stomach cancer

RE: stomach cancer

Heya I've posted on your thread about IHM and stomch cancer, so will post here.

Sorry to hear about your friends husband, it must be a hard time for you all - keep strong and think positive thoughts.

I've a lot more experience of treating cancer patients with reflexology than IHM itself, I find it's more beneficial. People can lie down, chill out, shut their eyes, drift off, fill their minds with good thoughts, and on some occasions, cry their way through things they need to resolve. It can be quite an emotional experience.

My advice to you is this, talk to the oncologist, if they are undergoing chemo or radiotherapy ask them when they would most like treatments. They really do help. Make treatments light, gentle and flowing. Massage the lymphatics and the stomach very gently, don't go in their like you would in other areas.

If they are undergoing chemo or radiotherapy, you may find a lot of what may seem to be quite serious imbalances in the feet, the body is being bombarded with toxins and the feedback you get from the feet can at first seem alarming, it's nothing to worry about - they are showing you the hard work the body is undergoing. It isn't unusual to find big hard lumps underling the skin during chemo, again, immune response.

One thingI would say about reflexology is that specialists do not focus on the imbalances as places where the cancer might be, that may cause alarm, the imbalances show that the body is under pressure fighting against the cancer trying to make itself as strong as i can possibly be. Some who are undergoing treatment to fight cancer might look at reflexology as a way of knowing if the cancer has gone or if it has spread, it can't do that.. there can be so much imbalance at that time they just wont feel right.

Bear in mind, you're not treating the condition, merely the symptoms the clients experiencing, you're helping their body to do all it can to heal itself, given the nature of the condition.

I can say however, in terms of emotional and physical balance the reflexology sessionsI've given in the past have greatly helped my clients, if you use a gentle and safe touch and are prepared that the feet might feel, well, not good at all, you'll be great. It's a good experience for both parties, believe me, and wonderful to see people who at first are really quite stressed come out of a session with at least some of their troubles eased and a smile on their faces.

As an aside just before I post this, it can also be very worthwhile treating the carers of cancer sufferers, they are often hude pressure to stay 'together' and 'strong' for their loved one but it can be draininage. If you treat both parties it can greatly improve the benefits of all parties, making them much more able to cope with the stresses involved.

What you are hoping to do is a great thing. If you have any other questions, just ask.

RE: stomach cancer

Hi Gussie

I read most of your advice your gave to people throughout the past year. Thank you very much for your caring and helpful Nature. I wish you a very healthy and Happy 2007 and hope all YOUR dreams come true.

God Bless

Fran xxx

RE: stomach cancer

Hiya Sam!

Well Gussie has said it all really, excellent advice from her as always. I think the oncologists and other medical staff caring for people with cancer have really understood the tremendous value of complementary therapies as part of cancer care, since so many cancer centres offer them to patients and/or carers. A great point on treating the carers is made here too. A friend of mine worked for a while at a hospice and her sole job was to give treatments to the partners, friends or family members of the actual patient.

A little anecdote on how reflexology can help... A lady had a treatment from me in hospital, just before a chemo session. She was very nervous, as the time before they had struggled to find a good vein in her hand to insert the cannula (sp?), the hollow needle they tape in place to feed the drugs into. We did a very slow, gentle, relaxing treatment then I focused on gently massaging the hand that was going to have the needle in it. Because she was so relaxed and her circulation was boosted, her hand was warm etc the needle went in first time. It was just great because she had been so nervous about it.

If it's something you want to explore in the future, there are some very good courses for therapists working with people with cancer, for example the Bristol Cancer Centre, St Christopher's Hospice (in Sidcup in Kent I think), St Winfrid's Hospice (Chichester) and there's one near Hampton Court too. I'm sure they're dotted around all over the place. The professional associations may well offer them from time to time too - there was one by the AoR a couple of years ago by a lady called Edwina Hodkinson.

