Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Life After Cancer:: Coping with a Cancer Verdict
    Life After Cancer:: Coping with a Cancer Verdict
    Life After Cancer:: Coping with a Cancer Verdict
    Ebook135 pages2 hours

    Life After Cancer:: Coping with a Cancer Verdict

    By Eliezer Benaroya

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This is a story told by a cancer survivor unlike any other story: from the initial shock and disbelief of the diagnosis to the search for answers, second and third opinions, and alternative treatment options; from having to make very painful and life changing decisions to the eventual recovery and return to a normal, productive, and happy life. This is a story of one man's struggle to understand recurrence after recurrence of colon cancer; of dealing not only with the effects of chemotherapy treatment, but also the psychological effects of life after cancer: living with an ostomy pouch as a replacement for the colon that had to be removed; learning to operate the alternative system for the elimination of the body's waste material; and the slow process of accepting and loving a new body. The lessons learned from this experience can benefit all cancer patients and their loved ones, from the newly diagnosed to those who are in remission. In addition, the medical establishment, which struggles every day with the ever increasing load of work involved in caring for these patients, can also benefit from the author's story and learn better ways to communicate with and understand patients undergoing cancer treatment.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisheriUniverse
    Release dateDec 1, 2008
    ISBN9781440108914
    Life After Cancer:: Coping with a Cancer Verdict
    Author

    Eliezer Benaroya

    Eliezer Benaroya owned and operated a successful deli and catering business in the San Francisco Bay Area for 16 years with his wife Shoshana until 2005 when he was forced into retirement to battle colon cancer. After his initial surgery, Eli suffered two relapses that eventually resulted in the complete removal of his colon, an ileostomy, and chemotherapy. Today Eli's cancer is in remission. In addition to his work with cancer support groups, Eli enjoys an active lifestyle with his wife and three children filled with hiking and travel.

    Related to Life After Cancer:

    Related ebooks

    Biography & Memoir For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Learning To Slow Down

      Oct 9, 2019

      Learning To Slow Down
      4 min read

    • Article

      My Experience With Ovarian Cancer

      Jul 7, 2022

      In July last year, my life rocked. I was 38-years-old, in a super happy marriage with an amazing husband, and mum to a daughter who is just gorgeous. Work was great; I was teaching 10-15 scrapbooking classes a month, plus guest teaching all over the

      4 min read

    • Article

      Recovery from CANCER!

      Dec 31, 2021

      Recovery from CANCER!
      3 min read

    • Article

      Gut FEELING

      May 12, 2019

      Gut FEELING
      4 min read

    • Article

      New VOICE

      May 17, 2023

      New VOICE
      6 min read

    • Article

      Annabel Sowemimo, Sexual and Reproductive Health Doctor

      May 16, 2023

      My day starts at 6.30am. I walk Quill, my cockapoo, first thing. I got him in the hope that he would be my writing buddy, but he’s far too crazy for that. When I’m back home, I’ll make a coffee, eat toast with peanut butter and get ready. I’m ob

      2 min read

    • Article

      Staying Alive

      Jun 11, 2020

      Staying Alive
      6 min read

    • Article

      One Last Dance

      Apr 8, 2021

      One Last Dance
      6 min read

    • Article

      Misadventure

      Sep 23, 2021

      Misadventure
      5 min read

    • Article

      Surviving My Shocking Diagnosis

      Dec 14, 2021

      Surviving My Shocking Diagnosis
      7 min read

    • Article

      MEDI-FILE Beating A SILENT Killer

      Apr 26, 2023

      Rushing to the toilet in the middle of my workout again, I was embarrassed. ‘Sorry,’ I apologised to my client. Working as a personal trainer, I led a healthy lifestyle. But lately I’d been going to the toilet a lot, sometimes five times an hour. I’d

      2 min read

    • Article

      Victorious VICTORIA

      Aug 26, 2021

      She has built a reputation for fearlessly getting on with whatever life throws at her. Victoria Derbyshire grew up in a violent household, where, as the eldest of three, she was determined that her father and his fearsome rages would never define her

      6 min read

    • Article

      Mum Is Mum

      Sep 2, 2020

      Mum Is Mum
      6 min read

    • Article

      I WON’T LET Cancer Win

      May 30, 2023

      I’ve always been fond of the saying ‘when your mind is calm the body follows’, but the words truly hit home for me when I was waiting to find out if I had cancer. For me, the not knowing was worse than getting the diagnosis, and I did everything I co

      4 min read

    • Article

      ‘My Doctor Thought It Was the Menopause’

