Tag Archives: cancer patients

How did some nurses get to be where they are today?

Ever wonder how the Iowa Cancer Specialists nurses got to be where they are today? We sat down with three of our nurses and asked them why they wanted to be a nurse.

We spoke with Molly Rima, Amber Claussen and our nurse practitioner Katie Browne about what made them want to become nurses.

Molly Rima

Why did you want to become a nurse?

When I was a little girl my grandmother, she took care of me, I didn’t go to preschool or anything and went to her house before Kindergarten.

She was a nurse and was in pediatrics and cardiology and she taught me all the bones in the body before I went to school so that is where it all started and I never wavered. I always wanted to be a nurse since I was four or five years old.

So what was it about your grandmother that made you want to be a nurse?

Everyone always talked about how good she was at her job and how compassionate she was about it and how much she loved her patients. I kind of see that in myself with her, I feel like I’m a very compassionate person and care about people a lot and I think that is a trait you really have to have as a nurse.

Where there any differences in your expectations when you became a nurse?

When you get into nursing school you kind of doubt yourself and wonder if you’re cut out for this. I was signed up to go to the University of Iowa and found out they didn’t do their internships until a year into their program. I was kind of a homebody and I looked into Scott (Community College) and they offered clinicals within the first eight weeks. At that point I was thinking ‘I think I want to be a nurse but I’ve never been in that setting before’ so for me there was no better way than being hands on to know if I really want this.

My first rotation was in a nursing home and I wasn’t sure if I wanted it but as I continued on I realized it was a good fit.

What do you know now that you would tell yourself then?

It’s a learning process, every day you’re learning something new, so if you’re not open to that you’re not in the right profession. I’ve been in this job for 13 years and I learn something new every single day I’m here — drugs are changing, treatment is changing, diseases are becoming more chronic versus acute and people are living longer. You have to know a lot and if you’re not willing to do that it is not the profession for you.

 

Amber Claussen

Why did you become a nurse?

I wanted to become a nurse since I was in 2nd grade.

What happened in 2nd grade?

I had an aunt that was a nurse and she kind of inspired me to be a nurse.

What was it about her that you looked up to?

All my aunts and uncles are close to us so I saw just saw what she was doing and liked it.

Why have you continued to want to be a nurse?

Because I love taking care of my patients. It gives you a sense of well being, they make you feel good for things you do for them and you try and help them. Especially with our cancer patients you try and help them try and have the best experience in a bad situation.

What would Amber now tell Amber in 2nd grade that wanted to become a nurse?

Good job, you picked the right thing. I wouldn’t change being a nurse ever, especially an oncology nurse. It makes me teary-eyed thinking about it.

 

Katie Browne

Why did you want to become a nurse?

I actually wanted to be an OB nurse, I had my son early in life. I had a seizure and I was in ICU for like a week and I almost died. The nurses were so nice to me and I didn’t want to be a nurse before that.

When I heard people say they wanted to be a nurse I would think ‘why would you ever want to do that?’ Because I thought all they did was hand doctors scissors. All through high school that was my impression and thought it was the stupidest thing.

But (the nurses there) really helped me a lot because I couldn’t take care of my baby so I felt horrible but the nurses there were really comforting. So I went to school and wanted to be an OB nurse with the goal of being a midwife and I started nursing school. I started as a nursing assistant and they said you can work on cardiology or oncology. At that point I really didn’t even know but oncology sounded more interesting than cardiology and then I started on the oncology unit when I was 19 and I just stayed in oncology ever since.

You can really make a big impact in people’s lives so that is what I like. I wouldn’t change anything (about becoming a nurse practitioner.)

So it was that experience in the hospital and seeing the nurses?

Yes, they were comforting me. I felt like a failure because I couldn’t take care of my baby and they were just letting me know it was okay. They just gave me hope that I would be able to and they just made me feel better about the whole thing. My family was very supportive too but having them there to let me know things were going to be okay and that I didn’t do anything wrong. It was pretty profound.

So it changed you?

Yes, it definitely did.

Anything else?

That’s really what did it, I still love pregnant people and stuff like that too but I never wanted to leave oncology either. You develop deep connections with people and they teach you a lot. You just build really close relationships and it changes your whole perspective on how you view your own life and what is important.

 

Cancer News Roundup

Welcome to the June cancer news roundup, we’ve got everything from new studies to profiles of some pretty awesome people. So grab your readers if you need ‘em and let’s get going.

