication without knowing how to both spell and say it properly. This is another way you take ownership of your cancer and learn more about it.
Okay, so the patient came through with agreements and disagreements but I think we both can agree that cancer should not take you over. You are still you.
His advice is summarized as:
- Take a breath, seriously
- Own your cancer
- Don't run to the internet
- Select your physician partners
- Understand two critical features of your cancer
Own your cancer and your life. Don't just give up. Keep ownership of your life and take ownership of your cancer. Be a participant in the decision making process. Get a cancer buddy/caregiver to help you through this and hold your hand, bring your bowls of ice cream, and glasses of wine.
I think you should go to the internet for information with the caveat that you find out the good places to go for information on your cancer. Do not wildly Google your cancer and the words 'death rates' - you will only stress yourself out. But if you have information to direct you to where the information is about your cancer where you can learn the right kind of information which is not a pack of lies, aka a pile of hooey. My tip, if you do not know where to start, always start with the American Cancer Society.
I never really have selected my 'physician partners'. What I have done, is ditched any which I did not like. But I have never physician shopped or second opinion hopped.
Two critical features about your cancer are:
"First, you must learn how your specific type of cancer behaves, as each (breast, prostate, whatever) is unique. Second, you must understand your specific cancer stage."
This will help you greatly to understand where you are and what are your options. You are putting a name on it. Which leads me to my personal requirement:
You cannot have an ailment or take a medication without knowing how to both spell and say it properly. This is another way you take ownership of your cancer and learn more about it.
Okay, so the patient came through with agreements and disagreements but I think we both can agree that cancer should not take you over. You are still you.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
#IStandWithLisa
In case you missed the ferfuffle in the land of cancer blogging and tweeting, allow me to fill you in. Ann also wrote about this and you can see her opinion over here as well.
Lisa Bonchek Adams has stage IV breast cancer and tweets a lot about her life with cancer. You can follow her @adamslisa on Twitter or her blog. She is living her life as best she can and talks about it on line through tweets and blog posts.
Then along came Emma, who we will call the Idiot for lack of a better term, who wrote for the Guardian and compared tweeting to funeral selfies - really? Hence the name. What she wrote was taken down by the Guardian after a day or two but you can read it here. (See things on the Internet never really go away).
The Idiot complains that Lisa tweets too much. Is that really possible? Some people have conversations and dialogues on Twitter so they might have a high volume of tweets. So what?
And the complaint that of over exposure on twitter becomes a funeral selfie? She is not dead so its not a funeral.
So anyway, the Idiot's column was posted and then many complaints were received and it was taken down because the Guardian said it did not meet their standards.
That was bad enough and then Mr Idiot (her husband) wrote for the New York Times comparing Lisa's fight to I'm not sure what. He did talk about his father's death from cancer in England a few years ago and medical costs but it was fairly pointless in my opinion.
When I first read these articles and the blog posts about them from others in cancer land, I wondered have these two journalism professionals (Mr. and Mrs. Idiot) ever bother to talk to Lisa directly? I do not think so. I could be wrong but their writings were not about Lisa but about her tweets. In professional journalism, isn't it appropriate to contact the subject of their writings? I mean again I could be wrong but in terms of verifying information and all that, isn't that correct?
So I stand with Lisa on this. And Mr and Mrs can go take a hike.
Lisa Bonchek Adams has stage IV breast cancer and tweets a lot about her life with cancer. You can follow her @adamslisa on Twitter or her blog. She is living her life as best she can and talks about it on line through tweets and blog posts.
Then along came Emma, who we will call the Idiot for lack of a better term, who wrote for the Guardian and compared tweeting to funeral selfies - really? Hence the name. What she wrote was taken down by the Guardian after a day or two but you can read it here. (See things on the Internet never really go away).
The Idiot complains that Lisa tweets too much. Is that really possible? Some people have conversations and dialogues on Twitter so they might have a high volume of tweets. So what?
