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 pain'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:11:43 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4545165&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancerlifeandme.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fimproving-at-least-in-some-ways-and-where-have-i-been%2F In general, I’m fatigued, with sore ribs. Eh, that’s expected, though. On the plus side, there’s been no fever so far (Telly bought me a thermometer to be sure). I’m being careful about paying attention to any new or worsening symptoms. I feel no worse than when I was discharged, and slightly better. Each day gets Continue reading Improving, at least in some ways. And, where have I been? (Source: Cancer, life, and me) Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4545165 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:12:23 +0100 4545165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214411&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdoes-pain-equal-cancer-spread-a-recurring-theme%2F Black Friday shopping is something I learned about only when I moved to the United States; it is a traditional part of the Thanksgiving holiday, but this aspect of the celebration never caught on with me. The second Thanksgiving that I was here, a friend coerced me into getting up at 3:00 a.m. to be in line at 4:00 a.m. to shop at a local store. I still haven’t recovered. This past Friday, my oldest son — I call this one the Wise Guy — was visiting from Toronto and we decided to simply cruise the mall in the afternoon. Still, it was a lot of walking and people to navigate, so I don’t call that a great shopping excursion. In fact, I ended up feeling worn and broken by the time I got home. Waking up for the next few days proved to be a painful experience. The pain in my right hip has... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214411 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:34:17 +0100 4214411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3913264&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fresurfacing-.html Well, the best-laid plans and all of that. On Thursday, I went in for what I thought would be my fourth cyberknife treatment to the sacrum, only to be told that the staff had been trying to reach me by phone to tell me not to come in, because the machine was down.Now, this kind of thing doesn't upset me--it can't upset you if you are going to survive cancer treatment. Flexibility is key here--so I just turned around and came home, with a stop by the bookstore for some "comfort reading," because I was feeling rather punk. Things got worse the following day, Friday, and I ended up taking a rest day, all tucked up in my comfy bed with the flannel sheets and LOTS of pillows. Cyberknife Guy had warned me that the treatments could cause problems with my bladder or b... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3913264 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:51:39 +0100 3913264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3896055&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fback-to-the-cyberknife.html Today is the first of five treatments in my third series of cyberknife procedures.  OK, let's stop and think about that for a minute ... In January, I had a series of five treatments to my skull. There was a tumor there that was pressing on a nerve that controlled my tongue. It was the first tumor I've had north of my collar bone, ever, and so it got my--and my doctors'--special attention.  Important to note, however, that this was NOT a brain tumor. Just another "bony lesion," as they say in my reports.  Then, in early August, I had a series of three cyberknife treatments to zap a tumor in my spine that was moving in on the spinal cord. See: Very Quick Update That series was, I am happy to report, uneventful. No problems, no side effects... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3896055 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:23:30 +0100 3896055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831524&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fa-day-on-surgery-time.html Today was the day for my surgical procedure to place four gold seeds (fiducials, or fiducial markers, they are also called, but that sounds too much like the federal reserve and Alan Greenspan to me) in my sacrum. I was scheduled to check in at Evergreen Hospital on the Eastside at 10 a.m., and my friend Gretchen picked up Younger Son and me at 9.I rather optimistically thought that I would be on the operating table by 10:05 or so, spend an hour on the table, another hour recovering from the sedation, and be heading toward Cherry Hill for my second medical appointment of the day by noon. What was I thinking?It didn't go quite like that. We didn't get back to the house until 5 p.m.,... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831524 Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:56:30 +0100 3831524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802548&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fwalking-with-a-cane.html My legs have been getting progressively worse over the past couple of weeks--first, numbness and tingling, then weakness in my upper legs and knees especially. The decadron helped some, but I'm wobbly on my legs, so I decided to take my cane when I drove myself to radiation therapy today. And I was reminded, yet again, how differently the Temporarily Able Bodied (that's all the rest of you who don't have a life-threatening or chronic illness, broken leg, or a physical handicap) treat those of us who do. Item One: No eye contact from TAB people on the street. I am welcomed warmly inside the cancer center, by both patients and staff, and they all make eye contact, but NOT the TAB. They do when I'm not carrying a cane. Item Two: How close is too c... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802548 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:11:06 +0100 3802548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3787106&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fbreast-cancer-screening-why-not.html Recently there was an announcement that breast cancer screening rates are around 80%, which while good, is not 100%. Advocates would like to see the rates higher. Yes, it would be nice to see them higher but I do not think it will ever be 100%. I think cancer screening tests are like genetic testing to some - they simply do not want to know. Some of us will think that it is common sense to get tested for something that would be caught earlier and it might be a lifesaving test. Others I think will say they simply don't want to know - if they are meant to get cancer, they will. I think this is also true of colonoscopies.Personally I don't want to be genetically tested to see if I am more likely to develop a nasty disease (I already know I am more likely to get cancer so I'm quite happy with ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3787106 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:09:00 +0100 3787106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629825&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fmegans-coming-over-today.html  My friend Megan came over on Tuesday for three hours, and we cleaned the bathroom together--to what I all the "female standard of cleanliness," so nice--then we walked Connie in the park, and he behaved pretty well after a few minutes of craziness when he first spotted Megan. Then we ran a few errands, with Megan driving: to the bead store and the grocery store. We were out of cat food, dog food, and coffee! All essentials. Then that afternoon I had an appt. with Dr. Eulau, my radiation oncologist, as I'm in pain again, so I need to go in for more X-rays, but more about that later. Megan is coming again today, and the plan is to get the front garden weeded and mulched (which Younger Son has been promising me for weeks he will help with, and it's still n... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629825 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:40:00 +0100 3629825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3476047&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2F0-haAqqOWxQ%2Fmedication-cancer I’ve long been afraid of medication, even over-the-counter meds.  Since way before my cancer diagnosis, I was scared of what the side effects could do.  I opted for just feeling my pain or taking natural remedies instead.  But having cancer changed some of that for me. I used to not even take Tylenol for a headache.  Now I toss back two extra-strength at the first twinge of pain.  I want to nip pain in the bud because A) Feeling pain sometimes launches me into a cancer PTSD anxiety spiral and B) Since cancer I feel like I have filled my life time quota of pain.  Why have any more than I need? Without going into huge detail about my bowels, I’ll just say that my doctor wants me to start taking a medication that contains aspertame and might make me feel bloated and crap a l... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3476047 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:05:51 +0100 3476047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3467982&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fdr-e-saves-the-day.html This is going to be a short post, because I'm tired and I want to get off-line and back to reading Jane Eyre ...As I mentioned in yesterday's post about my hospital stay, the doctors there had me firmly convinced that I needed radiation therapy in two--possibly three--places. My femur. My lower back. And possibly the left shoulder. I, of course, refused to let them start my treatments there, while I was hospitalized for dehydration and a couple of other problems, and I went back to see Dr. Eulau, who has been my radiation oncologist for years. And he said, NO. Not needed. The mets are big enough to put me in danger of a fracture, and the pain is not great enough for me to want it for that reason. He called the met in my right femur "modest," but he... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3467982 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:35:26 +0100 3467982 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3463793&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fhome-from-the-hospital-.html Home from the hospital, and you ask--How can she  be home from the hospital when we didn't even know that she was going into the hospital? Good question.I was actually surprised on Monday when I went in for IV fluids that they didn't hospitalize me then, because I knew I was in bad shape. But my doctor, Dr. Lee, was OUT that day, and I didn't actually see a doctor. The nurses told me I could see Dr. Tolman "If I wanted to," which made it sound like they didn't think I needed to see the doctor. So I didn't. When I saw Dr. Lee on Wednesday, I told him that I wanted to be hospitalized, that's how crappy I felt, and since the alternative was to come in every day for the next few days for IV fluids and tests, I opted for the hospital. And I th... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3463793 Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:09:48 +0100 3463793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3363791&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fno-more-pain.html  When I was in Hawaii last week, I noticed that I didn't have any bone pain. I figured the warm weather was responsible, because I've noticed during previous trips to Hawaii that my bone pain goes away. But then just this afternoon, I was working (slowly, mind you) and playing in the backyard with Connie--pulling weeds, scooping poop, and adding the rotting vegis from the fridge to my compost bin--and I realized that I have no pain at all. None. Zippo.So thank all the gods and goddesses for radiation therapy, which is a bitch to go through, but it works. I skimmed back through my "pain" category and I realized that I've been in pain since some time in December, pain so bad that I couldn't sleep, so bad that I had to walk with a cane. I don&... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3363791 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:59:03 +0100 3363791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3276038&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fcatching-up-petct-crazy-lymph-node-chest-pain.html  I am still behind on all fronts in my life, so this is going to be a quick post, and I'll try to fill in the gaps over the next few days. Valentine's Day was wonderful. Both boys were here, and both took part and helped, which was really important for me because I had hardly slept at all the night before because I needed to take some decadron--more on that later--which kept me awake the whole dang night. We had a retirement brunch for a good friend, and Laurie was here as well. I made quiche--spinach, mushrooms, onion, parmesan cheese, and then milk and eggs. Well, a bit of half and half and butter in there as well, so it was pretty rich, but we balanced that out with a big fruit salad, and Laurie made espresso drinks for whoever wanted them. Doctor&#... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3276038 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:38:04 +0100 3276038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3251364&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fharassing-phone-calls-from-verizon-wireless.html What was I doing on January 12?I had to check my calendar to be sure, but it turns out that January 12 was the fourth of five sessions of cyberknife surgery to treat a tumor in my skull. Here's one post that I wrote that day: Decadron Prescription Errors I spent the evening on the couch, tired, and in a lot of pain. Here are the phone calls that came in that day from Verizon, my cell phone company:Jan. 12, 6:57 a.m.: 252-157-4972Jan. 12, 9:13 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 9:14 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 9:18 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:53 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:53 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:54 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:55 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:56 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:57 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:59 p.m.: 252-157-4972... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3251364 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:14:14 +0100 3251364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3243999&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fi-cant-believe-im-awake.html Normally (that's the New Normal of living with cancer, mind you), I sleep 12 hours or more a day.So it makes no sense at all that I couldn't fall asleep until 3 a.m., despite taking pain meds and a sleeping pill, and then I'm awake again at 5:30. What is going on?The pain in my left hip that has been making my life so difficult for the past few weeks is actually getting better, not that I think I'll be able to skip the cyberknife treatments to that hip which are up next on my treatment agenda. And today is the final day of my 14 days of radiation therapy to the right hip.I'm glad that is over, or almost over, although it was a piece of cake, really. The radiation oncology clinic at Swedish is so well organized, the techs who actually take care of you are wonderful... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3243999 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:54:23 +0100 3243999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3239530&cid=t_147126_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2010%2F02%2F04%2Fcancer-pain-what-can-you-do%2F Filed under: Cancer CaregiversCancer pain can be an often-overlooked side effect. People who are first diagnosed with the disease will immediately worry about side effects like nausea; however, pain can often be a major influence in one's life. Cancer treatments, like surgery, can be painful. Tumors can press on bones, nerves or organs as they grow, causing pain. Although cancer pain can't be eliminated, it can be controlled. The more specific you are about your pain, the more your doctor can treat it. Make sure to include information about when your pain started, what it feels like and how long it lasts. Note changes in your pain, and if it is constant or if it comes and goes. Always let your doctor know what you do to relieve the pain and how well it works. Ranking your pain on a scale ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3239530 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3239530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3224984&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fthe-cane-has-arrived.html  My new cane just arrived and it is perfect! It's elegant, more elegant than I was expecting. The handle is a bit smaller than I had pictured in my mind, and beautifully carved of black bakelite with little set-in eyes that glow amber. The stick tapers perfectly and is some dense, dark wood with lots of little knots. I could not be happier about having to walk with a cane! Thank you all who helped me buy it. I'll get a photo tomorrow of me with the cane and post it. I can't wait to go out! Read more: The Cane PS: I'm going to have to name this cane, or at least name the parrot. Any ideas? Maybe "George"?Or, "George Washington"? There is a little town in Washington state, where I live, called "George, Washington.&q... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3224984 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:37:04 +0100 3224984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3208621&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fthe-lady-with-the-cane.html Let me say, first of all, that I just don't see myself as The Lady With the Cane.  Not my self-image.  However, I have been using a cane for a couple of weeks now, because of the pain in my left hip. I need the cane to get out of bed in the morning, and for the first little while after I'm up because I can't put all my weight on that leg. And I need it each and every time I get up from a chair or the couch.  This situation seems likely to continue. I see Dr. Eulau this afternoon to discuss the problem with my left hip, because at this point I don't even know if there is active disease there. Seems like there must be, but I don't know for sure and he doesn't either.  Given this situation, I may have to bow--not gracefully, but with m... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3208621 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:17:35 +0100 3208621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189349&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fthe-couch.html  I've realized recently that my living room couch has become a character in my story, so it's time to add the couch to my Cast of Characters.I've been blogging from the couch for at least two years, thanks to the WiFi Older Son set up when he moved back in. I have a basket full of cancer blog-related files and information stashed under the coffee table, and this spot has become my home office. The couch was just a piece of furniture, however, until the past few weeks. That's because of the pain. It is easier for me to get up and down from the couch when I'm in pain than it is from my bed. So I slept on the couch for a couple of weeks. More recently, because I'm still in pain, the couch is the spot I retreat to at the end of my day... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189349 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:58:04 +0100 3189349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185576&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Falmost-didnt-make-it-back-to-the-couch.html  I had a good day today--actually, a great day--and as often happens with me when I'm on a roll, I did too much. I went to my radiation oncology appointment at the wrong time. It was totally my fault, I read the schedule wrong, so I sat in the waiting room for an hour, just waiting. Well, and talking, of course. I met two very interesting women, one in treatment plus the friend who came with her. Busy MorningIn the morning, before heading out to Swedish, I worked on jewelry for a couple of hours, dealt with e-mail, and played in the yard with Connie. I was working on the after-winter clean-up and playing catch with Connie at the same time, so we both got our needs met. Today felt like spring, which means time to uncover new bulbs and shoots that are coming... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185576 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:33:49 +0100 3185576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176082&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Flast-nights-movie.html Here's the link to the movie I watched last night, once I was all snuggled in on the couch with a fire, a baked potato, and a couple of blankets. Plus my dog, of course. It's a 1941 black-and-white film starring Barbara Stanwyck as a sexy singer/dancer with a mouth that never stops spouting 1940s-era slang and Gary Cooper, who plays the least-nerdy of a group of eight professors who are trying to write an encyclopedia. Cooper enlists Stanwyck's help as a slang informant, and of course all the men in the group fall in love with her, but Cooper gets the girl in the end. A classic. Watch: Ball of Fire It's not a cancer movie, of course, although I put it in the category. It's more of an "escape from cancer" movie, and we need those too.