Shows
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 28: On Being a Human Lab Rat2025-05-2419 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 27: Honesty in TreatmentI discuss ways in which more honesty about treatment can increase hope, decrease the risk of medically induced PTSD, and increase patient trust in treating doctors. I also look at some of the ways to increase honesty in treatment if this is currently lacking.2025-04-2226 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 26: Dealing with Major Abdominal SurgeryPlanning to get a tummy scar that looks like you wrestle with sharks? This episode looks at how to deal with the Mother of All Surgeries, from a practical and emotional standpoint. And for bragging rights afterwards ;)
2025-03-0223 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 25: Bad News Survival PlanIf you are dealing with cancer, the chances are that you already know how to survive bad news. This episode talks through the phases of possible reactions that can come from getting bad news, and some of the ways to make this process easier, faster, and hopefully have less of a difficult longer term impact.
2025-02-1326 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 24: Safety in Changing RelationshipsCancer will shake up your relationships, some will get stronger, others may be weaker or disappear, it's a good idea to take none of the shenanigans that can occur personally. This episode looks at some of the ways your relationships can change, warning signs for exploitative or unhelpful relationships, and how to protect yourself from toxicity and strengthen positive influences while maintaining yourself as a social being.
2025-02-0334 minWhen Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 24: Safety in changing relationshipsCancer will shake up your relationships, some will get stronger, others may be weaker or disappear, it's a good idea to take none of the shenanigans that can occur personally. this episode looks at some of the ways your relationships can change, warning signs for exploitative or unhelpful relationships, and how to protect yourself from toxicity and strengthen positive influences while maintaining yourself as a social being. 2025-02-0134 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 23: About food and weightHow to eat for your current gut functioning, and still enjoy yourself. Also what to do when something goes wrong digestively speaking...(as well as contacting a dr and cancer-specialised nutritionist asap).
2025-02-0139 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 22: I'll wear what I want! (and this includes hair...)This episode is at the request of a lovely friend, who said, basically, if we feel like shit why shouldn't we be allowed to look like shit? Why is there so much pressure from everyone to keep looking 'normal'?
If ever there was a time to relax the beauty standards for women, I would have thought that chemo and cancer treatment was probably it.
It does seem like a lot of the well-meant messaging about 'taking care of yourself during chemo' seems to be about how to keep looking normal (despite undergoing some pretty intensive tr...2025-01-2837 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 21: ScanxietyAs a way of convincingly distracting myself from my own scanxiety, this episode talks through some ideas about what to do about the anxiety that can happen leading into a follow-up scan after finishing front line treatment.
2025-01-2613 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 20: What to look for in a good doctorThis episode talks through what the major researchers, patients, and myself think are signs of a good doctor.
I also talk through some practical advice (with my psychologist's hat on) on how to try and make appointments more effective for communication if, like me, you have difficulty thinking straight or having a reasonable discussion with a doctor when you are seriously ill, very stressed, or on heavy painkillers.
2025-01-2624 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 18 : InsomniaInsomnia can be a massive challenge for anyone, but is a particularly difficult and common aspect of dealing with cancer and going through treatment. There are many things that can cause this, for example, strong emotions, worry, and the cancer itself can cause difficulties sleeping due to pain, being uncomfortable, and changes in body functions that make sleep harder. 'Dexamethazoning', the sleepless high after chemo plus steroids, is so much of a thing that it has it's own term :)
This episode talks about what to do about all of this if you find yourself regularly awake at t...2025-01-2620 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 19: Using your mind for healingThis episode looks at ways to use your mind to protect your emotional energy and facilitate your physical and emotional well being.
It contains some ideas for different types of meditations, ways of connecting with yourself and others and mental exercises to improve your health as much as you can.
These include;
- guided meditational exercises developed by Dr Simonton (psychologist)
- ways in which the use of intuition has been found to be useful in research into Radical Remission by Dr Kelly Turner
- the Buddhist meditation technique ca...2025-01-2632 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 17: A sense of self that’s not just physicalHow not to despair is one of the major challenges for anyone dealing with a body that is temporary and will one day die. If you think about it, we are all in this boat.
This episode talks about how to dis-identify from your physical body and work on identifying with a sense of self and existence in the world that is not just your physical form. This is a major way to reduce your suffering when facing ongoing changes to your physical form and functioning.