And the complaint that of over exposure on twitter becomes a funeral selfie? She is not dead so its not a funeral.
So anyway, the Idiot's column was posted and then many complaints were received and it was taken down because the Guardian said it did not meet their standards.
That was bad enough and then Mr Idiot (her husband) wrote for the New York Times comparing Lisa's fight to I'm not sure what. He did talk about his father's death from cancer in England a few years ago and medical costs but it was fairly pointless in my opinion.
When I first read these articles and the blog posts about them from others in cancer land, I wondered have these two journalism professionals (Mr. and Mrs. Idiot) ever bother to talk to Lisa directly? I do not think so. I could be wrong but their writings were not about Lisa but about her tweets. In professional journalism, isn't it appropriate to contact the subject of their writings? I mean again I could be wrong but in terms of verifying information and all that, isn't that correct?
So I stand with Lisa on this. And Mr and Mrs can go take a hike.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
What if your doctor sued back?
We all do it. We all complain and sometimes even compliment businesses and professionals we deal with. I always rate restaurants and attractions I go to (I'm going for my next badge on TripAdvisor).
Some people rate their doctors, dentists, and more. I haven't gotten that far. I do blog about my doctors from time to time but I usually keep a line of anonymity and privacy do not blast them using their name. I try not to be negative as a rule on other people.
This one man did blog about his unhappiness with his wife's doctor after she died from cancer. Then the doctor sued him for damage to her career in response. This isn't an isolated incident.
If a restaurant or hotel receives a bad review, they can go back and apologize below the review and proactively try to help the customer. Doctors can't do that. They are compromised by privacy laws and HIPAA restrictions.
I personally don't read reviews for doctors online. At my breast cancer diagnosis, I was and still am being treated at a local hospital where I am comfortable with the quality of care.
Everyone I knew was reviewing their doctors and medical facilities online and using those reviews to choose doctors and where to be treated. My doctors weren't listed so it didn't really help me. All it did was make me feel bad that no one had reviewed my doctors so how was I supposed to know if they were good or not.
Before I tried to look them up, I was happy with my care.
I have never reviewed my doctors either. I don't think reviews of medical providers do much good. There is too much emotion wrapped around medical care. The man who blogged about his wife's doctor was upset his wife died, friends didn't visit, and regretted the surgery she had. It was an emotional time for him.
I admit to blogging about stupid neurotic co-workers, cranky doctors, idiot drivers, and many others. But I don't put their names in and it allows me to vent. I am not writing to blast others but to allow me to add my two cents.
As far as I am concerned its within my First Amendment Rights and I am not opening myself up to any lawsuits. And besides, I like my doctors and feel no need to review them now.
Some people rate their doctors, dentists, and more. I haven't gotten that far. I do blog about my doctors from time to time but I usually keep a line of anonymity and privacy do not blast them using their name. I try not to be negative as a rule on other people.
This one man did blog about his unhappiness with his wife's doctor after she died from cancer. Then the doctor sued him for damage to her career in response. This isn't an isolated incident.
If a restaurant or hotel receives a bad review, they can go back and apologize below the review and proactively try to help the customer. Doctors can't do that. They are compromised by privacy laws and HIPAA restrictions.
I personally don't read reviews for doctors online. At my breast cancer diagnosis, I was and still am being treated at a local hospital where I am comfortable with the quality of care.
Everyone I knew was reviewing their doctors and medical facilities online and using those reviews to choose doctors and where to be treated. My doctors weren't listed so it didn't really help me. All it did was make me feel bad that no one had reviewed my doctors so how was I supposed to know if they were good or not.
Before I tried to look them up, I was happy with my care.
I have never reviewed my doctors either. I don't think reviews of medical providers do much good. There is too much emotion wrapped around medical care. The man who blogged about his wife's doctor was upset his wife died, friends didn't visit, and regretted the surgery she had. It was an emotional time for him.
