Conversations with Cancer

 

Choosing doctors

Lance Armstrong had to choose his doctors and his treatment facility. His mother and friends wanted him to make his own decision.

 

a.  For Armstrong, it is a very difficult decision.  He would like to get some advice from his mother and friends.  I think that was because he wanted someone to support him.  It is better for Armstrong to make his own decision, because no one can understand how much pain he needs to endure. (Jennifer, 02/18/07)

 

b. Making your own decisions is always the best attitude. However, the reaction of Armstrong’s mother and friends impressed me a lot. I can understand them, but at that moment you are so afraid and you feel that you need help and support. Also, that attitude is a way that Armstrong could face up to his illness. (Flavia, 02/17/07)

 

c.Now, Armstrong has a big problem. Although his mother and friends can give some advice, he has to choose everything. After his decision, there is much responsibility. Nobody can make sure bour him and take responsibility except Armstrong. It is just his job. (Dae Gun Kim 02/18/07)

Dae Gun, what do you mean by "bour"? (Nina)

 

d. I think that this chapter is the best impressive chapter among 5 chapters. The title of this chapter gave rise to curiosity. I saw he was longing for survival. It's just survival. His number 1 priority is survival. I also saw the careful nursing of his mother and friends. I hope to see that he can overcome his brain surgery and break his cancer. (Jinwoo Kim 02/18/07)

 

e. How difficult the decision was, and how important it was for his life. Also, what made the decision more difficult that no one wanted to give his or her opinion so that he won't be responsible for it. (Aziz)

 

f. Certainly there was the “coldness” that Lance showed at the moment to make the decision; he was alone, and his friends and mom didn’t want to influence his decision. He reviewed all the details like protocols, facilities, doctors and also nurses. This attitude shows a really bold temperament. (Felix, 02/17/2007)

 

g. There are too many things need to decide at the very short period of time. It is not a easy decision for easy things but a decision for his life. I am always a person who have difficulty to make a decision. For me, there are too many things need to take into consider so I am afaid once I make a wrong choose than I can't change it. So a lot of time I would rather do nothing rather than make a choose...  (Hsingchuan 02/25/07)

 

Religion and spirituality

Armstrong describes himself as distrustful of organized religion but capable of spirituality.

 

a. In my opinion, both religion and spirituality are good for us to overcome hard times.  The difference between being religious and being spiritual is that religion only offers us belief, but spirituality comes from our mind.  It is stronger that just believing in religion. (Jennifer, 02/18/07)

 

b. Being spiritual is a group of deep feelings and beliefs. However, being religious is when your beliefs and feelings are shared and conducted for a group that think like you. You follow all the things that your religion recommends to you. Spirituality is for me a part of being religious. Like Armstrong, you can fill your life with good actions and that doesn’t mean that you are a bad person because you are not religious. Many people are religious, but only in their communities, such as going to church, praying. Do you think that those actions are enough to be a religious person? Your good actions with others show more than that. Being religious is not enough; being spiritual is the first rule. (Flavia, 02/17/07) 

 

c. In my opinion, there are some different things between being religious and being spiritual. Being religious means that a person believes in God; Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and so on. However, being spiritual means a strong mind and action about something. (Dae Gun Kim 02/18/07) 

 

d. I think that being religious is a step toward being spritual. In other words, I would like to define being spiritual as deliverance of one`s soul.

I also define being religious as dependence on God to get rid of problems. (Jinwoo Kim 02/18/07)

 

e. I couldn't think of an answer :( .. sorry (Aziz)

 

f. For some reason I thought like Lance on the subject of religion because this word religion comes from the Greek “religare” which means to join; it is just to share some path following our beliefs. It is a plural action in front of other people. And being spiritual is to discover the real meaning of believing and more important, believing in doing the right things following the code of honor and love.  (Felix, 02/19/2007)

g. I think being religious is to belive in something which you feel can lead you can is good to follow. Being spiritul is kind of relation you with yourself which you full full your soul and feel satisfed. (Hsingchuan 02/25/07)

 

 

Armstrong "believed in belief for its own...sake."

 

a. Armstrong believed in his own decision and believed in his doctor and the treatment.  It's important to a patient who suffers an illness to make a belief of his/her own.  Armstrong expressed optimism about this treatment.  It is also a good way to overcome this difficulty.  (Jennifer, 021807)

 

b.  Belief in something or somebody is a force or a push that helps us to continue with our purposes. In cases such as an illness, we need something that helps us to continue in that fight. For Armstrong, he needed to believe in something or somebody because it was a way to have hope. The only thing that can give to us hope is to believe. (Flavia 02/17/07)  

 

c. In Korea, there is a common proverb; everything depends on your mind. It is very important what you believe about something. If your belief is very strong, you can solve your problems toward your side. Armstrong believes that his people and his decision are right. I think his belief is the mind to survive. (Dae Gun Kim 02/18/07)

 

d. An ardent desire and a strong will can help him to survive. I'm convinced that such a cruel illness can be defeated by a strong will. Armstrong has a positive attitude toward his treatment. It is a no. 1 priority to defeat his enemy. (Jinwoo Kim 02/18/07)

 

e. I don't think that this kind of belief helped him in any way to survive. His survival came because of his good doctors and good luck. I don't think it has to do with his beliefs. ( Aziz )

 

f. Our mind is incredibly powerful; it can stimulate our hormonal system to be prepare for any dangerous situation. A positive attitude is the best engine of a healthy body.  (Felix, 02/19/2007)

 

g. If you don't belief that you can make the thing happen, than it will probably fail. Belief gives him hope, make him beliefs that he has the chance to win the battle.  (Hsingchuan)

Fairness

"I've seen wonderful, positive people not make it in the end," Dr. Einhorn said. "And some of the most miserable, ornery people survive to resume their ornery lives." (p. 123)

 

a.  I think is is easy to understand this situation in our every life.  Sometime I think there is no fairness or unfairness.  The most important is how we face the happy and differicult times in our life. (Jennifer, 021807)

 

b. Everybody has a moment when they think that life is unfair. I sometimes think the same, but I can describe that just as a moment of weakness. Life just should be as it is. Think of a perfect world: do you think that is good? I think that it would be boring. Every day we learn something new, every day we make a big or small mistake, and every day we smile at something beautiful that happens to us. We just should learn how to make that this moment of weakness short. In this way we can recover and continue with our big classroom, the world. (Flavia, 02/17/07)

 

c. In my opinion, many people think that everything is unfair in their lives. Also, I think that now my life is terrible, unlike that of my friends. Armstrong may think that it is not unfair because of his cancer. However, he believes he will overcome his problem and I have a positive attitude now. There are many obstacles in our lives. If you have a positive idea about your condition, it is just fair to you. (Dae Gun Kim 02/18/07)

 

d. I believe that there is no unfairness in our life. Therefore, if we think there is some unfairness, we should make an effort to get rid of that.  Nothing can be achieved without effort. I'm convinced that a positive mind and strength will lead me to happiness. (Jinwoo Kim 02/17/07)

 

e. Unfairness of life! Who set the fair things?! Everyone sets the rules of a fair life in his own way. In short, I don't believe that life is not fair. (Aziz)

 

f. Life is a gift. We are here for some reason… Some people are really clear about what their reason for being is. Whether life is unfair or whether we aren’t capable of understanding our purpose, my reaction to that statement is to agree.  It is just a universal truth. (Felix, 02/19/2007)

 

g. I am very agree with what Felix said. Although I sometime feel things were very unfair, but that is life. We can choose to complain about it or to overcome with it. It makes differnet. (Hsingchuan 02/25/07)

 

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