Patient Profile: Richard Rokasz All About the Attitude
Rick Rokasz had seen cancer up close and personal when he watched his wife go through treatment for lung cancer. She died in January 2020, five months after being diagnosed. Memories of her wove through his thoughts often when Rick learned about his own cancer diagnosis a couple of years later.
After ten months of back pain and finding that he was having to force himself to do things he used to do easily, Rick finally took himself to his doctor. With tests and examinations, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, originating in his lower mid back. “Go to a doctor,” Rick encourages others, “Don’t self-diagnose. Doctors went to school and are the experts.”
At 75, Rick is of the generation that does not want to make waves or cause problems. “Cancer doesn’t play around,” Rick says. His wife’s family was ‘wiped out’ by the disease. The word and diagnosis carry a lot of weight for many people, resulting in fear and avoidance. Rick knows this, “I don’t ever want to be a burden,” was his thinking.
After surgery to remove four cancerous lesions on his spine and to shore up his vertebrae with a cement like compound, Rick was hospitalized for over ten days to recover. Despite what most would consider a daunting experience, Rick had a blast there. “We had so much fun! I played cards and joked with the nurses. I had the staff laughing in tears every day. Before I left, they voted me the best patient they ever had.”
His next step in treatment was an extended stay of four to five weeks at a rehab center. Unfortunately, it was not the same kind of positive, caring environment as the hospital. “The workers did not help,” recalls Rick, “and there were no regulars. The physical therapy was good, but the food was strange and help wasn’t always there when you needed it.”
It is easy to feel helpless and hopeless in a situation like Rick found himself in during his rehab stay, but he told himself, “Attitude is a choice. I refuse to be miserable.” He passed the time by watching every football playoff game he could and marking the days until he was well enough to return home. “I know it is not possible to be totally satisfied all of the time,” Rick said.
Once home, things started improving quickly. With the help of close family, neighbors, and friends, Rick’s home was modified so he could live on one floor. “I had my recliner, hospital bed, TV on a bracket – they set me up beautifully,” Rick remembers, “Thank God I have them.”
The next phase of treatment involved choosing an oncologist and the introduction of chemotherapy. He met Dr. Srilata Gundala of Hope & Healing Cancer Services and set about interviewing her to make certain she was a good fit and the right oncologist for him. The way Rick sees it, he is “the one who has whatever I have, so I know best. I always ask them, ‘Are you a good doctor?’ I want somebody with confidence.”
After talking for a while, Rick told Dr. Gundala, “You passed the interview,” and agreed to move forward with chemotherapy at Hope & Healing. It didn’t hurt that Dr. Gundala reminded Rick of his own primary doctor who he trusts immensely, “They look just like sisters! I am so glad I have Dr. Gundala.”
Rick experienced a challenging course of chemotherapy, going through seven cycles of two weeks on chemo followed by one week off to recover. The side effects were plentiful and varied, including days long stretches of insomnia, peeling skin, and decreased mobility. It was challenging, with different side effects popping up every two or three days. Rick remembers, “I’m not 30 or 40 anymore. At my age, things hit different.”
Dr. Gundala encouraged Rick to keep a list of his side effects, as they were shifting rapidly. He called it his ‘crybaby list.’ “I don’t like complaining,” Rick explains, “but the doc told me it wasn’t complaining.”
“Patients should never feel like they have to ‘go it alone’ during cancer treatment,” says Dr. Gundala, “This is not the time to minimize complaints or think if you ignore them, they will go away. I work with all my patients to fully understand what their unique struggles and side effects are so we can best address them. There is no need to suffer in silence and more often than not, talking with your doctor is the first step to finding a solution to the discomfort of side effects.”
Rick is through the worst of his treatment now, but still drops by the clinic for regular monitoring and blood draws every few weeks. He credits his attitude with helping him get through the worst of his cancer treatment. “I tell myself, ‘Rick, let’s get real. I don’t like fantasy – I need reality.’ I live like a king. When I put things in perspective, I don’t have it that bad. I’m doing really well right now. I refuse to be miserable and didn’t have one day of sitting around feeling sorry for myself.”
“Live every day to the fullest,” says Rick when asked if he had advice for other cancer patients, “Just live your life.”
Written By: Sheila Quirke, MSW
Reviewed By: Srilata Gundala, MD
