Basic HTML Version
18
HealtHy life: CanCer
August 29-30, 2012
By LORI HALL
Pamplin Media Group
A
s it turns out, laughter may truly be
the best medicine. At least it was for
cancer survivor Jennifer Saltmarsh
Manullang of Clackamas County.
She just celebrated her 18-month milestone
of, as she likes to say, having “kicked cancer’s
ass.”
Saltmarsh Manullang, 43, was diagnosed with
lymphoma just after Thanksgiving in 2009 after
suffering fromsevere back pain for a year before
a doctor finally gave her aCT scan. Thinking she
had a slipped disc, Saltmarsh Manullang was
shocked to hear she had a tumor the size of an
orange pressing on the front of her spine and her
internal organs.
“Youknowyour ownbody. I knewitwas some-
thing,” she said. “Iwish Iwouldhave felt comfort-
able askingmy doctor for a scan earlier.”
A week later on Dec. 1, 2009, she started che-
motherapy.
From the very beginning, Saltmarsh Manul-
langhadahuge support circleof friends and fam-
ily. The first order of business? Naming the tu-
mor.
“We knew right away we had to name it,” she
said.”It had to be a name that was just horrible.”
The name came when a friend declared she
had stopped drinking orange juice after hearing
the tumor was the size of an orange. Tongue in
check, the tumor quickly became known as
“O.J.”
Saltmarsh Manullang went to chemotherapy
every threeweeks for a total of eight treatments.
Each time, she brought along a friendor relative,
what she calls her chemo buddies, to keep her
companyduring thefive-plushoursof treatment.
Thereweregossipmagazines, PopRocks (touted
to contain cancer-killing powers by her friends)
and dancing around the IVpole.
“It was so nice not sitting there bymyself,” she
said.
Shortly after Saltmarsh Manullang was diag-
nosed, a teamof friendsandneighborsorganized
meals for her and her family. At the time, Salt-
marsh Manullang’s children were 9 and 7 years
old.
“Thatwas a huge load off our family,” she said,
teasing that the meals were the one thing her
husband,VictorManullang, likedabout cancer. “I
always joke about that.”
Just 15 days into chemotherapy, Saltmarsh
Manullang’s hair started to fall out. Priding her-
self onnot beingoverlyvain, shewas slammedby
howhard of a hit the loss was to her.
“Thatwasprobably theworst forme,” shesaid.
“Yourhair is just somuchpart of you. Losingyour
hair is what makes you look like a cancer patient
to everyone.”
But humor could be found even in losing her
hair. “Jack (her son) loved pulling it out.”
Though talking on the phone and getting visi-
tors were hard on her, Saltmarsh Manullang
loved receiving texts, emails and messages on
Facebook. She could respond as little or as much
as shewanted, when shewanted.
Though Saltmarsh Manullang claims the con-
stant contactwith friendshelpedher get through
the battle, writing her blog, Stuff Jen Says, was
just as therapeutic. “There was a lot of support
that came through that,” she said. “I could write
throughmy feelings.”
Her husband also took many days off from
work in the beginning as her family adjusted to
the new “normal” of cancer and treatment.
“It changed our marriage a lot. We connected
more, and in a different way,” she said. “He was
just really aware all the time of how I was feel-
ing.”
But at the end of each long and tiresome day,
it came back to laughter and jokes.
“We tried to use humor as much as possible.
From the very beginning we were laughing
about stuff,” she said. “We knew early on that
finding things that are funnywas important. We
still joke a lot.”
On Dec. 16, 2010, doctors announced that O.J.
was gone and SaltmarshManullangwas cancer-
free. The diagnosis, complete with a smiley face,
still hangs on the family fridge.
Getting rid of the tumor was a battle for Salt-
marshManullang, but staying cancer-free is the
war she focuses on now. After being diagnosed
with cancer, your chances of developing any
formof cancer again is higher.
As a result, she has been diligent in making
lifestyle changes to increase the odds in her fa-
vor. From changes in diet tomeditation and sen-
sory deprivation floats, to reducing the number
of chemicals in their homes, Saltmarsh Manul-
lang is striving to stay as healthy as possible.