I admit to blogging about stupid neurotic co-workers, cranky doctors, idiot drivers, and many others. But I don't put their names in and it allows me to vent. I am not writing to blast others but to allow me to add my two cents.
As far as I am concerned its within my First Amendment Rights and I am not opening myself up to any lawsuits. And besides, I like my doctors and feel no need to review them now.
Friday, October 5, 2012
A pink-free zone
As I blogged a few weeks ago, my blog is a pink free zone. But people do not understand this and keep posting comments with links to pinkified things. While I realize some women really like the pinkification and feel loved by all of it, I do not.
First of all, there is no need to paint everything pink for one month for awareness of something that we are aware of. It often looks really stupid.
Second of all, most of the purchases are a total rip off. A tiny portion of the money you spend ends up at your cause. Send a check instead.
Third of all, breast cancer isn't a one month event. It takes over your life forever. Get real here.
So if you are such a fan of the pink stuff, go post links on someone else's blog who likes pink.
I have opinions. Tomorrow I'll blog about my opinion on the S-word.
First of all, there is no need to paint everything pink for one month for awareness of something that we are aware of. It often looks really stupid.
Second of all, most of the purchases are a total rip off. A tiny portion of the money you spend ends up at your cause. Send a check instead.
Third of all, breast cancer isn't a one month event. It takes over your life forever. Get real here.
So if you are such a fan of the pink stuff, go post links on someone else's blog who likes pink.
I have opinions. Tomorrow I'll blog about my opinion on the S-word.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Somewhere out there...
Over the rainbow, far far away. There are all sorts of politics, elections, unrest in the Middle East and more. I don't care. I learned at the last presidential election that I had to go into avoidance mode to keep politics out of my life.
I do understand politics are important and I vote. But frankly I am not interested in negative ads where the candidates slam each other but never say what they are going to do. Or the candidates who fall from grace because they were set up by an opponent as a drug dealer. Or the former candidate in MA who said he has an addiction for $500/hour hookers but not for sex - only dinner and a movie. (Thats a lie if I've ever heard one.)
At this point in my life, I have plenty going on and will never run for politics. Maybe I'm selfish but I'm happy in my own little world with with work, my cat, my husband, our little house with its garden. I don't need to deal with the rest of that crap. I don't have enough time or energy to do much more these days. I do have a social life.
But I also visit doctors regularly. One appointment this week, another in ten days. Then a bunch in October and a couple in November. Then presto! we are done with the big elections for another four years. And I won't have to worry that I might be missing anything on the elections, politics, and all that...
Saturday, September 1, 2012
I wish we didn't have to whisper
Yesterday I finally gained some sense and trekked on down to the local pharmacy to inquire about a cold medicine that I can take. Its not as simple as you may think because I have no thyroid, I am allergic to Benadryl and must avoid all anti-histamines, and am on anti inflammatories so I can't have aspirin products. I gave the list of issues to the pharmacist and she gave me a suggestion.She said I could take it even though it warns against thyroid disease because she takes it and she doesn't have a thyroid either.
I unleashed my inner snoop and asked her why she didn't have a thyroid and she whispered 'I had cancer'. I asked her when and she said 4 months ago. I said me too but more than 30 years ago. That seemed to please her.
I can understand why she whispered 'I had cancer' because she didn't know if I would run and flee at the word, give her unwanted advice, or yell it through the store. But I wish we didn't have to whisper and people and their attitudes would change.
I unleashed my inner snoop and asked her why she didn't have a thyroid and she whispered 'I had cancer'. I asked her when and she said 4 months ago. I said me too but more than 30 years ago. That seemed to please her.
I can understand why she whispered 'I had cancer' because she didn't know if I would run and flee at the word, give her unwanted advice, or yell it through the store. But I wish we didn't have to whisper and people and their attitudes would change.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Advantages of blogging
After 4.5 years (yes really) of blogging, I have decided there are some advantages so I think I will probably continue for a while longer.
