Parabens have been controversial since they were found in breast cancer tumors in a 2004 study. They are used in almost every cosmetic product from deodorant, shampoo to body lotion, etc. It seems almost impossible to find anything without parabens in them, but it is possible ... it just involves so much more work.
Here is a decent article about the subject: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/healthcare/health/healthcare/studies/story/2012-01-13/Does-deodorant-ingredient-affect-breast-cancer-risk/52528952/1
Each person must decide for themselves whether they want to take their own health into their hands or whether they want to wait for a study to tell us what we already know -- parabens are dangerous. I am not waiting around. Cancer makes you so helpless. For a year and a half, I have been taking back the power, bit by bit.
Early detection is key to defeating breast cancer. Get a mammogram and be one of the lucky ones.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Back to the Body Shop
I have been looking for ways to live as chemical free as I possibly can. Sometimes it seems so overwhelmingly impossible -- we are surrounded by chemicals, but I have to try. I have already thrown out all my chemical filled cleaners and am only using vinegar and water to clean.
I have been on the hunt for "healthier" cosmetics and what a task that has been! Reading the ingredients label on cosmetics has dismayed me and brought me close to tears. I started with my moisturizer and with body lotion -- I am using emu oil as a facial moisturizer and organic coconut oil as a body lotion.
Finding a suitable deodorant has eluded me for a while until this week when a light bulb went off, and I decided to check out that a 1980s favorite -- the Body Shop. I bought all my skincare products from the Body Shop when it came to Malaysia in the mid 1980s. All the principles that Anita Roddick stood for appealed to me. The Body Shop didn't come to the US until 2001, and in that time I had turned to other cosmetics and I never went back to my Body Shop roots.
But this week as I was looking for paraben and aluminum free cosmetics, I ran across a Body Shop deodorant, that had mixed reviews but looked promising. I researched lotion, shampoo and conditioner and other products, and armed with my list, John and I headed to the Body Shop on Saturday.
I'm testing the deodorant today, but all the other products are going into my stocking ... so updates will come after Christmas. I had been worried about reviews that said that the deodorant did not last beyond 8 hours. Well, I put it on at 9 am and it is now 9 pm and I've had a normally active day and it is still going strong -- I don't smell bad! I dusted, hemmed two work trousers, hemmed a towel, mended a shirt, ironed my clothes for the week, and cooked dinner, and I can still smell the deodorant and not some sweaty person, so this one is a keeper.
Not everything in the Body Shop is chemical free -- you have to read the ingredients. That disappointed me -- whatever happened to being "natural"? I cannot imagine that Anita Roddick would have used any ingredient that had the possibility of contributing to giving a woman cancer. I am responsible for myself, so I have to take the initiative ... no one is doing it for me.
I have been on the hunt for "healthier" cosmetics and what a task that has been! Reading the ingredients label on cosmetics has dismayed me and brought me close to tears. I started with my moisturizer and with body lotion -- I am using emu oil as a facial moisturizer and organic coconut oil as a body lotion.
Finding a suitable deodorant has eluded me for a while until this week when a light bulb went off, and I decided to check out that a 1980s favorite -- the Body Shop. I bought all my skincare products from the Body Shop when it came to Malaysia in the mid 1980s. All the principles that Anita Roddick stood for appealed to me. The Body Shop didn't come to the US until 2001, and in that time I had turned to other cosmetics and I never went back to my Body Shop roots.
But this week as I was looking for paraben and aluminum free cosmetics, I ran across a Body Shop deodorant, that had mixed reviews but looked promising. I researched lotion, shampoo and conditioner and other products, and armed with my list, John and I headed to the Body Shop on Saturday.
I'm testing the deodorant today, but all the other products are going into my stocking ... so updates will come after Christmas. I had been worried about reviews that said that the deodorant did not last beyond 8 hours. Well, I put it on at 9 am and it is now 9 pm and I've had a normally active day and it is still going strong -- I don't smell bad! I dusted, hemmed two work trousers, hemmed a towel, mended a shirt, ironed my clothes for the week, and cooked dinner, and I can still smell the deodorant and not some sweaty person, so this one is a keeper.
Not everything in the Body Shop is chemical free -- you have to read the ingredients. That disappointed me -- whatever happened to being "natural"? I cannot imagine that Anita Roddick would have used any ingredient that had the possibility of contributing to giving a woman cancer. I am responsible for myself, so I have to take the initiative ... no one is doing it for me.
An Old Friend
I grew up on a tropical island surrounded by coconut trees but I had just forgotten how versatile it is. We cooked and baked with it, and used it as a moisturizer for our skin and a conditioner for our hair. In my commitment to try to live as chemical free as possible, I have rediscovered the humble coconut. For the last few weeks I have been using Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil as a body lotion and hair conditioner. I'm now experimenting with using it as a facial moisturizer. I wasn't quite sure about this ... I had concerns that it might be too oily and make my skin breakout. But so far it's been doing well.
I like Trader Joe's coconut oil because it is cold pressed which means it is in solid form. I scrape off what I need and warm it in my palm and it melts almost instantly. I use it a little bit at a time and work it into my skin. It takes a little while to be absorbed so don't over oil your skin with too much coconut oil. You'll smell like toasted coconut for a bit and then it really does disappear. Hubby who does not like coconut says he can't smell anything.
I work the coconut oil into my hair before I shampoo and then I use my normal conditioner. I do not leave the coconut oil in my hair -- it does make it too oily and I have no itention of walking around with oily hair!
I had my three-month check up with the oncologist and we talked about gene testind because of the Askenazi ancestry from my paternal and maternal side. If the insurance company will pay for it, we'll go ahead and do it. Regardless, my daughter will have to be extra careful with the way she lives her life.
The Miracle Oil

I thought, "why not?" and when the doctor cleared it for use, I ordered a bottle from Amazon.com. The area that I used the oil on, even the area of the tumor that received the radiation boost never burnt. It got a deep tan color but it never burned, and the technicians kept saying how well my skin was doing compared to other people's.
The area that did get a little scorched and painful was the area under my armpit. I simply did not realize how high the radiation went and did not start applying emu oil there until a week or two into the treatment. But I kept gritting my teeth and applying emu oil, and miraculously, I never blistered ... the blackened skin just rubbed off, and beautiful new skin emerged!
When I was done with my radiation treatments in October last year, I started massaging the oil into my scalp and on my non-existent eyebrows. My hair came back much quicker and more evenly than I had expected. And it came back fuller than before. I am willing to give emu oil the credit. After all the crap I had to go through ... I'll take the extra hair.
And now that my hair is looking healthy and growing well, I am using the emu oil as a facial moisturizer. Two drops into the palm of your hand is all you need to oil your entire face. I am using coconut oil as a body moisturizer.
I just ordered my second bottle from Amazon.com and it arrived in a very timely manner from the supplier in North Carolina. I don't think that the $23.10 I paid for the bottle is too much considering that it will last me almost a year.
I am sharing this information because all those women shared it with me ... if it helps another person, then it will be worth it.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Too Much of a Good Time
I went out West to Wyoming, Colorado and San Francisco, and while I tried to eat salads and vegetables whenever I could, sometimes when you are on an organized outing, you have to eat what you are served. When I weighed myself in San Francisco I had gained six pounds and I was horrified. There was a part of me that wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all but I was in a beautiful city with lots of ethnic restaurants so I ate dim sum instead.
I've been back home for a week now and I am back to my disciplined eating and I have lost the six pounds I gained. I am glad that I did not lose more than a moment of my precious life worrying about my weight.
