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Glory Days & maturity CHICAGO (MCT) — Claudia Peyton went to the doctor's office alone to receive the terrifying diag- nosis. fine arts professor at Northern Illinois Universi- ty and Harper College did what she had to do to get through her illness. She assembled a remarkable team of family, friends and ultimately, strangers, who drove her to chemotherapy sessions, brought over din- ner and even did fundrais- ing to make sure her bills were paid when she was too sick to work. Doctors told her she had an aggressive breast can- cer, which would require surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Treatments would be so intense, she'd need rides to every appointment. And some- times she would be too sick to get out of bed. "All I could do was sob," said Peyton, 55, who is single and remembers coming back to her studio apartment afterward and collapsing in grief. "There was fear and anxiety and I wanted to feel supported." So the former adjunct lifestyles Facing the toughest battle alone Cautionary tale to avoid threats from scammers By BETTY LIN-FISHER Akron Beacon Journal (MCT) Here's a cautionary tale with a good lesson for us all that a reader recently called to relay to me. The reader, a professional, college-educated woman in her early 50s, did not want to be identified because she is embarrassed about her finances and actions she took. But she said, she wanted people to learn from her subsequent troubles. MCT photo Sevara Cruzat, left, helps her friend Claudia Peyto make dinner for both at Peyton's apartment in Chicago, Ill. Peyton is recovering from breast cancer, and Cruzat is one of many friends that pitches in to help Peyton. "I'd come from an upbringing where I believed that I had to do everything alone," said Peyton of Chicago's Roscoe Village. "I think when you realize when your life might be limited, all my baggage needed to go and I needed to invite people in for support." Alone as Peyton felt after her diagnosis last year, the experience is becoming increasingly common for a growing number of single people like her diagnosed with cancer and facing the prospect of fighting for their lives alone, experts say. umph over the disease are inspiring additional resources and training for medical staff as well as encouraging new support groups, according to advo- cates. Their solo efforts to tri- ing to live alone and are living longer, this situation is going to become more and more normal," said Lidia Schapira, an editorial "As people are choos- board member for Can- cer.net, a website of the American Society of Clini- cal Oncology. "It's really important for us to under- stand the community the patient is coming from." The American Cancer Society doesn't track how many are single at the time of a cancer diagnosis, but last year, more than 34,000 people in Illinois who were alone or had nowhere else to turn depended on the organization for trans- portation, health counsel- ing or even just a friendly voice on the phone. That number is up from 31,215 the year before, and 27,125 in 2009, according to the society. Recognizing this, oncologists and medical staff are learning how important it is to inquire early on if a patient has support. survival rate than ever before, according to the American Cancer Society. But when a patient doesn't have adequate support, it can be hard to feel opti- mistic about their chances. "It's just very emotion- al," said Cathy Galligan, director of patient naviga- tion services for the cancer society. "So to get some- body at the time of diagno- sis, or shortly after, to know that there's help available — it's very important to give them help and hope." After receiving the "The first thing the oncologist should say is, "I notice you've come alone. Is there somebody who is going to be able to help you?" said Schapira. "You need people to be there to help you with their time, their ideas and sometimes even their practical resources." Today, 67 percent of those diagnosed with all types of cancer are expect- ed to live an average of five years or longer — a higher news, Peyton allowed one of her sisters to create and keep a blog seeking prayers and financial con- tributions. She sought out a spiritual adviser, with whom she scheduled phone conversations after important check-ups and other emotional moments. And, most notably, she created a weekly email that she called her "Support Needs List." who offered help, the list detailed shifts to handle needs as simple as a ride to the hospital or a phone call at bedtime. Sent to about 45 people in decades _ even strangers willing to pitch in. A nun from her high school became a regular dri- ver. Former students cooked meals. Checks, sometimes in sums as large as $250, arrived in the mail from people she had never met. Peyton said she went from being overwhelmed by the disease to humbled by the kindness of others. "Seeking out support helps us stay connected to something greater than ourselves: it's community," she said. Those on Peyton's email list said they got something out of their good deeds, too. Saturday, September 15, 2012 – Daily News 7A was feeling financially desperate. She went online to a payday lender to apply for $500. She completed the online application, giving her Social Security number and bank account routing number. "I knew I shouldn't have done it," she said. "I knew the minute I did it. It was one of those really huge brain cramps that you sometimes get when you're upset." Almost immediately, she started getting phone calls from the lender. She said she changed her mind and didn't want the loan anymore. She received an email saying there was one final step to take before getting her money. She never replied to the email. Her bank account never received any money from the I will say up front that I do not know if this is an iso- lated incident, a regular practice of one particular compa- ny or the industry, but it definitely happened to this person. A few weeks ago on a Saturday, the woman said she lender. However, that began a barrage