- - I get to express my opinions. I think I probably have lots of opinions - on doctors, being a patient, pinkinficiation, stupidity (on my part and by others), working, pets, married life, commuting, medications, medical misadventures & procedures, medications, insurance companies, health care reform, pharmaceutical companies, driving, cancer research, the elusive cancer cure, and I am sure the list goes on. But I get express my opinion in my blog. I consider it 'my space' and would miss it if I didn't blog any more. And I have lots of opinions. My husband would probably consider a divorce if he had to listen to my opinions every day. So maybe it helps preserve my marriage as well. Or he would just listen to his iPod more so he couldn't hear me.
- - I choose the topics I want to blog on. People do send me requests to blog on their sites or about their book/movie/organization or to help support them. I generally ignore them because I don't have time, it isn't the purpose of my blog, and basically, I don't want to. Occasionally I do write about some of the suggested topics but only if it really intrigues me. I read the daily paper, local and national news online and sometimes overseas and follow a bunch of blogs. I find topics in lots of places and write about what is interesting on that day. Sometimes I look back and try to figure out why I wrote on that topic and assume it must have interested me at the time.
- - I get to control the information flow. I started my blog in June 2007 to control the information flow about my second round of cancer medical misadventures. I could write about what I wanted to. If I wasn't ready to discuss it, I wouldn't write about it. I am essentially a lazy person and don't want to answer a lot of phone calls and emails. This is true to this day. I only write about my medical misadventures that I am ready to. By the end of October I will probably have had 10 appointments this month, including a couple of adventures with needles. I am not ready to talk about all of them. Some of them are just boring anyway. (I had a two minute appointment yesterday with my meds therapist and the result is she refilled my prescription and I will see her again in three months.) The rest of them I'm not talking about, and may never.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Second opinions
I am not a big fan of second opinions. I always feel like I am sneaking around my doctor's back to ask someone else if they were right. I know some people who get them routinely on just about everything. Me I have enough doctor appointments already not to want to go to any more. Sometimes my doctors send me off to see other doctors.
Apparently there are times to get a second opinion - like when you get a nasty medical diagnosis. For me it was easy, where I am treated once you get a cancer diagnosis, you get to have a day of 'being poked and prodded' by multiple doctors. In my case it was a surgeon, a medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist and finally a social worker to tell me I wasn't losing it.
Anyway, if the news from one doctor isn't good there is always the option of finding a doctor you prefer to treat you.
Apparently there are times to get a second opinion - like when you get a nasty medical diagnosis. For me it was easy, where I am treated once you get a cancer diagnosis, you get to have a day of 'being poked and prodded' by multiple doctors. In my case it was a surgeon, a medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist and finally a social worker to tell me I wasn't losing it.
Anyway, if the news from one doctor isn't good there is always the option of finding a doctor you prefer to treat you.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Getting the brush off from a doctor
So you aren't feeling well, so you go to see your doctor. Maybe its not your regular doctor because you got squeezed in to see someone or you are out of town. This doctor doesn't really know you. They may or may not have an idea of your medical history. They come in to the exam room and, because they don't know you, they make assumptions as they take their first look at you.
Here is an example of a woman who is overweight who went to for head pain and was told twice that it was all about her weight. No tests given, nothing. Just go home, you would be fine if you weren't fat. Such concerned care!
I felt this is the kind of reaction I got from the rude Dr. B I met with on my blood pressure a couple of weeks ago. He said to me what he had to say and didn't care what I set. He made assumptions that because I don't have a BMI of less than 25, my weight, combined with no exercise, poor eating habits, and too much stress in my life caused my high blood pressure. There could be no underlying cause. I am lucky that he actually decided I need some kind of follow up.
If a doctor walks in and makes assumptions and doesn't care what you say as the patient, its time for a new doctor. Dr. B will never be my doctor again. This is called voting with your feet. The woman in the article kept pushing and found out she had a series of small strokes. See how wrong the doctors can be?