I am not going to neglect eating right or differently in my case but this month is going to be about more than just fat ... this is October ... the month to promote breast cancer awareness ... to celebrate the women and men who have survived, to pray for and remember those who did not and to have hope for the future.
I've been back home for a week now and I am back to my disciplined eating and I have lost the six pounds I gained. I am glad that I did not lose more than a moment of my precious life worrying about my weight.
I am not going to neglect eating right or differently in my case but this month is going to be about more than just fat ... this is October ... the month to promote breast cancer awareness ... to celebrate the women and men who have survived, to pray for and remember those who did not and to have hope for the future.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Move On ... Nothing to Look At Here ...
I've got time on my hands tonight so I'm just musing ... The problem when you open up a blog to the public is that anyone can stop by. I did it when I was going through chemo to help other women who were going through the same thing ... to let them know that I survived this horror of horrors and so can they. Sometimes that "anyone" can be traffic from undesirable sources.
So for those of you who are hoping for a peep show ... just move on along ... there is nothing to see here ... just a woman who went through hell for a year and a half and lived to tell a tale. Ah ... if only people used some of that energy for positive things ... this world would be a better place.
So for those of you who are hoping for a peep show ... just move on along ... there is nothing to see here ... just a woman who went through hell for a year and a half and lived to tell a tale. Ah ... if only people used some of that energy for positive things ... this world would be a better place.
Lots of Happy News
The absence from posting has been because of lots of good news! We celebrated our daughter's birthday and her engagement all in the same week and yes, I ate cake. Did I suffer greatly from it? Did the scales jump up? No, I did not and no, it did not.
It's been the usual -- lose a pound ... gain half a pound back and so forth, but as long as the numbers stay under where I started from, I've resigned myself to struggling with this. It's going to be a slow hard struggle but if you think I'm giving up, then you obviously don't know me! I shall continue this until I win.
I actually like the mornings when I have to work late ... I can wake up leisurely ... exercised on the elliptical for 20 minutes this morning and then made chocolate chip waffles for breakfast. Sure that was bad ... but that was what the child wanted.
Went back upstairs after breakfast and did another 10 minutes on the elliptical to make up for the waffles. I also swept the house, scrubbed the shower stall, sorted laundry and did a load of darks, cleaned the cat's litterbox, tidied up the guest-room and dining-room, packed for an upcoming trip ... I don't think I sat down for more than 10 minutes. I am not killing myself over those waffles.
Lunch was a cup of leftover fried rice. Dinner was a cup of spinach leaves, literally a few strands of roast chicken from last night's dinner and a drizzle of lite ranch dressing. I had about a cup of fresh pineapple chunks and sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of Cool Whip and a pinch of coconut. My evening snack was an Adkins fudge brownie bar.
Tomorrow is a new day!
It's been the usual -- lose a pound ... gain half a pound back and so forth, but as long as the numbers stay under where I started from, I've resigned myself to struggling with this. It's going to be a slow hard struggle but if you think I'm giving up, then you obviously don't know me! I shall continue this until I win.
I actually like the mornings when I have to work late ... I can wake up leisurely ... exercised on the elliptical for 20 minutes this morning and then made chocolate chip waffles for breakfast. Sure that was bad ... but that was what the child wanted.
Went back upstairs after breakfast and did another 10 minutes on the elliptical to make up for the waffles. I also swept the house, scrubbed the shower stall, sorted laundry and did a load of darks, cleaned the cat's litterbox, tidied up the guest-room and dining-room, packed for an upcoming trip ... I don't think I sat down for more than 10 minutes. I am not killing myself over those waffles.
Lunch was a cup of leftover fried rice. Dinner was a cup of spinach leaves, literally a few strands of roast chicken from last night's dinner and a drizzle of lite ranch dressing. I had about a cup of fresh pineapple chunks and sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of Cool Whip and a pinch of coconut. My evening snack was an Adkins fudge brownie bar.
Tomorrow is a new day!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Long Weekend Struggle
I have not been good this weekend -- not in the overeating department but more missing meals because it seems like I have been baking forever! I started baking cupcakes on Friday and haven't stopped until this evening.
I've been so busy baking that I have missed breakfasts and lunches. And perhaps that is why I have lost another pound. I will be back on my normal eating routine tomorrow.
I've been so busy baking that I have missed breakfasts and lunches. And perhaps that is why I have lost another pound. I will be back on my normal eating routine tomorrow.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
A Chemo Like Week
It finally dawned on me this morning as I was sitting at my desk that I've been going through chemo like symptoms -- the fatigue, the weird taste in the mouth and the craving salty things. How could I not have seen this? It's only been four months since my last infusion. Very odd but they do say that you will experience symptoms for months and for those unlucky ones ... perhaps years after. Lovely!
Anyway, I didn't have disappointment to deal with as well, because I lost the half a pound that I gained yesterday. I'll take that little triumph.
I had Cheerios for breakfast. Lunch was a cup of last night's chicken pasta; fat free yogurt; and a packet of Breakfast to go. Yes, I was too busy to have my midmorning snack, so I ate it all at lunch.
Came home and had a pear as a snack. Made Shepherd's Pie for dinner and had exactly one ladle of serving ... did not cheat. Dessert was an Adkins fudge brownie.
Anyway, I didn't have disappointment to deal with as well, because I lost the half a pound that I gained yesterday. I'll take that little triumph.
I had Cheerios for breakfast. Lunch was a cup of last night's chicken pasta; fat free yogurt; and a packet of Breakfast to go. Yes, I was too busy to have my midmorning snack, so I ate it all at lunch.
Came home and had a pear as a snack. Made Shepherd's Pie for dinner and had exactly one ladle of serving ... did not cheat. Dessert was an Adkins fudge brownie.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
A Bit Tired
Haven't lost or gained any weight, so I suppose I should be grateful for that. But am still feeling a little tired and "draggy".
Had chex for breakfast. Breakfast to go packet for a snack. Lunch was 1 1/2 cups of romaine lettuce, spinach leaves, cucumber, shredded carrots, 1/2 an avocado and a drizzle of lite ranch dressing. Fat free yogurt.
Had green tea and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter ... thought it might perk me up. Was still hungry so had a serving of rice cakes at 140 calories, so haven't ruined the eating plan too badly.
I've been carving chicken and pasta for a few days so I concocted a recipe using four chicken tenderloins that were sliced and sauteed in olive oil with garlic, onion, chopped sundried tomato, fresh spinach, seasoned with Penzy's Forward spices; 1 great heaping tablespoon of onion chive cream cheese, two tablespoons of my homemade tomato sauce (yes the one with the red wine), and added cooked penne to it. It got the thumbs up from the family. The skinny daughter went back for seconds.
I had just about a cup of the pasta with about four slices of chicken which did not quite make one tenderloin.
I was too bloody tired to exercise so I gave myself a pity day off.
Had chex for breakfast. Breakfast to go packet for a snack. Lunch was 1 1/2 cups of romaine lettuce, spinach leaves, cucumber, shredded carrots, 1/2 an avocado and a drizzle of lite ranch dressing. Fat free yogurt.
Had green tea and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter ... thought it might perk me up. Was still hungry so had a serving of rice cakes at 140 calories, so haven't ruined the eating plan too badly.
