Practical SpiritualitySurviving Prostrate Cancer

Practical Spirituality--Surviving Prostrate Cancer
By John Gilmore

Theres nothing like discovering that you have cancer, especially if no one in your family ever had it. Cancer is a very dangerous disease, as anyone knows. It is only dangerous on the physical lever, but probably even more devastating on the emotional and mental level. Especially the forms of cancer that seem not to be taken seriously by those who dont have it. This is especially true of prostate cancer.

As soon as anyone discovers that you have prostrate cancer the first thing they tell you is how common it is, and then they move onto the success rate of its treatment. This is a bit comforting, but when you begin to hear about the procedures involved, that comfort flies out the window. Cutting out parts of your body, eradiating your body to shrivel your prostate, planting hundreds of radioactive seeds in the prostate, or freezing the prostate until it dies, and the left over affects of decreased potency and the need to use stimulates for intercourse, if that is even possible, are devastating.

These are not good things. They are all loses that must be grieved. Even if you dont want to, any of these treatments mean that you will never be able to father another child. You will always know that a part of you is missing; the part that created the seeds that bring forth life. If you are a survivor of prostate cancer, or you have just been diagnosed, and all of the speeches about the success rate dont quite comfort you on all levels, you may be dealing with the last issue of which I spoke. Procreation is more than a physical act. It is an issue that is somewhat primordial and spiritual. It is at the root of what it means to be alive for just about every species on Earth. Most people do not really think about it like that.

People around you hear cancer and panic, thinking that you should do anything to keep it from spreading. The cancer patient, some of them anyway, however, often looks deeper, looking for the meaning behind the fact that parts of ones own body has declared war on you, and thinking of the most beneficial ways of dealing with it.

If you are diagnosed with prostrate cancer, or any other type, and are thinking of getting treatment, or if you are having treatment, or have completed treatment, it is important for you to look for a deeper meaning. It is important for you to begin to explore your life deeply and to find a meaningful way to participate in life that is satisfying and enjoyable. Many say that modern civilization is a toxic, cancerous environment in itself. Is it any wonder that our bodies should become like the toxic environment in which we live? Find ways to be healthy. Create sacred spaces where you can step outside of the toxic environment to strengthen yourself. You will then give birth to new things on a different levela spiritual level.

If you can find a group where you can talk about what has happened, the shock that has happened to your mind, body, and spirit, find one. Several hospitals have prostate cancer survivor support groups. Many other people will not know what you are talking about and what you are going though on the inside. Dont try to force yourself to get over it and to go ahead with life. You will do this, and life will go on. The truth is, however, that you have been injured, even if it doesnt show on the outside, and you can never get back what you have lost. You have to heal from the injury on all levels. This is something that we must learn to live with. A greater understanding of who you are and why things like this happen are the only help. It is also important to work to gain some insight, or lifestyle that is worth all of the fear and suffering. When you have done this you will be able to move on without pushing. It will be natural and you will be a greater person. Dont ignore practical spirituality and healing methods like meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga or Chi Kung. They can be very good for dealing with the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of the injury if you go very deep in their application.

Dr. John W. Gilmore is a writer, spiritual director, and certified healer in many alternative health traditions. For more information on how to apply practical spirituality to your life visit our free Practical Spirituality Journal at http://www.dswellness.com Explore our website for more information geared to the healing of the greater community. Also visit our school at http://dswellness.htap.net

Reunion of Souls, Dr. John W.Gilmore. A book of deep spirituality in Sci-fi form.

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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Information

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Information
By Christian Louis

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the peritoneum of the human abdominal cavity. Hence, this medical condition is also called as abdominal mesothelioma.

But before seeing more about peritoneal mesothelioma, let us first take a look at the classifications and functions of the peritoneum membrane.

Peritoneum is classified into visceral and parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum envelops the abdominal organs and forms the periphery of the intestinal tract. On the other hand, parietal peritoneum covers the abdominal cavity. The purposeof these layers is to protect the internal organs and to secrete a lubricating fluid that eases the movement of internal organs in the abdominal cavity.

Causes of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Even though not a definitive explanation, it is widely considered that asbestos is the main cause for peritoneal mesothelioma. According to medical experts, in two ways asbestos dust could reach the intestine lining one through involuntary ingestion during working long hours and days amid asbestos, and secondly, through the lungs while breathing and hence along the lymph nodes to the peritoneal cavity. Either way, it is injurious to the human body, and may invariably lead to this cancerous condition if exposed to for a longer period of time.

Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma, like the other forms of mesothelioma, shows a very long latency period and it wont be until 20-30 years since the asbestos-exposure days before any typical symptoms becomes apparent. But by then it will be too late to check the disease or provide any constructive medication or treatment. Further, a delay in diagnosing the disease can happen due to the fact that most of the symptoms of mesothelioma is not-specific and may resemble that of some other common and less serious diseases. For example, the common mesothelioma symptoms include anemia, fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, and bowel obstruction, and it is highly likely that the doctor initially may consider other options than contemplating cancer. Therefore, the patient telling the doctor about any previous asbestos exposure in the first one-to-one interaction itself is very crucial, and that helps the doctor to think of a possible mesothelioma threat even before considering other possibilities.

Treatments

Once the disease has been diagnosed, the doctor recommends the treatments based on several factors such as the extent of the damage, age and medical history of the person and overall health. The traditional treatments for mesothelioma include surgery if the tumor has spread out and is beyond radiation-curable radiation therapy (external and internal radiation), and chemotherapy, which includes using a pill or needle to insert anti-carcinogen drugs into the body.

With the advancement in science and technology, newer treatment techniques have been introduced, and some of it is looking promising as well.

Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is one such newer method that uses special drugs and light to destroy cancer cells. This method is used to study the earlier phases of mesothelioma in the chest.

Further, Immunotherapy is a way of boosting the immunity of ones own body against the spread of cancer. Also, recently, researches have found that Gene Therapy is effective in correcting the faulty genes causing mesothelioma. But these two methods are still in the clinical trials and are yet to be implemented in hospitals.

Even though a wide range of treatments are available for mesothelioma, clinical experiences reveals that none of this alone is capable of checking the disease effectively. Therefore, it is a selected combination of some of these treatments called the multimodality approach that is commonly followed and the different modes of treatments to be used are decided by the doctor based on the given medical condition of the patient and his/her age.

Tail Piece Passive exposure to asbestos can also lead to mesothelioma. This happens when asbestos fibers reach the domestic setup through clothes dirties with asbestos dust. Therefore it is advisable that those handling asbestos may change their clothes before returning home or going to any public place.

Christian Louis is the author of this article.Check out the nr. 1 resource on Mesotheliomahttp://www.online-mesothelioma-information.com

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