CARING WELL

by Marisa Oreta

I am Marisa Oreta, 54 years old, married for 25 years with 4 kids ages 24, 23, 22 & 9 years old.

All my married life, my priority was to be a supportive wife and a caring mother. Second to being a wife & mother, I was a practicing interior designer for over 20 years. It was a very stressful job since it often meant dealing with demanding clients, unrealistic deadlines & never-ending construction work.

In 2006, I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer with peritoneal, lung & liver metastases. I was so devastated. It was like a death sentence. Since then I had 2 surgeries, 34 chemotherapy treatments, 18 immune therapy shots, weekly acupuncture & alternative medical treatments.

I decided to stop working. I re-focused my life’s priorities. Now, worldly concerns are no longer very important to me, only my faith & my family. This life-threatening illness is perhaps the life-changing experience I needed – my Damascus (like St. Paul’s journey to Damascus, which led to his conversion). It was probably God’s way of telling me to slow down.

I now spend my days trying to live a healthy lifestyle, spend more time with my family, praying, & thanking God for all my blessings, in spite of my physical suffering.

Cancer can cause unwanted loneliness & loss of hope. I am so fortunate to have found the Carewell community. (Mae & I are 2 of the 4 original members that started in 2006).

At Carewell, I benefit from

* regular support group meetings where we develop friendships & strong bonds
* Qi gong sessions that help me relieve my anxieties especially before, during or after my medical tests
* Art classes that provides art therapy to allow me to express my inner feelings & emotions
* Counselling sessions: individual counselling, even through texting, email or phone calls, that help me cope with my depression & unload my angst; while family counselling sessions help me & my family cope with my illness. (my family are survivors too & they suffer with me also)
* Centering prayer sessions help me to tune in with God

I believe these activities help enhance & accelerate my healing process beyond the effects of conventional medicine. They help boost my resilience. They provide serenity; positive meaning & personal growth while at the same time help me cope with the daily challenges of living with my cancer.

Lastly, I would like to say that I thank God everyday when I wake up because he gave me a second chance to live a more balanced life this time.