The majority of medical professionals are good caring people. However there can always be ones who are having a bad day or just showing their egos off to the rest of the world who's actions can actually harm patients. Those are the ones we should run from. Our doctors and medical team should treat us as equals who should be listed to.
Here is an example of a woman who is overweight who went to for head pain and was told twice that it was all about her weight. No tests given, nothing. Just go home, you would be fine if you weren't fat. Such concerned care!
I felt this is the kind of reaction I got from the rude Dr. B I met with on my blood pressure a couple of weeks ago. He said to me what he had to say and didn't care what I set. He made assumptions that because I don't have a BMI of less than 25, my weight, combined with no exercise, poor eating habits, and too much stress in my life caused my high blood pressure. There could be no underlying cause. I am lucky that he actually decided I need some kind of follow up.
If a doctor walks in and makes assumptions and doesn't care what you say as the patient, its time for a new doctor. Dr. B will never be my doctor again. This is called voting with your feet. The woman in the article kept pushing and found out she had a series of small strokes. See how wrong the doctors can be?
The majority of medical professionals are good caring people. However there can always be ones who are having a bad day or just showing their egos off to the rest of the world who's actions can actually harm patients. Those are the ones we should run from. Our doctors and medical team should treat us as equals who should be listed to.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Oopsie!
Apparently sometimes when I blog, some people disagree with me. Frankly I don't care if people disagree with me. Here's why:
1. Its my blog and I can write what I want
2. If some one bothers to complain about what I said, I am just happy they read it.
But now here a note to Lori who didn't like my Cancer Coach post and leaves me no way to reply to her directly.
Dear Lori:
I am sorry you didn't agree with me. While you would like to been able to have a cancer coach to help you as a two time breast cancer survivor, you now have as much training and experience as these other cancer coaches are promoting themselves. Or even twice as much. They are often claiming that since they have been through the experience they are able to offer their services. And how does going through cancer a time or two give you experience to help others? Every cancer is different. What is a standard treatment protocol varies from medical center to medical center. What is current now, may be out of date in six months. It takes extensive training and research to keep up on what is up to date.
You compare my statements to saying that I shouldn't pay my oncologists. I don't understand this - oncologists, other medical professionals, and therapists have had clear training and experience and are certified in their areas. Is there a degree in cancer coaching with a certification that I overlooked somewhere?
I don't argue life coaches can provide help to others but life coaches are different than cancer coaches. A life coach helps people figure out what they want to do with their lives usually in their professional life. They often have numerous suggested resources to which they can refer people and help figure out what they want to do. A lot of their work involves open discussions with the client on options and requirements and help them sort out what would be best for them.
You end by saying 'My hope is that perhaps some of you might be a little more open minded about this topic. True coaches are very, very motivated by helping people. There's no reason that they shouldn't be paid for their time and skills.'
Tell me what their skills are based on as cancer coaches and I might pay someone. If having cancer is training, then I should be ready to open a new business. Even if a life coach gets cancer, how are they able to become a cancer coach? A cancer diagnosis is not a school with a diploma.
Maybe I am a little overly sensitive on the subject and there may be some well intentioned people out there but there are lots more slimy snake oil salesmen.
But its my blog and I can write what I want. You will also note, you were out voted 4 to 1 on opinions.
But thanks for reading anyway. Caroline
1. Its my blog and I can write what I want
2. If some one bothers to complain about what I said, I am just happy they read it.
But now here a note to Lori who didn't like my Cancer Coach post and leaves me no way to reply to her directly.
Dear Lori:
I am sorry you didn't agree with me. While you would like to been able to have a cancer coach to help you as a two time breast cancer survivor, you now have as much training and experience as these other cancer coaches are promoting themselves. Or even twice as much. They are often claiming that since they have been through the experience they are able to offer their services. And how does going through cancer a time or two give you experience to help others? Every cancer is different. What is a standard treatment protocol varies from medical center to medical center. What is current now, may be out of date in six months. It takes extensive training and research to keep up on what is up to date.