Most of the major world religions and anyone a...2025-01-2411 min
When Chemo is the New BlackVersion Française Episode 4 : A propos du chagrinNous ressentons tous du chagrin à différents degrés, il est impossible d’être humain sans faire l’expérience de la perte (perdre mes clés, mes cheveux, et peut-être ma raison), et le deuil est un processus naturel et inévitable. La manière dont nous vivons notre deuil lorsqu'il s'agit de cancer est donc vraiment importante.
Il existe différentes étapes et tâches pour traverser le deuil, selon le chercheur ou le modèle auquel on se réfère. Les réactions de deuil varient selon les moments.
Beaucoup de personnes confron...2025-01-2221 min
When Chemo is the New BlackVersion Française Episode 3 : Ne Paniquez Pas (à moins que paniquer soit utile)Ne paniquez pas (sauf si paniquer est utile)
Le soleil explosera dans environ 3,5 milliards d'années, mais tout ce qui se passe d'ici là reste probablement entre nos mains.
Cet épisode examine notre réaction face à des périodes de stress extrême et comment gérer ces réactions de manière créative et constructive. Il inclu les techniques psychologiques et pratiques pour gérer mieux dans les situations du crise.
Quand paniquer et quand ne pas paniquer
Que faire si vous paniquez
Comment amener les autres à paniquer quand vous en avez besoin
2025-01-1631 min
When Chemo is the New BlackVersion Française Episode 2: Qu’est que c’est la force?Cet épisode explore les nombreuses formes que la force peut prendre.
Il examine également comment développer davantage de force afin de trouver des moyens de traverser des situations difficiles ou (apparemment) impossibles
La force sous toutes ses formes
Force physique
Force émotionnelle
Force mentale
Force spirituelle
Force relationnelle
La curiosité
Le sentiment que la vie a toujours un sens, malgré tout
2025-01-1622 min
When Chemo is the New BlackVersion Française Episode 1: L’espoir comme un choix radicalCet épisode explore comment trouver de l’espoir face à une maladie dont les chances de survie à long terme sont aussi rares que celles de survivre à une attaque menée par une meute de crocodiles sauvages. Si tant est que les crocodiles chassaient en meute… et remercions le ciel qu’ils ne le fassent pas (sauf qu'en Australie ;)...
1. Trouver un plan de traitement efficace rapidement
L’importance du diagnostic précis : Identifiez la meilleure équipe médicale possible. N’ayez pas peur de demander un deuxième avis. Il faut pouvoir être a l'aise avec vos medicins.
Recherche proactive...2025-01-1614 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 16 : How to deal with fear of recurrenceThis episode looks at how to deal with the fear that happens to nearly all cancer survivors, the fear of recurrence. We talk through some ideas about how to tackle this fear so that it can be a motivator for useful personal growth, and not something that detracts from your quality of life.
2025-01-0817 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 15: Avoiding bugtastrophy or viral armageddonWhat is being immunocompromised? This episode looks at how to manage this common, but fluctuating effect of chemo and other cancer treatments, without having to live the life of a recluse, unless that's actually your thing!2024-12-2425 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 14: An Imperfect ChristmasChristmas and other major holidays can be an intense emotional time, due to past and current situations, grief or anger over past or future losses, performance expectations, and the feeling that it has to be perfect. This podcast is an invitation to an imperfect Christmas, but making sure that is one that suits you and adds to your life, rather than being overwhelming or somehow emotionally or financially damaging.
2024-12-2417 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 13 : Fun things to do during chemoFor the lucky 13 th episode I decided to ask the question online about what were some fun things that people had done during chemo. I was blown away by the replies.
Skydiving, cruises, travelling to other countries, learning new crafts, reconnecting with old friends, hiking around the Grand Canyon and other feats of physical endurance really show that people can do anything during chemo if they have the right context.
This episode celebrates the many many suggestions that people had for what to do during chemo infusions, and what to during the chemo season. We al...2024-12-1623 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 12: About GriefWe are all grieving to some degree, it's impossible to be human and not experience loss (losing my keys, my hair, and maybe my mind), and grief is a natural and unavoidable process. So how we grieve when dealing with cancer is really important.
There are different stages and tasks for working through grief, depending on which researcher and model you look at. Grief reactions look different at different points in time.
A lot of people facing serious illness also have anticipatory grief for losses which haven't yet occurred. If you're seriously ill then it's l...2024-12-1322 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 11: Other Peoples' ExpectationsWhen dealing with a serious illness managing other peoples' expectations shouldn't really be your problem, but, well, yadda yadda yadda.
