1983_04 Insight April 1983

              Insight
April IS, 1983
Cancer support group
Patients find strength in numbers
b-
SUEROSENSTEIN
Insight reporter
Tbe other women in tbe room
laugh, too. They all know how suddenly smugness can turn to terror.
Each has felt like the cartoon
creature wbo blindly struts off the
steep ledge and hangs for an absurd
moment in thin air before falling to
earth in a panic. They meet to share
their humor, fears and frustrations.
They belong to a new support group
for cancer patients. '
Amy (not her real name) is a
teacher with lymphoma. She knew
that one out of four Americans get
cancer; "but I was sure it wouldn't
happen to ME!" she tells tbe other
women. "I knew I wouldn't get it
.'cause I'm too good."
Amy and the others now laugh
about bow naive they were to think
that being good or active or healthy
meant they were Immune to the
disease they are now fighting.
"There's a big need among
cancer patients and their families for
help sorting out what goes on," said
tbe support group's facilitator, social
worker Jean Vavoulis.
Vavoulis has specialized in
counseling cancer patients since 1972.
She helped win the American Cancer
Society grant that funds the weekly
meetings,  known as the Oncology
Counseling Service. Her expertise is
free of charge to cancer patients,
their family members and friends,
wbo meet for an hour-and-a-half each
Tuesday morning at Fresno's Family
Service Center on First Street.
"Your world gets turned upside
down" when cancer strikes, Vavoulis
says. "Your finances change, your
body changes, roles change. Counseling helps patients cope."
Rosemary, a 45-year-old with
thick, curly hair, has cancer of the
pancreas. She was treated with high
doses of radiation which left her
nauseated. Now she has trouble
digesting food.
"The other night I was standing in
tbe kitchen with a pan of chicken,"
she tells the group. "I started crying
because I couldn't think of how to cook
it. I've cooked chicken a hundred
times, but this time nothing sounded
good and my mind went blank. I
would have been just as happy to
throw the damn chicken in the trash."
Two other group members have
received chemotherapy and know
how demoralized — and hungry —
ongoing nausea can make you.
"Have you tried a little mineral
water with lime?" one of them asks.
Rosemary says she'll try it.
Rosemary said she talked with
her doctor about her eating problems,
as well as her discouragement about
her eating problems. But he's not as
helpful as the support group, she said.
"He told me St. Agnes (Hospital)
was having a seminar for cancer patients. But then he sent me a brochure
from their hospice program," she
said. "That program is for people who
are dying. They called me and 1 told
them I wasn't interested. I don't intend to diet "
Everyone smiles. Cancer will kill
440,000 Americans this year — more
than any other sickness except heart
disease. When patients hear a
diagnosis of cancer, many feel they
are getting a death sentence. But 45
percent of those treated are cured.
The women in tbe support group walk
a fine line between hope and reality.
"It's hard to be realistic and not
pessimistic," one of them says.
Although cancer is widespread, it
is not often discussed in polite conversation. Many cancer patients feel
alienated from tbe world of the
healthy, and fear they'll be abandoned or patronized when others learn of
their illness.
"When people asked me why I
was missing work and losing weight,"
Amy said, "I told them I had a
metabolic disorder. Of course no one
knew what I meant — and that's exactly what I intended. I had always
thought of cancer as an obscenity."
The others nod.
"I went through a stage of hating
healthy people," Rosemary says. "I
just hated 'em. I guess it's part of that
■why me?' feeling. 'Why me Lord?' "
she slowly repeats, shaking her head.
Amy adds, "You envy people for
the strangest things. Just after my
chemotherapy started I was walking
outside on a windy day and I envied
people whose hair didn't blow away.
Mine came right out"
Vavoulis points out that cancer
can be like Shakespeare's toad, wearing a precious jewel in its hideous
bead. "It can make you really appreciate things you took for granted
before," she says.
Rosemary said she and her bus-
band have always been close, but
since her cancer surgery tbey have
become closer. "He babies me," she
tells the group. "He always helps me
get ready for bed now. Sometimes I'm
afraid I depend on him too much."
"It's alright to depend on him,"
Vavoulis says. "When you're ready to
become more independent, you will
be."
"My sister-in-law called a few
days ago," Rosemary continues. "I
was feeling kind of blue, and she said,
'You're not going to get depressed are
you? That's not like you.' I told her, 'It
is like me now; I'm not the same person I was!' "
The group applauds Rosemary
for not trying to keep up a pretense of
unrelenting cheerfulness. Amy_says
bouts of depression are naturafunder
the circumstances. She adds that
Rosemary seems stronger and
healthier, as well as happier than
when the group began meeting five
weeks earlier.
"You too," Rosemary replies.