A special visit

Luke Eck, a two-year-old with clear cell sarcoma of the kidney, has been undergoing chemotherapy for awhile now and during treatment one of his favorite pastimes is watching the firetrucks pass by.

So some of the staff at the office noticed his obsession with the trucks and reached out to the local fire department. From there they were able to surprise him and let him see a fire truck up close and personal.

Fighting until the end

An Iowa teen’s story is picking up national attention after she fought and completed her goal of graduating high school after her diagnosis.  Allison Cress graduated from Dubuque Hempstead High School on June 3 and passed away on June 5.

According to her obituary, “Allison brought a smile to your face and always kept a positive attitude during her fight with cancer. She was able to have a “Make A Wish” trip to Paris and London.”

Pup with a list

A cancer diagnosis can cause some to take a hard look at their life and break out a bucket list, and while this guy wasn’t the one writing the list he was the one taking part in some pretty cool stuff.

This golden pooch named Mr. Molson has been checking things off including being a police officer for a day and even getting married.

Have you or a family member with a cancer diagnosis done anything bucket list worthy recently? Let us know in the comments.

Three-time survivor

While at a camp for children with cancer and their siblings Joey Renick met someone who eventually would become his wife. This story from People magazine highlights the story of Joey and Caylee and how after three battles with cancer they finally tied the knot.

“I knew he was the one, because being in the hospital with him for so long and seeing him sick, I thought to myself, ‘If I can do this for him and we’re only dating, I can do this forever,’ ” says Caylee. “He inspires me so much, despite everything he’s been through he looks at the bright side of life and his will to live and survive and do more with his life is so strong.”

Check out the full story to see the inspirational couple.

Summer is here!

Now with the heat index climbing about 100 degrees and the sun shining brightly we’ll leave you with some tips from the American Cancer Society on skin cancer prevention and early detection.

Some simple tips from the ACS include using the phrase “slip slop slap and wrap” meaning four quick things.

  • Slip on a shirt.
  • Slop on sunscreen.
  • Slap on a hat.
  • Wrap on sunglasses to protect the eyes and skin around them.

 

What’s going on with Melanoma?

March 1 marks the first day of meteorological winter and that means higher temperatures, more sun around the Quad Cities and marks the start of a busy spring break season.

Those heading to the beach may unknowingly be exposing themselves to preventable melanomas according to a new CDC article.

The article states that the many cases of melanoma could be prevented by reduced exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

According to the American Cancer society melanoma rates have been rising for nearly 30 years and just over 87,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2017. The expected rise in cases for now is about 3 percent per year.

The state of the science research looks at one of the recent pushes related to reducing melanoma has been discouraging indoor tanning, some of that push includes legislation from states to ban tanning by minors.

In the Iowa Cancer Specialists area Illinois bans all tanning by minors while Iowa has no aged based restrictions. Iowa is one of just a handful of states with no regulations for minors.

Some of the suggestions from Cancer Journal for Clinicians include some easy changes including easy access to sunscreen, educational campaigns in schools and providing shade at beaches and other sunny locations.

While most of this article talks about some of the downsides currently with Melanoma there is some hope at the end of the tunnel, recent innovations in targeted therapies, immunotherapies and other treatment options have increased survival rates.

Support for self confidence

Courtesy: St. Baldrick’s Foundation

One dad is taking things to the next level to make his kid feel special.

Josh Marshall’s son Gabriel had to go through a surgical procedure to deal with cancer in his brain. The eight year old was left with a bare head and a huge scar, one that was weighing down on the child.

There is no doubt a huge scar can cause confidence issues for an eight-year-old kid, but his dad took one huge step to help his son regain his self-confidence.

The caption he wrote on the photo entry reads, “Me and my son at this year’s St. Baldrick’s event in Wichita, Kansas. Got my son’s scar tattooed to help his self confidence.”

The way he did it was spend some time under the needle, getting a tattoo of his son’s scar in the same place on his head.

According to a local news station John Marshall told his son that “if people want to stare at you, then they can stare at both of us.”

The tattoo shows some of the lengths parents are willing to go to make their kids feel comfortable.

While Gabriel continues to go through treatment he’ll know his dad will always have his back.

The photo took first place in a recent photo contest from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

The second and third place photos were just as heartwarming, click the link above to check them out.