@ J... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176082 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:38:14 +0100 3176082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176083&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fthings-are-never-as-simple-as-they-seem.html Those of you who have been following my story closely will remember that I have new pain in my left hip. Pain that makes it impossible to walk easily and is requiring heavy-duty pain meds just to take the edge off.  So I've been consulting with my various doctors (see the list below for a cast of characters), and at yesterday's appointment with my medical oncologist, Dr. Doug Lee, we looked at my most recent bone scan together, and sure enough there was an area that lights up right where the pain is coming from.  He recommended getting in touch with Dr. Eulau, radiation oncologist No. 1, about radiating this spot when we do my other hip--that's three weeks of five-days-a-week treatment starting Monday.  Of course, I had already called Dr. Eulau's office... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176083 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:47:56 +0100 3176083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153585&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fmy-first-date-with-lenora.html I had my first cyberknife treatment today, on a machine that the staff has nicknamed "Lenora." That's a bit too cute for me, but whatever. The staff were really great, and went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable for what they told me would be about a 45-minute treatment.I had to wear the mask, and when they first put it on me, it was so tight I was pretty sure claustrophobia was going to set in, but they were able to loosen it a bit, and then it was fine. They set me up with a wedge under my knees--and my hip was fine; I'd been a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to stay still on my back for that long--also padding under my elbows to help me stay still. I think they taped my feet together too, but I'm not sure. Then, for my comfort, a wa... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153585 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:32:14 +0100 3153585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149273&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fwistful-wednesday-.html Well, it's shortly after three and I am back on the couch and planning to stay here all evening. The fire is lit in the fireplace, and I have some red pepper/tomato soup and homemade bread (thanks, Joana) with my homemade strawberry jam. Today was a busy day, with a therapy appointment followed by the set-up appointment for the radiation to my hip. I spent the morning feeling wistful about the energy I no longer have. For years after my initial cancer diagnosis I was able to work and exercise and keep up with my boys and my friends. (Not that there weren't bad periods when I was on a particularly nasty chemo, but overall ...) Now, I find that the walls of my world are moving ever closer together, and I don't like it. For the past few weeks I've also ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149273 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:37:40 +0100 3149273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3146169&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Ftuesdays-weather-tepid-later-testy.html After my request for an adjective earlier today--see: Help! I Need an Adjective--two readers sent me suggestions: "Tepid Tuesday" and "Testy Tuesday." They both work, because I got a bit of a slow start today and did my blogging from bed. That was fairly tepid. Then, later, I'm testy because of the pain in my hip. I don't really think it's all that close to a fracture, or my doctor would have said, but it's a little scary to have it hurt so much when I move certain ways. Anyway, the set-up exam is tomorrow, and I think I will clarify my fracture risk when I'm there.However, I did manage most of the things on my list, and then wisely quit while I was ahead and came home to the couch. I lit the fire, took two pain pills, and put... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3146169 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:24:39 +0100 3146169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142783&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fmurky-monday.html I set my alarm for 8:30 this morning, because I had an appointment with Dr. Eulau (radiation oncologist) at Swedish at 11 and I needed to pick up a copy of my bone scan at Northwest before heading over there. I didn't go back to sleep, but I had a terrible time forcing myself out of bed. The house was cold, and the rain was thundering down outside, so I turned on the heat, let Connie out, and made some coffee. Then I got back into bed with my laptop, a cup of coffee, and the heating pad for my feet.I checked my e-mail as I drank my coffee and tried to force myself to get moving.I made it, but I didn't enjoy it. My hip is also hurting quite a bit, adding to my desire to curl up in bed with the heating pad. Dr. Eulau was great, as usual. I wrote out my list of questions i... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142783 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:29:37 +0100 3142783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133771&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fdrugs-drugs-and-more-drugs.html When I was in for my scans and cyberknife set-up appointment on Monday, the staff gave me a prescription for steroids to take during the treatments. A nurse also sat me down and explained the regimen carefully, because it's important to take it right. This is the drill: On the first day of treatment, I am supposed to take four one-mg. tablets of dexamethasone with food twice that day. Obviously I need to take the first dose before my treatment appointment. On the second day and following days, the dose drops to two tablets twice a day. Once the cyberknife treatments are completed, I take two tablets a day for two days, and then one tablet a day for two more days. This is, of course, to help prevent swelling at the site we will be radiating, a tumor i... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133771 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:39:57 +0100 3133771 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793239&cid=t_147126_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FgyPU7JIVa60%2F For many people, cancer pain is extremely difficult to manage. While there are many medications that can help, often the pain will appear in between doses, before the next dose is scheduled. This is called breakthrough pain. Doctors and nurses have tried many things to manage the breakthrough pain, but not all methods are successful for all people. Fentanyl is an opioid medication that is often used in treating cancer pain. Most people who know what fentanyl is know it as a patch that is worn on the skin. The medication is then absorbed through the skin over a 3-day period. It is also available in an oral version. In Europe, doctors have another version of fentanyl, called Instanyl. It’s a nasal spray form of the medication that has been found to be quite effective in managing breakt... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793239 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:48:13 +0100 2793239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613908&cid=t_147126_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fp1e9YRMin4A%2F Not all people with cancer experience pain, but many do and when the pain goes to the bones, it’s often very severe. Currently, treatment for severe cancer pain includes a combination of medications, with a breakthrough medication - often morphine - that is given in between regular doses of the regular pain killer or analgesic . The FDA has just approved a new medication, Onsolis, to help manage that breakthrough pain. It’s a novel way of giving medication. Onsolis is an opioid called fentanyl , which is often given as a patch to help manage severe pain. Onsolis, on the other hand, is a medication that is put on the inside of your cheek and is absorbed through the mucous membranes. This medication shouldn’t be given to just anyone though as it’s reserved for patient... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613908 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:11:25 +0100 2613908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2593220&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2009-06-15-cancer-treatment%2Fsmall-cell-carcinoma-of-the-lungs%2F What do you do when your oncologist gives you a small cell lung cancer prognosis of 6 months with chemotherapy and half as long without chemotherapy?   Gary wants to know. Please share your experience like we share ours.   Small cell lung cancer prognosis and secondary liver cancer   As far as I have experienced: as soon as doctors and oncologists hear "secondary liver cancer", they reason that:   "with a normal effort" there is no cancer treatment.   We stress "with normal effort". With a huge extra effort and doing everything right, our few secondary cancer survivors are living proof that you can survive secondary liver cancer much longer than the prognosis done in your hospital.   If you want to go the "do everything rig... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2593220 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:09:21 +0100 2593220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2067994&cid=t_147126_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSuboxoneTalkZone%2F%7E3%2F496111412%2F I write for a couple of medical sites– not the ones I have mentioned here, but sites where they actually allow doctors to identify themselves so that the person asking the question knows the credentials of the person providing the reply.  Oh, what the heck– I think it is OK to name them…  I answer questions ‘formally’ for MedHelp.com and for DoctorsLounge.com.  Go ahead and check them out if you like– if you do, be sure to give me good feedback!!  They are unpaid positions–  as I have whined about many times, I cannot find a way to make money as a doctor on the internet!  But I do them for the publicity– although what the publicity does for me, I’m not really sure… Here is something I wrote recently about chronic pain;  I f... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2067994 Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:07:39 +0100 2067994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975268&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-11-21-cancer-treatment%2Fmy-dad-is-dead%2F due to metastatic liver cancer. That’s what happened to Patrick’s dad, my dad and a lot of other dads from our secondary liver cancer site.   Most people find our site looking for new cancer treatments or liver cancer treatment options. Unfortunately we don’t have a cure for cancer and we only have 2 metastatic liver cancer survivors.   You try to organize the best palliative care ever and as much as the cancer sucks the life out of your loved one, it also starts draining you emotionally and physically.   Depression symptoms   Then your loved one dies of metastatic liver cancer and… there you are on your own and you get into a period of grief and bereavement.   2 years after my dad died, I am still in that period of grief and bereavement. Y... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975268 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:50:15 +0100 1975268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930323&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-11-04-cancer-treatment%2Fstage-iv-colon-cancer%2F actually means Lisa’s father is dying…   Please give all your hugs, love, experience and support to Lisa.   Stage iv colon cancer story summarized   Lisa’s father underwent chemotherapy for colon cancer. The colon cancer metastized to his liver and the doctors stopped administering the chemotherapy drug Erbitux.   Immediately the chemotherapy effects subsided and all looked well again at first.   Now reality struck again as the pain in his abdomen begins to worsen.   Read Lisa’s father’s complete colon cancer story below.   I need someone to help me with some words of advice.   Please leave a comment if you have advice for Lisa.   First and foremost Lisa says:   I am so scared as to what I’ve read online a... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930323 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:03:13 +0100 1930323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908860&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-10-27-cancer-treatment%2Fwhat-do-you-say-to-man-who-is-going-to-die%2F Charlotte’s father’s cancer starts resisting the chemotherapy he gets to cure his colon cancer and secondary liver cancer. In here comment at More news from Trish - metastatic liver cancer survivor, she aks:   What do you say to man who is going to die?   How would you answer that question? Please leave a comment.   When father diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer we were shocked but upbeat and kept talking about finding a cure.   But when after a few days of more tests, biopsy and scans the oncologist said that chemotherapy would most likely kill my father, we just became all very silent. Exactly, what do you say now?   We never found the right words to put father’s mood back to where it was. All we did was managing to put a smile on his fac... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908860 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 16:00:56 +0100 1908860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1889049&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-10-20-cancer-treatment%2Fsecondary-liver-cancer-i-feel-like-i-am-doing-this-alone%2F   Heather feels "she is doing it alone" in her comment at Metastatic liver cancer facts : secondary liver cancer.   