      Mar 25, 2021

      I knew something wasn’t quite right in 2014 when I started experiencing odd symptoms, including migraines, mood swings and pins and needles across my face. They continued for years, and I saw my GP many times, but I didn’t seem to be taken seriously

      3 min read

    • Article

      Monthly Misery

      Apr 7, 2022

      Monthly Misery
      3 min read

    • Article

      Choose Life

      Jun 21, 2021

      Choose Life
      16 min read

    • Article

      How Cancer Changed Us

      Oct 4, 2022

      Charlotte Broughton, 37, lives in Leeds with her husband James, 43, and their two children Olivia, eight, and George, three. All I could think about when I was told I had breast cancer was Sarah Harding. It was November 2021, just two months after t

      4 min read

    • Article

      OUR CHANGE For The Better

      Nov 9, 2023

      OUR CHANGE For The Better
      6 min read

    • Article

      Spinning Plates

      Aug 31, 2018

      Spinning Plates
      4 min read

    • Article

      Throwing Stones

      Sep 25, 2019

      Throwing Stones
      5 min read

    • Article

      Strength Within

      Feb 20, 2020

      Melanie Salsbury, 51, Litchfield Tears welling in my eyes, I picked up the framed picture of my parents. ‘Love you both so much,’ I whispered. ‘They would have been so proud of you, love,’ my partner David, 51, said, wrapping his arms around me. It

      5 min read

    • Article

      When Every Moment Counts

      Aug 29, 2019

      When Every Moment Counts
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Life After Cancer:

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Life After Cancer: - Eliezer Benaroya

      Contents

      Preface

      1

      The Whole Nine Miles

      2

      Playing Detective

      3

      The Discovery

      4

      The Battle Begins

      5

      Choices and Decisions

      6

      The First Surgery

      7

      Recovery

      8

      The Big Dilemma

      9

      A Break from It All

      10

      Back to Reality

      11

      The Second Surgery

      12

      More Time Off

      13

      Monitoring Continues

      14

      The Three Options

      15

      The Third Surgery

      16

      Home Sweet Home

      17

      The Aftermath

      18

      Clues and Warning Signs

      19

      A New Beginning

      Helpful Hints

      Acknowledgments

      Useful Definitions

      This book is written in loving memory of my father ABRAHAM BENAROYA who taught me the values of hard work, optimism, patios, perseverance and courage. And to my mother ALEGRA EFTIMIA BENAROYA who gave me unconditional love throughout my life in spite of my many shortcomings, and inserted in me the value and the power of family.

      Preface

      I wrote this book for all cancer patients who are in the same situation I was when I was first diagnosed with cancer. The feeling of not knowing what the future holds can be very scary, and it helps to learn from others who have gone down a similar path. The battle against cancer is worthwhile: even if it seems at first glance like the end of the world, not only can you prolong your life, but you can maintain a reasonable quality of it. I want to deliver a message of hope, to reassure you there can be a good life waiting for you after cancer.

      Two years have passed since I was first diagnosed with colon cancer. I’ve gone through three surgeries, six months of chemotherapy, and many months of recovery. Today I consider myself very lucky to be alive. I’m enjoying a life filled with traveling, adventure, discovery, family, and love. Aside from a few limitations, I can still experience everything I did before being diagnosed with cancer—and maybe even more.

      Now when flying, I take an extra carry-on containing my medical supplies (not luggage I want to lose), and at times I experience skin irritation in high-humidity environments, but no life is perfect, as everyone has his or her baggage. I can still enjoy many activities such as hiking, running, swimming, and almost anything else I feel like doing. Sometimes I take extra precautions specific to my situation, such as waiting for convenient hours to eat or staying away from certain foods to avoid an overactive ostomy. If I’d never been diagnosed with cancer, I probably would still be working at the deli, feeling overstressed and not experiencing nearly as many things as I am today.

      Of course, I need to be vigilant and be tested every six months to make sure the cancer hasn’t come back. But if I didn’t have to monitor my cancer, I might wait years before going to a doctor, which might allow some other disease or condition to go undetected.

      I also want to make sure you know your allies in the battle against cancer. The medical professionals are there to help, so use them. In turn, I would recommend to medical professionals that they try to invest more time in knowing each individual patient. If doctors would listen to their patients’ thoughts and fears, they could better treat ailments and help their patients feel more comfortable with what the doctors are doing.

      There is much more to healing than just its physical aspects, as emotional and spiritual factors also play a huge role. A patient’s attitude toward any illness can make a big difference in his or her recovery. Changing the way you look at things can completely change how you recover. A positive outlook is an important aspect of one’s ability to recover from a serious injury or illness. Throughout my illness, I had many ups and downs, but I never lost hope I could get beyond it.