You compare my statements to saying that I shouldn't pay my oncologists. I don't understand this - oncologists, other medical professionals, and therapists have had clear training and experience and are certified in their areas. Is there a degree in cancer coaching with a certification that I overlooked somewhere?
I don't argue life coaches can provide help to others but life coaches are different than cancer coaches. A life coach helps people figure out what they want to do with their lives usually in their professional life. They often have numerous suggested resources to which they can refer people and help figure out what they want to do. A lot of their work involves open discussions with the client on options and requirements and help them sort out what would be best for them.
You end by saying 'My hope is that perhaps some of you might be a little more open minded about this topic. True coaches are very, very motivated by helping people. There's no reason that they shouldn't be paid for their time and skills.'
Tell me what their skills are based on as cancer coaches and I might pay someone. If having cancer is training, then I should be ready to open a new business. Even if a life coach gets cancer, how are they able to become a cancer coach? A cancer diagnosis is not a school with a diploma.
Maybe I am a little overly sensitive on the subject and there may be some well intentioned people out there but there are lots more slimy snake oil salesmen.
But its my blog and I can write what I want. You will also note, you were out voted 4 to 1 on opinions.
But thanks for reading anyway. Caroline
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Time to tone it down
Why does it take a tragedy like what happened yesterday in Arizona to make us realize that there has been too much mudslinging and polarization in the past few years? We need to tone it down. We are all entitled to our own opinions and to talk about them and discuss them and allow others to disagree. We are not entitled to make targets out of others in any manner.
In addition to the shooting in Tucson yesterday which left a politician and others injured and caused 6 deaths including a child, six middle school girls in Nevada are in trouble for targeting teachers on Facebook. One girl posted and five others responded. They were all arrested. These girls have learned behavior from what they have seen take place around them.
What I don't understand is why this is an acceptable behavior. Sarah Palin, before the elections, posted a target list with cross hairs on Facebook that said 'don't retreat, reload'. I don't care about your politics - as I said everyone is entitled to their own opinion - and your opinion of Ms. Palin, but I fail to see how this is an acceptable behavior.
I have always thought the US was a good place to live. We can have an election without it resulting in a political coup, riots, or a revolution. I am trying to live my relatively quiet life with out a lot of stress and distress from the outside - as I have enough of that from my own life. The time is now to tone things down and not focus on what others are doing that you don't like, but what is an acceptable way to live with our differences.
In addition to the shooting in Tucson yesterday which left a politician and others injured and caused 6 deaths including a child, six middle school girls in Nevada are in trouble for targeting teachers on Facebook. One girl posted and five others responded. They were all arrested. These girls have learned behavior from what they have seen take place around them.
What I don't understand is why this is an acceptable behavior. Sarah Palin, before the elections, posted a target list with cross hairs on Facebook that said 'don't retreat, reload'. I don't care about your politics - as I said everyone is entitled to their own opinion - and your opinion of Ms. Palin, but I fail to see how this is an acceptable behavior.
I have always thought the US was a good place to live. We can have an election without it resulting in a political coup, riots, or a revolution. I am trying to live my relatively quiet life with out a lot of stress and distress from the outside - as I have enough of that from my own life. The time is now to tone things down and not focus on what others are doing that you don't like, but what is an acceptable way to live with our differences.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Blogging and opinions
My blog is my opinion. Its that way because I write it. And yesterday I wrote about the rude jerk (who we saw again in the local diner where my husband and I went for breakfast yesterday). He sort of tried to get my attention again but I ignored him. Anyway, I am allowed to have my own opinion. Someone left a comment yesterday about how these things happen for a reason and maybe I should keep an open mind. What? Me, an open mind? I think I do have a relatively open mind. I don't have time for rude people who butt into conversations but in general I am pretty flexible and open to new ideas. But if they could cure cancer through energy healing and brass gongs, cancer would have gone away a long time ago. So buddy, get back to me when you have a real cure and not just snake oil. Me I'm leaving the solution to the research scientists who know what they are doing.