I've been carving chicken and pasta for a few days so I concocted a recipe using four chicken tenderloins that were sliced and sauteed in olive oil with garlic, onion, chopped sundried tomato, fresh spinach, seasoned with Penzy's Forward spices; 1 great heaping tablespoon of onion chive cream cheese, two tablespoons of my homemade tomato sauce (yes the one with the red wine), and added cooked penne to it. It got the thumbs up from the family. The skinny daughter went back for seconds.
I had just about a cup of the pasta with about four slices of chicken which did not quite make one tenderloin.
I was too bloody tired to exercise so I gave myself a pity day off.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Grrrr ...
Gained back half a pound so am a bit bummed. Why can't this be easy? I haven't cheated. Had scrambled eggs and one piece of toast for breakfast.
Midmorning snack was a packet of Breakfast on the go. Lunch was a cup of leftover lamb stew ... ate the last bit, so there won't be any more stew.
Exercised for 20 minutes on the elliptical and then had a cup of green tea and a nap. Am awfully tired today ... can't quite explain it ... I highly doubt that there is any explanation. Had a teaspoon of natural peanut butter while waiting for dinner.
Dinner was a small burger in lettuce leaves. I skipped the baked beans. Was still hungry after I had dinner so had a cup of chex mix and some mini rice cakes. I know I will pay for it tomorrow but I needed something salty.
Midmorning snack was a packet of Breakfast on the go. Lunch was a cup of leftover lamb stew ... ate the last bit, so there won't be any more stew.
Exercised for 20 minutes on the elliptical and then had a cup of green tea and a nap. Am awfully tired today ... can't quite explain it ... I highly doubt that there is any explanation. Had a teaspoon of natural peanut butter while waiting for dinner.
Dinner was a small burger in lettuce leaves. I skipped the baked beans. Was still hungry after I had dinner so had a cup of chex mix and some mini rice cakes. I know I will pay for it tomorrow but I needed something salty.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Holding Steady
I was afraid to step on the scales this morning after the pizza I ate last night -- it was a very thin crust pizza but it was still carbs and I thought I would notice it on the scales. Fortunately, I did not gain anything but lost a couple more ounces.
I did 20 minutes on the elliptical and then had 3/4 cup of honey nut cheerios with 2 % organic milk. Honey is a treat for me. I like honey on my toast and a teaspoon in my green tea. Every place I visit, I look for local honey ... perhaps it is a remembrance of the rich amber wild honey from my childhood, but I hunt for that liquid gold wherever I am.
Lunch was a cup of romaine lettuce and spinach, one chopped avocado, 1 slice of chopped ham, and a drizzle of light ranch dressing. Dessert was an Adkins fudge brownie.
Dinner was a low-carb tortilla with a teaspoon of chive cream cheese, spinach and one slice of chicken; 3/4 cup of fresh cherries.
I ate my fat free yogurt when I got home, and I brewed myself a cup of green tea -- must drink it hot.
I did 20 minutes on the elliptical and then had 3/4 cup of honey nut cheerios with 2 % organic milk. Honey is a treat for me. I like honey on my toast and a teaspoon in my green tea. Every place I visit, I look for local honey ... perhaps it is a remembrance of the rich amber wild honey from my childhood, but I hunt for that liquid gold wherever I am.
Lunch was a cup of romaine lettuce and spinach, one chopped avocado, 1 slice of chopped ham, and a drizzle of light ranch dressing. Dessert was an Adkins fudge brownie.
Dinner was a low-carb tortilla with a teaspoon of chive cream cheese, spinach and one slice of chicken; 3/4 cup of fresh cherries.
I ate my fat free yogurt when I got home, and I brewed myself a cup of green tea -- must drink it hot.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
It's another Good Sunday
Yes, yes! Lost another 3/4 of a pound which means that I've lost almost four pounds in the last two weeks ... I can live with this. Hope is alive again.
Had two buckwheat waffles with fruit for breakfast. Then I used the elliptical for 25 minutes. I had to be mindful of the fact that my arm has only just gotten better -- no point in pushing my luck.
Lunch was not quite a cup of vegetable chili and corn chips, an apple and 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter.
Dinner will be one small personal grilled pizza with ham and pineapple; and a small salad. The pizza will be my treat for the day, so there won't be anything else for the day.
Had two buckwheat waffles with fruit for breakfast. Then I used the elliptical for 25 minutes. I had to be mindful of the fact that my arm has only just gotten better -- no point in pushing my luck.
Lunch was not quite a cup of vegetable chili and corn chips, an apple and 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter.
Dinner will be one small personal grilled pizza with ham and pineapple; and a small salad. The pizza will be my treat for the day, so there won't be anything else for the day.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Rainy Saturday
The morning did not turn out as I had planned. I didn't get to exercise or have breakfast because we had to make a run to what my husband calls the "store from hell" -- yes, Walmart. After Walmart, we went grocery shopping in the pouring rain, and when we got back home, it was time for lunch.
Hubby wanted leftover lamb stew for lunch which was perfect for the cool, rainy day. So I heated up the stew and whipped up some dumplings to go with it. I had a bowl of stew and two small dumplings.
Afternoon snack was an Adkins fudge brownie with a small glass of 2 % milk. Dinner was 1/2 a chicken breast cooked in tomato sauce, white wine, a little milk, tarragon & basil; 1 tablespoon of Green beans, 1 tablespoon of parmesan noodle.
Snack is a small bowl of popcorn and some dried fruit and nuts.
Yes, and I lost 1/2 a pound overnight. I'm taking any loss I can get!
Hubby wanted leftover lamb stew for lunch which was perfect for the cool, rainy day. So I heated up the stew and whipped up some dumplings to go with it. I had a bowl of stew and two small dumplings.
Afternoon snack was an Adkins fudge brownie with a small glass of 2 % milk. Dinner was 1/2 a chicken breast cooked in tomato sauce, white wine, a little milk, tarragon & basil; 1 tablespoon of Green beans, 1 tablespoon of parmesan noodle.
Snack is a small bowl of popcorn and some dried fruit and nuts.
Yes, and I lost 1/2 a pound overnight. I'm taking any loss I can get!
Thank Goodness for Friday!
Didn't gain or lose anything ... I am not surprised. I haven't been exercising because of the arm but tomorrow I am getting on that elliptical. I've got to lose more than two pounds in two weeks!
For breakfast this morning I had two soft boiled eggs with two pieces of wheat toast. Midmorning snack was a packet of Berry Breakfast on the go. Lunch was vegetable chili with corn chips and a fat free yogurt.
I skipped the afternoon snack because I knew we were going out to eat. Went to O'Charley's and had the Bruschetta Chicken which was under 550 calories ... I did not eat those wonderful rolls.
Came home and had a mug of decaf Earl Grey because I am all out of green tea. Off to the supermarket tomorrow!
For breakfast this morning I had two soft boiled eggs with two pieces of wheat toast. Midmorning snack was a packet of Berry Breakfast on the go. Lunch was vegetable chili with corn chips and a fat free yogurt.
I skipped the afternoon snack because I knew we were going out to eat. Went to O'Charley's and had the Bruschetta Chicken which was under 550 calories ... I did not eat those wonderful rolls.
Came home and had a mug of decaf Earl Grey because I am all out of green tea. Off to the supermarket tomorrow!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
A Good Thursday
Lost another pound, so I am back to my two-pound loss from last week ... this had better stick or I'm going to be pretty ticked off.
Had 3/4 of a cup of corn chex for breakfast. Mid-morning snack was a packet of Breakfast on the Go Berry. Lunch was a cup of vegetable chili and corn chips, and fat free yogurt. Made two servings of vegetable chili last night and divided it into thirds, so I am eating less than a full serving.
