MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'breast cancer treatment'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:21:49 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159655&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbattle-breast-cancer-with-the-best-research-medicine-and-doctors%2F In my family there are a number of people who are interested in and who have pursued alternative medicine. Sister knows a lot about it, and I have an aunt who has devoted her career and most of her life to exploring health food and alternative medicine and treatments. For my part, I research it extensively. While I am not professing to be an expert or even extremely knowledgeable, I am wary of any claims to curing or successfully treating cancer outside of conventional medicine. These methods are best considered as complementary treatments, and there may be excellent benefits to pursue healthful options during conventional treatment, but not by foregoing tried-and-true Western medicine. With regards to invasive breast cancer, I just do not know anyone who has been truly cured or successful... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159655 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:11:25 +0100 5159655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159656&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flove-enough-to-find-a-cure-for-breast-cancer%2F My husband and I structured this vacation to be leisurely and unplanned. This gives us lazy mornings drinking coffee and exploring the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains off the deck of the condo we are staying in. It also means we didn’t get upset over the stormy weather that kept us inside a little longer Thursday morning. We got to watch “Good Morning America,” which I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing for months. I was wonderfully surprised when we tuned in to find host Robin Roberts introducing a music video that she appeared in for Martina McBride’s new song, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.” Martina’s new song is about breast cancer and the people we love — or those who love us — who are going through it. It’s an emotional tribute to br... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159656 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:54:04 +0100 5159656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934731&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fback-to-bra-shopping-to-fit-new-breasts%2F Now that my revised, reconstructed breasts are settling down, I once again need a new bra. I have learned through my transformation that shopping for a bra is a real task. The one black lace bra that worked in the past no longer fits my new breasts, and most of the bras I have tried on lately just don’t work either. It wasn’t until I had breast cancer that I learned how important a properly fitted bra is. First, I needed a good sturdy bra when I was using just a molded prosthesis for the first breast I lost. Then after the initial reconstruction surgery, I didn’t need as much support, but I needed a bra that would give me the shape I wanted. Now I need a new bra that has the right amount of coverage and can show off the cleavage without pushing my breasts together. What I really ne... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934731 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:39:16 +0100 4934731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902639&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fare-profits-driving-breast-cancer-clinical-studies%2F I got the bright idea this week that it would be great if now and then I could provide information about clinical studies being done on treatment or drugs for breast cancer. I am involved in a clinical study through Sister (the name I give to my younger sister in case you forgot) who is part of a study into the BRCA gene mutation carriers in Canada. Other than that, I have answered questionnaires for various studies. Now as a survivor I wonder if I could be helpful as a participant in drug research and trials. My investigation into this idea brought up a whole other issue however. Large pharmaceutical companies fund many of the studies looking for a wonder drug. The intent is to not only find effective and safe drugs, but profitable ones too. This actually limits the studies being done. Ta... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902639 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:29:25 +0100 4902639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813614&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdo-we-need-a-longer-hospital-stay-after-a-mastectomy%2F Even though the scientific evidence shows that women recover just as well at home after a mastectomy, I don’t believe women should be sent home the day after surgery. In the late 1990s, the switch was made to sending women home quickly after surgery to remove a breast. The evidence suggested that women recover just as well at home as in the hospital. Prior to that decision, many women were in the hospital for several days — now it is up to doctors whether to keep a woman longer than the initial day of recovery. They need a medical reason for insurance to pay for the extended hospital stay. But the evidence doesn’t address the emotional impact that breast cancer and losing a breast has on a woman. We especially need time to assess our feelings about losing a breast before returni... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813614 Tue, 10 May 2011 17:00:14 +0100 4813614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762908&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhat-are-you-wearing-to-chemotherapy%2F Recently I heard about Libre, a company that markets clothing for patients on chemo or dialysis. This is wonderful! Someone is thinking about the comfort of those of us who must undergo chemotherapy treatment. I am a few years past chemotherapy, but I remember the struggle of deciding what to wear to be comfortable and warm during those hours I sat in the chemo clinic. I actually spent time reviewing what clothes would be appropriate and convenient for treatment while making me feel good about myself. I don’t apologize for wanting to still look my best while undergoing treatment and spending time at the clinic. My husband would meet me there from work to sit with me during the infusion, so I felt the need to wear makeup and look as attractive as I could. The solution that I came up with ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762908 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:55:10 +0100 4762908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677040&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnot-writing-much-longer-i-hope%2F I only learned tonight that Ann Romney, the wife of Mitt Romney, a presidential candidate wannabe, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. I didn’t know that until now, but I was happy to learn that she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer — ductal carcinoma in situ DCIS. Technically, carcinoma in situ is a pre-cancer. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in situ when she was 60; she survived that and then survived lung cancer later. Women diagnosed at that early age are often considered cancer-free after a lumpectomy to remove the tiny tumor. I was not so lucky. When I was diagnosed, the cancer was invasive and had spread to several lymph nodes. That was over six years ago. I survived and I have been writing about it for five years. I never figured that I would sti... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677040 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:52:09 +0100 4677040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610957&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fget-the-best-reconstructive-surgery-for-you%2F I am so grateful that Dr. Rebecca Studinger began her practice in Michigan. Yesterday I had another breast revision surgery and fat grafting. Fat grafting is actually liposuction; Dr. Studinger took fat from another part of my body — not hard to find — and put it into my breasts to get the right size. The best thing about this wonderful doctor is that she is not only highly trained, skilled, and talented, but is willing to work with me patiently to ensure I get the results I want. Her vision for women after breast cancer matches our own. We desire natural looking breasts as close to the real thing as possible and Dr. Studinger is one doctor who can make that happen. My surgeries with her have been like a spa experience — she is that good. My doctors at Johns Hopkins were... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610957 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:48:02 +0100 4610957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592638&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdont-be-bullied-into-treatment-youre-not-comfortable-with%2F .If you have ever been bullied, you know that you don’t realize it at first. Initially, people tend to blame themselves for how others treat them. I was bullied as a child by a group of girls, and I can tell you that your first instinct is to think it is your fault. As a new student in a new school, I was ostracized for the first few months. At eight years old, school was my whole life, so you can imagine how much the rejection of the other students affected me. It took me well into adulthood to find it easy to make new friends. Of course I am over it now, but it had a long-lasting effect. As adults we don’t call it bullying, we call it intimidating. Often we admire people who can intimidate others, regardless of the outcome. Perhaps that is why bullying has becoming epidemic among chi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592638 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:35:31 +0100 4592638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566298&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fkeep-copies-of-your-medical-records%2F I have a huge file with all the test results and pathology reports that pertain to my breast cancer. It was helpful for a while, especially when I met with the genetics counselor and the surgeons who did my reconstructive surgery. I even had my bone scans and x-rays for a while, when I carried them with me to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to discuss prophylactic mastectomy and DIEP flap surgery. It was my oncologist’s secretary who carefully copied every test and made sure to give it to me as I left each office visit. She suggested I keep it nearby since it could prove helpful to have. Now it is just a huge file taking up room in my file cabinet. I seldom if ever look at it anymore, and it seems almost obsolete since losing both of my breasts. Truthfully though, just knowing that I have acc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566298 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:26:17 +0100 4566298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495383&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpreventing-lymphedema-prior-to-treatment%2F I am worried about lymphedema. This is a condition that can develop with breast cancer treatment and involves swelling in the arm or chest after lymph nodes are removed, which clogs the flow of lymph fluid from that area. It’s something that I have been concerned about every now and then, and as I wrote earlier this week, I am aware of things I can do to prevent it. Lately though, when reading about lymphedema, it appears that it’s something we should be thinking about when we first start discussing breast cancer treatment. Surgery and radiation therapy can cause lymphedema by removing or destroying lymph nodes and vessels draining lymph fluid from the arm and chest. Lumpectomies and mapping of lymph nodes are among the techniques that doctors are using to reduce the risk of t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495383 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:47:08 +0100 4495383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464661&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-new-way-to-help-protect-breast-cancer-survivors%2F During one of my classes, the instructor showed a slide of a woman’s arm afflicted with lymphedema. Until then I had never seen a picture of it. The slide showed the affected arm beside the woman’s unaffected arm, and it was pretty apparent that lymphedema had swollen the arm to more than twice its size. It was the first time I had really seen what lymphedema could do. It jolted me and rekindled my fears about this condition. Having had lymph nodes removed during my mastectomy makes me a candidate for lymphedema. I make sure I tell nurses and doctors to measure my blood pressure using my other arm. When I get fatigued, I notice that my arm feels a little numb, and it reminds me that something else has been affected by breast cancer. I asked my doctor if I should get a medical alert bra... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464661 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:18:31 +0100 4464661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455438&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmy-new-challenge-thanks-to-breast-cancer%2F My blog has been neglected by the fact that I am in over my head. Here I am in the middle of my pursuit of a second bachelor’s degree in nursing, wondering if I can weather it through. This is tough stuff. It helps to remind myself, though, that if it was easy there wouldn’t be a nursing shortage. There is a lot of stuff to learn, but I think a nurse needs to know all of it. So I am stuck in the middle of the program feeling a little bit challenged. I felt in over my head during breast cancer treatment too. Starting with two surgeries and then 6 months of chemotherapy, there were times I wondered if I could tough it out. The truth is we have no choice, we have to go on. One thing that we must do after we have been diagnosed with breast cancer is to resolve that we will get through it. ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455438 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 21:03:55 +0100 4455438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394692&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fstrategies-for-survival-after-breast-cancer%2F Once we are diagnosed with breast cancer, there is a plan for treatment. Once we survive the treatment, there really isn’t a plan for our continued survival. We are not sent home with a warranty and no one assures us that the cancer won’t spread or come back. So a plan for continued health and survival isn’t a bad idea. This month, I committed to making my health a priority starting with my routine visit to my oncologist. From there, my plan is to follow up with annual tests and a colonoscopy. Next month I plan to go to my eye doctor and the dentist. In addition, my new plan needs to include my commitment to more exercise, and of course, better eating habits. However, my main focus is to find additional support through alternative medicine, perhaps herbal supplements, and massage the... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394692 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:43:08 +0100 4394692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349656&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-test-i-would-insist-on-if-i-found-a-breast-tumor-now%2F When I was initially diagnosed with breast cancer, the surgeon felt that a lumpectomy would sufficiently remove the tumor. The day after surgery, my surgeon explained to me that the margins were not clear and that I would subsequently need a mastectomy which was performed two weeks later. Two things greatly concerned me — one, did the cutting through the tumor mean that cancer cells had an opening to travel into the rest of my body, and two, how aggressive would treatment have to be to deal with any of the cells that had spread? Years later I have the same concerns. I am worried that cancer cells that escaped the original tumor are lurking somewhere in my body, and I am wondering if maybe the aggressive treatment will yield new cancers or problems later in life for me. A lot of these con... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349656 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:24:13 +0100 4349656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331194&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhealth-care-is-not-a-right-for-breast-cancer-survivors%2F Do our representatives really think that their time is best spent trying to repeal health-care reform? After the midterm elections, I wrote a blog about breast cancer survivors not wanting another fight, but it looks like the fight is on. Does the new Republican-dominated House of Representatives truly not care that breast cancer survivors are threatened by insurance company decisions that limit or deny their coverage — or even eject them? I have been barraged with comments over the past few years from people newly diagnosed with breast cancer who can’t get coverage. They either can’t afford it or are denied for having a pre-existing condition. New reform is set to ensure that no one can be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition. Many people really do go without health insuranc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331194 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:24:32 +0100 4331194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277834&cid=t_145653_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Favastin-the-fdas-disappointing-decision%2F2010.12.21 “With this disappointing decision, the FDA has chosen to place itself between patients and their doctors by rationing access to a life-extending drug. . . We can’t allow this government takeover of health care to continue any longer.” That quote, courtesy of this morning’s [Dec 17th] Washington Post, incensed me to such a degree that I am writing this blog despite the two deadlines I have today. The speaker is Sen. David Vitter (R-La). The “disappointing decision” he refers to: The FDA’s decision to remove the breast cancer indication for Avastin (bevacizumab). I wrote about this earlier, and you can read the post here, but that was before yesterday’s [Dec 16th] decision. I’m not going to comment here on the benefits or risks of Avasti... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277834 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0100 4277834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230158&cid=t_145653_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-journal-retractions-a-transparency-issue%2F2010.12.05 Interesting case study raised by the Retraction Watch blog. A 2009 journal article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) – promoted in a news release by the journal and picked up by many news organizations — has now been retracted by the authors. But the journal issued no news release about the retraction — an issue of transparency that the RW blog raises. And you can guess how much news coverage the retraction will get. And this was all over a molecule that could supposedly “make breast tumors respond to a drug to which they’re not normally susceptible” — as the RW blog put it. But it was also a molecule, RW points out, that wasn’t even in clinical trials yet. He or she who lives by the journal news release risks one... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230158 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:00:18 +0100 4230158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225572&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmy-deep-dark-femara-secret%2F Last January, my oncologist gave me a prescription for Femara because my five-year course with tamoxifen had finished. Research shows maximum benefits from hormonal treatment if tamoxifen is followed by an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex or Femara for five years. I tried Arimidex in 2006 and wrote about how I had to stop because the side effects were so debilitating. So I initially put off taking it and then later blogged about the prescription still stuck to my fridge. Comments from many of you tried to ease my concerns and encouraged me to take it. So I agreed I would. I need to come clean. Until I had the bone cancer scare that I wrote about last week in my blog about pain and breast cancer, I wasn’t taking Femara. I had good intentions — really I did — mostly because of concern... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225572 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:24:16 +0100 4225572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175917&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fliquid-biopsy-a-breakthrough-for-breast-cancer%2F A new procedure to remove and study cancer cells is making headlines and causing lots of excitement. “Liquid biopsy” is a new and inventive way of biopsying cancer with only a blood test. The theory is that tiny fragments of a tumor break away and circulate in the blood — and it is these that the new test is trying to capture. Although similar technology currently exists, it is only able to trap a minute number of cells. But new technology is being developed that is aimed at capturing thousands and being able to detail treatment for that specific cancer right in the lab before subjecting a person to treatment. We are still not there yet, but initial discussions about cancer treatment using this new type of testing include words like “breakthrough” and “revolutionalize.�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175917 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:17:42 +0100 4175917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168150&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdont-let-stress-accumulate-during-breast-cancer-treatment%2F Stress is a real outcome of battling breast cancer. It is amazing to me that the medical community hasn’t taken the psychological component that affects women who are diagnosed more seriously. When a woman is diagnosed and her world is shaken, that’s one thing — when a breast is removed and she feels her body has been mutilated, that is another. Either of these has a huge psychological impact; both of them combined feel like you’re dealing with another illness. Throughout treatment, I was able to maintain a very positive, upbeat attitude toward the diagnoses and my hope for the outcome. I was also fortunate in that I had the opportunity to have supplemental help from a chaplain at the hospital, who met with me several times during treatment to direct meditation and relieve anxiety.... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168150 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 22:13:06 +0100 4168150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119529&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcarly-fiorina-survives-more-than-breast-cancer%2F Carly Fiorina knows what it means to fight like a girl. She had to fight breast cancer after her February 2009 diagnosis, and she is fighting for a Senate seat in the upcoming November election. Like many of us survivors, Ms. Fiorina is also subject to surprise ambushes that come in the aftermath of our battle with breast cancer. This week while on the campaign trail, the candidate was ambushed by an infection related to earlier reconstructive surgery and had to be hospitalized. The source of Ms. Fiorina’s infection is not clear. She had reconstructive surgery in July and her wounds are probably well healed by now. But infections can be present in the body for a long time and may not go away without treatment. After her surgery in 2008, Sister had a chronic urinary tract infection that o... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119529 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:46:35 +0100 4119529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105941&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fyou-dont-have-a-good-reason-to-avoid-a-mammogram%2F What’s your reason for not getting a mammogram? Well, whatever it is, it’s not a good one. There is no good reason to avoid regular mammograms or annual breast screening. I am hearing a lot of reasons why women have not been getting their breasts screened annually after the age of 40, and I can absolutely confirm that I haven’t heard a good one yet. Most, if not all, breast experts and cancer organizations are sticking to the original guidelines of annual mammograms after age 40. Dr. Kristi Funk confirmed this when I spoke to her recently, and the American Cancer Society, among others, continues to recommend these guidelines. Mammograms save lives: They provide the best tool for early detection, and we don’t have a better method as yet. An MRI might actually provide better insight... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105941 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:12:42 +0100 4105941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086460&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbe-the-manager-of-your-breast-cancer-treatment%2F Taking charge of our care after a breast cancer diagnosis is not something most people do with any great confidence. Most of us are reluctant to challenge or question our doctors’ directives. Ultimately, though, we need to get grounded and find a way to get involved. The doctors have the knowledge and experience, but we have the intuition and ultimate responsibility for our life. Becoming a manager of your health care doesn’t mean you have to have all the expertise of a physician; it simply means that you take the initiative to learn about the disease, its treatment options, and the best services available to you. It might include asking your doctor for more explicit information or seeking second opinions from other providers. It definitely means that you put some focus on learning... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086460 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:35:13 +0100 4086460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045291&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-your-life-worth-the-cost-of-an-annual-mammogram%2F Driving home tonight I heard a radio ad for a local clinic that will provide mammograms for 85 dollars. Apparently, as the ad puts it, if you don’t have insurance a mammogram can cost you hundreds of dollars. The significance of a mammogram in the effort to detect breast cancer early and save lives is enormous. That makes 85 bucks a real bargain — who wouldn’t pay that amount to save their life? The sad thing is that millions of women in America don’t have insurance, and many of them can’t afford 85 dollars either. There are clinics and organizations nationwide, however, that will provide mammograms for free to women who don’t have insurance and can’t afford to pay for one. I urge anyone in this situation to call their local American Cancer Society office to inquire about fre... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045291 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:57:12 +0100 4045291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031441&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpink-is-the-color-of-hope%2F Once again the world is ablaze in pink. I love this time of year. I love walking into the stores and seeing pink signs and merchandise front and center. It reminds me that we are all in this together — that there are companies and people and organizations united for one month to promote breast cancer awareness and raise money for breast cancer treatment and research. This year there are banks promoting credit cards decorated with pink ribbons, as well as other merchandise I never would have thought could push pink. One interesting new campaign comes from Sutter Home, a vineyard that provides an overlay of their wine cap wound in a pink ribbon. If you add this overlay to your Facebook profile picture, Sutter Home for Hope (their organization) will donate a dollar to breast cancer treatmen... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031441 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:06:01 +0100 4031441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023092&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freal-men-face-their-breast-cancer-risk%2F Breast Cancer Awareness Month always reminds me of my responsibility to promote awareness and early detection to my girlfriends and the women that I know. I seldom consider the possibility of breast cancer affecting the men in my life, although I should, because it is very real. My boys and their cousin (Sister’s son) are at risk for breast cancer for the same reason as my nieces — their mothers are carriers of the breast cancer gene. Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen, and there are men at risk who may never get tested. It generally occurs in older men (between the ages of 60 and 70), and it can be due to abnormal estrogen levels or a family genetic predisposition. Breast cancer can also develop in men who have been exposed to radiation. Male breast cancer also comes... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023092 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:48:09 +0100 4023092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003392&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsurgical-solutions-for-lymphedema%2F I am so happy with the results of my recent DIEP flap revision. Dr. Studinger is detailed and very attentive, and I am so fortunate to have found her. She does other plastic surgery and reconstructive procedures as well. I had the opportunity to discuss lymph node surgery with her when I had my follow-up appointment last week. Until I read her brochure, I didn’t even know that there was relief for lymphedema through surgery. Dr. Studinger is one of only a few doctors worldwide who perform successful surgery for lymph node reconstruction in the treatment of lymphedema. Every now and then I sense a little numbness in my right arm. Generally it is around the elbow and radiates to the upper arm. I know that it is because I had lymph nodes removed when I had a mastectomy of the right breast. ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003392 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:13:16 +0100 4003392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933233&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbonding-over-surgery-with-other-breast-cancer-survivors%2F I went to a follow-up appointment with my doctor for the reconstructive surgery I had a few weeks ago. I am still very concerned about everything healing up with minimal scarring, so I am taping the scars while they heal and being careful not to get anything near the wounds. It is such a task. Anyway, while I was in the waiting room I got to meet another woman who was considering DIEP flap surgery and was there to consult with my doctor. Speaking to her reminded me of what a huge decision breast reconstruction is — not getting the breasts, but settling on the type of surgery. There are still far fewer doctors performing a DIEP flap than there are who do implant surgery or TRAM flap. While each surgery has its benefits, I chose DIEP flap as it seemed to have the best outcome. For example,... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3933233 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:39:03 +0100 3933233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3903099&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdoes-tanned-and-wrinkled-mean-healthy-and-cancer-free%2F Recently my husband commented on how tan my feet are. I have been in love with flip-flops (also known as thongs) all summer long, so my feet are constantly exposed to the sun. I have been pretty careful about sun exposure since my early twenties. My skin has benefited from my caution, but with all the new information about vitamin D and its effects on cancer prevention, I wonder if this has been a good practice or not. I have written a little about the importance of vitamin D supplementation before, especially for women needing calcium or for those on hormonal drugs like aromatase inhibitors. Vitamin D may protect against bone loss in women taking Arimidex, a type of aromatase inhibitor, and lessen the bone, muscle, and joint pain that are known side effects of this drug. Now the effect of... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3903099 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:29:13 +0100 3903099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3896057&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-few-complaints-after-surgery%2F Now I remember why I put off the surgery to fix my reconstructed breasts — healing after surgery is no fun! I feel okay, but I can’t get the sutures wet while I’m healing, so I can’t go swimming and I can’t even go outside because I’ll sweat too much. My body is having a reaction to the surgical tape, and one little spot is red and getting infected. It just sucks. The only good thing is that this time I didn’t come home with any drains attached to my body. After every surgery I usually go home with the drains, and the last time I had to keep them for almost two weeks. I’ll say it again: healing isn’t fun. I bounce back quicker than most people, but I still need to whine a little about the discomfort and limited activity due to the surgery. Because I am a little swollen ar... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3896057 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:55:52 +0100 3896057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3889270&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdealing-with-the-scars-from-breast-cancer%2F Recently I was invited to do a guest blog on a site that produces and sells cream for people dealing with the effects of radiation treatment on their skin, including to the breast area. They provide a blog and tip site that provides encouragement to survivors of all kinds of disease; they just happened to find my blog and thought I would be a good fit. I am often asked to write guest blogs for other sites. I love these invitations because I get to find out about efforts towards breast cancer awareness and research. I also find all sorts of new resources. I don’t endorse any products and generally no one asks me to. If I have written about a specific product or company, it is because somehow these organizations provide support to breast cancer research and survivors. I found out that Jean... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3889270 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:34:58 +0100 3889270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858332&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhen-appearance-is-affected-by-disease%2F We attended a great luau this past weekend that was held in place of a bridal shower for a couple getting married in October. The bride is the daughter of my husband’s lifelong friend, so she is basically another niece to him. She looked stunning and happy and the event was just perfect. The mother of the bride is living with a chronic illness and is also a dear friend to my husband, although we haven’t seen her for years. I didn’t recognize her at all and had to ask my husband where she was. When he pointed her out I was shocked and saddened. This once beautiful woman has been completely transformed in her appearance due to the medication she is taking to combat the effects of her disease. She has put on a great deal of weight, but it is mostly her face, which is bloated by steroids... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858332 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:26:19 +0100 3858332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823117&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-benefits-of-female-friendship%2F Every year the girls get together for an up-north vacation. There are seven of us in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage — and it works! Hosted by a dear friend who owns the cottage and supplies all of our needs, this yearly getaway provides lots of camaraderie, talk, and tears. It is always a treat and we have a great cook among us. This past weekend was the annual event. We spent Friday on a three-hour kayaking trip down the river. Seven middle-aged women kayaking in a line, dodging fallen trees and sandbars, provided lots of laughs and challenges. Needless to say, it also allowed us to feel no guilt curling up on couches and chairs in the large living room to watch movies and graze on tons of snacks on the rainy Saturday that followed. Our fireside chats are always fun too. We e... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823117 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:01:00 +0100 3823117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813161&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-treatment-and-recovery-are-rights-for-all-women%2F Although breast cancer can develop in men, it is a disease that strikes at the heart of women’s rights. In my previous blog entry, I wrote about the law that protects a woman’s right to reconstruction after a mastectomy — the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998. I was new to America and still navigating the complex world of insurance companies with co-pays and deductibles when my mother-in-law brought me the pamphlet following my mastectomy. I was so relieved to learn that there was a law that would ensure I could feel whole again. The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act covers women who have lost a breast or breasts because of cancer or non-cancerous diseases. The law requires all group health insurance plans to cover: All stages of reconstruction of the breast on whi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813161 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:41:58 +0100 3813161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790884&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdoes-it-matter-when-we-get-breast-cancer%2F A radio news program I heard this morning reported that a greater percentage of women today develop breast cancer under the age of sixty-one. Having gone through the treatment and aftermath of the disease as well as reading comments on this blog, I can well attest to that fact — many women who develop breast cancer these days are in their forties and fifties. We are mothers with younger children, we are in the prime of our careers, and we are not expecting to be hit with this disease. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 44. It sure wasn’t anything I was expecting at that time in my life. Like a lot of people, I thought of breast cancer as a disease that only older women had to worry about. I am just getting into my fifties, and breast cancer will dog me for the rest of m... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790884 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:02:22 +0100 3790884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3780355&cid=t_145653_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbreast-cancer-diagnosis-and-treatment-can-women-trust-it%2F2010.07.22 The news wasn’t good this week for women concerned about breast cancer. First came the story that some women were diagnosed with breast cancer, very early stage, had treatment –- including disfiguring surgery -– and then found out they never had cancer in the first place. The pathologist goofed, maybe even a second pathologist also misread the biopsies. How does this happen? Not surprisingly it comes back to the clinical experience of the doctor. Properly diagnosing breast cancer, whether through radiology scans or pathology biopsies is not always easy. And in many communities the general radiologists and pathologists just don’t have enough specialized experience. This leads to mistakes, especially when the suggestions of possible cancer are subtle and minute. (more…) ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3780355 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:00:33 +0100 3780355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761592&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhair-paste-for-chemo-hair%2F Yesterday I went to the salon to get my hair done for a family wedding this weekend. It reminded me that when I was at the BRCA conference earlier this summer in Toronto, I sat beside a woman whose hair had just begun to grow back — it was barely three-fourths of an inch long. She lamented that she had a wedding to go to that coming weekend and had no idea how she was going to look good with the limited amount of hair she had to work with. I recommended that she try using a hair product that my hairstylist recommended and showed me how to use when my hair began growing back. It’s a fun product called hair paste. When hair starts growing back, it isn’t quite the hairdo we were dreaming about during chemotherapy. My hair was curly and looked like I had four tufted patches on my... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761592 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:03:59 +0100 3761592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754035&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-cancer-gone-or-just-waiting-to-get-me%2F Every now and then I struggle with the question of whether cancer will come back or if it is hiding inside of me and is just looking for an opportunity to plant its ugly, insidious self in some organ. I don’t understand if the cancer went away or if it is just dormant. When it comes to breast cancer no one likes to tell you that you are cured, and when the word remission is used it just sounds like the cancer has gone into hiding. Like most breast cancer survivors, I say things like “I had cancer,” or “I don’t have breast cancer anymore,” but this doesn’t speak to the actual status of cancer in my body. Some experts like to say that we all have cancer cells in our bodies — it is just a matter of whether it develops or not. I tested positive for the BRCA... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754035 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:50:38 +0100 3754035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746932&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Falternative-medicine-vs-conventional-cancer-treatment%2F Driving back from visiting my family outside Toronto yesterday, I listened to an interview with Suzanne Somers. She survived breast cancer and has gone on to become a self-styled expert in health and wellness. I like this woman — she is funny, pretty, and interesting to listen to. What I don’t like is that she is espousing cancer treatment outside the medical community. She is somewhat antagonistic towards medical research and uses her own experts and studies. I think we all need to have an open mind about alternative treatments, but I also believe we need to focus on what is working and saving lives when it comes to cancer. Although Ms. Somers gives positive testimony regarding the treatments she pushes, she cannot point to the countless number of hours of research or the thousands of... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746932 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:45:41 +0100 3746932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730043&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpharmacists-can-help-in-the-battle-against-breast-cancer%2F One great source of support for me during and after breast cancer was my pharmacy. I had a wonderful community pharmacy with really helpful pharmacists and assistants. Whenever I showed up with a new prescription, the pharmacist would take the time to answer my questions and review the information about the medication. Since early this year I have been wrestling with taking Femera. I wrote about it in a blog after my oncologist prescribed it in January. I was supposed to start taking it right after I finished taking tamoxifen in March. Well, as much as I appreciate the encouragement I received from readers and the continued nagging from my doctor, here I am still trying to decide if I should take it. I haven’t gone in to talk to my regular pharmacist yet because if I am not prepared to s... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730043 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:54:57 +0100 3730043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655758&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmedical-bills-mean-bittersweet-victory-over-breast-cancer%2F The most heartbreaking stories I hear are from those who found a lump or have been diagnosed with breast cancer and don’t have insurance. Fear grips us the moment we notice a lump in our breasts; fear can overwhelm us when we are told it is breast cancer. There are no words, however, to describe the horror of realizing that you can’t afford treatment. I had good insurance when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but I shared in previous entries the horror of finding we were without health insurance when my husband’s employment changed and his company didn’t offer us COBRA right away. The battle with breast cancer was bad enough, but knowing we had to pay over 1,100 dollars a month to continue coverage once we were given COBRA was like fighting the enemy on two fronts. Add in th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655758 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:17:50 +0100 3655758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648751&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnew-findings-about-stress-and-breast-cancer%2F This report found an astounding 59% reduction in mortality among women with recurrence who had earlier psychological intervention to prevent stress. Prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer, I had several stressful years that began with my father’s death. My marriage broke up a year later, followed by struggling as a single mother and adjusting to a new marriage and a move to a different country while trying to help my mother battle lung cancer. I felt that many people deal with more than this, and I really thought I was coping exceptionally well. With a BRCA gene mutation predisposing me to breast cancer, perhaps these difficult years were too much for my immune system after all. So what does this mean? Psychological therapy during and after breast cancer to help deal with fear, stre... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648751 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:22:09 +0100 3648751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552507&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcancer-and-the-environment%2F My editor sent me an article titled: “Americans are bombarded with cancer sources.” Now there is a good wake-up call. The article, which talks about a new report issued by the President’s Cancer Panel, explains that while most researchers believe that two-thirds of cancers are caused by lifestyle (not my contention of course), other factors like radon from the ground, medical imaging, and pollution play a significant role in increasing cancer incidence in the United States. This means the environment we live in. It was President Nixon who declared a war against cancer nearly 40 years ago, and we have not won it yet. The two “soldiers” in this war who released this report, Dr. LaSalle Leffall and Margaret Kripke, were appointed by George W. Bush and have been investigating carcino... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552507 Mon, 10 May 2010 18:27:32 +0100 3552507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552210&cid=t_145653_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fjoin-eboost-and-susan-g-komen-for-the-cure-to-fight-breast-cancer-with-an-exclusive-offer%2F Have you or someone you know been touched by breast cancer? If so, EBOOST and Blisstree understand the long journey and challenges ahead. That’s why for every box of pink lemonade that EBOOST sells, they will donate a full $10 of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Together, we can give hope to millions of women and their families – and help wipe out this dreadful disease once and for all. The EBOOST Healthy Energy Drink contains a special blend of vitamins and minerals that activate the four vital elements of performance: ENERGY, IMMUNITY, RECOVERY, and FOCUS, delivering sustained energy that lasts. EBOOST has teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to raise money for breast cancer awareness with an exclusive offer for Blisstree readers. A box of 20 EBOOST p... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552210 Mon, 10 May 2010 17:14:25 +0100 3552210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545592&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffight-like-a-girl%2F At the BRCA conference I attended in Toronto this week, a young woman was sporting a great t-shirt with the pink-ribbon symbol and the words “fight like a girl.” Girls really are the best fighters. I don’t mean the kind of fighting with fists or weapons, nor do I mean the kind of bullying that sadly goes on in school playgrounds. I mean the kind of fighting that changes lives. Girls will stand their ground for their rights, go to war for their children, and fight for their lives when faced with breast cancer. This kind of fighting takes tenacity, willpower, and courage. This t-shirt brought to mind the times I advocated for loved ones and especially how I became a warrior for myself. I can honestly say breast cancer brought out the warrior in me. While the conference itself was beyon... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545592 Fri, 07 May 2010 21:11:09 +0100 3545592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3529967&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-across-the-border%2F I am in Canada visiting with family this week while waiting to attend the breast cancer conference with Sister on Wednesday in Toronto. While lounging at Sister’s this weekend, I picked up a magazine from the stack under her coffee table. It was one of Canada’s premier women’s magazines, Chatelaine. I love this magazine — my mother used to buy me a subscription every year when I lived here. As far back as I remember, Chatelaine addressed breast cancer. They would have a supplemental section a couple of times a year for Look Good, Feel Better, the Canadian Cancer Society’s self-esteem program for women going through breast cancer treatment. Actually, when I was in my twenties I questioned why they would keep reminding women that they could get breast cancer — now I applaud t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3529967 Mon, 03 May 2010 19:59:12 +0100 3529967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524092&cid=t_145653_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fbreast-cancer-and-multivitamins-%25e2%2580%2593-is-there-a-link%2F Wait a minute – we thought taking a daily multivitamin could only help, not hurt us. But according to a recent health article on Canada.com (via Reuters), that may not always be the case. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a study which found that women age 49 and over who take multivitamin supplements on a regular basis generally have a 19% higher risk of developing breast cancer. But on the flip side, other recent studies have shown that female multivitamin users are no more likely to die of cancer than non-users. And, of course, other issues can factor into a woman’s risk of breast cancer including family history, weight, exercise habits, and whether or not she smokes. The kicker? Many researchers and doctors – including Dr. Susanna C. Larsson of the Karolins... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524092 Sat, 01 May 2010 16:20:50 +0100 3524092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519428&cid=t_145653_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F176583%2F Personalizing Breast Cancer Treatment – A new study offers insight into tailoring breast cancer care. (via New York Times) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519428 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:23:06 +0100 3519428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3456849&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fno-one-owns-the-breast-cancer-gene-anymore%2F About 10 years ago, a cousin of mine introduced me to the Human Genome Project. He was very excited about the science and process of identifying all the human genes and their sequences. The potential for scientific and medical breakthroughs was staggering. As I got interested in the research and began to follow the project, I was appalled by the business interests involved. Specific business groups began the process of patenting some of the genetic components and findings. It would be like you owning your home and property only to find that someone else owned and had the rights to all the earth on your lot. Although companies argued that by being able to profit from their findings they could continue research and development, it is pretty obvious that individuals and stock holders would b... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3456849 Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:23:55 +0100 3456849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3449091&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmartina-navratilova-faces-a-new-opponent-in-breast-cancer%2F The tennis champ Martina Navratilova announced just recently that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is DCIS, ductal carcinoma in situ, which is the earliest form of the disease. Ms. Navratilova has elected to have a lumpectomy followed by several weeks of radiation, which is pretty standard treatment for DCIS. But that aside, we breast cancer survivors know all too well the shock and fear Martina has had to deal with after getting this diagnosis. So much for diet and exercise preventing breast cancer, as suggested by researchers at a conference in Spain recently. Martina Navratilova has to be one of the most fit women I know of. I truly admire all her accomplishments. Like Martina, so many women really do take care of their bodies and health in every way and still get hit with this... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3449091 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:31:09 +0100 3449091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3441009&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffight-breast-cancer-with-hope%2F “Once you choose hope, anything is possible.” I found a beautiful plaque with this quote and hung it in my bathroom. Why my bathroom? Well, that is the one place that I know most of my guests will end up visiting — and actually read what is on the wall. Hope has been a theme lately in my life. My brother-in-law and I had a discussion about it recently. He is a motivator, a businessman, and a marathon triathlete. He has established orphanages in Africa and is invited to speak at leadership conferences often. I think this makes him an expert on hope. Recently he began working with a mission in downtown Toronto serving meals to homeless people. He finds that the homeless who suffer most are the ones who truly feel hopeless. It isn’t just those who are down and out that need ho... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3441009 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:05:16 +0100 3441009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3411264&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcan-many-breast-cancers-be-avoided%2F The Internet was abuzz yesterday with this news out of Barcelona, Spain: Experts at a conference there claim that a third of all breast cancers in the western world can be avoided. This is really a shocking claim. We are all aware that lifestyle can affect breast cancer risk; this isn’t news to us in the US. What is new is that this announcement actually indicates that as many as one-third of all breast cancers can be avoided by eating less and exercising more. Researchers at the conference pointed to better screening and new treatments as working to decrease deaths from breast cancer, but now it is time for women to do their part by losing weight and choosing a healthier lifestyle. I truly have mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, I get that we need to take better care of ourselv... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3411264 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:50:49 +0100 3411264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3404094&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreasts-get-good-ratings-and-an-uncomfortable-viewer%2F Like a lot of people in America, I tuned in to watch Dancing with the Stars Monday night. It was the premiere for the new season and a new celebrity cast. It’s really fun to watch actually. Every season I notice the outfits become more risqué and the show becomes a little less family oriented. This new season is no exception. One thing that is pretty obvious, well a lot of things actually, is the women’s breasts. I don’t know if it is intentional to show the jiggle, or if it is just because breasts get good ratings. All I know is you can’t miss them.  Maybe America’ fascination with breasts is what makes losing one to breast cancer especially difficult. I don’t want to suggest that losing a body part and battling a terrifying disease as not difficult, but losing a breast real... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3404094 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:19:08 +0100 3404094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395334&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhealth-care-reform-a-breast-cancer-victory%2F I am sitting in my family room this Sunday evening listening to the final debate in the House of Representatives over health care reform. It is overwhelming to think that finally there will be a solution to the huge lack of accessible health care for millions of Americans. I am relieved to know that finally in America health care will be a right, and not a privilege. This is an important step in the quest for a cure for breast cancer. No matter what treatment researchers find, it won’t be a cure unless all women have access to it. Those of us that have fought and won our battle with breast cancer won’t be denied insurance for having a pre-existing condition. More women will survive breast cancer because they have screening at a critical early time; Ensuring that all women in America ca... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395334 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:48:42 +0100 3395334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3385512&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-funny-surprise-from-breast-cancer%2F There is one positive thing that I can honestly say came out of chemotherapy. It came up with my hairdresser today when she happened to notice that I have great eyebrows. I know it sounds funny, but hey, let me have this one thing. I have always had darker and thicker eyebrows than most women, but not quite as great as Brooke Shields. I was constantly plucking and shaping them and then breast cancer hit. Chemotherapy thinned them out quite a bit, but it couldn’t quite get rid of them. After my hair grew back, my eyebrows took on a new shape – and I couldn’t be happier. So today, my hair dresser commented on how great my eyebrows looked. When I told her I did not have to pluck or shape them ever, I knew she was impressed. We suffer so much through chemotherapy. Many of us struggle wit... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3385512 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:05:55 +0100 3385512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3378688&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchemotherapy-shows-us-at-our-worst%2F The only thing more challenging than living with a teenager is living with a college kid home for spring break. Like most parents I get to see a side of my son that no one else does. If you were to meet the Big Guy you would tell me that I had a polite, charming, intelligent and sensitive young man and congratulate me for raising such a great kid, most people do. If you do meet that kid, please send him home because I think I got the wrong one. Actually though, I need to cut him some slack since he is cranky because of the pain he is experiencing from his recovering knee injury. I can relate to that. When I was going through chemotherapy there were times when I was a little cranky too. Trying to handle chemotherapy and the world at the same time can be a little overwhelming. We are run dow... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3378688 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:08:47 +0100 3378688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3362542&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fincluding-family-in-breast-cancer-decisions%2F My son – The Big Guy – injured his knee last fall and had minor surgery to repair a torn meniscus. This is huge in his world because he is a college football player attending school on an athletic scholarship. This past week he injured his knee again and I am beside myself with worry about him, his emotions, and his future. Of course I am not at all concerned about his football, that is the least important to me, but not to him. We have different perspectives and different priorities. Truthfully though this is a minor injury and if we can get him to rest and stay off his knee this should clear on its own, but I still worry. The Big Guy is only 18 and can’t see beyond the next few years. For many of us that face breast cancer we often find that our priorities are different than our fa... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3362542 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:26:00 +0100 3362542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3354532&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fremembering-farrahs-brave-cancer-battle%2F The Oscars are always fun to watch. This year’s awards couldn’t pass without a little controversy though. During the In Memoriam segment, Farrah Fawcett was not included among the actors shown and I was a little perturbed when the segment ended and her face was not shown on screen with the other actors that had passed away during the year. Farah lost her battle with anal cancer and I wrote a blog to commemorate her just after her death. I think she was such a big icon during my life, and especially when I was a young woman, that I almost feel snubbed that they forgot her. Her battle with cancer was chronicled by herself and was terrifically brave.  Her death reminded me that although I beat cancer once I still need to be vigilant against this foe. In my life it claimed a breast, i... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3354532 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:59:10 +0100 3354532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346653&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhappiness-and-breast-cancer%2F Are you happy? I don’t mean happy with your life, or happy with your job or happy with your mate. I mean are you happy despite everything that might not be great in your life right now? I guess I should ask instead; are you a happy person? When I was thinking about what makes me happy I realized that I don’t need anything to make me happy. I am happy a lot of the time. Not the silly superficial happy, or the happy that comes with always finding people to party with, but really happy. In people who are happy there is just a sense of cheerfulness and optimism. These people have the ability to bounce back from sad and tragic places and move on. We can find the cancer in a body and the lump in a breast, but no one has found where happy resides. Is it in the heart or the head? I do ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346653 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:35:12 +0100 3346653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322585&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnot-on-the-run-to-beat-breast-cancer%2F Today I saw a woman jogging through the snow. She made it look like a walk in the park. I took up skiing just last year and love it, I went back to school and aced some college courses but I just can’t jog further than my mail box! I remember with triumph a time when I ran around the block at my parent’s house. That was 15 years ago and I could only do it once. Truly this is a dream of mine; to be able to lace up my Nikes and run for at least 15 minutes straight. All I can say is that when I battled breast cancer, it’s a good thing I didn’t have to out run it. Sometimes in my mind I feel like superwoman. I went a round with cancer and surgery and chemotherapy and I’m still standing, shouldn’t that mean I could at least run a 15 minute a mile? Seriously, this woman looked great.... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322585 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:39:51 +0100 3322585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3314773&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Feveryone-deserves-a-lifetime%2F I am starting to hear ads in Michigan for the 3-day walk to end breast cancer. Many of you have written to me about your participation in this event and how rewarding it is. The one thing that I love about this year’s ad is the line at the end when the announcer says that “everybody deserves a lifetime.” I am sure that I have heard this line before, but it really hit me this week. The whole medical community, all the research and info sites like everydayhealth.com are dedicated to the premise that everyone deserves a lifetime. No one’s life should be cut short because a tumor began to grow in their breasts. The United States has a 5- year survival rate of over 90%. This is so exciting when you think about it. People are surviving the disease. My concern is how well we recover after... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3314773 Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:36:43 +0100 3314773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3298550&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-and-the-power-of-napping%2F There is new information out of the University of California at Berkley that indicates that napping during the day boosts cognitive power. I like this! I am a napper. I don’t always get the opportunity for a short afternoon nap, but when I need it I take it. It might just be a few minutes before dinner or an evening class but it helps. When we go through chemotherapy or radiation one of the most distressing side effects is fatigue. Usually I worked in the morning and then went to Chemotherapy in the afternoon, returning to work the next day. This resulted in only a half day off from work. After a couple of months I would take the day after chemo off as I began to feel the cumulative effects of months of treatment. That would give me the whole day to rest. I then learned that if I cou... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3298550 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:16:14 +0100 3298550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290967&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftaking-inspiration-from-other-breast-cancer-survivors%2F There is a lot of transition in my life right now. I am working on new projects and my husband is refocusing his career while my boys are working on major plans of their own. During times like this, not necessarily bad times, but when I am not the one being able to predict how we will all end up, I feel agitated and overwhelmed. I am not one to back away from risk or change, but I do fantasize about going in my office covering myself with a blanket and sitting under the desk until everything works out. Sounds crazy, but I’ve come a long way from when I used to imagine locking myself in the closet. I didn’t have these feelings when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I really am a fighter. Show me injustice and I’ll speak up, pick on my friend and you pick on me. Take on o... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290967 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:22:33 +0100 3290967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283785&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-it-seasonal-affective-disorder-or-breast-cancer-depression%2F It’s snowing today. Well, it is Michigan. I keep asking my husband, ‘What self-respecting Canadian (me) moves south of the border and stops in Michigan?’ I grew up in northern Ontario where it snowed a lot more than Michigan. The difference in the winter weather between the two places is huge though. In the little city where I grew up we had tons of snow, but we also got a lot of sunshine. The sun shone almost every day in the winter, so much so that our city was called the sunshine capitol of the North. It made for a fun winter. Even though I had a great weekend skiing in the north part of Michigan and we haven’t had near the snow we had last year, I am finding the gloomy winter almost unbearable this year. Usually I muddle through but I have to say that I am battl... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283785 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:08:07 +0100 3283785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3269852&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftoo-quiet-on-the-breast-cancer-front%2F I have been in the breast cancer business for six and a half years. I call it “the business” because of how it affects my life, not because of the science or medicine. In all that time I have held to the hope of a cure for breast cancer. Not a treatment, not just a drug to eliminate risk; a real cure. In the past four years I have read and written about research studies and findings and breakthroughs. I have even blogged about British scientists that said there would be a cure in two years – that was in 2009. Things are very quiet right now about breast cancer and the quiet is deafening. We are in a war. The war against cancer. Remember, Nixon declared war on cancer and no one to my knowledge has declared a truce. When you are in a war you need to know what is happening on the front ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3269852 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:38:40 +0100 3269852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3200629&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbuying-shoes-to-get-through-chemo%2F I have decided that I need a pair of red patent leather high heel pumps with a platform. I saw them somewhere a couple of weeks ago and they keep creeping into my thoughts. I have a real weakness for shoes. This doesn’t make me unique as a woman, shoes have a real appeal for most of us. These shoes are pretty sensational though, they are shiny and the perfect shade of tomato red and have at least a four inch heel. I picture them with a skinny pair of jeans (I was envisioning when I was skinnier). Truthfully I didn’t buy them because I sensed they would end up with the rest of my collection of shoes, many of which are still new and in the box. OK, I confess, I am obsessed with shoes and have a very weird relationship with them. They make me happy! Before I had the second surgery... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3200629 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:02:09 +0100 3200629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189351&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcancer-patients-need-treatment-but-that-doesnt-mean-we-trust-it%2F There is no way to express the horror I feel over the devastation and human suffering caused by the earthquake in Haiti. It is beyond understanding how these people are coping in the midst of this. I watched the news with real heartbreak as some Haitians refused to eat rations provided off of trucks. One individual took the package and started telling everyone not to eat it as the date said it was expired. People started rejecting the packaged food and throwing it on the ground as the truck drove off. Others chased after the truck begging them to provide more. As friends and family expressed their dismay at this scene, I began to comprehend. Imagine people desperate for food receiving something as foreign to them as a small package of nutrition. There could have been mistrust. Remember, Ha... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189351 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:39:02 +0100 3189351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172163&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdiscovering-who-you-really-are-after-cancer%2F “In a world where you can be anything… be yourself” I saw this wonderful quote today. It is brilliant! Imagine really choosing to be who you are and knowing that’s enough. If breast cancer teaches us anything it teaches us how to be our self. Cancer affects who we are, not who we are trying to be, and it takes our real selves to live through it. That person deserves to be heard. Think of the times you gave up your voice. When you wanted to question your doctor’s decisions but didn’t, or when you were in a hospital bed and needed something but didn’t want to cause any trouble. If you don’t listen to your voice, no one else will either. It hasn’t been easy being me. I have always had a deep rooted need to be who others need me to be. And you know... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172163 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:09:46 +0100 3172163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3156628&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-ongoing-battle-with-breast-cancer%2F I am getting back on track. I have found some great supplements which includes a foul tasting green powder full of vegetables. Thanks to all of you for responding to my lament on my blog about my bad habits; I received some great advice and tips and I am really feeling motivated. I have even decided to follow Weight Watchers to make sure I am eating good food and the right portions. The doctor’s decision that I switch from Tamoxifen to Femera is still a little concerning to me.  I figure if I really get on track and in good physical condition then I will be able to note any changes Femera wreaks on my body more quickly. I haven’t really experienced any adverse symptoms from Tamoxifen except Sister insists it is what is making me fat and makes it more difficult for me to lose w... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3156628 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:37:56 +0100 3156628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3111647&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftake-it-easy-this-christmas%2F I’m ready for Christmas! My tree is up, my house is decorated and even the outside of my house is all lit up for the holidays. My Christmas shopping is pretty much done and some of the gifts are wrapped. This is a major breakthrough for me. Every Christmas Eve I wish I had two more weeks to get ready, not this year though. In the midst of the busiest season I have ever known, I somehow managed to pull it all together. Being organized doesn’t come easy for me. I’m one of those people who does better when I have more stress and a lot to accomplish; it makes me focus. Another successful Christmas that I can remember was the one I celebrated in the middle of chemotherapy. I was working, I was bald and I was chemo challenged – that’s what I call being physically weaken... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111647 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:46:18 +0100 3111647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089504&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbad-habits-and-breast-cancer%2F Both my boys are living away from home now and I am finding it hard to get motivated for the Christmas season. This used to be such a huge holiday for me. I have been so busy this fall with working and taking classes at college that the fall has zoomed by. The other thing that has happened is that I have fallen back into some pretty bad habits. I am not eating as well as I should since junk food and fast food drive ups seem to fit my schedule better. This is not good. Every now and then I get that little nudge from that little voice that reminds me that I can’t take my health for granted. Breast cancer survivors know what I mean. We had our warning and we need to heed it. Especially now that I am a half century old, my health matters. Although I have not been eating that well or exer... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089504 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:06:36 +0100 3089504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052345&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeating-cancer-is-a-family-affair%2F This Thanksgiving I did something a little different; I went to Canada to see family. Although they had already had their feast last month, it was really nice to have the time with them. Sister was a little under the weather and hasn’t been sleeping well lately. I think there is a lot going on with her since the hysterectomy to reduce her risk for ovarian cancer. As a BRCA carrier she has taken steps to address her risks for breast and other cancers due to the gene mutation. I have to say I worry about her. I also got to see my niece and her new baby. Nicole also tested positive for the BRCA II gene mutation and having her babies in her twenties is something we have heard can help reduce her risk. More importantly, once she has had all her children she can turn her efforts to other w... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052345 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:53:39 +0100 3052345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3012585&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpanel-recommendations-on-breast-cancer-not-popular%2F There is a lot of discussion about the newly released guidelines for mammogram screening for breast cancer. We got hundreds of comments on the last blog I wrote about these guidelines just after they were released Monday. They recommend that the age of women receiving annual mammograms should be moved to 50 from 40 and only done bi-annually. It seems we may not see these guidelines enacted. This turnabout from federal agencies came after a huge outcry. If you read through even a few of the comments posted to my blog on the issue, you can see why. These comments are about peoples’ lives. It is their story about their battle with breast cancer. Many wrote about sisters or mothers or wives who lost their life to the disease. It is apparent that breast cancer has impacted not just the one wi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3012585 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:26:57 +0100 3012585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2970385&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-tattoo-to-cover-up-my-chemo-port-scar%2F A real growing trend is tattoos. Remember when you only saw them on sailors? Well if you are my age you do. Anyway, I have been researching tattoos for a paper I am writing for one of the classes I have been taking at the university this fall. It seems they could be dangerous, certainly hard to get rid of, and even a hindrance to success in the work place. Still, more and more people are getting them. As one young person told me; “By the time I make it to management, the CEO will have a tattoo, so my tattoo will be a usual thing.” He is probably right. For anyone that has had breast reconstruction you may have had your areola tattooed onto your new breast. One thing that I have been thinking about getting a tattoo for is my port scar. On the right side of my upper chest the scar that w... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2970385 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:28:57 +0100 2970385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2963288&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fenvious-of-breast-cancer-awareness-month-dont-be%2F This time of year people get breast cancer envy. I agree that sounds a little startling, so let me tell you what I mean. Cancer touches so many lives and there are so many different types of cancer. All of them are insidious. With Breast Cancer Awareness month it is pretty evident that breast cancer gets a lot of attention. I think for many who battle other types of cancer or have watched their loved ones battle colon or lung or brain cancer the question becomes, “Why does breast cancer get all the attention?” This is something that I wonder about as well. Since my niece had childhood leukemia and my dad battled non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma I think more effort needs to be placed on addressing these types of cancers. My mother also battled lung cancer and I know how egregious that disease i... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2963288 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:11:55 +0100 2963288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2939509&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmy-favorite-breast-cancer-program%2F One of my all time favorite programs for Breast Cancer Awareness month is Yoplait’s Save Lids to Save Lives. Just after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I came upon the pink lidded Yoplait yogurt in my super market and took a few home. I loved the yogurt so it became a staple in our home. As I finished each container I rinsed the lid and placed it on the window sill. As the little pile of pink lids accumulated, my two boys, 11 and 14 at the time began to ask about them. I explained that I was saving the lids so other women wouldn’t have to go through breast cancer treatment like I did. That the more lids I saved the more money could go towards research to cure breast cancer. A few days later I noticed that my little pile of pink lids had grown and that I was running out of Yoplait y... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2939509 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:03:18 +0100 2939509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920446&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdr-kristi-funk-on-breast-cancer-and-genetic-testing%2F I was so blessed to get some time to talk with Dr. Kristi Funk in a phone interview. In my last blog I shared the first part of our interview when I asked her about choosing a lumpectomy over a mastectomy. While she was willing to put forth her thoughts on my questions, Dr. Funk is very supportive of her profession as a whole, indicating that a woman needs to discuss all her options with her own surgeon. Genetic testing for the BRCA gene mutation is one of the biggest advancements recently that we have made in the battle against breast cancer in my mind. So this was definitely an issue I wanted to explore further with Dr. Funk. I know that genetic testing is now being examined by oncologists to help determine the types of treatment to prescribe for a patient with breast cancer, but I wante... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920446 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:49:29 +0100 2920446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2901809&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdr-kristi-funk-a-true-soldier-in-the-war-against-breast-cancer%2F There are a lot of commendable efforts and a number of special people involved in making a difference in the war against breast cancer. This October I wanted to highlight some of those efforts and at least one of those special people. When I heard about Dr. Funk, I knew I had to get to know more about her. You can’t help but notice that Dr. Kristi Funk is a beautiful woman. You only notice that for an instant though because the moment she starts talking you realize she is a brilliant doctor passionate about battling breast cancer. She is someone I want in my army! Fortunately, Dr. Funk has placed herself in the front lines of the army against breast cancer for all of us. She founded Pink Lotus Medical Center in Beverly Hills which has the distinction of being a women’s medical ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2901809 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:26:34 +0100 2901809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820557&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnaively-thinking-that-breast-cancer-wont-change-who-you-are%2F I was adamant that I wasn’t going to let breast cancer change me. It wasn’t going to affect my life and it sure wasn’t going to have any lasting effect. That just wasn’t going to happen in my world. I soon learned how wrong I was. Not being impacted proved not to be possible. The life changing outcome that came with a breast cancer diagnosis has been a theme coursing through many of my blogs over these past years. I am changed, my life has changed, there is no going back. I have been thinking lately though that it wasn’t breast cancer that had the power to change me, but rather it was finding my own seat of strength and power that transformed me and affected my life. I discovered that I could rise to the challenge that came with treatment. I was able to overco... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820557 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:00:08 +0100 2820557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2809864&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-chicken-catcher-vsthe-opera-singer-and-cancer-survivor%2F Kudos to the winner of America’s Got Talent, but I’m not sure he deserved to win. His talent was marginal at best, so I have to say that people were swayed by his story. An unemployed chicken catcher with a family to support who sang to his wife was America’s choice to win the million dollar prize and a show in Vegas. It seems the sister dance team or the over-the-top percussion team would make a greater show in Vegas, but Americans weren’t going for that. It even appeared that America was going to select the remarkably talented opera singer who had overcome cancer when the final two stood side by side. But no, America wanted the chicken catcher. Isn’t that how it goes sometimes? You know how it should be, you sense what would make a better story, but it doesn... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2809864 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:43:09 +0100 2809864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2789168&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Foncology-appointments-and-co-pays%2F Last week I had my regular oncologist appointment. My appointments are now four months apart instead of three months. I had the usual blood pressure check, review of medication and blood tests. The doctor also palpated for any lumps and listened to my lungs through a stethoscope. The usual stuff. She also checked my chart for my last chest X-ray and gave me a script since it’s been over a year and a half. That is something that I don’t like. I have the same discussion every visit about the necessity of X-rays and whether they can promote cancer. The response is always the same one about how these x-rays have very little radiation and it is important to monitor my lungs. This time I also wanted to know the increased risks for another cancer because of chemotherapy. My father wen... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2789168 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:24:25 +0100 2789168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737980&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-cure-for-breast-cancer-in-two-years%2F So here I am sitting and listening to the late night local news. The newscaster suddenly announces that a potential cure for cancer may be only two years away. At first I am stunned as he explains how researchers in Britain have isolated molecules that allow cancer cells to spread which could lead to drugs to turn off the process. Then I realize that he used the word “cure” and not “treatment.” This makes me cry, bawl in fact. A real cure for breast cancer could be imminent and I had no idea how emotional I would be about this possibility becoming a reality. I have been watching TV for most of the night and I should consider the night wasted, but instead I am elated. I was caught up with the show “America’s Got Talent” because of a young woman named Barbara Padilla. This ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737980 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:03:52 +0100 2737980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709365&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fweight-lifting-to-alleviate-lymphedema%2F This study pretty much gives me the go ahead. That means I could develop arms as lovely as Michelle Obama’s! Kathy-Ellen (Source: Life with Breast Cancer) Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709365 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:38:53 +0100 2709365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584364&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdepression-and-tamoxifen-what-you-need-to-know%2F Depression is a condition that many women develop either during or after treatment for breast cancer. It is often serious and usually cannot be ignored or told to go away. It is something you need to discuss with your doctor if it is prolonged and/or interfering with the quality of your life. In past years there also has been some concern about women who take antidepressants and the effect these drugs might have on breast cancer recurrence. I wrote about this in 2007 after a study indicated that women on antidepressants had an increased risk for breast cancer and that there were some findings that antidepressants might interfere with the efficacy of tamoxifen, a highly prescribed drug designed to lower estrogen levels and reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. According to Dr. Ed Zim... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584364 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:57:39 +0100 2584364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556324&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhen-do-you-quit-the-fight-against-cancer%2F “You are not finished when you lose, you are finished when you quit.” That is a quote that has stuck with me for years, but I can’t tell you where it comes from. It is timely as I think about the death of Farrah Fawcett. Farrah may have lost her battle with cancer, but she never quit. During high school, all the girls wanted to look like Farrah. Some of the girls succeeded in copying her tousled locks, and some of them - like me - didn’t no matter how hard we worked at it. Then at college, almost 4 out of 5 guys had her poster on their wall. She was an icon for my generation and so it is disturbing to lose her to a horrible bout with cancer. Her battle with anal cancer is well known and also well documented by Farrah herself in a documentary she worked on during h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556324 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:24:20 +0100 2556324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2528111&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmy-trick-for-not-worrying-about-cancer-recurrence%2F No one gives you a warranty after breast cancer treatment and tells you you’re cured. Personally I don’t think very much about a breast cancer recurrence. It does come to mind now and then, but it doesn’t worry me much and for that I am grateful; I have enough to worry about. I know it is something that is possible and I also know that many breast cancer survivors worry about this a lot. Their fear isn’t unfounded, but neither should it be all consuming. Chances are you will not get another bout of breast cancer. The part I don’t like is that no one and nothing can guarantee that. So we worry. Some of us a lot and some of us a little. We can get statistics from our doctor of our risk and we can also try to compare ourselves with other women who have battled th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2528111 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:54:49 +0100 2528111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464394&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fanxiety-and-breast-cancer%2F Stress is hard on the body. In past blogs I have eluded to the role I believe stress may have played in my developing breast cancer, recently though I have been dealing more with anxiety.  Anxiety was something I battled when I was first diagnosed. There is a difference between anxiety and stress although both are brutal to deal with. Stress I believe comes from dealing with overwhelming circumstances. Anxiety is different in that it is fear of the future. Breast cancer provides an environment for both to flourish. Trying to manage a busy life and family while undergoing treatment and battling the disease causes stress for many. Worrying about what will happen from treatment or how breast cancer will affect your life is the anxiety that comes with the diagnosis. The fear that causes anxie... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464394 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:34:45 +0100 2464394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442583&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fno-regrets-about-my-breast-reconstruction%2F Breast reconstruction is a huge part of the decision many survivors make when deciding on mastectomy or lumpectomy. I had a mastectomy and then a year and a half later had reconstruction. The DIEP flap surgery that I had that involved removal of the healthy breast and replacing both with tissue from my tummy has proven over time to have been a great decision for me. I love that I have real breast lumps and that I look and feel normal. With summer coming I, like many women, am reassessing my body which includes yet another attempt to take off those pounds that crept on over the long, long winter in Michigan. This year though I am really motivated to get the final touches done to my breast reconstruction. I still need nipples and areolas. A final reshaping of one breast is required too but I... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442583 Mon, 18 May 2009 20:58:15 +0100 2442583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415731&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fno-regrest-about-my-breast-reconstruction%2F Breast reconstruction is a huge part of the decision many survivors make when deciding on mastectomy or lumpectomy. I had a mastectomy and then a year and a half later had reconstruction. The DIEP flap surgery that I had that involved removal of the healthy breast and replacing both with tissue from my tummy has proven over time to have been a great decision for me. I love that I have real breast lumps and that I look and feel normal. With summer coming I, like many women, am reassessing my body which includes yet another attempt to take off those pounds that crept on over the long, long winter in Michigan. This year though I am really motivated to get the final touches done to my breast reconstruction. I still need nipples and areolas. A final reshaping of one breast is required too but I... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415731 Mon, 18 May 2009 20:58:15 +0100 2415731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406024&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhaving-an-identity-crisis-after-breast-cancer%2F My picture on the bio for this blog was taken about three years ago. In it, as you can see, I have long flowing glossy brown hair. I like the picture and the hair, but it’s not really me. I have been a blonde for most of my life. I was a tow head as a child (white-blonde locks) and as it darkened during my teenage years I learned that squeezing lemon in it along with other drugstore products lightened it up. As I got older I could afford to go to a hair dresser to keep my natural blonde color bright and brassy. Being diagnosed with breast cancer provided an odd opportunity to try out the other side of life…as a brunette. As my hair grew in dark and curly it looked kind of interesting. As it got longer and the curl gave up, it still was fun to have a different look. Family and frien... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406024 Wed, 13 May 2009 20:40:19 +0100 2406024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406025&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fside-effects-from-breast-cancer-treatment%2F When I complain to friends about brain functioning issues or eyesight changes due to breast cancer treatment, they generally look at me with the “I know” look and explain that it is all a part of aging. They feel that they experience it too and I just have to accept that it happens to everyone; that it is not because I had breast cancer. I am convinced though that I suffer from chemo brain and that is why my memory lacks and my cognitive functioning isn’t as acute as it once was. In addition, I have often complained of vision changes over the past several years and I am sure it is related to treatment as well. I have suspected that Tamoxifen may play a role. I, like many women my age need reading glasses, but I also have problems with light sensitivity and night vision. I went from a... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406025 Mon, 11 May 2009 18:56:57 +0100 2406025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2399145&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchemo-brain-and-stress%2F I’ve been focusing on stress a lot lately in this blog.  As if stress isn’t bad enough, couple it with chemo brain and I’m having a bad week! I have written about chemo brain often over the past three years of blogging. Those of us that experienced it after chemotherapy treatments are finding that there are lingering symptoms of fuzzy brain, forgetfulness and mixed up words and thoughts. At my middle age it’s easy to write it off to age, but because these symptoms assaulted me right after I went through chemotherapy, I have remained suspicious. These past months, maybe because I am managing the symptoms better, I found they were lessoning. Lately though as I have been dealing with stressful situations, I have found stress has exacerbated the cognitive problems. I have to wonde... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2399145 Fri, 08 May 2009 17:37:13 +0100 2399145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390304&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmore-on-stress-and-breast-cancer%2F This was a great weekend to relieve stress. The weather was great, the trees are greening up and the sun was shining. The thing I loved best was that I got to set up my fish pond. About four years ago my eldest son dug a hole in my yard and put in a pond liner for me. I loved it and enjoyed selecting the fish and listening to the water. Sadly, last fall it began to leak and had to be replaced. This weekend we finally got the new pond in. The big job is arranging the field stone around the border and placing the river rock so that the water will trickle down into the pond making a lovely sound and aerating the pool for the fish. A friend brought me a turtle and I’m waiting for the toads that come each year to lay eggs. In fact the toads were the motivation to get it done quickly; I didn�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390304 Mon, 04 May 2009 20:12:09 +0100 2390304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382769&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmeditation-for-stress-and-breast-cancer-treatment%2F Years ago I discovered meditation as a method to reduce stress. I always thought there was some secret to it involving Far Eastern chants and pretzel poses. I actually fell into a method of meditation that worked for me and now describe it as a place in your mind to retreat to for peace and calm. It started by realizing that I needed to get away but didn’t have the means or resources to do that.   