Ringing the Bell

LiveWithCancer

I am on a patient board at the hospital where I get my cancer treatments. I learned today that one of the topics at the next meeting is how patients celebrate their final treatment - for instance, with ringing a bell.

There's been some research that suggests it is not necessarily a great idea, even for the person doing the ringing. I know that as a patient who likely will never ring the bell, it can be disheartening for me. I'm happy for the person who finished treatments, but sad that I'll probably never be that person...

Anyway, I was wondering what your thoughts are on ringing the bell or other celebratory events when a person finishes their cancer treatments.

GregP_WN

Live, this is a good topic, likely to have a lot of differing views. I'm on the side for it, I think we ALL need little moments of celebration to break up the rest of the otherwise drudgery that is a cancer diagnosis and treatments. While everyone might not get to ring the bell for "final completion" there ought to be one milestone along the way that everyone can celebrate. for at least completing one course of treatment or something. Everyone needs a bright spot in their day, surely we can find something for them.

BuckeyeShelby

My oncology office didn't do anything. I was kinda disappoint after reading about other people ringing the bell.

JaneA

When I had my pelvic radiation, they did a "Graduation" certificate and made a big deal out of it. When I had my last chemo, they had a sign that a patient could hold and one of the nurses would use your phone to take a picture.

I only remember that once I was home and the significance of what I had just experienced (a year of treatment for Stage IV that came with no guarantees), I felt overwhelmed and a little let down. I did not feel victorious.

Bengal

I'm with JaneA. Everyone at the infusion unit kept taking about it being "over" and how excited I must be to be "done". To me it pointed up how little those working in the field actually know about cancer and the lifetime journey it is for the person so afflicted. I may have been finished with one phase of treatment but I would never be "done". I refused to ring their bell. After the completion of radiation I was given a "certificate of completion". Like that was something I would frame and hang on my wall? A reminder of the ordeal I had been through and the second degree burns I still carried with me? When I got home it went into the paper recycling bin.

I HAVE CANCER! Let's have a party.

GregP_WN

In all 4 of mine, there wasn't a bell available. I would have kicked it off the wall if so. No, we're never done, but we can at least celebrate a milestone, then put our head down and keep moving forward. I have my next surgery on March 31st. I thought I was done too. Never done

LiveWithCancer

@JaneA, they made me ring the bell when I finished radiation treatments. I didn't want to do it for 2 reasons. One, I just don't like the idea all that much because I don't think it makes others who aren't ringing the bell and may not ever ring the bell feel good and Two, I still had tumors in my lungs - the only one tumor was, we hoped (but didn't know at that point) eradicated. So, to me, the "victory" was small... In fact, I didn't feel victorious at all - I was just really glad I didn't have to keep making those long daily trips for treatments any longer...

LiveWithCancer

@GregP_WN, what is your next surgery for? Something unexpected or to help get a voice again?

GregP_WN

Live, it's to install what they call a T.E.P. device if I remember right it stands for transesophageal prosthetic. A fancy name for a little piece of rubber that gets installed half in my esophagus and half in my trachea. Each has a small piece of rubber that is shaped like a dime. When you force air up through the esophagus by stopping up my stoma hole the air flowing over this little magic device is supposed to allow me to speak. I have watched youtube with people speaking. They do pretty well, there is even a choir that sings with them. So, that's next up, supposed to only be a 15-minute procedure, but I'm sure my body will take that as "challenge accepted" and throw something into the works to mess it up.

PaulineJ

I never heard about the bell 'til I heard about it here.

Carool

My breast center didn’t do the bell thing when I was finished with chemo. I think there can be ways of marking the completion of treatment by the chemo staff doing something in private for the “graduate,” something not heard or seen by other patients, some or many of whom may have non-ending treatments. A simple “Congratulations!” can suffice.

LiveWithCancer

Good luck, @GregP_WN!! With your attitude and your fight, even if that stupid cancer (or its treatment) throws something more at you ... I have absolute complete confidence that you will be the victor!!!

schweetieangel

I asked if I could go ring the bell. My Chemo was stopped in the middle of getting them as my body couldn't take it. I was in my oncologists office and she told me and I asked if I could still go down to the Chemo lab and ring the bell. She was all for it!! The staff there all were happy to see me ring the bell. For me it just felt good.

Paperpusher

There was a bell to ring when you finished treatment but it wasn't offered to my husband. I don't know why but he might have broken the thing or given a very anemic ring. I don't know.