IAL REPORT

Sadly, 24 new laryngectomees have joined this way of life as reported by the IAL. And They have reported 4 members have passed on.

I am please to report that the Hartford Area hospitals, including the UCHC, have had no new Larys join our way of life and no reported deaths

frank

On June 11th 2011 Saturday Event

Manchester Hospital special event:



from 9-1 they are having a celebration of life Making every Moment count with the key note speaker Scott Hamilton, the famous skater, who will give everyone a book that he wrote the: "The Great how to be happy even when you have every reason to be Miserable."

He will sign the book and it is Free and there will be a light lunch

 All are invited.

Hypopharyngeal cancer Patient Speaks out

My Turn: Touched by another human's touch

A doctor diagnosed with cancer discovers the power a hug can have on an ailing patient.

By Itzhak Brook,
May 23, 2011






I was deeply shaken to learn I had hypopharyngeal cancer. As a physician, I had access to my hospital's laboratory results, so I took a shortcut: Rather than wait for my surgeon to call me, I looked for my name in my hospital's pathology laboratory log book.



After my name, the log book stated in no uncertain terms: "mildly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma."



I could not believe my eyes. Was this possible? Could it be a mistake? In spite of the hopeful questions that permeated my mind, I knew it was not a mistake: Right here, in front of me, in black and white — my own death sentence. Still, to be convinced that the diagnosis was real, I had to view the biopsy specimens under the microscope myself — and there it was.



In that very instant, my whole world changed. I had always had a sense of invulnerability. Now I was left with uncertainty about my prognosis and future.



I was in a state of desperation and disbelief when I left the pathology laboratory and walked into my internist's office to break the news to him. He slowly got out of his chair without uttering a word and gave me a big, supportive hug.



It felt so good to know that he deeply cared for me beyond our professional relationship. His embrace moved me — made me feel that I was surrounded by those who truly appreciated my pain and distress, and who shared my personal tragedy. It meant much more at that moment than a thousand words of support or elaborate explanations.



It was the power of a caring, human touch. I knew that I was not alone in my future struggles, that he would be beside me all the way.



I had never been hugged by a medical caregiver. Nor had I given a hug to a patient: I always believed in maintaining a professional distance between them and me. Yet at that moment, I learned there may be situations in medical practice where the power of a hug eclipses everything else one can offer.



In the realm of modern medicine, where machines and tests often substitute for close patient-physician contact, this fundamental art is often forgotten. Even a simple pat on the shoulder or a warm handshake conveys genuine care and concern. In fact, there is scientific evidence that human touch can generate oxytocin and endorphins, which ameliorate pain and create a feeling of well-being.



Unfortunately, I had to undergo a total laryngectomy to have my cancer removed. The period after my surgery was very physically and emotionally trying, as I battled numerous medical problems and also struggled to regain my ability to speak. What eased those difficult months was the knowledge that my otolaryngologist's door was always open to me and that he would act immediately to assist me in any way he could. His dedication, emotional support, sincere care and friendliness helped me overcome many of the difficulties and problems I encountered. They were indispensable on my road to recovery.



I sometimes went to his office several times a week — often just to talk with him and tell him how I was doing. I always felt welcomed. He greeted me with a big smile and hugged me every time I left. This simple act created a bond of intimacy between us and made me feel that I had a friend.



My personal experiences changed my attitude toward my own patients. I am less concerned now about maintaining a professional distance or avoiding a caring touch or hug when appropriate. I have learned that such gestures can significantly deepen the healing relationship between patient and physician.



As a laryngectomee, I have found that speaking is often difficult and challenging. So I am fortunate to have discovered that the "power of a hug" can convey so much more than the spoken word.



Brook is a pediatric infectious disease physician at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He is the author of the 2010 book "My Voice: A Physician's Personal Experience With Throat Cancer." More at dribrook.blogspot.com; contact Brook at ib6@georgetown.edu.

Head and Neck Cancer Group To Meet June 6th

HEAD AND NECK CANCER

SUPPORT GROUP .



-

If you or a loved one has been touched by an oral head and

neck cancer diagnosis we're here for-you



No Pressure Just Support

June 6th, 7:00pm



ECHN/Eastern Connecticut Cancer Institute

John A. DeQuattro Cancer Center

1 00 Haynes Street

Manchester, CT 06040



Meetings are held the 1st Monday of every month.