Dinner was a bowl of lamb stew and a small piece of Sally Lunn bread. Was still hungry so had a banana and a teaspoon of natural peanut butter.
Cleaned the bathrooms but did not exercise. I am giving my arm one more day of rest. Had a full night's sleep for the first time last night, and so felt a lot better today.
Had 3/4 of a cup of corn chex for breakfast. Mid-morning snack was a packet of Breakfast on the Go Berry. Lunch was a cup of vegetable chili and corn chips, and fat free yogurt. Made two servings of vegetable chili last night and divided it into thirds, so I am eating less than a full serving.
Dinner was a bowl of lamb stew and a small piece of Sally Lunn bread. Was still hungry so had a banana and a teaspoon of natural peanut butter.
Cleaned the bathrooms but did not exercise. I am giving my arm one more day of rest. Had a full night's sleep for the first time last night, and so felt a lot better today.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Back on Track
Yes, lost one miserable pound ... crawling my way back to my two-pound loss from last week. My arm is still killing me so I couldn't exercise last night and didn't have much sleep either.
Had scrambled eggs and one piece of toast for breakfast. Mid-morning snack was a cup of fresh cherries. Lunch was 1 cup of romaine lettuce, 1 chopped avocado, slivers of carrot, and one slice of lunch meat chicken with a drizzle of light ranch dressing. I'm getting a bit bored with my lunches ... I'll have to think of something else to make for tomorrow.
I skipped my mid-afternoon snack because I knew I was going to have a treat when I got home. Had a mug of green tea, two warm toasted coconut & chocolate chunk cookies, and hot water bottle for my arm.
Dinner was one piece of lasagna and water.
No exercise tonight ... I'm giving it one more day.
Had scrambled eggs and one piece of toast for breakfast. Mid-morning snack was a cup of fresh cherries. Lunch was 1 cup of romaine lettuce, 1 chopped avocado, slivers of carrot, and one slice of lunch meat chicken with a drizzle of light ranch dressing. I'm getting a bit bored with my lunches ... I'll have to think of something else to make for tomorrow.
I skipped my mid-afternoon snack because I knew I was going to have a treat when I got home. Had a mug of green tea, two warm toasted coconut & chocolate chunk cookies, and hot water bottle for my arm.
Dinner was one piece of lasagna and water.
No exercise tonight ... I'm giving it one more day.
Good News For Women With Dense Breasts
http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/21/good-news-for-women-with-dense-breasts-no-higher-risk-of-breast-cancer-death/
Good News for Women With Dense Breasts: No Higher Risk of Breast Cancer Death
Women with dense breasts are considered at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, in part because their tumors can be harder to spot on a mammogram. But a recent and reassuring study finds that despite their slightly increased risk, these women are no more likely to die of breast cancer than those whose breasts have more fat tissue.
So, even if the women’s tumors are caught later, they don’t appear to be any more aggressive or any harder to treat than other women’s tumors, the study found. The study did note a higher risk of death in some women, however: those with less dense breasts who were also obese or had very large tumors. Why that’s so isn’t clear; further study is needed.
“It shows we have a lot to learn about dense breast tissue and its implications for screening, diagnosis and treatment,” Barbara Monsees, chairwoman of the American College of Radiology’s breast imaging commission, told USA Today, commentingthat the study results were a bit surprising. Monsees wasn’t involved in the study.
(MORE: Study: For Some Women in their 40s, Routine Mammograms May Be Worth the Risks)
Whether a woman is classified as having dense breasts is a judgment call that can vary from doctor to doctor and from one year to the next, the AP reported:
In the new study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers looked at 9,232 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 1996 and 2005 and followed them for an average of about 6.5 years. The researchers assessed each woman’s breast density from her mammogram and rated it on a scale of 1 to 4; women receiving a score of 1 had low-density breasts, while those getting a 4 had very high-density breasts. The vast majority of women — about 84% — fell into categories 2 or 3, the fuzzier middle of the spectrum.
By the end of the follow-up period, about 1,800 women had died, 889 from breast cancer and 810 from other causes. The researchers found that women with high-density breast tissue did not have an increased risk of death from breast cancer compared with women with lower breast density.
(VIDEO: Pink Light: Burlesque and Breast Cancer Survivors)
The study’s findings add to the discussion over the necessity of telling women that they have dense breasts and then recommending that they get additional screening, such as ultrasound or MRI, which can sometimes detect tumors that mammograms miss. In a statement, the authors said:
And while that information can be potentially useful, it’s still not clear exactly how. Breast density must be considered along with a woman’s other cancer risk factors, like family history, for example, as well as her age. Breast density tends to decrease naturally as women get older, so it’s possible that a 60-year-old with dense breasts might be at greater risk than a younger woman with the same density.
As Dr. Otis Brawley of the American Cancer Society, pointed out to the AP: “We’re making policy in a gray area where the experts and doctors don’t know what it means.”
So, even if the women’s tumors are caught later, they don’t appear to be any more aggressive or any harder to treat than other women’s tumors, the study found. The study did note a higher risk of death in some women, however: those with less dense breasts who were also obese or had very large tumors. Why that’s so isn’t clear; further study is needed.
“It shows we have a lot to learn about dense breast tissue and its implications for screening, diagnosis and treatment,” Barbara Monsees, chairwoman of the American College of Radiology’s breast imaging commission, told USA Today, commentingthat the study results were a bit surprising. Monsees wasn’t involved in the study.
(MORE: Study: For Some Women in their 40s, Routine Mammograms May Be Worth the Risks)
Whether a woman is classified as having dense breasts is a judgment call that can vary from doctor to doctor and from one year to the next, the AP reported:
Radiologists divide density levels into four categories. According to the American College of Radiology, about 10 percent of women have almost completely fatty breasts. Another 10 percent have extremely dense breasts, the level that [study co-author Dr. Karla] Kerlikowske said is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer. The rest are in between, with about 40 percent having scattered areas of density and 40 percent having fairly widespread density, categories especially difficult to classify.Spotting cancer on a mammogram can be tough because while fat tissue shows up dark on the scan, both dense tissue and tumors appear white.
In the new study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers looked at 9,232 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 1996 and 2005 and followed them for an average of about 6.5 years. The researchers assessed each woman’s breast density from her mammogram and rated it on a scale of 1 to 4; women receiving a score of 1 had low-density breasts, while those getting a 4 had very high-density breasts. The vast majority of women — about 84% — fell into categories 2 or 3, the fuzzier middle of the spectrum.
By the end of the follow-up period, about 1,800 women had died, 889 from breast cancer and 810 from other causes. The researchers found that women with high-density breast tissue did not have an increased risk of death from breast cancer compared with women with lower breast density.
(VIDEO: Pink Light: Burlesque and Breast Cancer Survivors)
The study’s findings add to the discussion over the necessity of telling women that they have dense breasts and then recommending that they get additional screening, such as ultrasound or MRI, which can sometimes detect tumors that mammograms miss. In a statement, the authors said:
State legislatures have passed and continue to pass laws requiring radiologists to notify women that they have dense breast tissue. Some of these laws actually mention that women might want to participate in MRI and/or ultrasound screening because they have dense breasts. However, it is unknown if such screening can actually benefit them in terms of saving lives.Indeed, there’s no data to suggest that these extra expensive tests save lives. What’s more, they tend to lead to more false alarms, causing women unneeded stress and unnecessary treatments. Meanwhile, four states — Connecticut, Texas, Virginia and New York — have passed laws requiring health-care providers to inform women if their mammograms show they have dense breasts.