      My hope is that in the not-so-distant future, cancer will become a better understood disease with well-established treatments. As my small part to help in this effort, a portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to cancer research.

      1

      The Whole Nine Miles

      It was a few days before my fifty-sixth birthday, a routine Saturday on which my friend Motty and I were going jogging. Almost every weekend Motty and I would jog around the beautiful Lake Chabot in Castro Valley, California, just a few miles away from my home. Motty is a longtime friend who has been instrumental in igniting in me the enthusiasm for running long distances.

      A few years back at our first run around Lake Chabot together (Motty had already been a frequent runner there for many years), he told me the distance around the lake was about four or five miles, which was only a little longer than what I was used to running. Only after we completed the run did he announce the true distance: nine miles. I was very surprised I’d been able to complete it as it was something I probably wouldn’t even have attempted had I known. It was a real thrill for me to be able to run the nine miles around the lake at the age of fifty-six—in fact, I felt on top of the world. I felt so good during the run that I began contemplating running a marathon before I got too old. At 26.2 miles, a marathon would be just about three times the distance of our weekend run. As Motty had already run several marathons himself, he strongly encouraged this idea.

      On this particular day, the run was going very well and we were about to finish our route. It generally took us a little under an hour and a half to complete the run, and today was no different. Then we both headed to the water fountain to replace all the fluids we’d lost.

      Once rehydrated, we walked to the stretching area where we spent a few minutes before returning to the car that was parked about half a mile away. Motty released the car key from his shoelace and opened the door to his twenty-year-old Toyota Supra. Motty is very proud of his Supra and often says, It has over two hundred thousand miles and still runs like it’s new. As he was getting the car open, I used the time to stretch a bit more.

      But then I stood up and suddenly felt dizzy. I passed out for a few seconds, falling on the top of the car. It took a few minutes for me to get in the car, but Motty hardly noticed anything. I didn’t mention anything to him during our ride home, but I was baffled as to what had just happened to me.

      For some time now I had been feeling dizzy during the run, and I had no explanation for it. I was also falling asleep much more than usual, but I didn’t think twice about it. About four years prior I’d had a complete physical, or so I thought, and my doctor was so happy with the results that he told me I should frame them because this is as good as it gets.

      It took twenty minutes for us to arrive at my house. I said good-bye to Motty and headed straight for the door. Shoshi, my beautiful wife of thirty-one years, opened the door with a big welcoming smile and a good-morning kiss. As Motty and I started our runs early in the morning, she was usually still asleep when I left the house.

      When we sat down for breakfast together, I told her what happened after the run. She looked worried, and although I didn’t think it was anything serious, I agreed to consult our physician about it.

      On Monday morning I called my physician’s office to make an appointment, but the earliest opening was two months away. I’m not a hypochondriac—quite the opposite in fact, as I’m the first person to dismiss pain or find explanations for it that doesn’t include illness. I also rarely take medications or visit doctors. But this time was different, as I was worried that something was seriously wrong with me. For some time I’d been complaining to my family about a strange sensation I often felt in my stomach. The best way to describe it would be like a sudden drop in my gut, the way you feel on a rollercoaster ride, so I insisted on being seen that day. The secretary informed me that my physician, Dr. S, was not available, but I could come in to see his partner Dr. T later that afternoon. I immediately agreed and arrived a few hours later.

      Dr. T seemed like a very nice man. He spoke with a Russian accent and looked to be about fifty. He had a very serious look on his face as he asked me about my symptoms. I described my experience that weekend, and then he examined me. He didn’t notice anything unusual during his examination, but he saw that I had a very short record of office visits. He suggested I wear a heart monitor for twenty-four hours to test if my heart was experiencing any problems under different stress levels. I agreed and returned the next day to get the monitor hooked up.

      2

      Playing Detective

      As a good detective would do, Dr. T tried to isolate the guilty organ from several suspects through a process of elimination. Suspect number one was my heart, with the monitor acting as a polygraph to see if it was really behaving the way it appeared during the visit. I wore the monitor for the next twenty-four hours everywhere I went.

      Going to work with it was very embarrassing. I wore my colored long-sleeve shirt, leaving it untucked so no one would see the monitor, but this was very unusual for me as at work, I always wore a tucked-in white polo shirt. At the time my wife and I owned a deli in the marina of Alameda, and we had a very regular clientele. Everybody noticed I was dressed differently, but I continued to make up explanations for my change in attire.

      In the evening when I got home, Motty called to see if I wanted to go for a walk. I hesitated for a minute because I didn’t want him to know that I had a heart monitor. However, in the end I decided to join him in order to test the monitor at a different activity level. Once again, I hid the monitor under my untucked shirt, and we

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1