Catching cancer is a great time to take stock of your own limits (as this will happen regardless), take stock of your relationships, and to figure out where the healthy boundaries are that will work for you right now.
Practical advice on how to take steps to put some useful limits in place, so as to maintain better relationships and a more realistic and compassionate environment for healing.
2024-12-1320 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 9: What is Strength?This episode looks at the many forms that strength can take. It also looks at how to develop more strength so as to find ways through difficult or (apparently) impossible situations.
In reality, there are so many things we can do to improve our sense of strength.
Please note that this episode was recorded just after chemo, so it's a little breathless, but recording it certainly gave me more strength!
2024-12-1317 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 10: Silly Walking Through Medical Trauma: Strategies to Stay ResilientThis episode is brought to you by the ministry for silly walks, interpretative dance, and loads of dark chocolate.
Cancer, serious illness, and treatments can be traumatic for the person experiencing it as well as for those around them. But there are many things you can do to try to lessen the impact of these moments on your emotional wellbeing. We look at techniques to use in the moment, and after a potentially traumatic event.
Whether it's handling acute stress or avoiding long-term post-traumatic effects, this episode offers insights and practical advice for both patients an...2024-12-1322 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 8: Is Chemo Working?It is very normal to wonder if treatment is working, and sometimes it can be hard to tell.
This episode looks at signs that chemotherapy is working, and how to tell in the unlikely situation that is might not be.
We also talk briefly about how to harness the natural anxiety about treatment in such a way as to facilitate treatment hopefully working better.
2024-12-0817 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 7: Travelling during treatmentThis an episode for all those who like to wander, but find themselves temporarily stuck due to pesky cancer treatment. We discuss some ideas about why travelling might or might not be. good idea, how to get travel insurance, and some things to assess as part of feasibility planning.
Please remember though, if you are immunocompromised or in active cancer treatment, it's a smart idea to wear a mask during, and wash your hands after using any communal transport option.
2024-12-0810 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 6: Telling peopleIt can be very overwhelming telling anyone about a cancer diagnosis, particularly those who are closest to you. This episode looks at some ways to make this process easier, as well as the argument for letting people know so that they can help you (or get out of your way).
2024-12-0820 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 5: My Bionic PortacathBecoming bionic aka getting an implantable chamber or catheter.
I think Nietzsche had it right. You’ve got to learn to love your fate, otherwise it will just make you bitter and quite possibly very boring.
Getting a port is anything but boring, I share the story of getting the port implanted, and a little bit about what it's like to be the proud owner of a port.
2024-12-0618 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 4: Chemo, Preparing to Kick Cancer's *ssPreparing to kick cancer's means usually preparing for chemo - unless you have supernatural self-healing powers, in which case please contact me as I probably have a job for you...
This episode looks at what to do before chemo, on the day of chemo, and the best environment for recovering from chemo, so that you can get organised in advance. We talk about how to organise on a practical and social support level, so as to get through chemo in the best possible shape.
2024-12-0624 minWhen Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 3: Improving your healthEpisode 3: Improving Your Health
I’m so glad you are all still alive! This is brilliant! Now lets talk about what you can do to try and stay this way.
There’s a lot you can do: we will have a look at the research and books by Dr O Simonton (psychologist), the research into the factors for radical remission for incurable cancer patients by Dr Kelly Turner, and some useful buddhist thinking on life and death.
2024-12-0430 minWhen Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 2: Don’t panic! Unless panicking is useful...Episode 2: Don’t Panic (Unless Panicking is Useful) The sun is going to explode in about 3.5 billion years, but anything that happens between now and then is still probably up for grabs. This episode looks at our reaction to times of extreme stress, and how to manage these reactions creatively and constructively. When to panic and when not to. What to do if you are panicking. How to get people to panic when you need them to.
2024-12-0420 min
When Chemo is the New BlackEpisode 1: HopeThis episode looks at finding hope when dealing with illness that has the same long term survival odds as being savaged by a pack of wild crocodiles. If crocodiles actually hunted in packs, and thank God that they don't. So based on that metaphor we will probably all survive, particularly with the new research and treatments coming through. This episode talks about;
Deciding to hope
Finding a treatment plan
Perspective
Grief
Some practical exercises to help keep you in better physical and emotional state
2024-12-0419 min