And while that information can be potentially useful, it’s still not clear exactly how. Breast density must be considered along with a woman’s other cancer risk factors, like family history, for example, as well as her age. Breast density tends to decrease naturally as women get older, so it’s possible that a 60-year-old with dense breasts might be at greater risk than a younger woman with the same density.
As Dr. Otis Brawley of the American Cancer Society, pointed out to the AP: “We’re making policy in a gray area where the experts and doctors don’t know what it means.”
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
A Little Setback
You know one of those days "when it rains it pours"? I am having one of those. I could barely move my left arm yesterday without wanting to howl in pain, and this continued today. Taking Aleve did not help. I woke up at 3 am in extreme pain and had to go downstairs to sleep in the armchair. Being able to rest my arm on the arm of the chair slightly away from my body offered some relief -- enough for me to doze restlessly.
And of course when I weighed myself this morning, I had gained back the two pounds I had lost. If that isn't enough to make a person weep, I don't know what will! Made a mental note to make sure that if I have carbs for lunch, I cannot have it for dinner.
I had corn chex for breakfast this morning. I was planning on having eggs but I needed to be able to eat something that didn't require me to move my arm too much.
Lunch was about a cup of lettuce, one avocado, and half of a baked chicken tenderloin with a drizzle of light ranch dressing. Dessert was a no fat blueberry yogurt.
My pick me up snack when I got home this afternoon was a sliced banana with one teaspoon (yes, I scaled back from my usual tablespoon) of natural peanut butter, and a mug of green tea.
Dinner was another salad made up of romaine lettuce, shaved carrots, 1 slice of white American cheese, 1 sliced hard boiled egg, and one sliced baked chicken tenderloin, drizzled with light ranch dressing.
I am done with all my eating tonight because I cannot exercise with this arm. I did consider getting on the elliptical and using the non-moving elliptical arm, but then I dismissed it as having too much potential to do more harm than good. Besides Sarah would probably have come and taken my shoes away from me again, the way she did after my lumpectomy.
And of course when I weighed myself this morning, I had gained back the two pounds I had lost. If that isn't enough to make a person weep, I don't know what will! Made a mental note to make sure that if I have carbs for lunch, I cannot have it for dinner.
I had corn chex for breakfast this morning. I was planning on having eggs but I needed to be able to eat something that didn't require me to move my arm too much.
Lunch was about a cup of lettuce, one avocado, and half of a baked chicken tenderloin with a drizzle of light ranch dressing. Dessert was a no fat blueberry yogurt.
My pick me up snack when I got home this afternoon was a sliced banana with one teaspoon (yes, I scaled back from my usual tablespoon) of natural peanut butter, and a mug of green tea.
Dinner was another salad made up of romaine lettuce, shaved carrots, 1 slice of white American cheese, 1 sliced hard boiled egg, and one sliced baked chicken tenderloin, drizzled with light ranch dressing.
I am done with all my eating tonight because I cannot exercise with this arm. I did consider getting on the elliptical and using the non-moving elliptical arm, but then I dismissed it as having too much potential to do more harm than good. Besides Sarah would probably have come and taken my shoes away from me again, the way she did after my lumpectomy.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Monday ... Monday ...
My weight held steady inspite of the little bit of sugar indulgence over the weekend. I am just grateful that my weight held steady. Started off this morning with 25 minutes on the elliptical.
Breakfast was a bowl of corn chex with blueberries, and water for the pills. Lunch was a cup of Jerusalem artichoke flour pasta with a chopped up baked tenderloin, steamed broccoli and cauliflower tossed in peanut sauce.
Am working late tonight so dinner was a cucumber and cheese sandwich; 1 cup of fresh cherries, and for a snack I had a packet of Berry breakfast on the go. That should hold me until tomorrow morning. A bit more carbs in the diet than I usually have, so tomorrow will have to be vegetable heavy.
Breakfast was a bowl of corn chex with blueberries, and water for the pills. Lunch was a cup of Jerusalem artichoke flour pasta with a chopped up baked tenderloin, steamed broccoli and cauliflower tossed in peanut sauce.
Am working late tonight so dinner was a cucumber and cheese sandwich; 1 cup of fresh cherries, and for a snack I had a packet of Berry breakfast on the go. That should hold me until tomorrow morning. A bit more carbs in the diet than I usually have, so tomorrow will have to be vegetable heavy.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Lazy Sunday
I wasn't going to exercise today but I ended up doing 20 minutes of weights after breakfast. I had a two-egg omelet sprinkled with 1/2 slice of bacon crumbles and two pieces of toast for breakfast. Jasmine Orange green tea washed everything down.
Made a marble cake and while it baked, I did my weights. After that breakfast, I wasn't about to have lunch. Instead I had a small bowl of fruit (cantaloup and strawberry) topped with lemon yogurt and sprinkled with coconut flakes.
Afternoon snack was a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and green tea. I ate a good dinner -- baked pork chops seasoned with Penzy's Forward seasoning, a stuffing muffin and one tablespoon of corn. And yes, I had a one-inch square of marble cake with chocolate fudge frosting ... and may I say it was yummy!
Made a marble cake and while it baked, I did my weights. After that breakfast, I wasn't about to have lunch. Instead I had a small bowl of fruit (cantaloup and strawberry) topped with lemon yogurt and sprinkled with coconut flakes.
Afternoon snack was a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and green tea. I ate a good dinner -- baked pork chops seasoned with Penzy's Forward seasoning, a stuffing muffin and one tablespoon of corn. And yes, I had a one-inch square of marble cake with chocolate fudge frosting ... and may I say it was yummy!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Saturday date
The weekend means that I can exercise in the mornings and not worry about getting sweaty in the evening. I did my 20 minutes on the elliptical. Had an Adkins bar for breakfast with a glass of 2% organic milk.
Today was date day so it was a movie and Japanese lunch. I had the business box lunch of Sakura chicken in garlic sauce. I really wanted the Sesame chicken but that would have kicked my good eating for the week down the tubes.
We watched the Bourne Legacy and enjoyed it but it's nothing like the other Bourne movies. I shall have to watch another one and then I can decide if I am a fan.
My mid-afternoon snack was a mug of green tea and a toasted coconut & chocolate chunk cookie. It's a small cookie and it was a planned sweet.
After that lunch no way could I have dinner so I had a gala apple and a slice of cheddar cheese, and I am feeling fine. I am not hungry.
Tomorrow I am testing a new marble cake recipe -- how crazy is that?
Today was date day so it was a movie and Japanese lunch. I had the business box lunch of Sakura chicken in garlic sauce. I really wanted the Sesame chicken but that would have kicked my good eating for the week down the tubes.
We watched the Bourne Legacy and enjoyed it but it's nothing like the other Bourne movies. I shall have to watch another one and then I can decide if I am a fan.
My mid-afternoon snack was a mug of green tea and a toasted coconut & chocolate chunk cookie. It's a small cookie and it was a planned sweet.
After that lunch no way could I have dinner so I had a gala apple and a slice of cheddar cheese, and I am feeling fine. I am not hungry.
Tomorrow I am testing a new marble cake recipe -- how crazy is that?
Friday, August 17, 2012
Going ... going ...
Another 1/4 of a pound loss -- yes, I am counting every ounce! I was a little worried about how today would go since we had an Olympic lunch at work.