That’s why we have our metastatic liver cancer site so everybody can share their experience and feelings with others:   to walk the path of secondary liver cancer together…   We ask all our readers: please leave a comment so   Heather doesn’t have to walk her path on her own.   Why do we feel like walking the cancer path alone?   Unfortunately cancer keeps a taboo, too much media focuses on "heroic" cancer survivors and people lack the education to deal with palliative care:   There are people who just shy away and don’t even dare to come near to a cancer patient.   Then there are t... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1889049 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:03:45 +0100 1889049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1733715&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fno-pain-today.html One of the interesting things about blogging about my life with cancer is that I have a day-by-day record of that life. OK, so you might say this is waaay too much navel-gazing, but it works for me. One thing I realized today, as I was catching up with e-mail and putting up a couple of posts, is that I haven't written about pain since last November, when I was in a lot of pain from a couple of broken bones. See: Broken Bones Of course, the reason I haven't written about pain for so long is that I haven't been in pain for months. Probably something like six months. And no more pain meds, which I really hated. See: When the Pain Meds Are (Almost) Worse Than the Pain So I'm taking a short time-out here to just feel grateful for how well I feel, and for the fact that I am pain-free. Th... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1733715 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:33:50 +0100 1733715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1554496&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-06-30-cancer-treatment%2Fliver-cancer%2F Another Liver Cancer story we received in our call for "Do you have a liver cancer story". Thanks Kaye for sharing Kim’s liver cancer story. All our love and hugs. Please leave a comment and show Kaye your support! For those new in liver cancer, Kaye’s story just like father’s metastatic liver cancer story tells you: there is an invisible killer amongst us that even the medical world cannot pinpoint on time… lots of doctors ignore red flags that should point to further analyses and could point to an early detection of cancer (why we have all these medical facilities and people, when they are just under used???, don’t say it’s too expensive: nothing compares with the billions wasted in Iraq…) For those that have a loved one with cancer ... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1554496 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:13:33 +0100 1554496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1554497&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-06-28-cancer-treatment%2Fprimary-liver-cancer%2F 1997: Singer Lawrence Payton of the Four Tops died of primary liver cancer in Detroit. He was only 59. Read our clear information about treatments, symptoms, prognosis, primary and secondary liver cancer. Technorati Tags: four tops, lawrence payton, Liver Cancer, primary liver cancer, prognosis, Secondary liver cancer (Source: Metastatic liver cancer) Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1554497 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:55:46 +0100 1554497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531406&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-06-20-cancer-treatment%2Fplease-pray-for-kathys-liver-metastasis%2F Kathy was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and metastatic liver cancer. Her sister Phyllis wrote the following comment on Cancer stages: cancer story from Gina Hage   My sister was just diagnosed with lung cancer (never smoked) brain,bone and liver metastasis and in her glands. She did not have any symptoms, only occasional headaches which she took OTC meds for. She woke up on Saturday morning 2 weeks ago in severe pain all over, went to ER and the rest is history. She is having radiation treatments to the brain and back to help alleviate pain. Please pray for her (Kathy).   Kathy is in our prayers Phyllis. And you are right: you don’t need to smoke in order to get lung cancer. Cancer just lures everywhere.   The brother of my father who died with metastatic liv... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531406 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:53:50 +0100 1531406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1500026&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-06-06-cancer-treatment%2Fliver-cancer%2F Another Liver Cancer story we received in our call for "Do you have a liver cancer story". Thanks Kaye for sharing Kim’s liver cancer story. All our love and hugs. Please leave a comment and show Kaye your support! For those new in liver cancer, Kaye’s story just like father’s metastatic liver cancer story tells you: there is an invisible killer amongst us that even the medical world cannot pinpoint on time… lots of doctors ignore red flags that should point to further analyses and could point to an early detection of cancer (why we have all these medical facilities and people, when they are just under used???, don’t say it’s too expensive: nothing compares with the billions wasted in Iraq…) For those that have a loved one with cancer ... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1500026 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:59:54 +0100 1500026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1497534&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-06-06-cancer-treatment%2Fkayes-metastatic-liver-cancer-story%2F Kaye shares here metastatic liver cancer story below commenting on Kristen’s cancer story. Please share your cancer stories, as they will help others: coping with the drastic change that occurs in your daily life due to cancer knowing that they are not alone and can ask us Thanks for sharing Kaye! Kaye’s Cancer Story I feel so much for what you and your family are going through Kristen. I went through the diagnosis and dying period of my husband Kim in a state of shock and the period where he withdrew was so hard as we were like one in life. I reckon if a cancer can enter your families’ life as unforeseen and uninvited as it has then there is every possibility that a miracle can as well. It just wasn’t the case for my Kim and he left us soooo quickly. Kim was not af... