Ovarian Cancer

[Justice]

I have a patient, who is a nurse, 56 years old, female, who has had a recurrence of ovarian cancer and has opted not to have another round of chemo.

She has been losing weight, and has a tumor that looks like she's 12 months pregnant. But aside from all that, she feels great. She is very religious and has faith that the Lord will take care of her (as he has in many previous instances, according to her).

Last March her doctor told her to get hospice - ha! She's been more active than most "healthy" people I know! She hikes, walks up to 8 miles a day, strips wallpaper, paints, does gardening, yardwork, moves furniture, travels (she plans on going to Florida for 5 weeks in February with patients of hers - she does home care).

Of course I have checked with her oncologist about her receiving massage (which she LOVES!), and he believes that the tumor is intact and massage would not affect it negatively, or cause the cancer to spread.

I reminded her that there are some schools of thought that believe cancer could be spread by massage, but she is comfortable with her doctor's opinion (and her own, being a nurse) that she wants to continue with her massage sessions.

Any opinions out there?

 

[Lisa D]

ovarian cancer

Of course, massage her! Dying is the time when the heart stops beating and the brain ceases to function......everything else is living. You have the MD's permission, the client loves it, the hardest part may be to make her comfortable on the table. I assume you do sidelying d/t abd. tumor growth.

 

[rmk122]

As long as the MD says its ok and she is comfortable on the table definately massage her! It will help her out, and if she loves it so much the emotional benefits will be fantastic too.

Mat xxx

 

[Monster]

I agree that I should continue treating her. She is still lying prone, with pillow supports, but I think her next appointment she should be side-lying, but I'll leave that to her.

Thanks.

 

[Stu J]

I am certified in Cancer and Post-Mastectomy Massage. There is absolutely no reason why you should not be massaging this woman. You have the MD's approval and you are making her feel better. I would work on her as if you are doing a pre-natal (as for postitioning), and just watch to see if there are any lymph nodes effected and stay away from those areas. I would also not work on the abdomen, and not apply any pressure to that area.

As a side note... I really wish that the schools would stop saying no to the massage totally and actually educate their students on the proper contraindications of massage for the cancer patient.

I would look at Cheryl Chapman's website... she was my instructor. And also get my hands on a copy of Gail McDonald's Medicine hands.

 

[Johnny Rico]

Thanks, Muriel. I feel it is right to continue massaging this client. She loves it and I can see me massaging her to the end, an honor to me if she wants me to be there with her.

I had a client die of lung cancer, in Feb. of '04. She was the wife of a regular client, and the friend of another regular couple I see. They were the best of friends. When she became ill, it was a challenge for me (who in the past has had issues with death) to treat her.

Toward the end, I would go to her house to massage her. She told the hospice nurse that I was her massage therapist, but I was her "friend" first. As much as I thought it would be difficult for me to do this, I was honored to be allowed to share with her, her last hours of life. She asked me to make sure her husband took care of himself. I promised I would.

Two days after I last saw her, I awoke and knew it was going to be her last day on earth. At home, I heard on my radio, one song, then another right after, the music she loved, the sun was shining in the sky that morning and I felt that she had come to her end. I wished her well and blessed her. I asked that she watch over all of us and be our angel.

Still to this day I feel her presence in my life. I thank her for the opportunity to have been a part of her last days here on earth.

Sooooooooooo, I guess I see this situation presenting again, and now know what I may be in for. It is emotional for me, but at the same time I feel so blessed to be included in such a significant time in anyone's life.