But I did well. I had scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. Tried to make good choices at lunch -- had a two-inch Jimmy John's sandwich with no condiments, 1 tablespoon of beef barbecue meat (no sauce), 1 tablespoon of pasta salad, 1 teaspoon of macaroni & cheese (that's right -- one teaspoon!), 1 teaspoon of guacamole with 3 tostidos scoops.
There were lots of mouthwatering desserts but not a morsel passed my lips. Instead I took myself off to my bone mineral density test at S. Mary's.
My mid-afternoon snack was a sliced gala apple and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a mug of green tea.
Dinner was 1 cup of Jerusalem artichoke flour pasta with meat sauce, 1 cup of salad with a drizzle of lite ranch dressing. All my eating is done for the day.
But I did well. I had scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. Tried to make good choices at lunch -- had a two-inch Jimmy John's sandwich with no condiments, 1 tablespoon of beef barbecue meat (no sauce), 1 tablespoon of pasta salad, 1 teaspoon of macaroni & cheese (that's right -- one teaspoon!), 1 teaspoon of guacamole with 3 tostidos scoops.
There were lots of mouthwatering desserts but not a morsel passed my lips. Instead I took myself off to my bone mineral density test at S. Mary's.
My mid-afternoon snack was a sliced gala apple and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a mug of green tea.
Dinner was 1 cup of Jerusalem artichoke flour pasta with meat sauce, 1 cup of salad with a drizzle of lite ranch dressing. All my eating is done for the day.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Loss!
Lost two pounds! Jumping for joy! Let's see whether I can be discplined enough to do this for a whole month.
Had my usual bowl of corn chex and blueberries for breakfast; an apple and cheddar cheese for a mid-morning snack; cup and a half of salad (lettuce, tomato, grapes, cucumber) with a drizzle of lite ranch dressing for lunch; Adkins brownie and mid-afternoon snack was a packet of breakfast on the go.
Fell off the wagon a little bit because I had to make toasted coconut & chocolate chunk cookies for the lunch at work tomorrow, and when you try out a new recipe, what are you supposed to do? That's right -- taste it before you feed it to other people. I had the smallest cookie I could find.
Dinner was a small hamburger with one tablespoon of baked beans and one tablespoon of potato salad -- my carbs for the week.
I did 25 minutes on the elliptical. Tomorrow is a new day ....
Had my usual bowl of corn chex and blueberries for breakfast; an apple and cheddar cheese for a mid-morning snack; cup and a half of salad (lettuce, tomato, grapes, cucumber) with a drizzle of lite ranch dressing for lunch; Adkins brownie and mid-afternoon snack was a packet of breakfast on the go.
Fell off the wagon a little bit because I had to make toasted coconut & chocolate chunk cookies for the lunch at work tomorrow, and when you try out a new recipe, what are you supposed to do? That's right -- taste it before you feed it to other people. I had the smallest cookie I could find.
Dinner was a small hamburger with one tablespoon of baked beans and one tablespoon of potato salad -- my carbs for the week.
I did 25 minutes on the elliptical. Tomorrow is a new day ....
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Day 2 of Battle of the Chemo Bulge
My human alarm clock woke me up this morning from a dream where I was eating a seven layer raisin cake with white frosting. How bizarre is that? Or was it perhaps my sugar deprivation?
Not an ounce shifted from my chemo bloated body this morning but I was not concerned one bit. I made myself some scrambled eggs and had two pieces of toast. I skipped my mid-morning snack because I had to have an early lunch in order to teach a class at noon. Lunch was a cup and a half of steamed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower & carrots) and one baked chicken tenderloin; a gala apple and a piece of cheddar cheese. Mid-afternoon snack was an Adkins protein bar.
Dinner was 1/2 a chicken breast baked with white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried tarragon, basil and minced garlic; served with steamed carrots tossed with Penzy's Old World seasoning. Feeling righteous ...
Ended the evening with 20 minutes of weights.
Not an ounce shifted from my chemo bloated body this morning but I was not concerned one bit. I made myself some scrambled eggs and had two pieces of toast. I skipped my mid-morning snack because I had to have an early lunch in order to teach a class at noon. Lunch was a cup and a half of steamed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower & carrots) and one baked chicken tenderloin; a gala apple and a piece of cheddar cheese. Mid-afternoon snack was an Adkins protein bar.
Dinner was 1/2 a chicken breast baked with white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried tarragon, basil and minced garlic; served with steamed carrots tossed with Penzy's Old World seasoning. Feeling righteous ...
Ended the evening with 20 minutes of weights.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Battle of the Chemo Bulge
Sometimes enough is just enough and today was my day. The only one happy about my weight is my GP who was thrilled that I had lost seven pounds during chemo. "That's great!" she told me. "Most women gain 20 - 30 lbs." I may have lost seven pounds but I had to go up a dress size because of the "chemo bloat". Yes, how fair is that? Makes you want to scream at the world.
One of the most horrifying things was watching my stomach extend after six hours of infusions, and now that infusions have been over for four months, the bloated belly, swollen arms and puffy face are all still with me. Today I've decided I just can't stand it any more!
What to do? What to do? I never stopped exercising throughout chemo and I've always been a healthy eater. I can be better I am sure. Today I started my "better" -- a cup of corn chex with blueberries for breakfast and water to take my pills. Morning snack was a packet of breakfast nuts and dried berries. Lunch was a cup of grilled vegetables and an Adkins brownie. Afternoon snack was 1/2 cup of baby carrots.
Exercised for 25 minutes on the elliptical; supposedly used up 300 calories; then ate 4 strawberries with 1 teaspoon of marshmallow dip (my bad for the day). Dinner was 2 buffalo chicken tenderloins, 1 tablespoon of potato salad, 1 tablespoon baked beans, raw celery and carrots. Yes, yes, I know about the carbs in the potatoes and beans but I'm weaning myself.
Day one is done!
One of the most horrifying things was watching my stomach extend after six hours of infusions, and now that infusions have been over for four months, the bloated belly, swollen arms and puffy face are all still with me. Today I've decided I just can't stand it any more!
What to do? What to do? I never stopped exercising throughout chemo and I've always been a healthy eater. I can be better I am sure. Today I started my "better" -- a cup of corn chex with blueberries for breakfast and water to take my pills. Morning snack was a packet of breakfast nuts and dried berries. Lunch was a cup of grilled vegetables and an Adkins brownie. Afternoon snack was 1/2 cup of baby carrots.
Exercised for 25 minutes on the elliptical; supposedly used up 300 calories; then ate 4 strawberries with 1 teaspoon of marshmallow dip (my bad for the day). Dinner was 2 buffalo chicken tenderloins, 1 tablespoon of potato salad, 1 tablespoon baked beans, raw celery and carrots. Yes, yes, I know about the carbs in the potatoes and beans but I'm weaning myself.
Day one is done!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Breast Cancer Vaccine
(Reuters) - Galena Biopharma said its breast cancer vaccine received a patent granting it exclusivity until 2028, sending its shares up as much as 35 percent.
The vaccine, NeuVax, gives immunity against the relapse of breast cancer in patients who have low-to-intermediate levels of HER2 -- a protein that can affect the growth of cancer cells.
NeuVax is being tested in a late-stage study under a special protocol assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Once approved, it will be administered as an injection once a month for six months, followed by a booster injection once every six months.
According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 230,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, the company said.