Perhaps her best advice: “Find a way to laugh
through it. Getting a cancer diagnosis is like hit-
ting a brick wall and you just deal with it as best
you can.”
The best medicine?
■
From IV pole dancing to pop rocks,
cancer survivor uses humor to fight disease
LARRY BRUNT/ESSENTIAL MOMENTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Jennifer Saltmarsh Manullang wanted
documentation of her time undergoing
chemotherapy and had professional portraits
taken of her and her husband, Victor Manullang.
276980.110211 HL
Did you know that almost
one-third of adults in the U.S.
have not been screened for
colon cancer? Do you know
what the risk factors are for
colon and rectal cancers? We
do and the time is now for
you to know, too.
When detected early,
colorectal cancer is up
to 90 percent curable.
Gastroenterology Specialists
of Oregon is now offering
free colon cancer screening
interviews for eligible
patients.
Most insurance
plans cover colonoscopy
procedures.
We encourage you to find
out if you are a candidate for
colon cancer screening.
503-692-3750
Call us today. We want to meet you.
Oregon City
1508 Division St, Suite 15
Tualatin
19250 SW 90th Avenue
Newberg
1003 Providence Drive, Suite 315
Visit our website at
www.gispec.org
Colon cancer
screening:
Why should I do it?
I feel fine!
By Mark Schiele, MD
Colorectal cancer remains the second most common
cause of death from cancer. Despite increased aware-
ness through media exposure and patient education,
many people are still reluctant to pursue screening for
this potentially preventable disease. When approached
about screening, I often hear, “But doctor, I feel fine!”
The symptoms of colon cancer are quite vague, and of-
tentimes people will have no symptoms at all. A change
in bowel habits, thinner stools than usual, blood in the
stool, or unexplained weight loss are some of the con-
cerning signs. Even in persons without any symptoms,
one out of every one hundred are diagnosed with colon
cancer at the initial screening.
The rare pessimist may say “Well, if I have colon can-
cer, I’m going to die anyway, so what difference does it
make?” There could be nothing further from the truth-the
survival rate for colon cancer is
mostly influenced by the stage of
the disease when it is diagnosed-
the earlier the stage, the better.
Discovering colon cancer in the
earliest stage has a cure rate of
over 90 percent, but in the latest
stages, less than 20 percent of
patients survive more than five
years.
The American Cancer Society
recommends that average people start screening for
colon cancer at age 50. The recommended age is lower
for those individuals who have a family history of colon
cancer, or colon polyps, so there is no exact “cutoff”
age when a person should be screened. Screening tests
typically look for the precursors to colon cancer-colon
polyps. If left to grow unchecked, polyps can slowly grow
over time, and possibly change into cancerous growths.
However, not all polyps will turn into cancer, but the only
certain way to determine this is to remove the polyp.
The two most common screening tests are colonoscopy
and barium enema (an X-ray test). A newer form of X-ray
screening known as virtual colonoscopy is currently not
covered by most insurance plans, and is only slightly
better than barium enema in detecting polyps. However,
X-ray tests do not afford the ability to remove a polyp at
the time of the detection. Colonoscopy is far superior to
barium enema, allowing detection of polyps as small as
2mm (less the 1/8”). Colonoscopy involves using a flexible
thin instrument that is carefully guided from the rectum to
the beginning of the colon. The colonoscopy uses a bright
light and a high resolution video camera that allows for
extremely detailed views of the colon. Any polyps that are
discovered during the exam can be removed, and samples
can be obtained of other abnormalities, if present. The
entire large intestine is examined carefully, so that a direct
inspection of the large bowel is accomplished. In addi-
tion, the test is done under sedation, using intravenous
medications. This allows the patient to experience a more
comfortable “twilight sleep” instead of being totally un-
conscious, as with a general anesthesia.
Colon cancer is a preventable disease, and early de-
tection of the colon cancer can save lives. Speak to your
doctor about colon cancer screening if you are age 50 or
older, and sooner if you have a family
history of colon cancer or colon polyps.
In your pursuit of staying healthy, fol-
low your doctor’s advice, and listen to
your body’s changes. This can be help-
ful in prolonging your life.
Didn’t your
mother tell
you it’s what’s
on the inside
that counts?
We’re really interested
in your insides.
PAID ADVERTISEMENT