Recently by Social Work Bloggers

By Toni Franciosi, Department of Social Work

Receiving a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness like cancer may be one of the greatest agents of change that exists -- a change that can lead to the pursuit of healing, not only for the body, but also for the mind and spirit.

For cancer patients and their caregivers alike, diagnosis and treatment may become an all-consuming, anxiety-provoking game of survival.

The mind and body connection
The strain of undergoing treatment and caretaking may seem relentless at times.  But it's important to remember that our own thoughts and perceptions about what's happening can fuel an even greater "stress response," that can compromise healing. Under stress, the body experiences an increase in cortisol, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol and heart rate, as well as lowered immune response.  

The mind and spirit suffer the consequences of stress as well. When the mind judges a situation, specifically as "good" or "bad," we are vulnerable to feeling isolated and separate.

Attitude is everything
Stressors in life cannot be eliminated, but they can be better managed. 

The Greek philosopher, Epictetus, reminds us that "it is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." Attitude is everything. Learning to relax the body and mind furthers the healing process by fostering greater levels of healthy biological markers, compassion, emotional stability, immune response and overall well-being. 

Continue reading Patient and Caregiver, Heal Thyself.

By Tena Gardiner, Department of Social Work

Mindful meditation might sound like a foreign concept to many people, but it's actually a much more common and simple practice than you might realize.  In fact, there are two different forms of mindful meditation: informal and formal.

Informal meditation

Informal mindfulness can be a really helpful way to figure out if this is something you will enjoy and works for you because it allows you to integrate mindfulness skills into your everyday life.

Examples include:

• Directing attention to and focusing on your breathing to calm yourself right before making a difficult phone call
• Listening to ambient sounds in the environment while walking or driving
• Mentally labeling feelings or thoughts during an intense or stressful conversation
• Focusing on the effect that eating an orange has on all five of your senses
  

Formal meditation

Formal mindfulness practice takes the informal practice a step further and refers to the actual practice of mindfulness meditation.

It includes the following:

• Sustained, disciplined introspection
• Allowing one to learn how the mind works
• Allowing one to observe the mind's contents
• Development through sitting and walking meditations, yoga and tai chi

Micki Fine, who teaches meditation at MD Anderson addressed the benefits of mindfulness last year at TEDEX Houston. 

Continue reading Calm and Coping Through Mindful Meditation.

By Marisa Minor, Department of Social Work

A cancer diagnosis can create a variety of questions for patients who have children. The first question many parents ask is, "How do I talk to my child about cancer?"

Whether you're wondering how to tell your child about your diagnosis, treatment, progression or recurrence, there are quite a few things to consider before beginning these important discussions.

To start, consider your child's age and developmental stage. Some children are too young to verbalize questions and others may be too afraid to ask. Also, what does your child already know about cancer?  

What is the best approach?
It's common for parents to protect their children by withholding information that may be upsetting, but research shows the following:

1. A parent's cancer diagnosis affects a child whether or not the child is informed of the condition. 1
2. Anxiety levels are higher in children who aren't informed about their parent's condition, compared to children where the issue is discussed. 2 
3. For parents of teenagers, an important aspect of coping is ongoing communication between the teens and their parents during the course of the illness. 2
   

So, what does this research mean to parents? Simply put, it means that honest, age-appropriate communication is best.

Continue reading Talking to Your Child About Cancer.

By Stephen Collazo, Department of Social Work

March is National Social Work Month. While we could toot our own horn, I think the best way to celebrate is to do what social work counselors at MD Anderson do best -- help patients enhance their quality of life and cope with their disease.

What sorts of things might get in the way of patients and families having the best quality of life possible while going through a disease like cancer? 

Often times, it's figuring out how to deal with all the stress, fears, feelings of helplessness and constant change of emotions that accompany the cancer experience on a daily basis. 

While it's certainly natural to focus on the future and what happens down the road as you or your loved one move through treatment, staying focused on just making it through the day or even the next hour can sometimes help you maintain your sanity.

Getting by "one day at a time" is going to look different to each person. 

While I might be more expressive and prefer to talk about my feelings, for others, having to rehash what they've been feeling and experience the stress over again is anxiety inducing in and of itself. 