Portland, Oregon-based Galena's shares were up 19 percent at $2.04 in morning trading on Wednesday. The stock, which touched a near four-month high of $2.30 earlier, was one of the top gainers on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Balaji Sridharan in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)
Note: Hadn't heard of this one before.
The vaccine, NeuVax, gives immunity against the relapse of breast cancer in patients who have low-to-intermediate levels of HER2 -- a protein that can affect the growth of cancer cells.
NeuVax is being tested in a late-stage study under a special protocol assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Once approved, it will be administered as an injection once a month for six months, followed by a booster injection once every six months.
According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 230,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, the company said.
Portland, Oregon-based Galena's shares were up 19 percent at $2.04 in morning trading on Wednesday. The stock, which touched a near four-month high of $2.30 earlier, was one of the top gainers on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Balaji Sridharan in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)
Note: Hadn't heard of this one before.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
One Week Post Port Removal
The outer pad has come off and all that is left over the incision are the steri-strips. Those are holding strong so it will be a while before I get to see what the incision looks like. There is not much discomfort ... maybe a little tinge of pain every now and then when it gets hit unexpectedly. I have been able to resume all normal activities including my 40-minutes on the elliptical.
I couldn't have asked for anything more.
I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
The Day After
I've had so many momentous days this past year and a half ... this first day after the last of the chemo related "stuff" is one such day. How did I spend this day? Cleaning out my daughter's apartment and helping move her back home! Such a mundane thing but oh, so very welcome!
I was able to dust and mop with very little pain. Aleve was my best friend and it worked wonderfully well. There were moments when I had to stop and think, "Did I really have surgery yesterday?" How well will Aleve work tomorrow when I have to make some order out of the chaos that is currently in my living room? How long before I go stark raving mad?
Perhaps I shall have a distraction. Tomorrow the top dressing will come off and I will get a good look at the scar. I am always a little freaky about the first glimpse, and then it becomes, "Ah, who cares?" Bigger things to think about other than some scars.
I was able to dust and mop with very little pain. Aleve was my best friend and it worked wonderfully well. There were moments when I had to stop and think, "Did I really have surgery yesterday?" How well will Aleve work tomorrow when I have to make some order out of the chaos that is currently in my living room? How long before I go stark raving mad?
Perhaps I shall have a distraction. Tomorrow the top dressing will come off and I will get a good look at the scar. I am always a little freaky about the first glimpse, and then it becomes, "Ah, who cares?" Bigger things to think about other than some scars.
Friday, June 22, 2012
The Port is Out
I was up at 3:30 and could not go back to sleep. Who knows what it was ... anxiety about the port removal ... hubby's snoring! We ended up going to the hospital a little early and they took us very quickly.
I'd forgotten to bring a book so had to read the rag hubby had brought along. Dr. Knaysi seemed to arrive a little before 8:15 and came in to brief me about what the process would entail. Offered me a sedative in addition to the local, but I was determined to stick to the local so that I could go home quickly.
I must say I was a little apprehensive about what it would be like with just a local. Perhaps the most painful part of the whole thing was when he was injecting the site ... it felt a little like when I had to get injections of the dye before the lumpectomy. You feel the prick of the injections and then the pain spreads. It was bearable pain and the nurse who was at my head and watching me, said that I did not even flinch. In the operating room they offered me the sedative again, and I heard her tell Dr. Knaysi's NP Susan Uhle that I was pretty calm.
You really can't see anything. Since the port was on my left, my head was turned to the right. There are sterile sheets covering everything, and a sheet shielding your face from the whole procedure. Dr. Knaysi and the nurses talked to me throughout the whole process. Sometimes telling me what was happening and other times just chatting with me. Do you feel pain? No, but you definitely can feel the tugging ... it just doesn't hurt. It seemed that the sewing up took longer than the actual removal. Dr. Knaysi's NP did the sewing up ... in two weeks, we'll see how she did. I have saved some emu oil to fade the scar.
The whole removal process probably took no more than 30 minutes. I have a thick wad of sterile dressing over the incision and I'm supposed to be able to remove that tomorrow. But I'll do what I did before and leave it on for an extra day. Under that are steri-strips that I am supposed to leave on until they fall off by themselves in two weeks. The internal stitches will dissolve on their own.
I did not feel any pain after the procedure but tonight I can feel the pain. I am determined to take nothing stronger than extra-strength Tylenol.
I'd forgotten to bring a book so had to read the rag hubby had brought along. Dr. Knaysi seemed to arrive a little before 8:15 and came in to brief me about what the process would entail. Offered me a sedative in addition to the local, but I was determined to stick to the local so that I could go home quickly.
I must say I was a little apprehensive about what it would be like with just a local. Perhaps the most painful part of the whole thing was when he was injecting the site ... it felt a little like when I had to get injections of the dye before the lumpectomy. You feel the prick of the injections and then the pain spreads. It was bearable pain and the nurse who was at my head and watching me, said that I did not even flinch. In the operating room they offered me the sedative again, and I heard her tell Dr. Knaysi's NP Susan Uhle that I was pretty calm.
You really can't see anything. Since the port was on my left, my head was turned to the right. There are sterile sheets covering everything, and a sheet shielding your face from the whole procedure. Dr. Knaysi and the nurses talked to me throughout the whole process. Sometimes telling me what was happening and other times just chatting with me. Do you feel pain? No, but you definitely can feel the tugging ... it just doesn't hurt. It seemed that the sewing up took longer than the actual removal. Dr. Knaysi's NP did the sewing up ... in two weeks, we'll see how she did. I have saved some emu oil to fade the scar.
The whole removal process probably took no more than 30 minutes. I have a thick wad of sterile dressing over the incision and I'm supposed to be able to remove that tomorrow. But I'll do what I did before and leave it on for an extra day. Under that are steri-strips that I am supposed to leave on until they fall off by themselves in two weeks. The internal stitches will dissolve on their own.
I did not feel any pain after the procedure but tonight I can feel the pain. I am determined to take nothing stronger than extra-strength Tylenol.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Port is Coming Out
My port is scheduled to come out on Friday, June 22 -- one more day and I will be back at St. Mary's at another unGodly hour of 6:45 am. Surgery is scheduled for 8:15 and Dr. Knaysi will be removing the port.
I am not concerned. I know he will do a great job. I don't know how I feel about the local anesthesia though ... who really wants to know what is going on? I suppose it's no different from having a tooth extracted only this time someone is cutting into your chest. Well, it will soon be over and I look forward to being home by noon.
This will be the last remnant of my chemotherapy ... and although the scars will never go away, I know there will be days and weeks and then years when I don't think about this disease. Cancer has changed my life in so many ways and I know that nothing will ever be the same again. This new life is perfectly acceptable and I thank God for it.
I am not concerned. I know he will do a great job. I don't know how I feel about the local anesthesia though ... who really wants to know what is going on? I suppose it's no different from having a tooth extracted only this time someone is cutting into your chest. Well, it will soon be over and I look forward to being home by noon.
This will be the last remnant of my chemotherapy ... and although the scars will never go away, I know there will be days and weeks and then years when I don't think about this disease. Cancer has changed my life in so many ways and I know that nothing will ever be the same again. This new life is perfectly acceptable and I thank God for it.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Rosemary and Sage
I call it my witch's brew -- equal parts of dried rosemary and sage with twice the amount of water, brewed until it comes to a gentle boil; simmer for ten minutes and then let it steep for 6 - 8 hours. Pour it into a glass jar (it should be a deep brown) with a lid and store it in the bathroom cabinet. Take out small amounts and work into your hair/head and let it dry naturally. It's been helping with the headaches and also with hair growth.
