Question:  
I heard about your amazing CD`s. Five years ago I had thyroid cancer and now I have a lots of anxiety and fear from cancer.  Every exam that I need to have makes me to worry more and more and I can’t sleep and focus for months.  I worry all the time for different health problems.  If you have in mind one of your CDs that might help, please let me know. Thank you in advance.  
Olga

Researchers from The University of Tokyo in Japan conducted a meta-analysis of the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the mental and physical health status of patients with various types of cancer.
 
Ten studies (randomized-controlled trials and observational studies) were determined to be eligible for meta-analysis.  Study results were categorized into mental and physical variables and Cohen's effect size d was computed for each category.

Good people, you simply must watch this Breast Cancer Awareness video out of Portland, Oregon.  Cindy forwarded it to me, knowing I’d go nuts for it, which I did.  Kudos to the Providence St Vincent Medical Center community, for its wonderful, spirited, joyful support of a great cause.  This hospital comes across as so warm and welcoming, it’s enough to turn me into a hypochondriac, just to have an excuse to visit.

Here’s the note that came with the video: 

Emily McInnes Somers created, directed and choreographed this in Portland last week for her Medline Glove Division as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York tested the effectiveness of a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis (CBTH) to ameliorate radiotherapy-related fatigue.

Women (n = 42) scheduled for breast cancer radiotherapy were randomly assigned to receive standard medical care (SMC) (n = 20) or a CBTH intervention (n = 22) in addition to standard medical care.
 
Participants assigned to receive CBTH met individually with a clinical psychologist, receiving training in hypnosis and CBT. Participants assigned to the SMC control condition did not meet with a study psychologist.

A little more than a year ago, I was wheeled into surgery for what we all thought was a routine removal of a benign lump on my thyroid. But when I came out of that surgery, it was without a thyroid and with the designation "cancer survivor".
 
That "benign" lump was actually a malignant tumor, stage two. The shock of that, not to mention the severe hypothyroidism I had to endure during treatment in the weeks following the surgery, were miserable. I'd never been so tired or in so much pain in my life.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing in Madison evaluated the feasibility and potential efficacy of a patient-controlled cognitive-behavioral intervention for pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance, during treatment for advanced cancer.  

This one group pre- and post-test design consisted of 30 adults with advanced (recurrent or metastatic) colorectal, lung, prostate, or gynecologic cancer receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Participants completed baseline measures (demographics and symptom inventory) and received education and training to use an MP3 player loaded with 12 cognitive-behavioral strategies (e.g., relaxation exercises, guided imagery, nature sound recordings, etc).

Listening to guided imagery helped me so much 4 years ago when I was dealing with breast cancer. I am a cancer thriver today, even though the chemicals were debilitating, I never missed a night of sleep using the chemo and restful sleep.

I found in the process that I was more auditory, and use affirmations now. Guided imagery helped but was a little more difficult for me to do.
 
These audios and the experience of cancer profoundly affected my Life, so that each day I wake up with gratitude. I also continue to find the daily, mundane tasks in life so profound. This has not changed in four years and I do not believe it will for the rest of my life (and I plan to live a long time).

Dear Belleruth,

Several months ago (I remember the date: November 5, 2003) I received a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer. My PSA was 600 and my alk phos reading was over 700. Both are problematic barometers, as you may know. That was the beginning of the journey… and the adventure..

In these past several months I have invented, reinvented and kept inventing protocols to take me toward being well. And this is in the fullest sense of being well. I will get there, because I know it is not time for me to die, as I do have unfinished business, and service to render.

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing used a one-group, repeated measures design to investigate the efficacy of guided imagery (GI) with theta music (M) on 53 advanced cancer patients suffering from dyspnea (difficulty breathing).
 
The intervention consisted of four periods: (a) pretest; (b) intervention with peaceful non-M; (c) intervention with 10 min of GI with M (GI/M), with the first and last 3 min being M only (i.e., the middle 4 min was GI/M); and (d) posttest.

Dyspnea outcomes were measured with the Modified Borg Scale (MBS) for self-reported evaluation of dyspneic symptoms.