RE: stomach cancer

Hi Sam,

Yes, Gussie has (as usual) given you a really helpful and balanced answer.

I am still doing my AoR course, and am using my husband as a case study. He has advanced prostate cancer, and has just gone back into hospital for a recurrence of bone metastases, inhis spine. Mytutor is guiding me through helping him and I use lots of relaxation techniqueswith a light to normal touch on good days, but onbad days, I work inhis aura/energy field or on the hands. At first, I felt a bit self conscious when I was apparently miming a reflexology treatment, but it is quite an experience for both the giver and the receiver. I find that his body seems to draw energy from my hands at thereflexes that need it.

Cancer is a huge disease. It's not justone personsdisease; it eats away at every one around it, particularly if the sufferer is not dealing with it very well. The stress levels of a carer may be very high, and theymaywell feel drained of every last bit of energy, but still have to try to find it in themselves to be kind, patient and understanding, when all they really want to do is walk away and sob their hearts out. So, if you have time, do please offer to treat your friend as well as her husband.

Love,
Footsie X

RE: stomach cancer

hi thanks for the replies

i have offered to treat my friend and she just says oh dont worry i'm ok. they are at the hospital to find out about treatment and what is what really not sure how advanced it is yet, i asked her to mention if she remembers about reflexology i'm hoping the oncologist might be supportive of it.

big hugs to you all that are dealing with this horrible disease i cant believe how my friends husband has changed in the last couple of weeks its frightening.

sam

xxx

RE: stomach cancer

hi

My friends husband died on friday morning, i cant believe it. I did reflexology on him every week since he was diagnosed, he had 3 sessions of chemo and then they stopped it becausehis tumor had shrunk andit had done whatwas expected after the full 6 sessions so we was all pretty pleased, they had given him 1 year and he only livedshort of 6 months. I really hope i didn't agravate things i know i'm probably being a drama queen, but i've got myself worried.

just needed to let it out a bit to people who know sorry

Samantha

XX

RE: stomach cancer

Please don't feel worried,I think you did a marvellous job. I only wish I had known there were people like you around when my husband was diagnosed with stomach cancer.
We were told he had 18 months to live but he died 5 weeks after the diagnosis. This was on top of Prostrate cancer,Rhematoid Arthritis,Diabetes and heart problems.
I was his carer for 11 years and the last year was horrific,we both could have done with someone like you around.

RE: stomach cancer

I suspect you made his last few months much nicer.

RE: stomach cancer

Thank you,that is a nice thing to say,Darren.
I was told by the medium,he was sick of fighting,let go and just slipped away.

RE: stomach cancer

Thank you for the kind words they mean a lot. I know he loved the treatments and they did make such a diference to his state of mind i made it clear i couldn't cure his illness but i hope i went some waytowards making things more bearable.

silverhoodedowl - your poor husband he had to endure such a lot. i have not been with someone through this terrible disease and how it wrecks lives of the sufferer and family.

My friend has three children 11, 13 and 15 and its just destroyed them. its so unfair.

thank you again

Samantha

XXXX

RE: stomach cancer

ORIGINAL: sambez

I know he loved the treatments and they did make such a diference to his state of mind

Hello Sam,

My husbandcouldn't find a way to share his life with his cancer, and sadly, gave up and died at the beginning of May. The only thing he looked forward to and enjoyed were the reflexology treatments I gave him.

I had the privilage of being able to give him littlegentle sessions throughout the day as he lay dying in a deep coma. Ihoped that he would know that I was there,because I was the only person who ever touched him in this way. I gave him a little treatment after he had died - to help his soul move on. When I left him, he looked so peaceful; as though he was having the best sleep ever.

Sam,I am sure thatyou helped your friend's husband - probably more thanyou will ever know. I hope that, like me, you will feel that you can go on to useyour experience to help others in similar situations. There are just so many out there who are desparate for the care, comfort, stress and pain reliefloving hands can give.

Footsie X