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1497534 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:22:32 +0100 1497534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1488814&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F303263303%2F We all know acupuncture as an old medical procedure that originated in China — a practice of inserting thin needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being. Now, new data from a randomized, controlled trial found that acupuncture provided significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients after radical neck dissection. According to David Pfister, MD, Chief of the Head and Neck Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) — who led the study and who presented the results at the ASCO Annual Meeting: “Chronic pain and shoulder mobility problems are common after such surgery, adversely affecting quality of life as well as employability for certain occupations. Nerve-sparing and other mod... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1488814 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:00:39 +0100 1488814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1386878&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-04-21-cancer-treatment%2Fhepatocellular-chemoembolization%2F When Kistan2 asked in her Liver Cancer story about alternative liver cancer treatments, we immediately had to think about hepatocellular chemoembolization. chemo-embolization are 2 treatments in 1: a chemotherapy through the artery feeding the liver cancer + a closing of the above artery feeding the liver cancer Immediately, because we went through the same quest when father was diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer. We searched the Internet for any cure, we found a few "promising treatments", but : they were extremely expensive, a long waiting list and not at all nearby they were promising because you tend to hold on believing in miracles they were all quite useless in our case because the doctors couldn’t find father’s primary cancer. In other words: even if ... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1386878 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:16:36 +0100 1386878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1340691&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-04-01-cancer-treatment%2Fliver-cancer-in-the-family%2F In the liver cancer story from Jessica it is not clear whether she talks about a primary cancer or a metastatic liver cancer. But the outcome is clear: too many people die from cancer… Notice how Jessica prays for a cure for all cancers where we take it one step further and pray that people start promoting cancer prevention globally. Just like Jessica we all have been struggling with father’s death as well. For mother the struggle is both physical as emotional: she has torn a ligament due to carrying father around, but after one year that’s more or less taken care of the loss of father is not at all taken care of: sometimes I call her up and I can tell she has been crying… We were told in advance: the doctor who made father’s metastatic liver cancer diagnos... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1340691 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:57:32 +0100 1340691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1340692&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-03-29-cancer-treatment%2Fliver-cancer%2F Another Liver Cancer story we received in our call for "Do you have a liver cancer story". Thanks Kaye for sharing Kim’s liver cancer story. All our love and hugs. Please leave a comment and show Kaye your support! For those new in liver cancer, Kaye’s story just like father’s metastatic liver cancer story tells you: there is an invisible killer amongst us that even the medical world cannot pinpoint on time… lots of doctors ignore red flags that should point to further analyses and could point to an early detection of cancer (why we have all these medical facilities and people, when they are just under used???, don’t say it’s too expensive: nothing compares with the billions wasted in Iraq…) For those that have a loved one with cancer ... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1340692 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:19:54 +0100 1340692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112686&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-12-22-cancer-treatment%2Fangiosarcoma-of-the-liver%2F Terese for Pammy and the rest of us(pammy’s liver cancer story please give your hugs) I am reading this. My husband,45, has Angiosarcoma of the liver.He never smoked, took drugs or worked in a factory that emitted chemicals. We have two children,13 and 9, and we just found out that the chemo that they are using is not working so they have switched him to a new drug. He just came home from the hospital and doesn’t have enough energy to make it up the stairs. I can’t stand to see him in this state and I fear he doesn’t have much time left. We just found out on Oct 31 that he has a liver mass so it has only been 8 weeks and already I can see how cancer causes such pain, pain that no person should have to endure. Keep us in your prayers. Terese  Dear Terese, All our prayers a... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1112686 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:51:10 +0100 1112686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112687&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-12-22-cancer-treatment%2Fvalerie-for-pammy-liver-cancer-and-the-universe%2F From Valerie to Pammy with very different opinion from Metastatic Liver Cancer below (pammy’s liver cancer story please give your hugs) Hi Pammy,Yes, I am reading - I stumbled upon your post while looking for something else - so I guess it was meant to be. I lost my boyfriend to liver cancer last year. It was the hardest 5 years of my life - watching the treatments - and the change and feeling so lost and alone. Fortunately, the liver support group at Shands Hospital in Gainesville Florida and Dr. David Nelson, head of GI Liver gave us a lot of love - tons of love - and managed to find clinical studies that benefited my boyfriend. The study benefited him so much he became eligible for a transplant (as far as the Doctor’s were concerned) but the state of Florida (Medicaid) deni... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1112687 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:50:11 +0100 1112687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=987198&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-10-29-cancer-treatment%2Fhalloween-is-near%2F It’s almost Halloween: the time when we commemorate the souls that went to heaven. Mom is definitely going to have a tough time… Previously her blood pressure would go up big time around these days, because she and her father were very close, even after so many years of mom’s father being in heaven. So now without the support of her husband and with the grief over her husband, we can only imagine what a rough week she is into. Cancer doesn’t stop when the person you loved passed away… (Source: Metastatic liver cancer) Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=987198 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 08:29:11 +0100 987198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=870395&cid=t_147126_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F09%2F14%2Fmillions-around-the-world-die-in-pain-due-to-morphine-bans%2F Filed under: DrugMillions of people around the world die in severe pain due to bans of morphine, reports The New York Times. While poverty plays a role, doctors also fear law enforcement of morphine bans. The World Health Organization estimates that 4.8 million people around the world suffer with moderate to severe cancer pain in addition to millions who suffer needless from late-state AIDS pain. At pain conferences, doctors from Africa describe patients whose pain is so bad that they throw themselves in front of trucks.In another related article, the newspaper examines the slow movement of the Japanese culture away from the fear of painkillers.