of phone calls. The next day, on a Sunday, there were 21 calls to her house. One day, after work, she had about that same amount, mostly in hang-ups on her Caller ID. The following Friday, six days after her initial contact, she picked up the phone. The caller told her she owed $500. "I gave it right back to him. I said, 'I didn't borrow one dime from you people. Not one penny has appeared in my account. How dare you?' I cussed him out and hung up. He called back, and I didn't answer. That's when he left the threatening message." One voice mail left at her office that she played for me has the caller, a man with a foreign accent who said his name was John Marshall, said the local sheriff would be coming soon to pick her up and that court documents soon would be served to her office. She could now owe $11,453.69, and if she loses the case, there would be an imprisonment period and her Social Security benefits would be taken. Essentially, they were throwing nearly every threat at her. self-pity. I think that made people want to help," said Mary Ellen Hynes, a friend who stopped by frequently to tidy up Peyton's home or just offer company. "Peo- ple felt nurtured by her presence." "She was tough. No The woman said that while she knew they were empty threats, they still were very terrifying. She filed police reports in her hometown and called the police in her employer's town. Authorities confirmed the threats were empty. One police officer tried to call the lender for her but was put on hold. Friends eagerly grabbed opportunities to help, and eventually, word of Pey- ton's list spread to former colleagues, high school classmates she hadn't seen The story is a refreshing change from what medical experts more typically see when single people deal with cancer on their own, said Michelle Peters, a nurse at Swedish Covenant Hospital, who helped Pey- ton navigate the treatment process. "I think a lot of time, people's needs are not met because they're not expressed," Peters said. When she called me, I suggested she change her bank accounts, put a freeze on her credit, and if it gets too bad, possibly change her home phone number, which she is considering. Certainly, she is worried about potential identity theft, because she gave her Social Security number. That's why she took the precautionary action of freezing her credit. But still, some calls continue. Cynthia Sich, director of the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs, said her office is hearing about a lot of the threatening calls of sending the police after consumers, whether it be for payday loans or collections. What consumers don't know and need to is that "law enforcement will not arrest you for civil debt," Sich said. Most consumer debt is called civil debt, meaning if a court action happens to try to collect on the debt, it is in civil court, not criminal court, she said. Advance directives put you in control of your care I've been very ill and have been hospitalized several times in the past year. I don't have a fatal disease, just a chronic illness. Should I have an advance directive? Can you tell me about it? DEAR DOCTOR K: DEAR READ- ER: What if you suddenly get very sick, due to acci- dent or illness, and cannot communi- the medical care you receive. Advance directives include three parts: the health-care power of attorney, living will and do-not- resuscitate order (DNR). You may wish to have any or all of them. Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. cate what type of medical care you want to receive? Advance directives are legally binding documents that allow you to control how you are treated if and when you can't speak for yourself. to make and communicate decisions, your word over- rides any advance directive. These documents take effect only when you're unconscious or too ill to make your wishes known. The most common mis- conception my patients have about advanced direc- tives is that they will lose control over the medical care they receive. I explain that the opposite is true: The advance directive is the way you gain control over As long as you are able power of attorney permits you to name a health-care agent (proxy) to make medical deci- sions on your behalf. I strongly urge all my patients to do that. Why? Because if you don't, then you will lose control of who speaks for you. The doctor may ask several close rela- tives to come to a consen- sus. Conflicts may ensue and decisions may be delayed. Some of my A health-care patients stop there, trusting that the person to whom they have given power of attorney will know what they want done if they can- not speak for themselves. A living will allows you to describe your goals for medical treatment. A do- not-resuscitate order (DNR) specifies that you don't wish to be revived if your heart or breathing stops. Without a DNR, peo- ple treating you must assume that you consent to treatment. The key element of a liv- ing will and of a DNR order is distinguishing those vari- ous different circumstances that may apply when you are unable to speak for yourself. You can be very sick and still have a good chance of recovery, or a slim chance of recovery. You may have a good chance of recover- ing with a high level of function, or it may be likely you will have only a very low level of function. You may be 50 or you may be 90. You may have family and friends or you may be alone in the world. You might want to be treated differently given different combinations of these cir- cumstances. We have more informa- tion on advance directives in our Special Health Report, "The Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Will." (Learn more about this report at AskDoctorK.com, or call 877-649-9457 toll- free to order it.) Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School.To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, MA 02115. - 30th Coffee NOW .94¢+tax LUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS EVERYDAY Coming Soon Beer & Wine! Best Homemade Pies in Town Ice Cream Orders to go 731 Main St., 530.529.4012 open 7 days 5:30am-9pm