I’m not religious. I used to be. I was an altar-boy when I
was 9. I went to priest training college for 3 years from the age of 11. But
then I begin to think. And the belief in someone/something unseen that is
interested in me doesn’t make sense.
It is a cause of great disquiet when people tell me that my
cancer was God’s will. The belief that God could wish me ill would drive me
insane.
I have no problem with people praying to their God for my
well-being: Knowing that people are concerned about me adds to my strength of
will. When I wish people well, I send positive thoughts; it is my equivalence
to prayer. I believe that the energy output by our bodies is available for use
by other living things. If you spend time with happy people, you become happy.
If you spend time with bad people, you become bad. You can use positive
thoughts to create positive environments. Prayers work in this way.
I have no problem with people rationalising their anxieties
for my predicament through ‘blaming’ it on something else – even blaming it on my
‘sins’. But personally, I refuse to blame anything for my cancer. It happened.
It is a natural occurrence.
The dichotomy of life is that cells both try to reproduce
precisely and strive to change their existence – in case there is an advantage
– although evidence points to the fact that most changes fail. When a cell
divides in a different way than that type of cell usually does it can have one
of three outcomes: It can make no difference – the cell continues to perform in
the same way, it can fail (and so the cell dies) or it can work (the cell
survives). In this last case there can also be three outcomes: It can make no
difference (there is no change to the overall organism’s performance), it can
work (the organism becomes better), or it can fail (the organism becomes
weaker). The things we eat, drink, inhale, inject or otherwise absorb or ingest can change the make-up
of cells. Another thing that causes change is radiation. Random radiation from
the solar system is bombarding the earth at all times, man-made radiation is
also penetrating people: Each ‘bit’ of radiation can cause any cell that it
hits to change: That cell might die there and then; it might cease to divide;
it might live and mutate.
Some of these changes in cell characteristics are good –
they improve, say, eyesight or memory, they increase height or strength; some are
so bad that they can be described as malignant – they cause damage; some can be
described as cancerous – they both cause damage and prevent repair – Clever? Blessed? Sinful? Evil? No, nature. The changes mentioned here are not intentional – neither by me, by anyone
hexing or blessing me, nor by any other outside agency having a concern for my
welfare. As I said earlier, I do believe that positive thoughts can influence welfare - how, well I can't tell you - I suppose I better try to find out.
And the way I dealt with cancer? It was my choice. It was my
determination. Bolstered by your prayers and best wishes and belief in me. This
hasn’t been a test of me. This has happened to me, that’s all.
My recovery has been successful due to our positivity and the knowledge,
experience and determination of the medical teams who looked after me – and
crucially who managed the after effects of their treatment through pain
control.
Which leads me neatly into the second part of this blog:
Pain.
The 4 types of pain.
- When cells are damaged, they produce large quantities of an enzyme called Cyclo-oxygenase-2. This enzyme, in turn, produces chemicals called prostaglandins, which send pain signals to the brain. They also cause the area that has been damaged to release fluid from the blood to create a cushion so the damaged cells don't become more damaged.
- Pain also comes from physical pressure and from sensory stress. Probably both the same pain caused by reduced blood flow to muscles in the affected area.
- Neuropathic pain: E.g. neuralgia, is caused by dysfunction of the nerve cells. (This pain can also occur in cancer patients and more so following chemotherapy).
- In women, menstrual pain is caused by the body deliberately releasing pain causing chemicals in order to cause muscular contraction of the uterus.
6 classes of pain treatment (apart from removing the source
of the problem!)
- Opioids partially block pain messages getting to the brain, but also change the way the brain perceives pain. And also increases tolerance to pain.
Opioids are usually divided up
into two groups:
·
Strong opioids – these include
buprenorphine, methadone, diamorphine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, morphine,
oxycodone, and pethidine.
- Salycilic Acids (natural and synthetic versions) affect the source of the pain by binding to the cylo-oxygenase-2 enzymes and stopping them from producing prostaglandins. Prostoglandins in the bloodstream can cause clotting, so Salycilic acid can reduce this. The acid also reduces the production of thromboxane, a chemical that makes blood platelets sticky which can block an artery.
There are over 20 types. They
include: aceclofenac, acemetacin, aspirin, celecoxib, dexibuprofen,
dexketoprofen, diclofenac, etodolac, etoricoxib, fenbufen, fenoprofen,
flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, indometacin, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, meloxicam,
nabumetone, naproxen, piroxicam, sulindac, tenoxicam, and tiaprofenic acid
(Aspirin and ibuprofen can also
reduce temperature).
- Paracetemol: affects the volume of pain and lowers a high body temperature. Prostoglandins are also produced in the brain to enhance the perception of pain – paracetemol reduces this production in the brain but not at the source of the pain and does not reduce inflammation.
- Anti-depressants and anti-epileptics: For neuropathic pain.
- TENS machine (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation).
- Psychotherapy. Change perception of pain or reduce some sensory stress.
NOTES:
In medications, drugs can be single or combined. Usually an
opioid with one of the others.
Aspirin: (From willow bark. First used in 1899. Salicin also
occurs in myrtle and birch) Reduces fever and inflammation and blocks messages
to the brain.
Morphine: (Opiate, from opium poppies.) Mimics bodies pain
defences (see Endorphins). Relieves pain, relaxes muscles and causes
drowsiness. Addictive.
Endorphins: (Discovered in 1970s at Aberdeen University).
The body’s own painkiller defence mechanism.
Exist/released in the brain. Especially during exercise and acupuncture.
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