So I took a few moments one morning to imagine a place that would provide complete calm away from my world. See, it doesn’t sound eerie or bizarre in any way! The place that came to me was a room overlooking the ocean with two balcony doors wide open to the outside with gauze curtain panels blowing in the breeze.  The best part about my envisioned room was that the only furniture in the roo... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382769 Fri, 01 May 2009 17:52:10 +0100 2382769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365394&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fusing-exercise-to-help-prevent-lymphedema%2F I have been trying unsuccessfully to get more organized. Paper keeps flooding my house and I can’t get it to stay in its place. I have to concede it is not just paper, it is clothes and dishes and books and linens and china and other stuff. There seems to be no end to the stuff that is taking over my house. The only upside is that now and then while sorting through the stuff, I find something that is really worth reading. One of those things recently was some information my aunt sent me about exercise and the lymph system. Besides a mastectomy I have had surgery to remove lymph nodes and that means I am in danger of having lymphedema in my lifetime. I spent some time reviewing the info from my aunt and that encouraged me to do a little studying on the subject in the interest of preventin... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365394 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:57:31 +0100 2365394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349545&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftrue-recovery-begins-after-breast-cancer-treatment%2F You completed your surgery or treatment, the surgical wounds have begun to fade and chemotherapy is a bad memory. Perhaps reconstruction is behind you and your hair is back on your head where it belongs. By all outward appearances you have begun to heal, or may even think you are fully healed from breast cancer. I’m sure your doctor, like mine is careful not to say that you are cured. My husband was told he was cured after his prostate cancer treatment and other cancers can be cured, but for breast cancer the word cured is not used. So we heal and we go on. Some of us can leave it behind and some of us carry the scars and overshadowing of cancer with us throughout our life.  Most of us I have discovered have fought breast cancer and won, but we haven’t healed. Healing is a process. Wh... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349545 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:11:17 +0100 2349545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349546&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhat-has-breast-cancer-taught-you%2F Several years ago I saw a sign in a store that has stuck with me. It read: Hire a teenager while they still know it all! I have one of those in my house – the teenager- not the sign and it is so true. Teenagers really do think they know it all. To some extent I’m sure that was me at 44 years old when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I really did think I had a grasp on what I needed to know to achieve my goals and live out my life. A breast cancer diagnosis sure brought to light some things I really needed to know and didn’t. What I learned from breast cancer: I learned that there are not a million tomorrows I learned that I can’t control what happens tomorrow I learned that I love people more than things I learned that success has more to do with the love I give than the money I... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349546 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:37:08 +0100 2349546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349547&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Futilizing-facebook-after-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F A couple of months ago I set up an account on Facebook.com at the suggestion of my editor for this blog.  It’s a network for sharing your life with others and keeping in touch with friends and acquaintances. This was fun, but I have to say it was also a bit of a shock to me. I thought that I was being really progressive for my generation and social group, so I was shocked to find that many of my friends already had themselves on Facebook. Sister was even on Facebook and hadn’t told me! Anyway, what a great way to keep your friends up to date with your life and do a little bragging. I posted ski pictures and I put my kid, the big guy, on there and I also posted a link to my blog here at Everyday Health. Last week I posted pictures from my niece’s wedding; what a convenience. So I was... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349547 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:11:52 +0100 2349547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326676&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffighting-for-the-breasts-of-the-future%2F We celebrated a family wedding this weekend. It was so wonderful to see my oldest niece Nicole marry a terrific young man. This is especially joyous for us as Nicole survived childhood leukemia and was recently diagnosed with the BRCA II gene mutation. This is the beginning of a new life for her and cancer can’t stop it. Her plan is to have her children before the age of thirty as recommended by her doctors so that she can then review her options to reduce her risk of breast cancer. It is a huge burden for this young woman to carry as she begins her new life. I wrote last week about Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz who at 42 battled breast cancer and is now putting her efforts towards educating younger women about their risk of breast cancer. Our own Suzette Lipscomb battled breast cancer... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326676 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:48:04 +0100 2326676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2299174&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fkeeping-breast-cancer-a-secret%2F I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August of 2003 and started a new job the end of September, only five days after having a mastectomy. I told my manager about the breast cancer when I was offered the job as I knew that my first six months of work would also be the same six months of grueling chemotherapy.  When chemotherapy started in October and I showed up with a wig to cover my bald head, my coworkers applauded me on the new look. At that time none of them knew about the breast cancer and I asked my manager not to tell. Perhaps it was too big a secret for her; I discovered that she had told many of my coworkers one at a time. Why I wanted to hide the fact that I had breast cancer is something I can’t say for sure. I think it made me feel empowered over the disease. I was also for... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2299174 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:04:20 +0100 2299174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2299183&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flearning-to-love-myself-after-breast-cancer%2F I was looking for a dress for an upcoming wedding yesterday and was appalled when I got into the dressing room to find that none of them fit. I seemed to have put on almost a whole dress size over the winter. That wasn’t the part that bothered me the most though; I was more upset with how I talked to myself and how angry with myself I was. That got me to thinking that I should treat myself better. I’ve been through a lot. Actually, I have been trying to treat myself well lately. I have done all of the necessary tune-ups like seeing the dentist and the eye doctor as well as ensuring that I am eating enough fruits and vegetables, all though obviously too much.  I guess the one thing that is lacking in my relationship with myself is respect and I really deserve it. After all, I got mysel... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2299183 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:07:57 +0100 2299183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2299186&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdo-big-bonuses-and-greed-influence-cancer-research%2F I noticed a pink cap and ribbon adorning a pop bottle the other day. The label announced that funds were being donated to the Susan G. Komen organization to find a cure. Over the weekend I have been wondering how that’s been going for them. Susan G. Komen has been raising funds from huge corporations through consumer marketing for several years but I haven’t heard of any breakthroughs for a cure. The American Cancer Society is also working diligently to find funds for the cure as are many other wonderful groups. I don’t blame the organizations of course, but I wonder what everyone is up to? Are there scientists that are locked away in underground laboratories on the verge of uncovering a cure? Are learning institutions and hospitals wheeling in barrels full of money to ensure that fi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2299186 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:30:57 +0100 2299186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277205&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-breast-cancer-diagnosis-always-means-a-chance%2F The other day, we suffered a huge tragedy in our area of Michigan. Four teens aged 16 to 19 were in a car waiting at red light when they were plowed into by a speeding car. The drunk driver behind the wheel of the car that hit them escaped with mild injuries while all four teens were killed. Being a mother of a 17 year old and a 20 year old, I have to say that this has really affected me. Frankly it has affected most everyone in Metro Detroit.  These kids were on their way to a Pizza Hut at eight o’clock at night, following all the rules of the road as well as the ones laid out by their parents. In a sense they were sitting ducks with no warning of what was headed their way. It would be easy to equate this somehow with being hit with a cancer diagnosis out of the blue. The truth is ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277205 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:32:16 +0100 2277205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277206&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhow-to-get-a-mammogram-if-you-cant-afford-one%2F My husband and I really enjoy grocery shopping together. Yesterday we spent some time going through our huge supermarket and kept adjusting our meal plans based on some of the high prices and choosing sale items instead. A lot of American families are doing this right now. Fortunately, our main chain originates in Michigan and is trying to accommodate the shrinking budgets of families here. Trying to balance food, bills, utilities and health costs for a family is placing huge strain on households throughout the nation. Not many household budgets today include screening for a mammogram. I think a lot of women are forgoing important tests so they can feed their kids, and you can’t blame them. I had to rethink my blog of Friday urging everyone to tell someone to get a mammogram. It occurred... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277206 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:06:41 +0100 2277206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260470&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fget-a-mammogram-or-tell-someone-else-to%2F What are you doing today? Sitting at a desk at work? Hanging out with the kids? Meeting a friend for lunch? I had a dear friend that I would meet to have coffee with every couple of weeks and inevitably we would discuss the importance of women having routine mammograms. This was in Toronto before I moved to the States, so it was in everybody’s lifestyle to have routine check ups and mammograms – but that’s another blog topic altogether. So, ironically both of us have been diagnosed with and battled breast cancer since our coffee chats. Vigilance doesn’t keep breast cancer away; it just lets you know it’s around. I’m thinking about this as I am celebrating the wonderful women in my life. I love all my friends and some I haven’t even met face to face yet, we’re just cyber and... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260470 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:02:11 +0100 2260470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260479&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freally-living-after-breast-cancer%2F In the spirit of trying new things and embracing change after breast cancer, I have decided to take up skiing. Actually besides the beautiful treasure box that my son gave me, ski equipment from my husband has proven to be one of the best gifts I have ever received in my life. In fact, I have been skiing several times since Christmas and surprisingly I seem to have been born to ski! The most extraordinary thing is that I am fearless, and after a few times I progressed to the black diamond hill. I decided to forgo lessons and tried an intermediate hill the first time out and have only been going uphill since then. My husband who usually gives me jewelry, which is my favorite type of gift, also has made sure that I am up to date with electronics. It was a bit of shock to him then when I insi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260479 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:51:29 +0100 2260479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3666172&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2009-02-19-cancer-treatment%2Fbreast-cancer-treatment%2F Jenny is undergoing breast cancer treatment since 1996. She has been treated through breast cancer drugs, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Please go and pay Jenny and her hubby a visit to give them your support.   Her love of her life for 41 years is also her care-taker. Being a chef and baker he found out pretty fast that healthy food was part of the alternative cancer treatments I have been talking about as well.   Further on I have the impression they believe that God plays an important role in providing them the healthy tools to get through each and every day.   In case you are new on our site, we repeat the following 5 important cancer treatments:   1. believe there is a cure : not even doubting that ‘Maybe there’s a chanc... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3666172 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:51:47 +0100 3666172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260483&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flove-is-greater-than-breast-cancer%2F On my vanity sits a beautiful silver box embellished with hearts and rhinestones. On top of the box is an oval plaque engraved with the words, “I’ll always be your baby boy.” A secret nickname follows the inscription. This is the Christmas gift I got from my youngest son, and the inscription alludes to a passage from a favorite book I used to read him when he was very young. The nickname is one that only I call him, one that he usually rolls his eyes at. After opening his presents Christmas morning, my son left the room for a few moments and returned with a beautifully wrapped present that he handed sheepishly to me. The moment I opened the box, I began to cry, it was so beautiful and truly unexpected. My son also cried and hugged me. He later told me that he understood at that momen... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260483 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:43:44 +0100 2260483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2129416&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Faccording-to-geneticists-sister-and-i-are-better-off-dead%2F It all sounds so great. The medical community has deemed that we can prevent women from getting cancer. No, it’s not a vaccine, its selective birth. They are suggesting to women that they can have their embryo tested, while in the womb, and destroyed if he or she tests positive for the breast cancer gene defect BRCA I and BRCA II. I guess what comes next is women who have the gene will be mandated to be tested so as not to allow a baby to be born with the predisposition to breast cancer. It won’t stop there. What about people with MS, or people with autism? This is the road to selective birth; perhaps leading to the creation of better humans. Does this mean that Sister and I are now undesirable humans? Basically, those of us who carry the breast cancer gene defect should never have bee... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2129416 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:44:27 +0100 2129416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107981&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fevery-breast-matters%2F There is a story about thousands of starfish washing up on a beach in South Africa. They ended up being too far from the water to get back on their own and were destined to perish. One man hearing their plight determined to do what he could and hurried to the beach. He began to throw them one at a time the several yards back to the sea. He saw another man standing and watching him so urged him to help throw the starfish back into the sea with him. The second man just stood and said “What does it matter? There’s too many, you can’t help them just give up.” The first man picked up another starfish and threw it far out into the water - “It matters to that one” he replied. The truth is that every stride we make towards a cure may be too little too late for t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107981 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:58:24 +0100 2107981 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2084355&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeating-cancerthis-time%2F I’m off to see my oncologist for my regular three month follow-up this morning. It’s funny, I can’t remember any appointment or meeting unless I write it down, but I never forget the oncologist appointment, so that one I rarely write down, although I do get the times mixed up but never the day. The only thing that is a bit of a nuisance is that the office is busy and since these follow-up appointments take maybe 15 or 20 minutes, it doesn’t seem worth the 20- to 30-minute wait to see the doctor. Oh well, they’ve stuck with me this long, I’m sure I can weather the inconvenience. After almost five years since starting treatment, I am feeling pretty confident. I am told my risk of cancer spreading gets lower as time goes by and I am pretty sure that I won&#... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2084355 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:50:40 +0100 2084355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2053364&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fanticipating-breast-cancer-treatment-is-a-little-like-anticipating-a-snowstorm%2F For a couple of days, we have been anticipating a huge snowstorm in Southeast Michigan; it arrived after midnight. I grew up in Northern Ontario, so snowstorms don’t scare me. I have the right amount of respect for the havoc they can cause; actually at 16 I did my drivers test for my license in a snowstorm. The worst thing about a storm is the anticipation, which is true for most things. When I found out that I had breast cancer, my worst fear was of the side effects of chemotherapy. Most of us have heard the horror stories about sickness from chemo. I willed myself to stop thinking it would be horrible and anticipate that I would be fine through treatment. I don’t know if that is what helped, but I can assure you that chemotherapy, although tough, did not cause me more than a ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2053364 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:54:25 +0100 2053364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991741&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthanksgiving-and-hard-work%2F I forgot to blog on Monday. Usually, I like to blog three times a week, but Monday I was really busy getting my house ready for Thanksgiving. Feathering my nest has become a bigger project than I planned. On Saturday, I invited a dear friend to a fun-filled day of painting my kitchen and bathroom. She showed up with her husband who did an amazing job repairing the walls and painting my bathroom. I am so blessed to have these friends; then they insisted it was a labor of love. The job in the bathroom and fresh paint in the kitchen made other rooms look shabby, and well, I did a room makeover for my son and changed the guest room. Now I am probably too exhausted to enjoy Thanksgiving. For Thanksgiving Day, we have invited my in-laws. I adore them! My mother-in-law is 85 and my father-in-law ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991741 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:15:43 +0100 1991741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1961388&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fremembering-my-season-of-chemotherapy%2F This is hunting season in Michigan. My husband has been spending the past weekends hunting with a bow and now gun season starts. My father was a sportsman so I grew up well-acquainted with hunters and the like. My husband hunts for deer, my dad hunted for moose. Unfortunately, he was good at it, so like most responsible hunters, we had to eat the meat, and we ate a lot of it when I was little (Moose are really big!). I can tell you right now how moose meat tastes. I hate it. I am not a big fan of deer meat either, but my husband is good at disguising the meat in certain dishes. When I started chemotherapy in the fall of 2003, it was hunting season. My husband got a couple of weekends in but didn’t want to be away too much while I was undergoing treatment. Fall has always been my favorit... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1961388 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:28:12 +0100 1961388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930482&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdenial-a-natural-response-to-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F On Friday we packed up the car, and headed out to the east coast. The trip was designed to get our son out to a college to meet with the football coach. We decided to drive because of the time of year and the fall vista that would greet us along the way. It also would allow us to travel on to visit with my husband’s sister in New Hampshire. The drive was spectacular. It was a very long trip, but with little traffic and great weather we arrived feeling rested and delighted with the New England states. Along the way my husband and I had plenty of time to talk, dream and plan. My son gets to sleep and watch movies in the back, so typical of a teenage son we didn’t hear from him much. I asked my husband if he remembered how he felt when I told him I had breast cancer. The morning I... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930482 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:40:02 +0100 1930482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911655&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhat-to-buy-someone-going-through-breast-cancer%2F What is the best gift to give someone who has just been newly diagnosed with breast cancer? Flowers usually work for everybody. A precious friend sent flowers as soon as I told her about the diagnosis. My sister–in-law sent them to my house as soon as I got home from surgery. While most women think that spending money on something that will not last is a waste, Dr. Phil listed smelling flowers among one of the best ways to fight stress; it causes you to stop and take a deep breath. I love flowers, and they are appropriate for someone home from surgery and limited in mobility, but I wouldn’t suggest flowers for anyone undergoing chemotherapy as some smells can increase nausea. To this day, I cannot buy particular scented hand soap because the smell seemed too intense and triggered nause... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911655 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:38:13 +0100 1911655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1892190&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-and-the-urge-to-nest%2F We made it through a tough week; my husband has pretty much recovered from the brachytherapy he received for prostate cancer. I don’t think he was ready for the fatigue and malaise that accompanies any in-hospital procedure though, or the effects of the drugs. Fortunately, he did rest over the weekend and gave into urges to nap. I have had my own recovering from his ordeal to do. His bout with cancer has made me feel that we have been infiltrated. Before when it was just me in the household that had a bout with cancer, I thought we had secured our home from further threat. Now I am finding myself desiring to nest and stay home so nothing else gets in. This has led me to spend the weekend tidying the house and adding a few decorating touches. I love the fall, but I didn’t want t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1892190 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:35:46 +0100 1892190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1880295&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fturning-to-you-my-friends-during-cancer-and-tough-times%2F On Saturday I visited my eldest son in a Toronto hospital and today I will spend the day in the hospital while my husband has brachytherapy for his prostate cancer. I see a theme here. As I do with all of my friends I am asking for you to pray for my husband as he goes through this procedure and battles cancer. I am also asking you to keep my son, Josh, in your prayers as he awaits an opening in a treatment facility. Kathy-Ellen (Source: Life with Breast Cancer) Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1880295 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:23:42 +0100 1880295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1819397&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=38061&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBreastCancerReconstructionBlog%2F%7E3%2F331329103%2Fhype-around-diep-flap-breast.html If you are a woman facing mastectomy you have a decision to make: do I want breast reconstruction? If the answer is “yes”, plastic surgery holds the key. Although reconstruction cannot replace the breast(s) you were born with or allow you to breastfeed, it can restore your natural silhouette and make you feel “whole” again following mastectomy. Depending on your health, breast reconstruction can be performed immediately after your mastectomy surgery so you can wake up with new breasts already in place. While the cosmetic results with immediate reconstruction are generally superior, breast reconstruction can also be performed at a later time once the cancer treatment has been completed.The DIEP flap breast procedure is today’s gold standard in breast reconstruction. Advances in br... Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1819397 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:16:58 +0100 1819397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1819391&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=38061&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBreastCancerReconstructionBlog%2F%7E3%2F331329096%2Fbreast-reconstruction-often-not.html By Megan RauscherNEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women with breast cancer faced with treatment decisions are often not told by their surgeons about the possibility of breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, a study confirms. When these conversations do occur, many more women choose mastectomy, researchers found.In a survey of 1,178 women who had breast cancer surgery, only 33 percent reported that their surgeon had discussed breast reconstruction with them during the surgical decision-making process."We found it surprising that very few patients were informed about their options for breast reconstruction, and that information regarding reconstruction was more likely to be given to younger women who were more educated," Dr. Amy K. Alderman of the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arb... Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1819391 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:15:07 +0100 1819391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802965&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdark-thoughts-about-cancer%2F Breast cancer continues to shake up my world. A dear member of the family had a recent scare almost 20 years since having a mastectomy to remove a small cancerous lump. This time the mammogram on her remaining breast looked suspicious so she was called back for a second test. Thankfully that proved that there was nothing indicative of a new breast cancer. The great part was that she was at a clinic that gave her the results immediately after that second test so she didn’t have to wait it out in fear and trepidation. “The waiting is the hardest part” is not only lyrics to an old rock song, but is a reality for women who have found a lump. I was fortunate enough to be at a clinic that did an immediate ultrasound when my mammogram showed a suspicious lump. The doctor could t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802965 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:58:01 +0100 1802965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1819403&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=38061&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBreastCancerReconstructionBlog%2F%7E3%2F331329105%2Fbritish-women-over-70-receive-less.html Elderly breast cancer care 'poor'.Older women with breast cancer get poorer care than younger women, a study has found.Researchers from the University of Manchester found they are less likely to get a range of diagnostic tests and treatments.Writing in the British Journal of Cancer, they say this is likely to lead to higher rates of cancer recurring, and higher death rates.Cancer campaigners said women of all ages deserved high standards of care.They also have a lower chance of surviving the disease - women aged 70-79 have a 76% chance of surviving for five years after their illness, compared to 80% for all ages.This drops to 61% for women aged 80 or over - a fall which is not explained by their increase in age.Perceptions 'differ'.The team reviewed the cases of 480 women aged 65 and over,... Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1819403 Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:04:49 +0100 1819403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1783012&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhigh-health-insurance-costs-mean-no-vacation%2F Sister is in Italy swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. She and her husband have taken a much-deserved vacation, but who doesn’t deserve a vacation? After five and a half years of marriage I am still waiting for a honeymoon. When I got married I was an immigrant from Canada so I couldn’t leave the country for three months while I was being processed. Then that very summer while we were planning our romantic trip, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and the rest is well-documented on this Life with Breast Cancer blog. I want a vacation and a honeymoon, and I don’t want to take them at the same time. Travel is great fun, but not when you’re sick or recovering. Even the car travel after reconstructive surgery in Baltimore (a ten hour drive from Detroit) was a challenge. Baltimore is a di... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1783012 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:39:47 +0100 1783012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1775775&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhealing-words-writing-about-your-breast-cancer%2F If you have never tuned into a Webcast on HealthTalk, you are missing out! I was invited to participate in a Health Now Webcast last week and had such a great time with Judy Forman, the host of Health Now. The topic was on journaling and how it can help people deal with disease, pain and other conditions. Judy is really terrific; I have enjoyed her webcasts in the past, but having the opportunity to talk to her directly was really special. Her guest was Dr. Pennybaker, who has done extensive research into the effects of writing down your thoughts and feelings to deal with medical conditions. Dr. Pennybaker’s wife is a breast cancer survivor so he could really relate to my story; thankfully she is doing well and has also written extensively about her battle and the disease. Judy was a... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1775775 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:51:14 +0100 1775775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764337&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchristina-applegate-ups-the-ante-in-the-fight-against-breast-cancer%2F Last week when the young actress Christina Applegate announced that she had battled breast cancer by having her breasts removed, I was elated that she turned her battle into a crusade to promote MRI screenings and genetic counseling. I was saddened more so by the fact that such a young woman has to be struck with it in the first place. She has been diagnosed as a BRCA II carrier with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. I can write a blog post every day about it, but you know that if a young Hollywood actress is talking about it millions of people are listening. This makes me ecstatic about the possibilities that this may open up, now that Hollywood is taking a stand against cancer. A while back, two Hollywood producers were introduced to each other through their oncologist while eac... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764337 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:30:18 +0100 1764337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734327&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhormonal-treatment-options-after-tamoxifen%2F The blog posts that I wrote last year on Arimidex (anastrozole) and aromatase inhibitors are still garnering a lot of comments and readership. It seems that many women are suffering from the painful and sometimes debilitating side effects from these hormonal drugs. I stopped taking Arimidex in the fall of 2006 and returned to taking tamoxifen, which causes me no ill effects. I am now revisiting the whole hormonal treatment option. My doctor determined that I should spend one more year on tamoxifen. I then have the option to take additional years of an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex or Femara. I can put off thinking about it for the year obviously, but then I think about flying solo (meaning sans drugs to combat cancer) and I have to consider the aromotase inhibitor as an option. Studies... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734327 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:21:34 +0100 1734327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709804&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffinding-lumps-after-breast-reconstruction%2F For the most part, my reconstructed breasts are smooth and natural. Pressing in on them, however, reveals to me small, hard masses. I only have a couple that I can find, but it did cause some alarm initially. The surgeon assured me that they were fat tissue that had hardened as a result of the transplanted tissue and were completely unrelated to any breast cancer issues. I sometimes wonder if I am completely safe though. Last week the other breast cancer blogger on HealthTalk, Suzette, wrote about her recent experience in finding a lump and undergoing a biopsy only months after breast reconstruction. The thing I admire about Suzette is her knowledge of her body and her vigilance against recurring breast cancer. I learn a lot from reading her blog posts. Thankfully, the results were negativ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709804 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:56:25 +0100 1709804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1696483&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbrilliant-idea-universal-screening-for-breast-cancer%2F It is still baffling to me that in other countries like Norway, Canada and France, every woman can be screened regularly for breast cancer. Right now with the treatment options that are available like surgery and chemotherapy, detecting breast cancer early is key to surviving the disease. So doesn’t it make sense that every woman over the age of 40 be given the opportunity to get regular screening? You would think the richest most powerful country in the world would have been one of the first to figure that out. When women in Canada and Norway are living to an average age of 83 and women in France to 84, isn’t it a red flag that in the United States the life expectancy of women is only 80? (Life expectancy estimates for 2007, according to the Population Reference Bureau). One o... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1696483 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:48:39 +0100 1696483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668784&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnow-is-the-time-for-our-breast-cancer-battle-cry%2F We have heard nothing new or exciting regarding breast cancer treatment for quite a while now. It is so frustrating when you are hoping for a major breakthrough towards a cure. Even the fact that so much headway has been made on the genetic front with regards to breast cancer hasn’t garnered better treatment options. The best treatment option that has come out of genetic profiling is to remove healthy body parts to prevent cancer. We have been sending men into space for decades. Man has even walked on the moon. Why then can we not find a cure or a safe easy treatment for breast cancer? Do we need more money? Do we need more brains? Do we need more motivation? This is a huge issue with me. The government gives 900 million dollars a year to breast cancer research, the Susan G Komen org... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668784 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:33:09 +0100 1668784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1649367&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsoaking-up-life-the-cancer-survivor-way%2F Twenty-one years ago this summer is the one and only time I ever played golf. You might then wonder, as my husband did, why I bought a brand new set of ladies golf clubs last week. Well, for one thing they were on sale but most importantly they were blazoned with the breast cancer hope pink ribbon, and the shafts of the clubs are pink. I bought the Wilson Hope ladies (pictured below) set of golf clubs. I am reaching my five year breast cancer survivorship since my diagnosis. I have decided that my life needs to be filled with more fun things so I am taking up golf since Tiger Woods makes it look fun and lucrative. My family has even planned a trip to Lake Tahoe for Christmas! I don’t ski, but I foresee a set of pink skis in my future to stand beside my new golf set. These past sever... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649367 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:34:16 +0100 1649367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1623069&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsex-and-cancer-do-docs-focus-more-on-mens-needs%2F I am learning a lot going through the process of decision-making with my husband regarding his recent prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. For one thing, doctors are taking his sexuality very seriously and how it will be affected by treatment seems to be a priority. So I wonder, is this because he is a man? How come no one prepares us for the bad body image, loss of sexual desire and even the loss of sensation that is associated with having a breast removed? Is it less important because we are women? I know that for women of child-bearing years there seems to be a lot of support to ensure that fertility is still intact, but that isn’t the same as our sexuality. What about single women of any age who are still dating and needing to feel like they are sexual beings? There is really ver... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1623069 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:37:44 +0100 1623069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1606283&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fenjoying-the-sun-as-a-cancer-survivor%2F Michigan has been getting more than normal rain this summer. When it is sunny, it is hard to resist getting outside to bathe in it. Since I have been in my 20s I have been protective of my skin by using sunscreen daily, even in the winter when I am going to be outside. Because of all of the great news that has accompanied vitamin D, I have actually purposely exposed my skin to the sun this year since the sun is the best source of vitamin D. I still protect my face (for vanity reasons mostly), and I really only expose my skin for maybe five minutes at a time. As breast cancer survivors, we need to avoid other cancers and skin cancer is one we really need to be vigilant about. For safety reasons, I really do limit my sun exposure. I also take a vitamin D supplement. We now know that vitamin ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1606283 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:36:21 +0100 1606283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1594047&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnewly-diagnosed-cancer-and-your-treatment-options%2F When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the breast cancer clinic immediately set up a meeting with a surgeon. The surgeon was wonderful and told me that I would need a lumpectomy. That was it, I didn’t question it, and because of the nature of the diagnosis and size of the tumor everyone seemed to suggest some urgency. After surgery, I was referred to an outstanding oncologist, but once again he told me the treatment I would receive and I complied. This past week, I sat with my husband who was newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, and we listened as the surgeon went through all of the treatment options; their cure rate, side effects and expected outcomes. I have to say, I was a little jealous that I didn’t get the same kind of information about my diagnosis. Before we went to that con... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1594047 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:29:40 +0100 1594047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556549&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcancer-strikes-my-home-again%2F Last week I got the results for all of the tests I went through because of a concern over bone pain in my lower back. I was overjoyed to learn that I am totally cancer free! The tests showed that the pain is due to a tear in my lumbar disk. My husband, friends and family were also very happy that we weren’t facing anything more serious. The happiness lasted for about five hours. My husband, who for my sake is vigilant with his health and has annual checkups, received a call from his doctor asking him to come in immediately for an appointment. My husband advised me that the urgency was due to a result on his annual tests. We now know… my husband has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Another round of cancer in my family has me dealing with an overwhelming combination of emotions f... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556549 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:55:31 +0100 1556549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1552025&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchemotherapy-induced-fears%2F Fears are like nightmares; they loom bigger in the dark. So I figure the best way to deal with your fears is to take them out into the light where you can have a better look and face them head on. One of those looming fears for me has been the possible side effects from chemotherapy. My father, who had chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, survived the lymphoma only to succumb to chemo induced leukemia. At that point there were no treatment options available to combat the leukemia. I have a real fear of developing a non-treatable condition from having been exposed to such strong chemicals during treatment. I have asked my oncologist about it, but the response has been vague, probably because there is not a lot of information available for the long term effects. I had three types of ch... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1552025 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:23:32 +0100 1552025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480951&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhelpful-tips-for-a-more-relaxing-mri%2F At 3:00am Thursday morning I was woken up by a panic attack. I was thinking about the MRI that was scheduled for a few hours later and it prompted me to recall the claustrophobic atmosphere of the machine. That in turn initiated the panic attack which frightened me more than the thought of the scan. I was able to settle down long enough to fall asleep again for about two minutes before the alarm went off. An MRI scan creates a magnetic resonance image using magnetism and radio waves to provide an image of internal organs. In order to accomplish this, the patient is inserted into a tube that is quite contained and can provoke claustrophobia in the staunchest of people. The benefit is that it gives images no other piece of equipment can and it also emits no radiation, so it is safe. It provi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480951 Fri, 30 May 2008 21:21:55 +0100 1480951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1475464&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-finishing-touches-of-breast-reconstruction%2F With summer weather approaching, not having nipples is actually pretty convenient. It is easier to throw on a bathing suit or tank top and not concern myself with what may be poking through. However, I have decided to continue with this part of the reconstruction of my breasts, and have nipples created and the areola tattooed. Reconstruction for me has been a journey, and not a short one. Many women know the length of the process involved in getting implants and taking the time to inflate the original pouch before replacing it with the final implant. DIEP flap, although a major surgery, does not take as much time to get to the final results; perhaps just the follow-up surgery to create the cosmetic nipples and any touchups. Part of the reason it has taken so long with me is that I have bee... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1475464 Wed, 28 May 2008 21:11:30 +0100 1475464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423765&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-left-over-problem-from-a-mastectomy%2F When a woman has a mastectomy, there often is a funny thing that happens to the tissue that is left. For these women, the tissue or fat pad that was the tail of the breast that remains after surgery migrates to the area under the arm. The result is an uncomfortable mound of flesh that makes you look like you have a bulge of fat on the side of your body. I noticed this when I went to buy a bra for my prosthesis before I had reconstruction. It was difficult to just buy a bra in my usual size because I now had this extra bit that had to be tucked in somewhere from under my arm; it ended up just bulging through the side band of the bra. Fortunately for me, I was able to address this during reconstruction. After the initial surgery to create the breasts through the DIEP flap procedure, I still... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423765 Mon, 05 May 2008 22:48:02 +0100 1423765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1389294&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbrca-ii-testing-saved-my-sisters-life%2F Many of us breast cancer survivors somehow find a blessing in having been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Usually the blessing comes in the form of a deeper realization of our selves and an increased desire to impact our world. For me, now, the blessing may very well be my sister’s life. Last Wednesday, Sister went to her surgeon for the follow-up appointment from the hysterectomy in March that she had to lesson her risks of developing breast and ovarian cancer as a BRCA II carrier. Her surgeon discussed the pathology report from the organs that had been removed, and we were shocked by the results. The report showed changes in cells in the fallopian tubes near her ovaries. These changes are consistent with someone who develops ovarian cancer (see image below). It was the doctor�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1389294 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:13:38 +0100 1389294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1383787&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Faccess-to-brca-testing%2F Without any plan or treatment, a BRCA carrier can have a risk of developing breast cancer as high as 80%. Your risk does not become lower because you haven’t been tested or don’t know about it. In my case and sister’s case, we were offered mammograms at the age of 40 because my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Had she not developed breast cancer no one would have suggested that I be tested for the BRCA genetic predisposition to the disease. I was a carrier regardless and after we discovered that it came from my father’s side of the family, it became clear how important genetic testing actually is. My sister subsequently got tested and now because of her positive results was able to take steps to minimize her risks. When I met with a gynecology oncologist at University ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1383787 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:28:03 +0100 1383787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1356504&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwishing-for-a-smoke-free-world%2F I grew up in a world where most adults smoked cigarettes. Both my parents smoked, teachers smoked, doctors and nurses smoked, and even seniors at high school had a smoking area. At that time, you could walk into any restaurant and be engulfed in a blue cloud of smoke. Every movie theater screen lit up the smoke swirling above the seats, and many airplanes still have the hole in the arm seat where an ashtray used to be. As a child, I abhorred cigarette smoke and thankfully never even tried it. As I entered adulthood, the world began to change, and I was fortunate to benefit from no smoking laws in most public buildings. It all seems so strange now. My husband was telling me about being in a car with a co-worker who smoked regardless of who was in the car. I personally do not tolerate cigare... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1356504 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:27:14 +0100 1356504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1349933&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhy-do-we-always-want-to-learn-the-hard-way-the-necessity-of-rest-after-surgery%2F There are a lot of people who really dislike being laid up after surgery. I’m not one of them, I recover quickly enough and to date have had no real ill effects from surgery, but, I don’t mind being laid up. It gives me time to read and talk to friends on the phone and indulge in afternoon television. It is a good excuse to drop out for a while. Sister isn’t very good at sitting still and she was reminded just how fragile our bodies are last week. It was a week and a half after her hysterectomy, and Sister who was feeling restless accompanied her daughter for a shopping trip to the mall. I think she was fooled by the energy she was feeling and the fact that she no longer felt ill or needed pain pills. When she returned home, there was some issue of blood. It was a very real reminder ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1349933 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:41:27 +0100 1349933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1338298&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhy-do-we-always-want-to-learn-the-hard-way-the-necessity-of-rest-after-surgery%2F There are a lot of people who really dislike being laid up after surgery. I’m not one of them, I recover quickly enough and to date have had no real ill effects from surgery, but, I don’t mind being laid up. It gives me time to read and talk to friends on the phone and indulge in afternoon television. It is a good excuse to drop out for a while. Sister isn’t very good at sitting still and she was reminded just how fragile our bodies are last week. It was a week and a half after her hysterectomy, and Sister who was feeling restless accompanied her daughter for a shopping trip to the mall. I think she was fooled by the energy she was feeling and the fact that she no longer felt ill or needed pain pills. When she returned home, there was some issue of blood. It was a very real reminder ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1338298 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:18:17 +0100 1338298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1329239&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flife-and-blogging-after-breast-cancer%2F Last month I was interviewed by a magazine about my experience blogging on breast cancer. Answering the interviewer’s questions allowed me to reflect on why I do it and what I get from it – too much to go into now. They were addressing the number of blogs that have hit the web from women who are or who have battled breast cancer. How terrific that there are so many people sharing their experience. Five years ago when I was first diagnosed, there wasn’t that many opportunities to hear the experiences of others. In fact, blogging was relatively unknown and just starting to make an impact in the political realm I have been writing this blog for two years this month. (It definitely is time to change my picture and update my biography.) People have asked me if I am running out of things t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1329239 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:48:47 +0100 1329239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1325548&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flosing-healthy-body-parts-to-stay-alive%2F I think a hysterectomy is a tough surgery on any woman. Even deciding on having the surgery is a tough one. Having to deal with making the decision to cut out healthy parts can’t be easy. For me it truly meant battling breast cancer head on, for Sister it is about preparing for battle that you hope won’t come. Because she tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, there is the constant looming threat of the disease, so the hysterectomy is just one step in her vigil against breast cancer. Surgery wasn’t easy for Sister, she didn’t come out of anesthetic whistling Dixie, and I think she blames me for making it look easy since I seldom have a problem and wake up looking for the party. She felt sick and queasy and miserable for several days but I am happy to say that she is well on h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325548 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:29:26 +0100 1325548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1292366&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fliving-with-brca-breast-cancer-gene-mutation%2F Sister goes for a prophylactic oophorectomy this week. That is the medical way of saying that she is having her ovaries removed because of the increased risk of ovarian cancer she has from being a BRCA2 carrier. She was tested after I was diagnosed with breast cancer and tested positive for the gene mutation. She is determined to keep her breasts however and will just be very vigilant about testing for breast cancer. Ovarian cancer is really more insidious only because there is no standardized testing to catch it at an early stage. In addition, Sister has had a colonoscopy and will continue to get this test on a regular basis. She has an MRI on her breasts yearly and is part of a study monitoring high risk candidates for breast cancer being conducted in Canada. Living with the BRCA II gene... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1292366 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:13:30 +0100 1292366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1263529&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-emotional-impact-of-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F Is it possible to be unemotionally affected by a breast cancer diagnosis? My decision to volunteer in the research study about the emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis has me realizing that there was indeed a huge assault to my emotional well-being from a cancer diagnosis. (It is outlined in my February 18th blog “A study on ways to cope with a breast cancer diagnosis”) Initially I was strong and even prepared for the breast cancer diagnosis I received. I thought it would be easy to go through the lumpectomy and get on with my life. After the surgery to remove just the lump, I was far more shaken to learn that the margins weren’t clear, that I would have to lose a breast, and that cancer had invaded eight lymph nodes. The idea of dying from cancer became a reality, and the p... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1263529 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:59:43 +0100 1263529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1236380&cid=t_145653_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffighting-to-keep-what-you-dont-really-have-in-us-healthcare%2F This past week, I have been reviewing benefit packages from both my husbands company and the one I work for. Like most people living in America, health benefits are a big part of how we select employment. My husband’s company has a great health care plan but the monthly co-pay for a family is at least 30 percent higher than the one through my company. The last company I worked for charged me a $500.00 monthly copay. I have discovered in speaking to many, many people about the plans that they get from their companies, that anywhere between $300.00 and $600.00 is considered quite reasonable these days for employee co-pay on family benefits. That is for a PPO plan which took me a while to understand gives me the best choices in care; only it costs me an additional amount if I choose a docto... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1236380 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:32:53 +0100 1236380