"We were really down in tbe dumps
when we first started meeting. 'We've
come a long way, baby!' "
Vavoulis believes that stress
weakens the immune system and may
be a factor in causing cancer. She
knows that relaxation techniques can
make the disease and its treatments
more bearable.
"One woman had trouble getting
chemotherapy injections," Vavoulis
says. "She just couldn't tolerate the
needle going into her arm and went
through a lot of physical pain and
emotional anguish. Now, as soon as
tbe nurse touches her arm, she 'goes
to tbe beach.' Tbe procedure has
become painless.
"You may not be able to control
getting cancer or going into surgery to
remove it," Vavoulis says. "But you
can do something about your attitude
toward these things. You can learn to
accept what's happening and be
relaxed.
"Close your eyes," Vavoulis tells
the group. "Breathe deeply. As you let
out each breath, mentally say Oh
word, 'Relax.' Feel a wave of relaxation spreading through your body....'*
It is tbe exercise that ends each
group session, and the part group
members most savor.
"Picture a stairway," Vavoulis
continues. "You are going down the
first stair, and down the second stair,
deeper and deeper," she says evenly.
Vavoulis counts the group down
six stairs, and tells each woman to
open a door at the bottom of the stairway.
"The door opens onto your
favorite place in nature," Vavoulis
says. "You are warm and relaxed and"
comfortable. Now picture your
cancer, and imagine it being
destroyed by an army of healthy
white blood cells...."
For five or 10 minutes, the women
in the group are free of disease and
discomfort. Then tbey mentally
mount the imaginary stairs as
Vavoulis counts — when they open
their eyes, they are smiling.
Sweet are the uses of adversity.
Which,   lifer   the   toad,   ugly   and
venomous.
Wears yet a precious jewel In his)
- William Shakespeare
Opera student
sings for dream
BETH PAYNE
Insight reporter
Hwang is quick with a smile but
quietly reserved. She is reluctant to
talk about herself, but her friends fill
Shu-Fang Hwang is a symbol of   in some blanks,
the many cultures found on tbe CSUF "Shu-Fang has the best voice at
campus. the school —a lot more voice than any
She was born in Taiwan, learned of us will probably ever have.
English at the Chinese Culture Realistically, it's very (competitive.
University in Taipei, and is now stu- She's got a long way to go but has a
dying French, German and Italian really good start," said Gena Blind,
operatic arias at CSUF. one of Hwang's new American friends
This background is in preparation   and fellow music student.
for Hwang's dream of singing with an "She is loved and respected by the
American or European opera com- 'other students," Renzi said. "We like
parry. to encourage other students to work
"I look forward to a good career   together — not compete — because
for her because she has the quality of   each   student   has   a   gift   to   be
being able to communicate through   developed."
her  music,"  said  Dorothy  Renzi, In January, Hwang auditioned for
CSUF voice instructor. the New York Metropolitan Opera
Hwang studied operatic arias in during the district auditions in
Taiwan, where the music program Fresno. Although she was not chosen
concentre ted on private voice lessons, as a finalist in that annual audition,
opera coaching, l opera workshops, she found the practice of performing
singing wi th " sma 11 instruments 1 in front of metro judges helpful,
groups, piano (which Hwang mlnore^/ "She likes to perform whenever
in) and stage training for opera. possible which  is  good  because
She is a dedicated student of   students leam by using their art,"
music and practices two to three   Renzi said,
hours a day at schooL as well as an The teacher-student bond is im-
bour a week of voice lessons with Ren-   portent in voice instruction.' 'A singer
zi. always needs someone. He needs so-
"Mrs. Renzi is my mother in   meone to listen because he is unable-- Dahlstedt, Yarnell has returned to the
America," Hwang said. There is a   to hear himself sing. It is acoustically   Los Angeles area and has found
"   impossible to hear what the outside   employment and is thus financially
world    hears,"    Renzi    said,   willing and able to accept the return
"Sometimes voice teachers are called   of Amanda,
'another pair of ears.' " Assistant District Attorney Melin-
Hwang is preparing for scholar-   da Paden has differing views on tbe
ship auditions in San Francisco spon-   exact cause for the Jury's inability to
dent is unhappy it shows In his voice   sored by the National Association of   return a guilty verdict - despite the
Olgin: Tired of
'shoestring budget'
Shu-Fang  Hwang  (left)  receives
Dorothy Krn/i.
oice coaching and  friendship from
Mother: Now works
Continued from page I
Since   the   trial,   according   to
special friendship that has evolved
between student and teacher. "Singing teachers have to play tbe role of
instructor, counselor, mother and
friend because voice is tied up with '
" Renzi said. "If a stu-
flrst."
seemingly overwhelming evidence.
According to Paden, the jury's hands
were tied due to questionable instruc-
evidence presented in the-ease.
