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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2017)
10 Wednesday, February 1, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Commentary... Bep‘two-weekspready’ Cancerpandpme:pThepreality By Jim Williams Correspondent After the shock and sad- ness of getting another can- cer diagnosis, comes the fun part. Once the biopsy is back, it’s time to get staged and have the oncologists come up with your treatment plan. The treatment plan for my type of cancer is considered the “gold standard.” Twenty- eight days of radiation, with one week of chemotherapy at the first week, and another week on the final full week of radiation. When they decide upon your treatment, they go over some of the issues you may deal with. Fatigue, sickness, hair loss, bone brittleness, and a host of others. What they fail to tell you is the amount of pain you will be dealing with, the extent of the fatigue, and considering they are ‘nuking’ your lower pelvis, what other issues may come up. The reality was, that my bladder decided to be hyper- active and I had to “go” vir- tually every 45 minutes for several weeks. This included the nights, which of course made it difficult to sleep. That calmed down after a while and my function is pretty much back to normal. The reality now is, that having your anus radiated causes all sorts of problems. In my case, I had been radi- ated down there about 19 years ago. A much lighter dose of radiation than I received this time, but enough cumulatively, that my function there leaves a lot to be desired. When my large colon was removed 14 years ago, the surgeon said that it was the goal to get me down to 10-12 bowel move- ments a day! Whoa! Somehow I managed, and my body adapted and that became more like 6-7 times a day. I was still able to have a fairly normal life. I could ride my bike 5-6 hours at a time. There was some prepa- ration involved in making that happen, and there was the occasional hike that left me taking care of business in the woods without anything to cleanup but a pair of socks (not recommended) or pine needles, ouch! But all in all, things were good. Things are not so good now. I’m over and above the 10-12 times a day the doctors first thought years ago. I can’t seem to empty completely. Because of the radiation and reduced blood flow, things just don’t quite work like they’re supposed to. I’m in a lot of pain due to frequency and a lack of, uh, flexibility in the area. It hurts to go. I can’t hardly walk as I also have urgency issues. Even if I’ve just gone, there is a feeling that there’s always more, and sometimes there is. Between the pain, urgency and fre- quency, I’m able to work, as long as I’m close to a bath- room. Venturing far from home to go to a movie, or dinner though, is out of the question. I’ve found a message board for anal cancer sur- vivors and apparently I am not alone with this reality. It is quite common, and for some it has gotten better; for others, it is now something they have to live with every day. I can say that mine has improved somewhat in the 12 weeks since my treat- ment, and I’m hoping of course that I continue to improve so I can have some semblance of a normal life. I am not alone in this. People with other cancers deal with their own reality. I know of an 80-year-old gentleman who was cured of Stage 4 throat cancer, which is awesome and amazing. The problem is, his epiglot- tis (the flap that keeps food from going into your lungs) is fried. After a couple of trips to the hospital from choking and acquiring pneu- monia, he has been given a feeding tube. Some real- ity. Cured, but can probably never eat again. Many others thrive after treatment, even with this new reality. I hope, after it’s been determined that my treatments have worked and the cancer is gone, that I am one of those. At the moment, I am not. There’s a lot more I could write, but I have to “go,” right now. It occurred 317 years ago and while there’s no way to know when the next Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake might hit, it’s a good idea to be prepared. Many people in the Pacific Northwest have been aware of the Cascadia Subduction Zone, but a New Yorker article by Kathryn Schulz in July 2015 drew national attention to the 600- mile fault that runs from northern California to British Columbia, about 70-100 miles off the Pacific coast shoreline. The last Cascadia quake occurred in this fault on January 26, 1700, with an estimated 9.0 magnitude. Currently, scientists predict that there is about a 40 per- cent chance that a megath- rust earthquake of 9.0+ mag- nitude in this fault zone will occur in the next 50 years. Schulz’s article, and sur- rounding media attention about Cascadia, generated awareness and created some fear. But Althea Rizzo, geo- logic hazards program coor- dinator for Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management, says that fear is often based on the unknown. Knowing what to do, and how to be prepared for a large-scale earthquake, or any disas- ter, can help to mitigate fear and empower people to take action. That action, says Rizzo, includes putting together a plan and emer- gency kits to be 2 Weeks Ready. And preparation for “the Big One” leaves you in good shape to weather other emer- gencies — such as those created by severe weather. Power outages during extreme cold, being snowed in at your home — if you’re prepared these things can be handled with relative ease and comfort, and peace of mind. According to Rizzo, peo- ple are more prepared than they think. “You probably already have many of the things you need, such as flash- lights and leather gloves,” says Rizzo. “Pick up a cou- ple items every payday and check out garage sales and thrift stores for tools and gear. Look in the garage, closets and junk drawer for items before adding to your shopping list. Being pre- pared to be self-sufficient for two weeks is an achievable goal. You can get there over time.” (See related story on page 11 for ideas on how to prepare.) Oregon Office of Emergency Management has many tools and resources to be prepared for a Cascadia quake and other disasters. Check out their new website at www.oregon.gov/OEM. FINEFURNITURE HIT A POTHOLE? WE CAN HELP! Alignments, Shocks, Struts, Wheels, Tires DAVIS TIRE 541-549-1026 Serving Sisters Since 1962 188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage Love Your Smile! We can help. Come visit us today! 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