Breast Cancer Survivor and Yoga Clinical Trial

I mentioned a month or so ago that I had been asked to participate in a clinical trial to see if yoga would have any effect on the sleep and overall well-being of breast cancer survivors.

In case you weren't aware, a breast cancer survivor has one hell of a time getting a full night's sleep. It is not known why but waking up frequently and being unable to go back to sleep is a real problem.

Two weeks ago I started my part of the study. I am in the control group. I was asked to wear an actigraph on my non-dominant wrist for a week, never taking it off. The thing measured my sleep and activity somehow - it's all magic as far as I know. Anyway, I wore the thing which was similar to the ugliest watch ever made.

I was asked to fill out several questionnaires regarding the amount of sleep I was getting, how many times I got up, what times, how many hot flashes in a day, etc.

I turned it all in to the Cancer center last week and now I will continue filling out questionnaires without taking any yoga classes.

In four weeks I will wear the actigraph again and after that week is over, I will be able to take 4 weeks of yoga for nada. That's right, for free.

That was the big draw for this study - the fact that I got to get free yoga classes.

The last study I participated in was regarding chemotherapy, and being a novice at cancer I said, sure, I'll do it...but I could have royally screwed myself because one group had 6 chemo treatments and the other 4. Luckily I got the 4 - it is so horrible that 6 is just unfathomable to me at this point. I would have really hated myself if I'd had to do 6 just for some stupid study.

Anyway, looking forward to the yoga lessons soon.

Cancer Yoga Study Part 2

Okay, well, I met with the person in charge of this study yesterday. She couldn't meet me off-site, so I went in for my quarterly bloodwork and met with her at the same time. I just hate that place, as I've mentioned before. Anyway, she was very nice, explained the study thoroughly. I went ahead and signed up due to her winning sales pitch...and when I got home I realized that I forgot the most important question of all - where is this going to take place?

If it ends up that it is going to be done in that building...well, I just don't know.

She is supposed to call at the end of the week to give the actual dates it will start, so hopefully I will remember that question. We'll see.

Cancer Yoga Study

Today is like a catch up day, I guess. I've already posted all the Nathan Gunn news that is fit to print, as they say, so I'll talk about me.

I got a call a few weeks ago from the Cancer Care Specialists wanting me to participate in yet another study. They are attempting to prove/disprove the theory that Hantha Yoga aids in helping post cancer patients sleep. I will admit to sleep problems, mainly waking up on an average of six times a night. I don't know if it is anxiety or what, but it has been happening since cancer became a part of my life.

The study requires that you wear a bracelet that tracks something for a week. Then one group will take four weeks of yoga, two times a week. The other group will do nothing for the same time period. At the end, they will measure something (I'm not clear on the details yet) that will prove/disprove their theory. The participants that did not get to do the yoga will then be offered the same class for four weeks. So either way you get four weeks of yoga. Not a bad deal as it's free.

Initially I said I would be interested. They had an evening meeting for all interested parties last week and I got ready, went out the door, drove to the center...and could not make myself go in.

I actually became ill at just the thought of going into the building. Yes, I know this is all mental. But that building is where they hurt me. Where they blithely administered chemotherapy and devastated my body/health. Where they told me, don't worry, your hair will grow back...everyone goes through this...platitude after platitude.

I don't consider myself weak. In fact, I know that I'm not. But this building and all it portrays took me under in that moment.

I went back home and resigned myself to not participating. On Friday, though, the woman in charge of the study called me and we are meeting in her office, off the Cancer Campus, on Monday morning. So I might be in the study or I might not. I think a lot is going to depend on where it is held.

I'll keep you posted.