Do you know anyone that has gone above and beyond for a family member or friend who had cancer? Let us know their story in the comments below!

The New Year is here…

The New Year is here and many of the patients and staff at Iowa Cancer Specialists are setting resolutions — get to the gym more, lose weight, be healthy, save money — but one of the more overlooked ones may be keeping mental health in check.

Start up 2016

Around one in three cancer patients has anxiety or another mental health challenge that they will face over their battle with cancer and as the new year is upon us, make a different type of resolution to keep yourself mentally healthy.

Read on to find out some steps you can take to be proactive in your journey.

Reach out

The first step is always the hardest, letting someone know you are dealing with symptoms of anxiety including uncontrollable worry, restlessness, irritability or others, reach out to your doctor at Iowa Cancer Specialists.

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There is nothing to be ashamed about in admitting you have been facing troubles and the doctors at Iowa Cancer are prepared and ready to help you in any way possible.

Having trouble reaching out? The government provides resources for those struggling to reach out.

Mindfulness

The idea of meditation in your head may include sitting around cross-legged and slowly humming, but the effects of simple meditation on the mind can be profound.

Simple meditation can be as easy as downloading a smartphone app and following instructions. Popular apps for meditation include Headspace for iOS and Android.

Don’t want to go the app route? That is okay, a referral to an area therapist can help guide you in the process to becoming more mindful. If you fear not being able to pay for a therapist no worries, many work on income based sliding scale payment.

Find a support network

A cancer diagnosis can feel very isolating, leaving you in a place where it feels as if nobody knows what you are going through. One way to ease that isolation is reaching out to others battling cancer and survivors.

In the Quad-Cities  multiple support groups exist including Gilda’s Club, who provides multiple types of support groups and other support to those with cancer. Other opportunities can be found at this list of local support groups through the Quad-City Times.

New year, new resolutions

Don’t be afraid to be ambitious in your New Year’s resolutions, turning over a new leaf can be a powerful way to take agency back during your cancer diagnosis. If making any health decisions make sure to run them by your doctor before setting off the conquer the world.

Make sure to let us know what YOUR resolutions are in the comments below.

Five things not to say to a cancer patient

Obviously, you mean well. Everybody knows that. However, there are a few things that cancer patients are sick of hearing.

How are you feeling?

Whether you are legitimately curious or just feel like it’s the appropriate thing to ask, hold up for a minute. This person is sick. Chances are, they are not, haven’t been and won’t be feeling their best for a while.

Try instead: “How are you feeling after the Packers DESTROYED the Bears last night? Boom!”

When is the last time you heard from…?

It does not matter whose name you put at the end of that question. If your loved one hasn’t heard from them in a while, the last thing they want is a reminder of that. Fairweather friends are the worst. Don’t make it harder by rubbing your loved one’s face in it.

Try instead: “Dude, do you remember that time we hid in the girls’ locker room and got busted? Good times, man.”

Have you thought about trying [insert next big thing in medicine/meditation/religion here]?

You can be sure that your loved one has heard it all. Vapors, vespers, vaccinations—the lot of it. Besides the recommendations of their doctor, family and strangers under the mistaken impression that their opinion matters, a cancer patient has probably done some research of their own here and there. Even if they haven’t heard of your method yet, there is not a large chance that they want to discuss it during the current interaction.

Try instead: “I care about you and want to help however I can.”

I’m sure you’ll do better than [insert cancer patient that didn’t make it].

This might be true, and it is almost definitely well-meaning. However, this falls along the same lines as a backhanded compliment—and one with no basis, at that. Are you the doctor of both patients? No? How could you be so sure?

In phrases like these, there’s some positivity expressed, but it is almost entirely negated by the depression that ends the sentence. This kind of so-called empathy does two things: shreds hope and makes it about someone else.

As hope and individuality are two of the best things you can give to a cancer patient, keep the lost causes to yourself.

Try instead: “You rock the bald look better than Britney ever could.”

Be present in some way. How would you like to be subject to the phantom-friend scenario?

“Are they really there for me?” your loved one might ask.

Of course you are! Say so! Respect, active listening and love means you can’t nix communication completely, even though talking with a cancer patient can leave you feeling lost in the woods at times. While you may never be able to successfully put yourself in their shoes, doing your best to understand how cancer patients are feeling will go a long way in navigating the conversations you have with them.