- fSlFloor Conference Room ----



To register or for additional information contact:

Alice Nadeau 860-268-3963 www.oralheadandneckcancer.com










American Cancer Society .1-800-227-2345

ECHN/Eastern Connecticut Cancer Institute

IAL Report

During the past month the IAL has reported 30 New Laryngectomees have received the total removal of their larynx Nationwide.   They also reported three has expired.

Here at our local Hartford area hospitals we have had no new Larygectomees reported.

 

A doctor's view point of being a new Laryngectomee

A physician as a cancer of the neck patient: experiences in

the otolaryngology ward after laryngectomy

18 October 2010

Sir,

I am a physician who had undergone pharyngo-laryngectomy

for the removal of pyriform sinus squamous cell

carcinoma. Since most patients after total laryngectomy

are unable to speak during their hospitalisation, sharing

my experiences can shed light on their personal feelings,

anxieties and needs. A detailed description of my experiences

can be found in my book entitled ‘My Voice-

A Physician Personal Experiences with Throat Cancer’

which can also be read on my Blog: http://dribrook.

blogspot.com

The new reality of having no voice was difficult for me

to adjust to. I was unable to express myself fully and

could not show my emotions. I had to completely depend

on the slow process of writing everything.

Although the medical care I received was overall very

good, I realised that mistakes were being made at all

levels of my care. Fortunately, I was able to prevent many

of them, but not all.

Some of the errors I experienced by the medical

personal included feeding me by mouth when I was still

tube fed, not rinsing away the hydrogen peroxide used

for cleaning the tracheal tube, not washing hands and not

using gloves when indicated, connecting the suction

machine directly into the suction port in the wall, taking

my temperature without placing the thermometer in a

plastic sheath, attempting to deliver viscous medications

through the feeding tube, dissolving pills in hot water

and feeding them through the feeding tube, not

connecting the CALL button, and not responding to an

urgent call when I was bedridden and unable to speak,

and forgetting to write down verbal orders.

All of these events made me wonder what happens to

patients without medical education who cannot recognise

and prevent an error. Fortunately, despite these errors,

I did not suffer any long-term consequences. However,

I had to be constantly on guard and stay vigilant, which

was exhausting, especially during the difficult recovery

process.

My post-surgical stay was one of the most challenging

periods in my life. As I look back to my hospitalisation,

I feel great gratitude to the nurses, physicians, and other

health care providers who supported and cared for me. It

is my hope that by reading what I felt and experienced,

they will gain insight into the mind of their speechless

patients who are very vulnerable and depend on their

care. A compassionate and diligent care is the key to their

mental and physical recovery.

Conflict of interest

None to declare.

Brook, Itzhak

Professor of Pediatrics,

Georgetown University School of Medicine,

Washington, DC, USA.

E-mail: ib6@georgetown.edu

C O R R E S P O N D E N C E : L E T T E R S

514 Correspondence

2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd • Clinical Otolaryngology 35, 507–514

Johns Hopkins Update

Johns Hopkins Update

This is an extremely good article. Everyone should read it.



AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY

IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER,

JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .







Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :



1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer

cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have

multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients

that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after

treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the

cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable

size.



2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a

person's lifetime.



3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer

cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and

forming tumors.



4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has

nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic,

but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.



5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing

diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day

and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.



6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing

cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells

in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can

cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.



7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars

and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.



8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often

reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of

chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor

destruction.



9. When the body has too much toxic burden from

chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either

compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb

to various kinds of infections and complications.



10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to

mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.

Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other

sites.



11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer

cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.



*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:



a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made

with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute

would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small

amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in

color Better alternative is Bragg's amino or sea salt.



b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the

gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting

off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer

cells are being starved.



c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based

diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat,

like chicken. Meat also contains livestock

antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all

harmful, especially to people with cancer.



d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole

grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into

an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked

food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live

enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to

cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance

growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building

healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most

vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw

vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at

temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..



e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high

caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer

fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or

filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap

water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.



12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of

digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the

intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic

buildup.



13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By

refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes

to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the

body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.



14. Some supplements build up the immune system

(IP6, Florescence, Essie, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals,

EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy

cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known

to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's

normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or

unneeded cells.



15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.

A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior

be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put

the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to

have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy

life.



16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated

environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to

get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen

therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer

cells.



1. No plastic containers in micro.



2. No water bottles in freezer.



3. No plastic wrap in microwave..



Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Please share this with your whole email list.........................

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.



This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.