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 'cancer diagnosis'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:05:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181800&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhospital-ceo-is-diagnosed-with-cancer-while-building-a-new-cancer-center%2F2011.09.01 Pat Elliott, me and a HUGE cactus at Banner MD Anderson! I am just back from the Phoenix-metro area. It’s now the 5th largest in the United States and despite home foreclosures, there is still a feeling of growth in many areas. Gilbert, a nearby suburb, has expanded to over 200,000 people and a growing major medical center. I spent several days interviewing patients and staff about the soon-to-open, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. The hope is that by bringing MD Anderson’s world-renowned expertise, clinical trials and processes to this new center, cancer care around Phoenix and the southwest will be improved. Look for my video interviews coming soon. But, in the meantime, one interview stuck out for me; the one with the Banner Health President and CEO, Peter Fine. Peter is in his lat... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181800 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0100 5181800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181802&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmisdiagnosis-happens-all-the-time-tips-to-avoid-it%2F2011.09.01 Billionaire Teddy Forstmann has apparently been diagnosed with a serious form of brain cancer.  There’s a tragic twist to the story: according to Fox Business News, Forstmann believes that for more than a year, he had been misdiagnosed with meningitis. ABC News wonders: How could such a misfortune befall a billionaire —- a man able to afford the best doctors, best technology and the most sophisticated diagnostic tests? They’re missing the point.  Misdiagnosis happens with shocking regularity – as much as (more…) *This blog post was originally published at BestDoctors.com: See First Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181802 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00:03 +0100 5181802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159655&cid=t_170471_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=5140176&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flife-after-the-battle-with-breast-cancer%2F I am in North Carolina on vacation this week. My husband and I have been enjoying leisure time fishing, exploring, and watching the sun set over the mountains. Vacation time is important to me, and even though I am a full-time student and our income is drastically reduced, I would not go without it. I can’t tell you if this is because of having been threatened by breast cancer, or because of the change in attitude towards life I experienced when my dad died. It was after his death that I realized that life was for the living, that when it was over it was over, and all the things you wanted to do wouldn’t get done. My dad didn’t live for tomorrow. He enjoyed each day as it came. He was the most patient, content person you could ever meet. When he was in the hospital before his death... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140176 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:05:27 +0100 5140176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5131004&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fmissing-big-picture.html A cancer friend was telling me the other day about a friend of her's who was just diagnosed with breast cancer and was refusing chemo - because she didn't want to lose her hair. I think she is missing the big picture. She can make a trade here - lose your hair and keep your life. Multiple doctors have recommended chemo to her and she still says no. I also think she is in that stage called 'denial'. She needs to move on to the anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance stages. Its not an easy transition and it certainly doesn't happen over night. My friend was going to talk to her some more and find out about her cancer stage and other factors in her diagnosis. I have thought about this for a few days and think there is some fault of the doctors here (or maybe she just isn't heari... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5131004 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:26:00 +0100 5131004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077966&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fyou-get-to-choose-your-doctors%2F I write often about how it is important to work with doctors you like and can trust. I was reminded of this last week when I had my four-month oncologist appointment. I love my oncologist, Dr. Khan. He has a gentle spirit, he is always cheerful, and he is always happy to see me. I spend much of the appointment asking about the chances of cancer returning and reviewing the effects of all the treatment I had. He in turn spends much of the appointment reassuring me and reminding me that although he can never say that breast cancer is completely cured, he is convinced that I will be around for a long, long time. He can be so confident because even his patients who have had cancer return or metastasize tend to live a long time with the chronic condition. Dr. Khan is very aggressive in treating ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077966 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:22:26 +0100 5077966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051120&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fcancer-chances.html Someone told me recently that I was an inspiration to people with cancer because I have lived with it so long. I don't feel like an inspiration. Its just a life. Also, sometimes I feel like a cheat. My cancers were early stage - Stage I and Stage IIA. But the Stage I would have been Stage III if I was older... a weird staging system. Maybe I'm proof that cancer doesn't have to be a killer. There are many people out there with cancer and living a long time.Betty Ford was one - she didn't die from her cancer. But in addition to famous people, normal people can get cancer and live. I have a friend who was diagnosed at Stage IV with breast cancer and now has been told, they can't find any signs of it. Can you undo stage IV? I have another friend who had Stage IV ovarian cancer, in 1980. She is... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051120 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:17:00 +0100 5051120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008550&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-best-evidence-says-mammograms-should-begin-at-age-forty%2F There was much hoopla a few years ago over recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to limit mammography screening to women ages 50 to 74 every other year. But there is less fanfare over new findings coming out of a study in Sweden, which suggests that regular mammograms in women ages 40 to 49 (the age group excluded by the new task force guidelines) prevented up to 30 percent of deaths from breast cancer. People, this is significant! The task force ignored studies like these ongoing in Sweden and Canada for their model, which was based on statistical data. The Swedish mammogram study spanned 29 years and included over 130,000 women. The task force’s answer to recent studies has been to recommend a baseline mammogram for women in their forties to look at breast density,... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008550 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:39:24 +0100 5008550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953303&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fi-am-ready-for-convalescence.html But first the latest in breast cancer detection is a sheep. Yes, really. Read more here.So after cancer, there is depression and anger and all sorts of other emotions. The Victorians did one thing right, aside from introducing extreme modesty to piano legs (that's why everything was draped - so legs didn't show), after a significant illness they sent everyone off to convalescent clinics in the Swiss alps or the Adirondacks or some other remote place. This allowed emotional recovery from the illness as well as physical.Now they say 25-40% of those of us lucky enough to get cancer suffer from depression. Who would have thunk? I mean you get the biggest shock of your life, deal with surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and all sorts of nasty tests and procedures, and you get depressed? I mean ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953303 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:59:00 +0100 4953303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953304&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fon-how-many-levels-is-this-wrong.html A woman was diagnosed with cancer and a relatively bad diagnosis. Her husband asked his boss for flexibility so he could attend treatments with her and offered to work nights and weekends. He was terminated as a result. How wrong is this?Now, as the article says it may not be illegal but it certainly is not moral or ethical.A long term employee made a request and it was declined. They now have to replace him and will bear a burden of hiring and training a new person. I bet the transition will cost more over time than keeping someone who is working odd hours. Never mind what this will do to company morale. Maybe others will leave as a result as well. I mean what if one of their family members got sick and they wanted some flexibility to take care of them? They would have gotten their answer... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953304 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:54:00 +0100 4953304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953306&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fi-did-good-thing-this-weekend.html I spent the weekend volunteering at Casting for Recovery. CFR is an organization based in Vermont which provides fly fishing retreats for women with breast cancer - no matter what stage or how long since their diagnosis. Its a great weekend to meet other women with the same disease and learn a new skill. You get to go once as a participant. If you haven't signed up, do so at www.castingforrecovery.org and you will have an amazing weekend.I went in 2008 as a participant. Then I went back in 2009 and this year as a volunteer. Its almost as good as being a participant. Its a way of giving back for me. I enjoy it.We were at St George's School outside of Newport RI on a beautiful campus. We could see the beach - down a big hill. We ate in a dining hall that looks like it was the model for Hogwa... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953306 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:31:00 +0100 4953306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4853114&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-patient-not-welcomed-by-airline%2F Outrage was my initial response to the story of the woman who was turned away from a Korean Airlines flight last week because of stage 4 breast cancer. Crystal Kim wanted to fly from Seattle to her homeland of Korea after being diagnosed with terminal stage 4 breast cancer. Despite her doctor’s notes to the contrary, Korean Airlines decided she was too frail to travel and denied her boarding. The airline was following International Air Transport Association guidelines, which recommend that terminally ill passengers be evaluated by airline medical personnel before being allowed to fly. These, however, are only guidelines — and another carrier, Delta, who allowed Ms. Kim to board one of their flights, indicated that medical recommendations from doctors who knew her were enough for th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4853114 Mon, 23 May 2011 13:44:45 +0100 4853114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841906&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fsuzys-back%2F Suzy is something of a regular on this blog. She wrote movingly about young women and infertility , and then came back to tell us about her experience of surviving ovarian cancer. Suzy is continuing to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, and has written an article for the Mail Online about her experience, in the light of the recent NICE guideline that every woman who has symptoms that could be ovarian cancer should be given a simple blood test. Ovarian cancer is often misdiagnosed as IBS by GPs, or the symptoms (pelvic pain, bloating, weight gain) are ignored by women who think they are part of the normal round of menstrual symptoms, and for these reasons, late diagnosis is common. This makes for a staggeringly high mortality rate. 6,537 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008, an... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841906 Wed, 18 May 2011 08:31:31 +0100 4841906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829216&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fjudge-rules-that-mom-with-breast-cancer-cant-parent%2F I have been following the story of Alaina Giordano, the North Carolina woman whose two children (ages 5 and 11) have been removed from her care and placed in the custody of their father because she has stage 4 breast cancer. It doesn’t matter that Giordano’s cancer is under control; it doesn’t seem to concern Judge Nancy Gordon that the children’s father lives in Chicago and that she is relocating the children far from their home. It only matters that this judge feels they will do better by being with the non-ill parent. Is Judge Gordon surmising that women with breast cancer can no longer parent? Since when did breast cancer take away our ability to be a loving, caring, and responsible parent? I wanted to write about this when I first heard about it from my editor last week.... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829216 Mon, 16 May 2011 18:18:14 +0100 4829216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803452&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fcancer-causes-ptsd-for-patients-and.html There are not enough rocket scientist cancer people out there who could deny this one but it took a study about parents of children with cancer and a referral to a study of stress on breast cancer patients to paint the big picture. A cancer diagnosis is stressful - well DOH! - whether its you or a family member. I think the issue of the stress level of family members is finally getting more attention. A cancer diagnosis does a number on everyone in the family. I have seen more emotional people talking about their family member's cancer and fewer emotions from the patients themselves. A cancer diagnosis is hard to cope with - facing the unknown. If you are the patient in treatment, you get a whole group of people to help you - doctor, nurses, social workers, etc - who are on call 24/7 for e... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803452 Mon, 09 May 2011 10:17:00 +0100 4803452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775564&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fmore-on-helping-if-you-know-someone.html As a follow up to yesterday's post on helping people with cancer. What can you do to help? How can you help? While a cancer or other diagnosis doesn't mean life is over, it can make things difficult.I assume everyone has the best intentions and wants to bring over a meal or something to help but with cancer, a casserole may not be appreciated. If the person cooks for their large family, casseroles may be appreciated but if a smaller family or someone else cooks, I would definitely ask. And as a reality check, how many casseroles can one use at a given time? While in chemo, food can lose its appeal. I don't like shrimp any more. While in chemo, scallions made me nauseous. I think the best thing to do is ask them, their spouse or other family member how you can help. Maybe they don't need fo... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775564 Mon, 02 May 2011 10:37:00 +0100 4775564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771319&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fcancer-news.html Why is it when a celebrity gets cancer it becomes international news? But when a regular person gets cancer, people run away and hide? I mean the latest celebrity to get cancer is the man who was just recruited by the NFL, shouldn't he be allowed to cope with his diagnosis and treatment with a little privacy? The last thing a chemo patient wants is a camera following them around as they lose their hair and try to keep down their food. The lack of sensitivity in the media is awful these days. Reporters are aggressive for stories and have to get the scoop. Stories get blown out of proportion and what is little news becomes big news. Media hype causes a lot of problems but that's not my topic.My topic is cancer diagnosis and privacy. Well not just privacy but managing of privacy. A regular pe... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771319 Sun, 01 May 2011 10:42:00 +0100 4771319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734503&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fputting-cancer-in-its-place.html Recently, Sidney Harman, the 92 year old executive chairman of Newsweek, died of Acute Myeloid Leukemia or AML. Prior to his death he wrote a column on his cancer. He requested that it go stay in the corner as he was too busy to deal with it.Many people let their cancer diagnosis dominate their lives while they are in treatment. Mr. Harman suggests this is wrong. He was too busy living to have time to let it get in the way of his life.I think he has a good point. I was told a breast cancer diagnosis is a year out of your life and then you go back to 'normal' (whatever that is) and get on with your life. Many people drop everything in their lives and deal with their cancer and its treatment. Why do we do this? Is this the fight or flight mentality? If you have any other medical issue, do yo... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734503 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:13:00 +0100 4734503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714977&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fstress-and-cancer-and-families.html Cancer is stressful. In fact, its considered that people after diagnosis are often suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I can believe it. Cancer is more than stressful, its take your world and turn it upside down and shake out all the little problems in your life. Any outstanding issues in your life come out to be dealt with - remember your former friend but then somehow your friendship ended but always meant to make up with, well now that you might DIE you have to deal with that. If you are going to DIE its time to write your will and make your final arrangements so that those left behind don't have be stressed themselves. And if you are going to DIE you need a bucket list and to rush around and take care of all the items. And what about a living will, hospice arrangements, etc ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714977 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:57:00 +0100 4714977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709356&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeating-breast-cancer-is-like-taking-on-a-pitbull-you-dont-know-you-can-do-it-until-you-do%2F The other night my dog Dixie and I went for our usual walk around the neighborhood. We look ridiculous, since Dixie generally walks me while I hold on to her with all my might. To say she’s not well trained on a leash — after 10 years — is an understatement; however, she has me well-trained. Generally, we feel quite safe and arrive home without incident. This night was the exception. Half way through our trek, we were confronted by a pit bull loose in the neighborhood and obviously without an owner. My reaction was not what I would have expected. I quickly swooped up my little Dixie — a Jack Russell terrier — in my arms and yelled at the pit bull to go home while lunging at it aggressively. Initially, the pit bull repeatedly turned away and turned back — at least until Dixie de... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709356 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:22:02 +0100 4709356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684685&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fdid-cancer-make-me-sick.html I have always had more medical ups and downs since my first cancer diagnosis at age 19. In my 20's I had a benign lumpectomy and a burst ovarian cyst. In my 30's, I had another burst ovarian cyst and knee surgery after a bad day of skiing. In my 40's, I have had fibroids that died off and created a massive internal infection which resulted in a hysterectomy, a second cancer diagnosis, another benign lumpectomy, my gall bladder removed, degenerating disks in my spine, sprained ankle, possible high blood pressure, another knee injury (on my formerly good knee), and tennis elbow. I also have a few pesky after effects of cancer including lymphedema, early menopause as a result of chemo killing off my remaining ovary, and shoulder issues from breast cancer surgery. Also, a lifetime on synthetic... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684685 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 +0100 4684685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677040&cid=t_170471_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=4592638&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=4549905&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthinking-about-breast-cancer-at-dollywood%2F I had a great week vacationing in the mountains of Tennessee. It was the first time I had been to this state, and I am in love with it. When we left for Tennessee, there was still snow in the mountains and our hope was to get some skiing in. By the time we arrived, rainstorms had washed away much of that snow, along with our goal to ski in the Smoky Mountains. But it turned out that not being able to ski didn’t detract from a wonderful time and one of our best vacations. We stayed in Gatlinburg and the surrounding area. Much of our time was spent in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, which not only provided some of the most beautiful mountaintop views, but housed some wonderful historical sites. We were really close to Dollywood, too — that’s Dolly Parton’s theme park. The... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549905 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:39:29 +0100 4549905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512584&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fbefore-it-begins%2F Last week at the hospital really reinforced for me just how scary the diagnosis stage of breast cancer is – even if the lump turns out to be a thing of nothing, the bit that gets you to there can be horrible. Also, in the last couple of weeks, I’ve had several email exchanges and conversations with people going through diagnosis, and this too has made me think about how, once you are in the realms of Actual Cancer, it’s easy to forget about how difficult the stage before was. So today, I’m going to offer you some advice if you are in possession of a lump that you’re not sure about. I hope it helps. The first thing is the most important. If you find a lump, go to your GP. Now. Cancer is like toothache or cleaning out the fridge or doing your tax return: leaving... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512584 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:15:03 +0100 4512584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495383&cid=t_170471_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=4489923&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpink-wristbands-to-remember-a-life%2F My son, the Big Guy, has a new girlfriend. She is adorable and not just because she only comes up to his waist. She is beautiful with big dark eyes and is refreshingly direct and witty. We had the opportunity to meet her at Christmas when the Big Guy brought her by for a visit. Since then we’ve got to know her a little bit and are as taken with her as he is. When I met her, the one thing I noticed right away was the pink band she wore around her wrist. She explained that it was in memory of her dance teacher. A woman who had been a big part of her life had not only been diagnosed with breast cancer, but had died from it. It had impacted this special young woman and gave her a reason to become part of the fight against the disease. I am always surprised by people’s connection to breast... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489923 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:04:37 +0100 4489923 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464661&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=4436907&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Ffinances-and-cancer.html You get cancer and then you have to pay for it. Financially - not just emotionally or physically. In addition to nasty treatments that leave you physically drained, you are expected to keep your regular work schedule so you have an income. I was reminded of this by a friend yesterday who referred me to an online discussion of the financial toll of cancer. Insurance doesn't cover everything. Co-pays and prescriptions start to add up and you have to miss work due to surgery and chemo therapy.My story is a little different but I think the point is there. I was laid off from my job two weeks before my breast cancer diagnosis. I was trying to look for a job through surgeries and chemo. Ha, it didn't work. I did get requests for interviews and accepted them - thinking I could drag myself there w... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4436907 Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:18:00 +0100 4436907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419375&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbe-tough-enough-to-take-care-of-yourself-through-breast-cancer%2F There was a lot of hoopla about Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler last week. During the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers, Cutler hurt his knee. This game was to determine which team was going to the Super Bowl, and when Cutler seemed to check out, the victory ultimately went to Green Bay. The uproar that erupted was caused by sportswriters, fans, and even Cutler’s own teammates, who questioned his toughness and commitment to the team and wondered whether he even had an injury. Ultimately, an MRI showed that indeed Cutler had suffered a serious knee injury. This weekend, instead of apologizing, the accusers seemed to think he should have been tough enough to play the duration of the game with an injury. You are probably wondering what this story has to do with br... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419375 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:08:56 +0100 4419375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372046&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsimple-blood-test-for-cancer-breakthrough-or-nightmare%2F2011.01.19 That’s the question Dartmouth’s Dr. Gil Welch asks in a column on the CNN website. He reflects on [recent] news about a test in development that might find a single cancer cell among a billion healthy ones — as so many news stories framed it. Welch analyzes: “But it’s not that simple. The test could just as easily start a cancer epidemic. … Most assume there are no downsides to looking for things to be wrong. But the truth is that early diagnosis is a double-edged sword. While it has the potential to help some, it always has a hidden side-effect: overdiagnosis, the detection of abnormalities that are not destined to ever bother people in their lifetime. Becoming a patient unnecessarily has real human costs. There’s the anxiety of being told you ar... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372046 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:00:29 +0100 4372046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372217&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2011%2F01%2Flong-term-gain%2F The fault was mine to begin with. In the upheaval of the move, and the ‘waiting to tell people that we’d moved once we were actually in the new house rather than still camped out at Mum and Dad’s’, and the fact that I wasn’t having any hospital treatment at the time, I didn’t let St. George’s Hospital in Tooting know that I’d shimmied north and would need care from a different hospital. In fact, the whole thing slipped my mind, until I got a letter redirected from the old London address, saying I’d missed my appointment in November but it had been re-booked. I felt bad – I consider that I have some responsibility towards other patients, as well as to the permanently skint NHS not to waste their resources – so I called the nu... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372217 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:39:53 +0100 4372217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361253&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-and-oral-contraception%2F I was diagnosed with breast cancer just eight months after I married and moved to Michigan. My husband and I agreed that raising my two boys from a previous marriage was fulfilling enough and we didn’t need — or want — to have any more children. My decision to take the birth control pill was discussed with my doctor, and of course any concerns I had about it causing breast cancer were taken into consideration. Only 20 months before my diagnosis, I had a mammogram and follow-up ultrasound that showed no signs of a tumor. You can imagine how distraught I was at being diagnosed with breast cancer but even more perplexed at how a tumor of over 2 centimeters had developed so rapidly in my right breast. My new doctor and I had no reason to suspect that the birth control pill and its increa... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361253 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:53:21 +0100 4361253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349656&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=4322657&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffight-breast-cancer-with-a-theme-song%2F I have a theme song. It changes from time to time, but I always seem to have a song in my head that sticks for a while. Usually a song just comes to me and somehow I know it is my song. I know it sounds a little crazy, but when I tell people that I have a theme song, they tend to want one too. The year that I was diagnosed with breast cancer was the first year I remember having a theme song. Months before I got my diagnosis, Matchbox Twenty had a song called “Unwell” that I kept singing over and over in my head. The main refrain just seemed to be what I was feeling: “I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell/I know right now you can’t tell… “ I was feeling out of sorts and a little crazy. I couldn’t explain why I was so uninspired and de-motivated. When I learned I had brea... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322657 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:02:43 +0100 4322657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259133&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcan-you-afford-to-find-out-if-you-are-at-high-risk-for-breast-cancer%2F Let’s face it: Women who test positive for either of the genetic mutations for breast cancer have an unenviable disadvantage. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer risk among the general population is about 12 percent, while about 60 percent of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 will develop breast cancer — that’s five times the risk. Also, the average age for the general population to develop breast cancer is 60, yet the average age of onset in those with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer is in the 40s. If you are in one of these groups, you need to know it. Genetic testing is the only way to determine if you are in either of these high-risk groups. I am a huge advocate for testing since it saved Sister’s life; she had an early hysterectomy that discovered s... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259133 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:16:56 +0100 4259133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4163027&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-you-either-get-it-or-you-dont%2F I can’t remember what it felt like to have real breasts. Even though I am thrilled with the results of my recent breast reconstruction revisions, I am questioning if I will ever be truly a whole woman again. I just don’t feel normal — I feel like a breast cancer survivor — and putting a new set of breasts on my chest doesn’t make me feel like I used to. If anything, I feel even less normal. To be honest, I don’t usually think this way. These sentiments are all coming out of an experience I had a couple of days ago. I made the mistake of explaining the DIEP flap surgery I had to reconstruct my breasts to a woman that had never been through breast cancer. I have always been excited about the procedure and the results from the surgery that took my excess tummy fat and made a pair ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4163027 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:48:52 +0100 4163027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152174&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fmore-thoughts-on-anniversaries.html Last night I went to a volunteer meeting for the local American Cancer Society Relay For Life in town. I learned a new word - voluntold. When one is a volunteer, their spouse or family member is often a voluntold. I told my husband this last night and his response was 'well at least there is a word for it'. While at the meeting last night, one person was there and she said it was her 15th cancerversary - 15 year since she was diagnosed, 15 years of cancer free. She had a first date with a new guy and was going out to celebrate after the meeting.I started thinking about this. Next August would be 30 years since my first diagnosis but next May is 4 years since my second. So do I have to start counting all over at 4? Or since they were two different cancers, can I say 30 and 4? This befuddles... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152174 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:31:00 +0100 4152174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105941&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=4082089&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-look-at-breast-cancer-via-nasa%2F2010.10.19 James C. Tilton, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, for some years now has been working on new image enhancement software to help automatically analyze satellite data of the Earth. Hierarchical Segmentation Software (HSEG), as the tool is called, identifies relatively homogeneous areas of an image and highlights them. Our eyes and brains are pretty good at image analysis, but large dense maps can be quite a challenge. Although originally designed for aerial cartography, the first commercial use of the software came in the form of a mammogram enhancement and analysis system. The lakes of northern Wisconsin (top) are very much like dense breast tissue (side) to a NASA scientist it turns out, and porting over the code and optimizing it led to the MED-SEG™ system from B... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082089 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:00:22 +0100 4082089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045291&cid=t_170471_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=3987201&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchest-x-rays-are-an-important-test-for-breast-cancer-survivors%2F Last week I had a chest X-ray. It is just in time because I see my oncologist this upcoming week, and she has been asking me to get one for almost 2 years. Regular chest X-rays are a part of staying vigilant after battling breast cancer. I have found some information that suggests that 60 to 70 percent of deaths from breast cancer are because the cancer metastasized to the lungs. This is too scary for me. I don’t like to think about breast cancer spreading to other organs in my body. I know, of course, that it is possible, even though I have already taken precautions, like removing my ovaries and the prophylactic mastectomy of my healthy breast. When cancer was diagnosed in my right breast, however, it had already spread to the lymph nodes. That is why early detection is so important —... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987201 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:03:13 +0100 3987201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980976&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcelebrate-the-story-of-your-breast-cancer-warrior%2F When I got my breast cancer diagnosis, my biggest fear was dying from cancer and not getting an opportunity to make an impact in this world. I didn’t suddenly want to be rich or famous, but I wanted to make sure that I had touched lives. What would be my legacy? How would people remember me? I thought about the shoeboxes of collected memories under my bed, and the neatly stacked file folders with interesting projects I wanted to start — would there be time, and would those memories matter to anyone else? Six years later, I have had time to put my memories on the wall and share them with my family and friends. I have been able to put my projects in perspective, and I am embarking on a new mission to get a second bachelor’s degree, this one in nursing, so I can truly be of some val... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980976 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:45:07 +0100 3980976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3890477&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftreatment-for-throat-cancer-inspiration-for-michael-douglas%2F2010.08.21 There’s news that Hollywood star Michael Douglas, 65, is undergoing treatment for throat cancer. Reporters say his doctors say he is expected to make a full recovery. But, believe me — when someone is diagnosed with any kind of head and neck cancer, as this is, it’s not an easy go. My first encounter with it was with my friend Bob Moore, a former sales rep for a major pharmaceutical company. He was a positive, yet realistic guy. The disease and the toxic treatment a few years ago eventually took its toll and he passed on. My dear friend Mike Piller, famous as writer and co-executive producer of the Star Trek television series, had a similar diagnosis. He did his research and traveled to the best centers. Surgery and radiation took away part of his jaw and his ability to taste... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3890477 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:00:30 +0100 3890477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885512&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-good-stuff-can-outshine-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F There is a Bible book in the Old Testament called Job, which tells the story of a man who had everything in life. Job was a well-respected and good person who was prosperous and had a big family. But when God allowed Satan to test Job, he lost everything, including his children. While he was sitting forlorn and discouraged, his wife — who I assume was just as adversely affected by all the loss — told him to curse God and die. I don’t blame her for her sentiment at the time. Job, however, resisted all urges to turn on God and refused to give up his faith. In the end, God restored everything to Job and more. Lately I have heard more than one person give themselves the name of Job. We are all tempted to see our particular hardship as the worst thing that could happen to anyone. A woman ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885512 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:45:18 +0100 3885512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823117&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=3816668&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fguest-blogger-suzy%2F The following may come as a bit of a shock to the media. Brace yourselves, this is pretty controversial stuff. Ready? Here it is: not all women are fertile. Not all women have ovaries or even a womb. Apparently they’re still women. I think I am (a woman that is) but I no longer have any reproductive organs and so I’ve already lost a big part of my feminine identity. I will never experience what it’s like to give birth. I’m not alone. I’ve read countless accounts of women who were struck down with ovarian cancer and the very small percentage of women who were lucky enough to survive, for the most part already had at least one child. Of course it’s heartbreaking not to be able to have any more if that’s what you wish, but life is crueller for those w... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816668 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:35:27 +0100 3816668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790884&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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_170471_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_170471_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=3699665&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhy-does-god-allow-breast-cancer%2F As a little girl, somehow I got the impression that God was watching everything I did and would clobber me for any bad behavior. I am sure this came from a mother who wanted to instill the fear of God in me — and it worked. But in my early twenties, I developed my own relationship and understanding of God that has only grown deeper as I get older. For me, now, He is a loving father. Like many people who are diagnosed with cancer, I turned to God with questions and prayers after my breast cancer diagnosis. I didn’t think God gave me cancer, but I knew He somehow had allowed it in my life. I was comforted knowing that He would be with me through my battle against the disease. I was also convinced that He had a plan and a purpose for me to go through this trial. I know there are many who ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699665 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:32:33 +0100 3699665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699678&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fallow-me-to-edit-this-article.html Here's a article that I wish I had three years ago, After cancer Diagnosis, What Comes Next? But I would like to edit it a bit as I think it is missing a few things:1. Get basic information about your cancer - they missed one of the most user friendly sites - American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org. If you google your type of cancer you will probably be able to find information on it. Be leery of any sight with medical information which ends in .com, .net, or .biz - they are trying to sell you something.2. Pick a doctor - If you know anyone who has had the same cancer, ask them. Get a local referral. But also stick within your comfort zone. If you like your doctor, fine dont worry about it. If you want a second opinion, feel free to get one, but also to go back to your first doctor for t... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699678 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:06:00 +0100 3699678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691053&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdid-god-give-you-breast-cancer-2%2F As a little girl, somehow I got the impression that God was watching everything I did and would clobber me for any bad behavior. I am sure this came from a mother who wanted to instill the fear of God in me — and it worked. But in my early twenties, I developed my own relationship and understanding of God that has only grown deeper as I get older. For me, now, He is a loving father. Like many people who are diagnosed with cancer, I turned to God with questions and prayers after my breast cancer diagnosis. I didn’t think God gave me cancer, but I knew He somehow had allowed it in my life. I was comforted knowing that He would be with me through my battle against the disease. I was also convinced that He had a plan and a purpose for me to go through this trial. I know there are many who ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691053 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:36:40 +0100 3691053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671969&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsupport-for-the-breast-cancer-survivors-who-inspire-us%2F When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it affects her home, her family, and her community. I am so grateful when I hear of organizations that benefit and support women in their fight against breast cancer. Often it is survivors themselves who start these groups that support breast cancer awareness and the needs of patients. In addition, I am inspired by the survivors in our communities and workplaces — by their tenacity and indomitable spirit — but mostly by their concern for others who also battle the disease. Today, I am grateful for a corporate initiative through Bright Starts to reward and support these inspirational survivors. Each year, Bright Starts honors and rewards eight women for their inspirational fight against breast cancer. Not only have these women persevered, th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671969 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:26:51 +0100 3671969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625729&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-a-breast-cancer-vaccine-on-the-horizon%2F The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio is vaccinating mice against breast cancer — and they are seeing some very promising results. This means that there may be a breast cancer vaccine in the foreseeable future; this is too wonderful to even hope for. The scientists working on the vaccine were able to prevent tumors from growing, but were also able to reduce the size of already growing tumors. They were able to target a protein found in most breast cancers and use it in the vaccine. Dr. Vincent Tuohy, an immunologist and the lead scientist, suggests that human studies could begin as early as next year. It will be a long process to work through FDA requirements and raise the funding for further studies in humans, but this is so promising. Dr. Tuohy was inspired by the vaccines that protect children... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625729 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:37:07 +0100 3625729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3617836&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffor-cancer-survivors-yoga-may-ease-sleeplessness-and-fatigue%2F2010.06.01 People who’ve been diagnosed cancer can be heartened by the results of a study that will be presented June 5 at the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting. The researchers found that the practice of yoga helped cancer survivors improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue. The lead researcher, Dr. Karen Mustian, professor of Radiation Oncology and Community and Preventive Medicine at the University of Rochester in New York,  followed 410 patients who had already completed treatment for cancer but who experienced sleep disturbance that required medication. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3617836 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3617836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3610477&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcelebrating-breast-cancer-survival-on-memorial-day%2F This Memorial Day weekend is a good time to celebrate surviving breast cancer. It marks the start of another great summer season that usually involves holidays and fun, and it is already a day off from work and the daily routine. Why Memorial Day? My thought was that since I may not be successful if I launch a campaign to create a national holiday to celebrate cancer survival, maybe I should just claim a ready-made national holiday. This led me to conclude that Memorial Day is probably the best choice. It isn’t a stressful holiday where you have to wrap presents or entertain for days, family often gathers, and there is plenty of food and fun — not to mention fireworks. In fact, it is the fireworks that have me sold on Memorial Day as the best choice for a national day to celeb... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3610477 Fri, 28 May 2010 16:17:49 +0100 3610477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3589017&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-survivors-can-donate-blood%2F I have been under the completely mistaken assumption that breast cancer survivors can’t be blood donors. Somewhere, I heard that if you had been diagnosed with cancer and then also had chemotherapy, you were not eligible to give blood. I think about giving blood often and urge family members and friends to give. I have often wished that I could contribute to blood banks and drives, but truly believed that having had breast cancer eliminated me. Yesterday I decided I really didn’t know for sure and that I should look into it. On its list of eligibility requirements for blood donation, the American Red Cross states that people diagnosed with cancer can donate if the cancer was treated successfully and at least 12 months have passed with no cancer recurrence. This is a change from their p... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3589017 Fri, 21 May 2010 21:09:01 +0100 3589017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573894&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-resource-to-help-understand-health-care-reform%2F With the final outcome of health-care reform being signed into law by President Obama a few months ago, many believe the deed is done. But many others, like me, think the journey for more accessible health care for Americans has just begun. Either way, most of us are still trying to understand just what has been gained through reform that did make it into law. As breast cancer patients and survivors, we especially know how important it is to understand our health care and what is available to us and our families. I have been perusing several resources to clarify the changes to health care and the benefits to the American people. The ones that have helped me the most are the April 5, 2010 issue of Time, the May 2010 issue of Money, and a new book written by the staff of the Washington Post:... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573894 Mon, 17 May 2010 16:39:38 +0100 3573894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3566781&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freducing-my-breast-cancer-risk-through-exercise%2F The American Cancer Society recommends that adults get at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week to reduce the risk of developing cancer. They also tout the benefits of exercise to survivors of estrogen-positive breast cancer. Exercise is known to lower estrogen production, and it works for both post- and premenopausal women. With this in mind, I try to achieve the 30-minute goal each day by walking my Jack Russell terrier, Dixie. She is 9 years old and loves to sleep in, but boy does she love her walks. I also call it strength conditioning — she pulls so strongly on the leash that it is a real workout for me. Lately I have been considering adding a quick workout at the gym three times a week to my schedule. This will help me with the cancer risk, but I have to admit it is all ab... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3566781 Fri, 14 May 2010 19:22:08 +0100 3566781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560443&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsomething-is-missing-from-my-reconstructed-breasts%2F A breast without a nipple is like a car without an engine — it is beautiful to look at but you can’t turn it on! I miss my real nipples. Talking to several women at the BRCA conference I attended in Toronto, many of them had the same lament. Regardless of the reconstructive procedure, we all miss the sensation we used to get from our nipples. I can’t conjure up that same feeling, and I have to honestly say sex is not the same. It is still great, don’t get me wrong, but that special effect that came from sensitive breasts is — well, regretfully gone. I have tried to view all the new changes to my body and psyche that came from breast cancer with curiosity. It compels me to research and study the effects of surgery and the drugs on my body and mind. I find it interesting ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560443 Wed, 12 May 2010 19:14:34 +0100 3560443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552507&cid=t_170471_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=3545592&cid=t_170471_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=3538357&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-claims-georgy-girl-lynn-redgrave%2F This winter I wore a helmet while skiing. I was encouraged to do this because of the death last year of the beautiful actress Natasha Richardson. While taking ski lessons with her son at a resort in Montreal, she fell on the bunny hill and bumped her head; she died later from the effects of that bump. Richardson seemed so trim and in shape — I figured that it was just as easy for me to have a ski accident, since I am not so trim and in shape, and I’m a relatively new skier to boot. I thought of her a few times when I wore my helmet. My husband said I had the jazziest helmet on the hill, but that was probably because kids were the only other ones who were wearing helmets. Natasha Richardson was a member of the famous Redgrave family of actors, which included her mother Vanessa and ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538357 Wed, 05 May 2010 19:58:55 +0100 3538357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3529967&cid=t_170471_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=3515578&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fstaying-abreast-of-better-health-practices%2F Steven Narod, MD, is a foremost authority on BRCA cancers. I met him after my genetics team at the University of Michigan referred Sister to him in Canada. Dr. Narod is affiliated with the Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto and is what you would expect from a passionate researcher — quirky and optimistic. Sister has been proactive about her diagnosis and is involved in a study in Canada where she is tested twice yearly; she receives a mammogram in January and an MRI in May. Her goal is to keep her breasts, and aggressive monitoring will identify any sign of a breast tumor early. She also stays abreast (pun intended) of continuing research and findings regarding genetic breast cancers. A hysterectomy two years ago reduced Sister’s risk of both breast cancer and ovarian canc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515578 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:35:30 +0100 3515578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508394&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhos-really-controlling-your-health-care%2F For the past year I have been debating health-care reform on the national front at Washingtonpost.com. People in America have been so concerned about big government takeover of health care that their fears have played right into the hands of big business. The practice of targeting and cancelling policies of people diagnosed with serious and chronic illness is well documented. Last week the news agency Reuters reported that WellPoint, the country’s largest insurance agency with nearly 34 million policyholders, had cancelled the policies of at least two women diagnosed with breast cancer [Editor’s note: WellPoint has issued a statement denying these allegations]. This isn’t new — breast cancer is expensive to treat and easy to profile, so insurers know what groups of people are most ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508394 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:30:19 +0100 3508394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494506&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmy-hair-is-back-and-so-is-my-vanity%2F Finally! After five years, my hair is back to where it was before I was diagnosed with breast cancer. When my hair first started growing back after chemotherapy, it was completely different than what I was expecting. It was dark and curly, and the texture was thicker than my ”real” hair. I didn’t mind it much, mostly because I was so grateful not to be bald anymore. It was also a novelty to have short, dark, curly hair when most of my adult life I had shoulder-length, blond, straight shiny hair. As my hair continued to grow, it lost the curliness and I had long wavy brown hair — this was a novelty for me too. I actually felt like a sexy, sultry brunette. What I didn’t feel was like myself. For a few years, I struggled with my appearance. I liked how I looked as a brunette, bu... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494506 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:06:34 +0100 3494506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3472003&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffiber-does-good-things-for-my-family%2F Fiber is big news in nutrition. Every time I look into eating better and ways to improve my health or lose weight, I find another article on fiber — and I’ve gotten a lot of great information right here on EverydayHealth.com. Lately I have been looking into claims that increasing fiber in your diet can reduce the risk of colon cancer and even other cancers, including breast cancer. I can’t confirm these claims with what I have learned so far, but I can’t imagine that it would hurt. The one thing that I can tell you for sure is that fiber has done great things for my family. My boys have grown up with whole-wheat bread in our house, and in the past few years, I have bought only cereal, crackers, and baked goods made from 100% whole-wheat flour. My husband got on the fiber b... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3472003 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:34:23 +0100 3472003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3463795&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-is-the-winning-story-at-the-masters-tournament%2F In May 2009, Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has been battling the disease for the past 11 months and has been bedridden for much of that time. Amy is a mother of three children and the wife of Phil Mickelson, the winner of the 2010 Masters golf tournament. Like many people, I tuned in to watch the Masters this past weekend because Tiger Woods was playing. I am not a huge fan of Tiger’s, but like a lot of people I was disappointed when I learned of his lapse in character and integrity over the past years. I am hoping for his family’s sake that Tiger can get his career and personal commitments back on track, so I tuned in hoping to see him do well. I can relate to his wife, Elin Nordegren, since I was betrayed by my first husband in a similar way. For obvious reasons... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3463795 Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:56:58 +0100 3463795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3456849&cid=t_170471_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=3448808&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2010%2F04%2F08%2Fmartina-navratilova-diagnosed-with-cancer%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Celebrity cancer diagnosisMartina Navratilova, the legendary tennis star with 18 Grand Slams singles titles, announced Wednesday on "Good Morning America" that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The 53-year-old tennis champion told People magazine that a routine mammogram revealed a cluster in her left breast. When the February biopsy came back, she cried. "It knocked me on my ass, really," she told the magazine. "I feel so in control of my life and my body, and then this comes, and it's completely out of my hands." Reports say that Navratilova has had a lumpectomy and will begin six weeks of radiation therapy in May. Navratilova's cancer, which is called ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS, strikes almost 70,000 American women annually and accounts for abou... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448808 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3448808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3449091&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=3429404&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnot-just-happy-to-be-alive-after-breast-cancer%2F Every time I reach for chocolate or order french fries, I am reminded that I need to be more vigilant about my health. When I do give in to temptation (which is pretty often), I feel guilty. Which brings up my next thought: Why do we feel guilty about doing something for ourselves that makes us feel good? I know the answer is that we should feel more compelled to make the best choices for ourselves, even if they don’t make us feel great at the time. But let’s face it — the occasional indulgence is good for the soul. Last week’s report from Europe on breast cancer being avoidable through diet and exercise does not help my case. It reawakens all the guilt many of us feel over getting breast cancer in the first place and all the questions we ask ourselves about what we may ha... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429404 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:56:22 +0100 3429404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420717&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-and-my-unique-security-problem%2F I travel across the border between Canada and Michigan almost once a month to visit my family in Ontario. Thanks to breast cancer, I have an interesting problem — I have three pieces of ID that I use, each with a picture of me sporting a different hairdo and hair color. In this age of increased scrutiny and tighter border security, having this distinction is not a good thing. Several times I have had border officers look at my passport, then my permanent resident card (”green card”), and after noticing that I am blonde in one and brunette in another, ask for a third piece of ID. It doesn’t help that I then give them my driver’s license, which shows me with a third hair color. This happened because I got my driver’s license when I was wearing a wig during treatment for b... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420717 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:39:52 +0100 3420717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3404094&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=3362542&cid=t_170471_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=3327250&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbattling-breast-cancer-with-memories%2F Cancer is a family affair. One life may be affected but all lives are disrupted. When you talk to someone who had a mother or sister or wife or daughter that battled breast cancer, it is plain that they felt the pain of that diagnosis and the fear of loss. It is at those times a family needs to remember all the happy days they had. I think of all the happy days in my family’s life and am grateful that they outweigh the cancer days. Making memories becomes so important for those of us that survive cancer and realize how much those happy days we created before the diagnosis meant to us during the battle. I think this is what is fueling my need for family pictures all over the house. For the past three months I have been buying frames and photo books and even have one wall in the hallw... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3327250 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:34:14 +0100 3327250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3314773&cid=t_170471_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=3306805&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fcoping-after-cancer-diagnosis%2F Filed under: All CancersThere's no easy way to deal with hearing the words, "You have cancer." They're life changing. But, doctors will tell you that there are simple ways to make coping easier. Based on the Mayo Clinic's 11 Tips to Cope with Your Diagnosis, here are the top ways to get from newly diagnosed to survivor. Get Information: Find out everything you can about your cancer diagnosis. If your brain is foggy or you're still reeling, bring a family member or friend with you. Take notes and refer back to them often. Communicate with your loved ones: Talk to your friends and family about how you're feeling. You may feel like you need to put on a strong front for your children, but you must make sure you have a support system in place. If your friends want tips on how to help, but yo... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3306805 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3306805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290967&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=3189351&cid=t_170471_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=3105248&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmemorials-to-the-battle-with-breast-cancer%2F Almost all breast cancer survivors can remember where they were, the day and the time when they heard the words “you have breast cancer.” Lately I haven’t thought about this very much, but the other day I drove by the building that housed the clinic where my doctor was, and where I was the day she told me I had breast cancer. But, this is Michigan and now that building like many others here is empty and for lease. That morning, (the one when I heard “those” words) I dropped my husband off at the airport which is only about three miles from the doctor’s office. He had to take a flight at 11:00 and my doctor’s appointment was at the same time. He had to be away for work and though he wanted to be at my appointment I made it clear he needed to go and that I would be ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3105248 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:52:13 +0100 3105248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3012585&cid=t_170471_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=2927526&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fconnecting-women-to-breast-cancer-trials%2F I am continually amazed at the power people have – regular people like you and me – to affect the battle against breast cancer. Recently a wonderful organization and Web site was brought to my attention. BreastCancerTrials.org is a non-profit organization that was started by two women just like us that had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Joan Schreiner experienced how difficult it was to find a trial that could help her battle with the disease and envisioned a service that could help others find trials and research studies that could benefit them. Joanne Tyler shared her vision and together these women found sponsors to help them build an organization and develop the Web site. They came up with a wonderful Web site that is interactive and user friendly. It allows you to post your in... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927526 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:18:06 +0100 2927526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920446&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=2886685&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhope-never-dies%2F We celebrated the arrival of my niece’s daughter into the world this weekend. Sister and I have 5 kids between us and the youngest is The Big Guy (my son) at eighteen. It has been eighteen years since the birth of the last baby in our family. This is pretty exciting. It is made more exciting by the fact that as a childhood leukemia survivor, Nicole my niece, was told she may never have children. The birth of this little girl is a reminder that hope is alive. I think of all the women who face a breast cancer diagnosis with real hope. We hope it hasn’t spread. We hope treatment will arrest it. We hope we have beaten it once and for all. Our hope is real and it sustains us. I think too of those who hoped to survive breast cancer and didn’t. I am awed that even then hope neve... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886685 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:08:36 +0100 2886685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2879758&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbig-pink-bus-battles-breast-cancer%2F Because of my blog a lot of people contact me to tell me about their efforts to promote breast cancer awareness or other initiatives to battle breast cancer. Actually most of them are worthwhile. I am always amazed by the devotion and dedication people have in helping others. I am even more amazed when I hear about a story like the one that was on my local news today. A woman in her 40’s was diagnosed with breast cancer just after leaving her job. She had no health care and no income. She actually did some research to look for a place she could go to die; there was no way that she was going to be able to afford treatment. With a little help from her local cancer society, she found a program that treated women with cervical or breast cancer that had no health insurance, it saved her l... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2879758 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:39:52 +0100 2879758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865882&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-nfl-goes-pink-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month%2F Number 10 on the Pittsberg Steelers football team wore pink cleats during Sunday night Football so did the quarterback, Ben Rothlesberger. Some of the players on other teams wore pink shoes today too. Coaches on the sidelines had baseball caps with pink beaks. Many players in the NFL wore pink gloves and pink arm bands and used pink towels on the bench. A couple of players even had pink socks on, but they all had a pink ribbon on their helmet. NBC went as far as to post tag lines on the television screen in pink while commentators of most networks broadcasting games wore pink ties. The NFL went pink this weekend for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Big bruising basher football players looking mighty pretty in pink. Some of them did it for their moms, some for their girlfriends or wives but a... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865882 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:22:02 +0100 2865882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2857563&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbra-shopping-after-breast-cancer-isnt-the-same%2F My favorite bra is black. It’s not my favorite because it’s black or because it has lace or anything like that, it is because I like the way it makes my breasts feel and look in my sweaters. I couldn’t find that bra in another color, so my favorite bra is black. I got my first bra when I was 12 years old, long before I needed one, and ever since I thought bras were so pretty. I loved shopping for lingerie and especially looking at the varieties of colors and styles of bras. Buying intimate apparel used to be a real favorite excursion. Now shopping for lingerie and especially bras is something I avoid. I didn’t realize that until I thought about the fact that my favorite bra is black and that I should look for another one. Then it occurred to me that I wasn’t t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2857563 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:07:39 +0100 2857563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834445&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fseventeenth-century-women-and-breast-cancer%2F Several years ago I visited the Detroit Art Institute. It was a date with my husband when he was still my boyfriend, even before he was my fiancee. My husband made a great boyfriend. This visit to the museum made a real impact on me for a number of reasons, for one it was the first time I saw an original Van Gogh. I’ll never forget however the group of teenage girls touring the institute with an older woman whom I assumed was their teacher. They were in the room of renaissance paintings which had a beautiful almost life size portrait of a nude woman reclining on a chaise. The portrait was stunning and so was the woman. Women of that time, in paintings anyway, were usually depicted, like her, full figured with round tummies and full firm breasts. The teacher of the group of girls ruin... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834445 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:25:39 +0100 2834445 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828432&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fgenetic-testing-for-cancer-could-save-your-life%2F I think it is great that there are Web sites and organizations dedicated to making everyone aware of the genetic risk for breast cancer. Being aware is not enough though. People need access to the test. Unfortunately many insurance companies have stringent rules as to who gets tested. At over $3,000.00 a pop I’m sure they’re just trying to save a little money; they are a business after all. And, at over $3,000.00 a pop, most people who are denied the test by their insurance carrier or don’t have insurance coverage can’t afford it. This is sad, this test can save lives, in fact, this test can save a whole family. It made the difference for my family. I tested positive, which got Sister to get the test, when she tested positive her oldest daughter Nicole got the test.... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828432 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:14:17 +0100 2828432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820557&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=2778655&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-wall-of-honor-post-your-thoughts-and-memorials-here%2F Beneath every breast cancer diagnosis is a beating courageous heart. Breast cancer has proven it does not discriminate based on race, class, intelligence, beauty or even gender. It strikes at our home, our community and doesn’t spare our loved ones. Whether ourselves, a friend, a colleague or family member, we feel the heartache and pain that comes with the disease. As often as breast cancer wields its hideous reality in someone’s life, just as often that person rises to the challenge and inspires us beyond the heartache. There are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in America. Women who have fought the good fight and have won. There are precious souls too who have fought the battle and have lost but they are no less special in the memories of those who loved them. In tru... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778655 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:08:21 +0100 2778655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2758066&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fted-kennedy-another-casualty-of-the-war-on-cancer%2F This past August has proven to be the deadliest month in the entire war in Afghanistan, but still there is no comparison to the casualties from another war that America has been fighting for almost 40 years; the war on cancer. Since 1971 when president Nixon declared war on cancer we have seen better and more effective treatments, we have seen less people dying from the disease and others living longer than was initially expected. What we have not seen is a cure. We have even forgotten that we are still at war. We lost a champion for universal health care and a man who worked to initiate the war on cancer when Senator Ted Kennedy died last week. He especially understood how this war was continuing to rage and found himself in the midst of battle when he was diagnosed with an incurable brai... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2758066 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:38:04 +0100 2758066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2725221&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fgenetic-counseling-and-its-influence-on-breast-cancer-decisions%2F Genetic counseling was a choice I made.  I decided to have genetic counseling to determine if I had a genetic predisposition to breast cancer; it was in conjunction with my decision to have reconstructive surgery. My oncologist and I were discussing the options available to reconstruct the breast that had been removed. After having a breast cancer diagnosis I had questions as to whether I should consider prophylactic removal of my other breast to reduce the risk of breast cancer in my remaining breast. He was aware of the other cancers in my family and so suggested that genetic counseling could help me determine the risk for another breast cancer diagnosis. Testing positive for the BRCA II gene mutation created new issues. How my sister would be affected, her girls and my children was the... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2725221 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:46:29 +0100 2725221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709090&cid=t_170471_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F18%2Farchives-of-surgery-2009-vol-144-no-7%2F contents page Fade Fave: Accuracy of Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy for Predicting Neoplasm or Carcinoma in Thyroid Nodules 4 cm or Larger Fade Skinny: In patients with thyroid nodules 4 cm or larger, the fine-needle aspiration biopsy results are highly inaccurate, misclassifying half of all patients with reportedly benign lesions. Furthermore, those patients with a nondiagnostic fine-needle aspiration biopsy result display a high risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Article recommends that diagnostic lobectomy be strongly considered in patients with thyroid nodules 4 cm or larger regardless of fine-needle aspiration biopsy cytologic test results. (NHS Athens is required to access this article online) Posted in Access from Home, Access from Work, Access in the Library, Athens Password... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709090 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:44:11 +0100 2709090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2699856&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-anticipation-of-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F This past weekend we invited my in-laws for Sunday dinner. I have the best mother and father-in law in the world. I love them dearly and hadn’t seen them since my father-in-law’s 90th birthday at the end of June. When their expected time of arrival passed and we didn’t hear from them I started to worry. After they appeared to be more than a half hour late I was really concerned. When they finally showed up at the door over an hour and a half past when I expected them, I was so relieved. Turns out they were delayed by construction and traffic which I hadn’t expected on a Sunday. The afternoon went terrifically and we had a great time with them as usual. Waiting with concerned anticipation before they showed reminded me of all the times I waited with  the same antici... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2699856 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:14:58 +0100 2699856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630337&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fexplaining-hereditary-cancer-to-your-children%2F Yesterday my youngest son, “The Big Guy,” asked me if the cancer I had ran in the family. He is only 18 so we have not alarmed him about the possibility that he could test positive for the BRCA 2 gene mutation for breast cancer. Since Sister and I inherited it from my Dad, there is the possibility that my future grandchildren can inherit it from my sons. My niece Nicole tested positive and is expecting her first child, her younger sister refuses to get tested. I hadn’t expected the question, so I answered as best I could telling him that as he gets older we will get him tested and I would like to start him on a vitamin regime to ensure he has a strong immune system. He could develop prostate or breast cancer if he is predisposed with the gene mutation. It reminds me why w... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630337 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:16:34 +0100 2630337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2614045&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-isnt-always-just-about-you%2F When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, I was newly married and had just relocated to a new country. My mother was battling lung cancer and my eldest son was going through intense issues of his own. My having breast cancer just made everyone mad. My mother was mad because I couldn’t be there for her, my youngest son was mad because I couldn’t spend time with him like he needed to get used to his new home. My eldest son was mad because that was his thing at the time and my husband was just mad. It seemed that breast cancer wasn’t about me, it was about how it affected their lives. Today it is evident that my family is still rebuilding after the cancer bomb. My youngest son is still a little resentful of time missed with mom and my husband needs extra attention. My... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2614045 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:25:04 +0100 2614045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606193&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-power-of-hope-to-fight-breast-cancer%2F When you are given a breast cancer diagnosis you immediately realize that your world has been changed. The one thing that gives us the power to go on is hope. We hope that the cancer was caught early. We hope that the doctor will get all the cancer when he does the surgery and we hope that the cancer hasn’t spread. Hope is a powerful thing. It keeps us searching for answers and fixes our eyes on the future. Hope is the seed that faith grows on. Faith is believing that we have what we hope for. Faith is unshakable trust in the outcome, but faith doesn’t grow without hope. A lot of people that get depressed during treatment have given up hope. The sick feelings and drudgery of chemotherapy and radiation can have that effect. That is when we need support from other people. Finding... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606193 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:59:06 +0100 2606193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584364&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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_170471_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=2512828&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freaching-milestones-after-breast-cancer%2F Another significant milestone in my life has been reached. Last Friday I had my 50th birthday! I share my birthday with my husband, who is a couple of years older, but having been born on the same day assures me that he won’t ever forget it. For breast cancer survivors decade birthdays like this one really do mean something, we cherish each year after our diagnosis and generally don’t take them for granted. To mark my new decade I have finally decided on staying blonde and will soon have a new picture on my blog to show the new (and older) me. My updated photo I don’t feel any different than I did last year and last year I didn’t feel like I was as old as 49. Women have come a long way and I think we age a lot different than our mothers did. I do have to admit though that my mom h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512828 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:50:32 +0100 2512828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2474084&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-pat-on-the-back-for-breast-cancer-survivors%2F Wow! What a whirlwind time for me. The Big Guy just went thorough his graduation week. It started May 29 with his prom. He had a date and wore a white tuxedo. Then he had the honors convocation where he got to wear a satin striped collar, white cord and white tassel instead of the school colors. We credit Bobby his stepdad with getting him to study and ultimately graduate with honors, I am one of those moms that is charmed with crayons and construction paper so not a big help in pushing for better grades. Then he had an athletic banquet where he was awarded all area first team for discus throwing. On Saturday we sat through the pomp and ceremony of the main convocation where again he wore the white tassel and special get-up and finally finished the whole shebang with a graduation celebrati... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2474084 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:05:11 +0100 2474084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442582&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freactions-to-cancer-and-focusing-on-a-cure%2F Cancer grows in healthy bodies. That is why it sometimes takes a long time before it is found. Cancer cells can be hiding and waiting to blossom and we don’t even know it. I didn’t smoke or drink and I got plenty of sleep and tried to eat healthy. I buckled my seat belt when I was in a car as a passenger or driver and took vitamins. Cancer had no right choosing my body.  Some of us feel that way and others berate themselves for not being more mindful of how they were treating their bodies. Either way, cancer is like a terrorist working its insidious devious plan while we go about our lives unaware. We know that keeping our weight down helps reduce the risk for breast cancer. We know that eating less meat and avoiding alcohol also helps reduce our risk. Outside of that, we don’t know... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442582 Wed, 20 May 2009 18:53:09 +0100 2442582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442583&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=2376459&cid=t_170471_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Foral-cancer-awareness%2F Over the past few years, we’ve seen ViziLite, then VELscope, hit the market. Dr. Joe Blaes publicized the importance of oral cancer screening and patient education last year through his editor’s articles in Dental Economics . OralCancerFoundation.org tells us some striking statistics that make oral cancer seem like a significant problem. Over 30K people are diagnosed annually, and 7500 die. Even with increased awareness, early detection, and publicity, the mortality and incidence rates for oral cancer have not decreased. Now the ADA and CDCP are stepping up their game. Earlier this month, a panel conveniened to discuss how to provide dentists with the best evidience on oral cancer screenings.  Read about the panel here. (Source: dental blog for dentists about dentistry) dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376459 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:12:58 +0100 2376459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349546&cid=t_170471_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=2367360&cid=t_170471_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F15%2Fadvanced-breast-cancer-diagnosis-and-treatment%2F Title: Advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and treatment Source: NICE The Skinny: Updates and replaces NICE technology appraisal guidance 62 (published May 2003), 54 (published December 2002) and 30 (published September 2001). The advice in the NICE guideline describes the tests, treatment, care and support that patients with advanced breast cancer should be offered. It does not specifically describe the care of patients with early breast cancer or those with rare or non-cancerous tumours of the breast. Documents For healthcare professionals: CG81 Advanced breast cancer: NICE guideline (26p, 222.55 Kb) CG81 Advanced breast cancer: NICE guideline (MS Word format) (26p, 586 Kb) CG81 Advanced breast cancer: full guideline (122p, 3.03 Mb) CG81 Advanced breast cancer: quick reference guide (14p... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2367360 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:34:41 +0100 2367360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349547&cid=t_170471_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=2326675&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmichelle-obama%25e2%2580%2599s-gaffe-teaches-us-to-extend-grace%2F I love the story about a European Queen that invited the horticultural society to a luncheon. Because her gardener had worked so hard in creating a beautiful royal garden, the queen also invited him to join them. Everyone showed up in finery and jewels while the gardener who wore his best was obviously ill dressed for the occasion. As they sat down at the table a tiny bowl with warm water and a slice of lemon was placed beside each plate. With calloused and dirt stained hands the gardener immediately grasped the bowl and started to drink from it. Everyone gasped and a few snickered when they realized that he had drank from the finger bowl provided to wash their hands between courses. The queen in order to cover the embarrassment of the gardener also picked up her bowl with both hands and d... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326675 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:24:17 +0100 2326675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326676&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=2299186&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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_170471_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_170471_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=2260472&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbarbie-and-the-breast%2F Barbie turns 50 this week. I think we all know who she is. I got my first Barbie Doll when I was 5 years old. I played with Barbies until I was 12, I even learned to sew by making outfits for her. At least I don’t have to search very far to determine the source of  the misguided self image I grew up with. I thought to be beautiful you had to have long legs, a tiny waist, no rear and big breasts. Imagine how many young women suffered brain damage trying to morph into a doll that was created in a toy factory. Now we learn that she was modeled after a German sex doll – go figure. Truthfully though, breasts are beautiful. I never thought of mine that way until after I had two children. I was one of those women whose breasts got better after childbirth, not worse. I went from an A cup to a... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260472 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:41:23 +0100 2260472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260473&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffear-of-breast-cancer-and-the-courage-to-fight-it%2F I was in Virginia this past week on a ski vacation and somehow ended up at the top of the longest and most difficult hill for my first run. The bright orange signs lining the entrance to the ski lift that said “experts only” should have been my first clue. I am not an overconfident skier, I am a beginner. My husband however who has extensive experience skiing thought that my overcautious approach and slower pace would allow me to handle this ski hill just fine. Once I got to the top of the hill, I learned quickly the difference between being fearless and being courageous. I had to get to the bottom of the hill, but it wasn’t going to be without great fear and trepidation. I was courageous enough however to suck it up and show great spirit in taking the initiative to get down. I later... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260473 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:10:09 +0100 2260473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260479&cid=t_170471_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=2129416&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=2098166&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fyoure-invited-to-my-funeral%2F   When my mother would get mad at someone she would make a point of telling me that that person was not allowed to come to her funeral. As hilarious as this sounds, I being the dutiful and co-dependant daughter would always nod in support. Clearly this is not something that I would have to enforce to please my mother at that point. I don’t know of anyone who has not thought about their mortality after a breast cancer diagnosis. For me, it led to thinking about the funeral and that lead to my issue.When I was diagnosed, I was newly married and just moved to Michigan. A divorce a few years previous had separated me from longtime friends and associates. So my dilemma was that I was newly diagnosed with breast cancer realizing that very few people would attend my funeral if it came to t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098166 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:13:57 +0100 2098166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2095170&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhow-do-you-tell-friends-and-family-that-you-have-breast-cancer%2F When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, there were very few people that I told right away. Mostly this was because I needed to know what I was dealing with so that I could give them the whole story and the prospect of a happy ending. My boys were 15 and 12, and I told them weeks later than everyone else, and I told them casually. We all have our own way of dealing with hard times and issues in our lives; some of us want everyone involved and some of us want to handle it by ourselves. I don’t believe there is any one right way. The best way really is to tell your family and loved ones in a way that you can handle. Breast cancer isn’t about them, it happened to you. It’s about you. We would all like to believe that there is an expert for everything. Most of us that have be... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2095170 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:26:23 +0100 2095170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2053364&cid=t_170471_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=2047802&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwishing-you-peace-and-contentment-in-a-stressful-world%2F In my life, it seems like breast cancer opened a Pandora’s box of trouble and turmoil. The thing is that most of it is unrelated to breast cancer, I just use the diagnosis as a marker for the start of an even more difficult journey then the one that lead me to that point in my life. Breast cancer itself is a remarkable and terrifying opponent. It is greater than ourselves yet challenges us to grow and toughen up. Although I had personal strife with finances and family, when I was diagnosed and begun battling the disease, the world was not falling apart. I think of women now who are being told that they have breast cancer, I know exactly the feelings and questions that come to them with that blow. What I can’t imagine is how much more scary it is to wonder if you can deal with t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2047802 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:58:50 +0100 2047802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027971&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fanger-over-health-insurance-companies-dictatorship%2F I have taken a break from Tamoxifen. I don’t have any adverse symptoms with Tamoxifen like I did with Arimidex. This is why I stopped taking it and asked my doctor to put me back on Tamoxifen. Lately I have been getting a pain in my lower leg, which may be just a muscle issue, but because one of the most severe side effects of Tamoxifen can be a blood clot, I stopped the drug until I see my doctor next week. I have become completely over cautious - with reason - since the breast cancer diagnosis. This isn’t my issue today though. I was thinking about all this because I need to refill the Tamoxifen for this month. My insurance company has just decreed that all long-term prescriptions must be filled by mail. They plan to institute this by increasing the co-pay of repeats after 3 ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027971 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:34:56 +0100 2027971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011651&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftaking-control-of-my-weight-and-trying-to-eat-cancer-fighting-foodagain%2F It’s back to Weight Watchers for me. I am not able to stay on track by myself, and it’s not just a weight issue. One thing about Weight Watchers is that it forces me to stick to healthy and nutritious cancer fighting food. In addition, I feel better, have more energy and I look much better. I find that having red meat two days in a row gives me black circles under my eyes. Having salt gives me bags under my eyes, and too much sugar or fried food makes me look like Cloris Leachman; an 82-year-old (I can only wish that I am that attractive when I get to her age). You think with all this motivation I would be able to stick to a good diet myself. Well, I have learned these past weeks that I am prepared to sacrifice beauty for cheesecake and energy for fried shrimp. I seem to be all... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011651 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:31:53 +0100 2011651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2005956&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=35294&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.psa-rising.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F12%2F610%2F Deaths and diagnoses for prostate and several other cancers fell between 2001 to 2005, the latest years for which data have been analyzed, according to reports this week by the National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society. Although overall cancer death rates dropped for the past 10 years, NCI says, this is the first time cancer incidence (the rate at which new cancers are diagnosed) has dropped along with overall death rates from cancers in men and women in most racial and ethnic groups. The drop in deaths was mostly due to a reduction in deaths from prostate, lung and colorectal cancer in men and breast and colorectal cancer in women. Lung cancer in women continues to rise in the South and the Midwest but nationwide deaths are leveling off. Certain other cancer rates are rising:... psa-rising.com/blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2005956 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:09:22 +0100 2005956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2006556&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flearning-to-live-with-chemo-brain%2F I had the best Thanksgiving holiday. I told you last week that we were spending Thanksgiving Day with my in-laws and we had a wonderful day. Sister came the next day for the remainder of the weekend, and we had so much fun. On Sunday, I had a brunch so that my friends could meet sister and her husband. They loved her, of course, and Sister felt blessed to have the opportunity to meet them. I woke up this morning fulfilled and happy. The greatest thing about this weekend was that I now get to benefit from all the work I did to get ready for my guests; my house was clean and clutter-free. It felt great to get ready for the day and not feel inundated with all the piles of stuff I needed to go through. Even though I put off sorting through my piles, they were a relentless reminder that my task... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2006556 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:23:45 +0100 2006556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1938926&cid=t_170471_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fnews-and-facts-about-oral-cancer%2F Early this year, we learned that the human papilloma virus (HPV-16), a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer in women, also contributes to the incidence of oral cancer in men. Merck & Co. offers the only HPV vaccine, but it is available for young women, not young men. New research has prompted the company to pursue government approval to extend the inoculation to males, as well. Usually, oral cancer is thought to be a disease contracted by older people who smoke and drink - those in the high-risk group. The disease commonly affects people who are not considered high risk, though. Oral cancer screenings save lives. Here are the facts: In the US, oral cancer strikes about 35,000 people per year In the US, about 7,500 people die from oral cancer each year Once ... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1938926 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:48:24 +0100 1938926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930482&cid=t_170471_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_170471_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=1873230&cid=t_170471_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhow-the-bad-economy-affects-breast-cancer%2F I am wondering how the economy is affecting breast cancer. With more people losing their jobs, more people will be without healthcare and fewer women will get tested; that’s one way breast cancer will be affected. Another way is that charitable giving to organizations that support research to find a cure for breast cancer may also go down. The economy issues and the presidential race dominating the media breast cancer awareness month is not getting as month attention as it usually does compared to last year. Money doesn’t just drive the economy; it drives breast cancer awareness and research. I wrote in a blog post long ago about how President Nixon declared war on cancer over 20 years ago. That is the longest war that Americans have ever fought and it’s not over. We have spent trill... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1873230 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:38:11 +0100 1873230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812691&cid=t_170471_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F09%2F21%2Fpalm-reading-as-a-diagnostic-tool-for-cancer%2F Sounds a little far fetched but doctors at the Royal Free Hospital in London recently diagnosed a case of ovarian cancer in a 74-year-old woman after she presented with thickened skin on her palms. According to the medical team, this thickening, known as palmar fascitis, could be linked to cancer and further tests revealed an ovarian mass that, happily, was successfully treated with chemotherapy. Turns out the patient was suffering from a phenomenon called paraneoplastic syndrome. This is where the symptoms displayed, such as palmar fascitis, arthritis, or even nerve problems, seem unrelated to cancer but are a direct result of chemicals secreted by the cancerous tumour. Rare but true… (source) Share This (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812691 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:32:41 +0100 1812691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802965&cid=t_170471_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