In the meantime, this week is a three day work week for us. Yesterday was Labor Day (well, doh, you knew that) and Friday we go off on vacation. This means I need to fit five days worth of work into three. And it means I need to leave for work in the next twenty minutes and not get home until around 6... A long day. Sigh. Maybe Walter will cook dinner. But tomorrow I work from home for a few hours and then go to work from 10-4. Thursday I'll work 8-3 or 4 and then do all kinds of fun things like take my computer off to rehab (a/k/a a computer tune up while we are out of town) and the cat off to his vacation (at my parents). Some how I am also supposed to pack and get organized.
I could have been more productive this weekend. Saturday was sailing. Sunday was I can't remember (chemo brain). Monday was gardening, work from home, run a bunch of errands. Now I remember Sunday - we ran errands and bought a living room sofa which will be delivered in October.
I was an air head yesterday and messed up my pills. I have two that I take the second I wake up because one of them needs to be taken on an empty stomach - 1 hour before or 2-3 hours after eating and not in combination with my calcium or prilosec. Then an hour later I take my back pills with food. Then a couple of hours later or sometime before dinner I take my vitamins. With dinner I take more back pills. Well, somehow, yesterday I took the wrong pills in the morning and skipped the empty stomach one. Well I figured this out about 6 pm as I was cooking dinner. So I took it not on an empty stomach and figure it might be a little less effective since it wasn't in optimal conditions but at least I took it. Today I paid more attention and got it right.
Yesterday I barely wore my stupid air cast. I am quite sick of it. Today I am not going to wear it but I will take it with me in case my ankle starts to act up. I went on a big walk yesterday which felt good but made my back hurt and made me tired. Wait, my back hurt from gardening with my stupid air cast on. Work involves lots of sitting with very short walks to the printer and the bathroom (both about 10' - in opposite directions of course).
But now I need to get moving so I can get out the door in the next 15 minutes - after I eat breakfast and get dressed.
In the meantime, this week is a three day work week for us. Yesterday was Labor Day (well, doh, you knew that) and Friday we go off on vacation. This means I need to fit five days worth of work into three. And it means I need to leave for work in the next twenty minutes and not get home until around 6... A long day. Sigh. Maybe Walter will cook dinner. But tomorrow I work from home for a few hours and then go to work from 10-4. Thursday I'll work 8-3 or 4 and then do all kinds of fun things like take my computer off to rehab (a/k/a a computer tune up while we are out of town) and the cat off to his vacation (at my parents). Some how I am also supposed to pack and get organized.
I could have been more productive this weekend. Saturday was sailing. Sunday was I can't remember (chemo brain). Monday was gardening, work from home, run a bunch of errands. Now I remember Sunday - we ran errands and bought a living room sofa which will be delivered in October.
I was an air head yesterday and messed up my pills. I have two that I take the second I wake up because one of them needs to be taken on an empty stomach - 1 hour before or 2-3 hours after eating and not in combination with my calcium or prilosec. Then an hour later I take my back pills with food. Then a couple of hours later or sometime before dinner I take my vitamins. With dinner I take more back pills. Well, somehow, yesterday I took the wrong pills in the morning and skipped the empty stomach one. Well I figured this out about 6 pm as I was cooking dinner. So I took it not on an empty stomach and figure it might be a little less effective since it wasn't in optimal conditions but at least I took it. Today I paid more attention and got it right.
Yesterday I barely wore my stupid air cast. I am quite sick of it. Today I am not going to wear it but I will take it with me in case my ankle starts to act up. I went on a big walk yesterday which felt good but made my back hurt and made me tired. Wait, my back hurt from gardening with my stupid air cast on. Work involves lots of sitting with very short walks to the printer and the bathroom (both about 10' - in opposite directions of course).
But now I need to get moving so I can get out the door in the next 15 minutes - after I eat breakfast and get dressed.
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