Hobo Jim's Late Stage Diagnosis
- Hobo Jim, best known for writing the Iditarod Trail Song, posted on Facebook that he has been diagnosed with end stage cancer.
- The singer began experiencing extreme pain recently, and was immediately hospitalized after a visit to the emergency room in Nashville.
- The cancer has spread throughout his body and his tumors are large, so he cannot be treated through surgery, chemo, or radiation.
In a Facebook post, Hobo Jim (born Jim Varsos) revealed that he has been diagnosed with end-stage cancer. The singer-songwriter was named Alaska's "official balladeer" in 1994, and he is most well-known for the Iditarod Trail Song, and ode to the famous annual sled dog race.
Read MoreDealing with a grief after a cancer diagnosis is normal and talk therapy can be very helpful.
Hobo Jim began to experience extreme pain in the last few days of the Alaska State Fair, and when he flew to Wyoming for a performance, "Things took a turn for the worse,” he said. He traveled to Nashville, where he lives part-time, and was immediately hospitalized. "After 3 days of pricks, pokes and probes I was diagnosed with end stage cancer," he wrote.The singer's doctors told him that the cancer had spread throughout his body, including "several very large tumors." Hobo Jim's condition is not treatable through chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, and his doctors estimated that he will live for three to six months.
Hobo Jim's message showed a combination of bravery and compassion for those around him. "I would like to say I am not afraid," he wrote. "I have never feared death as I am good with my Lord." He continued, "It is however, VERY hard to feel the pain of those I leave behind. Especially that of my beautiful wife of 42 years.”
Even with all this pain and loss, Jim expressed immense gratitude for the life he has lived and the joy he has been able to spread: "I have been able to make a living making people happy, I have been able to live in a State that is the crown of God’s creation…all and all…life has been grand and fulfilling. Keep me in your hearts Alaska as you will be forever in mine."
Being diagnosed with cancer can be overwhelming so social worker Sarah Stapleton says be patient with your emotions and communicating what you need.
Grief After a Diagnosis
Hobo Jim’s Facebook post showed a remarkably positive outlook following a scary diagnosis. Colon cancer patient Samanda Ford took positivity to an even greater extreme. When she learned that she only had months to live, she responded by throwing a leopard print party. "I feel absolutely lovely," she said in a BBC documentary. Her advice to other patients facing terminal conditions? “Go down to the pub and have a few pints!”
Many patients will find it hard to match this level of unequivocal positivity. While doctors stress the importance of a positive outlook for patients enduring cancer treatment or the end of life stages, it is also important that patients have room to embrace the range of emotions they may face after a diagnosis.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Jeanne Carter, a psychologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, acknowledged the pressure that many cancer patients feel to project positivity: “They call it the tyranny of positivity–that when you have cancer, you have to be positive all the time, and upbeat, and be the poster child for the cancer experience. But that’s not everybody’s comfort level. So I think it’s very normal to have good days and bad days. I think it’s very common to have moments of sadness, and also it’s okay to have joy.”
Stage four breast cancer survivor Kate Bowler spoke to SurvivorNet about a similar dynamic. “I would never want someone who’s suffering to feel the burden of positivity,” she said. She warned against trying to convince patients to have a positive outlook that they do not identify with. “I am grateful to be the kind of person who can see the bright side,” she said, “But I would never ask anyone to do it.”
Dr. Scott Irwin of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center stressed that patients should take their emotional journey seriously. “It's normal to feel sad about changes in your life that might be brought on by a cancer diagnosis,” he told SurvivorNet. “Grief comes in waves.” Patients grieving after a cancer diagnosis are “grieving the change in their life–the future they had imagined is now different.” Dr. Irwin recommended talk therapy as well as reaching out to your doctor and other support groups you may have access to in your community.
Family members and friends can play an invaluable role as supporters and cheerleaders for loved ones who have been diagnosed with cancer.
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