The important thing is figuring out what works for you, how you cope best, and then using those coping tools when needed.

Continue reading Celebrating Social Work Month: Coping With the Day to Day.

By Donna Suckow, Department of Social Work

Patients living with cancer often feel worried, anxious and scared about doctor's visits, follow-up exams or treatment. For some, these feelings can translate into physical symptoms, such as sweaty palms, a racing heart or shortness of breath.

Distressing events in our past sometimes lead to worry about similar events in our future. This is called anticipatory anxiety.

However, by employing coping strategies, seeking helpful support and facing -- not avoiding -- worrisome events, you can overcome your fears.

In fact, many people report finding a renewed sense of strength and a deeper belief in themselves after facing these challenges head on.

Distraction and attraction
Research has shown that many adults and especially children have found "distracting techniques" helpful when facing an anxiety-provoking event. Finding something "attractive" to do helps take the mind off an "unattractive" event, such as chemotherapy or lab work.

The distraction differs from person to person because of activity levels and interests. For example, you may want to listen to a special playlist on an MP3 player, read a good book, watch a movie or play a favorite video game.

Talk to your medical team to see if it's OK to do the activity during your appointment. If so, you will most likely find that you are more relaxed.

Continue reading Been There, Done That ... Tips on How to Do It Again.

By Sarah Cook, Department of Social Work

An acute leukemia diagnosis can make you feel as if the world has stopped -- for you, the patient, and for your loved ones.  

Before diagnosis there was grocery shopping, work, coffee dates and laundry. Now, suddenly, life is lab work, test results and an endless stream of medical professionals --many of whom you can't identify by name.  

The information comes fast and furious: "you have leukemia," "we're running tests," "you're being admitted" and "we're placing a PICC line."

A PICC line? What's a PICC line? Will my insurance pay for this? Will I lose my job? What the heck is a stem cell transplant? Is that the same as a bone marrow transplant?  

To say that a new leukemia diagnosis can be overwhelming would be putting it mildly.  

If this has been your experience, please know that you're not alone. Also, know that there's support to help you and your loved ones cope with your diagnosis and treatment. MD Anderson social work counselors are available to offer emotional support and to help link you with helpful resources.  

If you or your loved one has recently been diagnosed with leukemia, there are a few things you need to remember as you begin to cope with this new situation.

Three things to remember:

Continue reading Learning to Cope With Leukemia.

By Stephen Collazo, Department of Social Work

Whether you're the doctor or the patient, having conversations about future care should be an integral part of the overall treatment planning process at every stage -- beginning at the time of diagnosis. It's a team effort and a partnership that ensures patient choices are given the utmost respect.

Steps for planning
The following steps are by no means an exhaustive list for fully implementing the advance care planning process in one's specific medical situation, but it serves as a good starting point for the patient and health care provider.

1. Evaluate quality of life
For the patient -- Begin to think about what living with quality of life means to you. Discuss your thoughts with the people who would be involved in making decisions for you if you aren't able to make them yourself. This will ensure that care choices are made to support your quality of life in the way you'd like.

For the provider -- Ask patients what quality of life means to them. Explain their current treatment plan and the side effects involved in terms of these ideas. Also, talk about how possible life-prolonging treatments relate to the patient's concept of quality of life. Remember, often the patient is waiting for you as the professional to broach the subject of what they should do in end-of-life situations.

Continue reading Advance Care Planning: A Patient and Provider Partnership.

By Stephen Collazo, Department of Social Work

Shopping, putting out decorations, going to parties, cooking food, attending religious services, mailing cards, wrapping gifts,hosting the in-laws. Stressed out yet?

Making it through the holiday season without a cancer diagnosis affecting you or someone you love can be difficult in itself. Now add blood tests, chemotherapy, nausea, doctor's appointments, scans, fatigue, radiation, inpatient hospital stays, and waiting for test results. 

The holiday season can be an especially trying time for people with cancer based on the sheer number of expectations that get added during these few months.

But it's more than just how overbooked your schedule can become in December. 

Everywhere around us on TV, the Internet, radio, even inside the stores we visit, we're told on a daily basis to "be merry" and "have cheer."