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Cancer Blog) The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=870395 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 870395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=861908&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-09-11-cancer-treatment%2Fstage-4-pancreatic-cancer%2F I saw the funeral of Pavarotti the day before yesterday. Pavarotti whose voice was silenced by Pavarotti pancreatic cancer. I was especially moved when Italian fighter jets flew over Pavarotti’s hometown, leaving in their trail the colors of the Italian flag. Moved, because father was also in love with airplanes, hence one of his kids started a healthy website about how to make a paper airplane. It also reminded me on fathers spread metastatic liver cancer, which then reminds me on stage 4… once I let my mind flow free: I keep on thinking, so I better make something positive out of it and write down the thoughts that could be useful for others having cancer. Stage 4 pancreatic cancer This stage refers to a new growth which has invaded surrounding tissues and has spread to other... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=861908 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 02:11:13 +0100 861908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=811944&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-08-21-cancer-treatment%2Fcancer-help-and-pain-relief-through-hypnosis%2F Are you stressed out and looking after someone who is ill from terminal disease like cancer? Or are you just looking for self improvement to elevate the quality of your life? Do you suffer from fears, phobias and addictions of any kind? Help is now available and you can get this online from http://www.instant-hypnosis.com/. Instant-Hypnosis.com provides [...] (Source: Metastatic liver cancer) Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=811944 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 09:02:40 +0100 811944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=763667&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-07-28-cancer-treatment%2Fdo-you-have-a-liver-cancer-story%2F Father made the effort to start his online journal about his metastatic liver cancer at a stage of his life where the energy and life was drained out of his body. With all respect to father, I am going to re-read his complete metastatic liver cancer blog and try to make it in some sort [...] (Source: Metastatic liver cancer) Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=763667 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 00:00:44 +0100 763667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=683385&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmetastaticlivercancer.org%2F2007-06-20-cancer-treatment%2Fmigraine-prevention%2F Yesterday my hubby had a terrible headache, which sounded to me like migraine. I played doctor myself and gave him the following migraine treatment prescription. he mentioned he used to take "Cafergot" for it, yet we don’t have that in our house. Main 2 reasons why he has a migraine I guess is: having a cold: his [...] (Source: Metastatic liver cancer) Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=683385 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:01:40 +0100 683385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=674118&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fno_break_for_me.html Wasn't it John Lennon who wrote, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans"? It may not have been Lennon who wrote those words, but they describe my life during the past couple of months all too well. Anemia. Meltdowns. A doctor who fired me. A second cancer, melanoma. Problems with my younger son. Ongoing problems in the treatment room at my cancer center. By the time I went to visit Dr. Livingston in Tucson back in mid-May, I was ready to refuse treatment, and just let things float for awhile. Because, as with so many people living with cancer, my problems were caused by the TREATMENT, not the cancer. Dr. Livingston rode to my rescue, I thought, when he suggested that I could safely take several months off from treatment (Herceptin, Avastin, and oral Cytoxan, plus... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=674118 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 03:09:44 +0100 674118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=674121&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fthe_break_that_.html Sitting here on my comfy couch on Sunday morning, 9 a.m., coffee cup not quite within arm’s reach (I need to rearrange the furniture), rubbing my aching arm and thinking about pain. This is my upper right arm, where the bone was broken by a 5-centimeter tumor at the time my cancer metastasized back in 2001. That’s how we first discovered the metastasis—I was walking around with a broken arm. Ever since, my arm has ached, mildly, a good part of the time. More in the winter when it’s cold and damp. I joke about rheumatism: Imagining myself as an elderly farmer in overalls sitting in a rocker on the porch, spitting chewing tobacco and complaining about my rheumatism when it’s going to rain. Last weekend, I helped my friend Monica pull weeds and tidy up her front garden, and sin... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=674121 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:18:56 +0100 674121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=622963&cid=t_147126_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fwhen_friends_di.html My good friend Gudrun in Germany, who often puts translations of my posts on her site www.bcaction.de, is grieving the loss of a close friend from metastatic breast cancer. Here is what Gudrun wrote on her site: On May 29, 2007, our friend Conny died as a result of breast cancer, seven years after she was first diagnosed. Conny was only 51 years old. She is survived by her 26-year-old son. During her last days, Conny had to endure unimaginable pain. Just when she wasn’t able to fight for herself so well anymore and became in need of help like never before, she was not given enough morphine, and the medical care system showed deep rifts. We are very sad. In several e-mails, Gudrun told me more about Conny’s last days, and how upset she was that Conny’s doctor cut the amount of m... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=622963 Fri, 18 May 2007 16:33:47 +0100 622963