In any event, Yarnell faces the
task of persuading the court that she
has had a change of heart and is
"financially, emotionally, and socially" willing and able to accept the
return of her child.
A hearing scheduled for March 31
was postponed two weeks to determine if Yarnell is a resident of the Los
Angeles area. Ha finding is made that
she is now living in Los Angeles,
jurisdiction of the case will be
transferred to a Los Angeles court for
Tule: One-sided picture
tions  tbey  were  given  by  Judge    determination  of custody.  The in-
William Silviera.
According to Paden, Judge
Silviera, in delivering his final instructions to the jury before sending
Continued from page 3 are shacks with "rundown" yards.
Tule is also known for it's strong The entire article is inaccurate   them out to deliberate on a verdict,
traditional/spiritual and religious   and reinforces all the stereotypes   allowed his own personal opinions to
values.   Each  year  people  from   about Native Americans ■ we have   sway the jury,
throughout tbe State travel to attend   been trying to overcome. Silviera told the jury that in his
Tide's Traditional/Spiritual Gather- .own opinion, not necessarily that of
ing. The residents of. the Tule River I live on the Reservation. I am a   the court, a mother did not "own" a
Indian Reservation also attend two of    Media Coordinator for the Tribe. I do   child and therefore could not possibly
not live in a shack, my children do not   sell a child, for any amount of money.
nave a "rundown front yard" which According to Paden, this made it    review every six months to insure the
"provides a bleak setting for their   Impossible for the jury to return a    quality of care that Amanda is receiv-
young life," my husband and I do not   guilty  verdict,  regardless  of  tbe   ing from ber mother.
drink, and we do practice our tradl-
' mal religion.
Marsh's article is completely
negative, one-sided, and shows a lack
of good journalistic reporting.
terests of the child, Amanda, will be
represented at the hearing by the
Child Protective Services and the
State Attorney's office. Yarnell Is entitled to representation provided by
the state if she is unable to afford an
attorney.
If Yarnell is unable to convince a
judge to award her custody, she Is entitled to a review of the decision every
six months. Should she have Amanda
returned to her, the state holds a
and movie presentations. Others go
schools and speak to elementary and
junior high aged children.
Through the project, brochures in
both English and Spanish have been
developed that range from shopper's
guides, complete with manufacturer's
names, prices and purchase locations,   .
to educational material that can be   fatalities by 90 percent and
used in schools and doctor's offices,   juries by 70 percent.
These materials are distributed free
of charge.
Workshops are sponsored for ex
As is concluded in tbe California
law, it is the responsibility of all
drivers  to properly secure small
the Reservation drinks and the Reservation Is covered with beei cams.
Some people drink, some do not.
Marsh apparently failed to notice our
beautiful mountains, tbe rushing ri
and blooming wUdflowers.
1   Hw photos which appeared v
the article lead tbe reader to believe
the only structures on the Reservation
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pectant parents, those with preschool- children they are transporting. It is
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tutorial center. Olgin's immediate
reaction was to agree. This would
mean a $16,000 budget each semester.
The center is prime example of
students helping students, Olgin said.
They need the funds to keep the center
open on a full-time basisjw said. "We
must be flexible for all students, and
available for them," said Olgin.
"We've been on a shoestring
budget long enough," said Olgin. "We
need a commitment from o
npagel
must take it seriously," said Olgin.
"The priority must be set."
An outside consultant conducts
evaluations of the the tutors and the
student's progress. "To get an accurate evaluation, the statistics must
be correct. And working a part-time
staff full-time makes it more
difficult," said Olgin.
A senator from CSU, Northridge
called Olgin for a telephone survey
concerning the implementation of $1
Restraints: Better
than safety belts
Continued from page 4 hospitals and service organizations,
model for similar programs in cities making safety seats available on a
nationwide. loan or low-cost rental basis to tow-
Fresno's program was chosen income families.
because of the interest shown by Another factor the program
nurse educators, who formed a wants to emphasize. Mack said, is,
chapter of the. California Child proper use of tbe safety seats. A few
Passenger Safety Association even weeks ago in Fresno a young child
before the funded effort began. was injuredf in a car accident. Tbe
The project has several segments child was in a safety seat butHwas
aimed at different groups. Speakers not properly and securely fastened,
trained by organizers of tbe project Had the child been seated in the seat
present go to various community correctly, "there probably-Would
groups such as churches, schools, and have been no injury," Mack said,
children's retail outlets and give slide
California is tbe 18th state to
adopt a child passenger safety law.
There are 21 other states, ail with
similar laws, including Tennessee
which was the first. Supporters hope it
won't be long before all states adopt
such laws. Studies indicate that proper use of safety seats could reduce