If you or someone you know is going through cancer, trying to live up to the expectations of how the holidays are supposed to make us feel can be almost impossible.

Dealing with a serious illness like cancer during these upcoming weeks can leave many feeling lonely and confused, when everything and everyone seems to be so full of joy. 

Here are a few suggestions to help you and your support system cope during the holidays.

Continue reading 'Tis the Season for Coping with Cancer.

By Heather Valladarez and Midge Myhre, Department of Social Work

Did you know that one in every eight Americans is 65 or older? That comprises 13% of the United States' entire population.  

An important concern for individuals in this age group is their health. With advances in modern medicine, Americans are living longer and healthier lives.

However, as with people of all ages, life experiences and social situations can have a dramatic effect on quality of life, especially when dealing with an illness.

More than 60% of new cancers are diagnosed in individuals 65 years or older. Feeling stressed or lonely is fairly normal for patients and caregivers in this age group.

If you or someone you love is in this age group and navigating through a cancer diagnosis, it's important to remember that you are the same person you have always been. Even though you're in a different situation, you may be able to draw on some of your experiences to help you cope with the stress you now may be feeling.

If you're having difficulty coping or adjusting, here are some strategies you might find helpful.

Continue reading Aging With Cancer: Strategies to Help You Cope.

By Stephen Collazo, Department of Social Work

October is national Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And while it may be difficult to imagine someone with cancer in an abusive relationship, it's more common than you might think. 

Anytime someone hurts or threatens to hurt his or her partner in any way (physically, emotionally or sexually), it's called intimate partner violence (IPV) -- more commonly known as domestic violence.

While statistics show that 85% of people affected by IPV are female, it doesn't mean that men can't be abused by their partners. IPV occurs in all races, ages, economic classes and sexual orientations. 

Cancer diagnosis and abuse
When the person being abused has been diagnosed with cancer, there are even more complicated issues that can occur. 

For example, the patient might have to rely on the abuser for financial reasons, or to provide transportation to appointments, manage medication or help with basic daily tasks.

All of this can make an abuser feel like he or she has more control and more power, and therefore easier to inflict abuse without meeting any resistance.

In some instances, the abuser might not be the person diagnosed with cancer.

If you're a caregiver and someone is abusing you, it's important to remember that there's no excuse for violent or abusive behavior in a relationship.

Continue reading More Than You Might Think: Cancer Victims and Domestic Violence.

By Johanna Pule, L.M.S.W., Department of Social Work

If your doctor were to tell you that you need to stay in the hospital for a month or longer for treatment, what concerns would you have?

You might worry about the upcoming treatment or how you will feel physically. You might focus all of your attention on the physical and avoid how it will affect you emotionally.

You might just be worried about having to stay in a room in an enormous hospital for such a long time.

These concerns are normal.

More than a patient
It's a significant physical undertaking that can take an emotional toll. Though the reason for staying in the hospital is for your cancer treatment, it's important to remember you're not just a cancer patient.

You're a whole person and it's important that you attend to all of you, and not just the cancer. This is especially true when, for a month or more, you have to essentially live in a setting that constantly reminds you of your illness.

Continue reading Tips for Coping Through a Long Hospital Stay.

By Wendy Griffith, L.C.S.W., Department of Social Work

Take a moment and think about someone close to you who's died. A grandparent, parent or friend . . . it can be anyone.

Were there any parts of themselves they left behind for you to remember? It could be anything: a recipe, picture, diary or family heirloom? It could be something as simple as a conversation the two of you had about what was important to him or her.

Intentional or not, we all leave behind these pieces of ourselves that others will remember us by. These memories, these mementos are our legacy.

A diagnosis of cancer often leads people to think about their legacy and what they're leaving behind. Initially, those thoughts may focus on financial matters. But as time passes, there's almost always a shift to the existential.

Unfortunately, all too often, these thoughts stay thoughts and aren't actually put into motion.

"Legacy work" is the process of transforming these thoughts into action. It's the act of sitting down and taking time to purposefully create something for the people you love and care about.

Continue reading Making Memories Last: The Art of Legacy Work.