I had first used it on my hair when it started to grow back in November, and if my hair is anything to go by, it has worked. I have more hair that I've had in ten years! I've gotten such a kick out of having so much hair, I keep asking my husband to pat my bouncy hair! When you haven't had hair in almost a year, you're allowed to do silly things.
Don't do this if you have blond hair ... the brew will dye your hair brown.
I had first used it on my hair when it started to grow back in November, and if my hair is anything to go by, it has worked. I have more hair that I've had in ten years! I've gotten such a kick out of having so much hair, I keep asking my husband to pat my bouncy hair! When you haven't had hair in almost a year, you're allowed to do silly things.
Don't do this if you have blond hair ... the brew will dye your hair brown.
MRI Results
My oncologist's nurse, Dianne, just called with the results of my brain scan from Friday. All is well -- there is no cancer growing in my brain. I never thought there was because I never had that sense of dread that precedes bad events in my life. It is good to be reassured though.
I had my 6-month visit with my GP on Friday as well. She says that I have to eat more -- my non-fasting glucose and sodium levels have been too low for over a year now. And here I was thinking that was a good thing -- but not so. Eat more protein, she tells me, and cut out the carbs and sugar. I shall try this for six months and see if it makes a difference with the headaches, the aches and pains and most of all the numbers on the scale.
My new food life began today. Another first day for the rest of my life ...
I had my 6-month visit with my GP on Friday as well. She says that I have to eat more -- my non-fasting glucose and sodium levels have been too low for over a year now. And here I was thinking that was a good thing -- but not so. Eat more protein, she tells me, and cut out the carbs and sugar. I shall try this for six months and see if it makes a difference with the headaches, the aches and pains and most of all the numbers on the scale.
My new food life began today. Another first day for the rest of my life ...
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Finito!
April 20 came on a beautiful Spring day and I could not help but beam. The Infusion Center was short staffed so some of the supervising nurses had to lend a hand. I got Mary Anne (whom I've had before) and I barely felt the needle go in. Got good blood withdrawal too -- all was well with the universe!
I brought the nurses homemade lemon pound cake and kept thinking, if I could write a book about this time in my life, I would call it -- "When life hands you lemons ... make lemon pound cake" -- now that is the story of my life!
Dr. Schaffer's nurse, Diane, stopped in to see me. They will be sending in an order to Dr. Knaysi's office to get the port removed from my chest but only if the brain MRI next Friday comes back clean. The headache is still here and it makes me wonder, how do you have a headache for six weeks and not go crazy? Well, I know now that it's possible.
It varies in intensity but it's there every single blooming day. I have gone back to brewing rosemary and sage and applying the mixture to my head -- seems to be helping. Perhaps our ancients knew a thing or two and we could learn from them.
The infusion ended at about 2 pm and I got a send off with balloons and clappers. Some of my favorite nurses were not there, so I shall have to come back to say "good bye". Today is not a new day, it is the last day of my old life. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life!
After the infusion went to lunch with John and then did something totally normal ... went grocery shopping so I could sleep in on Saturday.
Everyone has been spoiling me rotten ... flowers, cards, chocolate, and a beautiful dove grey pearl necklace. I thought it was very appropriate -- pearls are a symbol of regeneration and rebirth.
I brought the nurses homemade lemon pound cake and kept thinking, if I could write a book about this time in my life, I would call it -- "When life hands you lemons ... make lemon pound cake" -- now that is the story of my life!
Dr. Schaffer's nurse, Diane, stopped in to see me. They will be sending in an order to Dr. Knaysi's office to get the port removed from my chest but only if the brain MRI next Friday comes back clean. The headache is still here and it makes me wonder, how do you have a headache for six weeks and not go crazy? Well, I know now that it's possible.
It varies in intensity but it's there every single blooming day. I have gone back to brewing rosemary and sage and applying the mixture to my head -- seems to be helping. Perhaps our ancients knew a thing or two and we could learn from them.
The infusion ended at about 2 pm and I got a send off with balloons and clappers. Some of my favorite nurses were not there, so I shall have to come back to say "good bye". Today is not a new day, it is the last day of my old life. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life!
After the infusion went to lunch with John and then did something totally normal ... went grocery shopping so I could sleep in on Saturday.
Everyone has been spoiling me rotten ... flowers, cards, chocolate, and a beautiful dove grey pearl necklace. I thought it was very appropriate -- pearls are a symbol of regeneration and rebirth.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Almost Done
It's hard to believe that two days from now I will get my last Herceptin infusion, and the year and a half that I thought would never end, will actually come to an end. I cannot even begin to imagine what that is going to feel like -- ask me on Friday!
I suspect that while chemo will be over and as much as I would like to put it all behind me, that I am not done yet. I have had a headache for almost six weeks now. Dr. Schaffer thinks it might be the arimidex but she has set me up for a brain MRI on April 27. We are only doing this to rule out the cancer having spread to my brain. There I said it -- it's not so scary.
Can I live with a headache for five years? I don't know ... probably. That begs the question of quantity of life over quality. I shall not speculate ... we shall wait for the MRI and the results.
I suspect that while chemo will be over and as much as I would like to put it all behind me, that I am not done yet. I have had a headache for almost six weeks now. Dr. Schaffer thinks it might be the arimidex but she has set me up for a brain MRI on April 27. We are only doing this to rule out the cancer having spread to my brain. There I said it -- it's not so scary.
Can I live with a headache for five years? I don't know ... probably. That begs the question of quantity of life over quality. I shall not speculate ... we shall wait for the MRI and the results.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Two More to Go!
I had my third to last Herceptin infusion yesterday. It didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked. The good Elaine who usually does so well with my port got the needle in but something wasn't quite right ... as she was moving the needle around, there was pain just below it. This is only the second time this has happened and she stopped. Must have hit a nerve or something. The needle had to be removed and then inserted by another nurse, Bernie, and all was well.
My potassium level was good - 3.9! It went up by .2, so I am happy. The last two infusions saw it at 3.7, so an increase is good. As long as it stays in the 3 pt range, it's vulnerable, to the "downs" of this chemotherapy. Bringing it up to 4 will be good ... hmmm ... sweet potato this weekend?
The Benadryl hit me hard this time ... napped through most of the infusion and I probably would have slept more if that man in the infusion chair across from me had not had his TV blaring. Some people are so inconsiderate. If I don't want to listen to your private phone calls, what makes you think that I would want to listen to your television?
The Benadryl had not worn off when I got home. I took another nap ... actually I think I took multiple naps, and this morning I was up at the crack of dawn! I am well rested.
The end is so close that I can see it! Hard to believe that one whole year of infusions will come to an end. When I first started I remember being a little weepy as I thought of how long it would all take. But you just have to do it because what choice do you have? You plow through it all and at some point it all ends.
I know for some people the end of treatments can be traumatic because it means that all that can be done to beat their cancer, has been done, and they don't know if it has all been enough. No one really knows and that is the hard part. You just have to have faith and go living your life as if this disease is really gone.
I fully intend to do that. This will be just one awful year and a half in which I learnt so many things about myself and some of the people I thought I knew. This time will become part of my history. I will live my life ... grateful for each day and all the people who have been with me through this terrifying ordeal. There are no words to describe the love and gratitude I have for John and Sarah ... life would have been impossible without them.
Today is a new day and I embrace it.
My potassium level was good - 3.9! It went up by .2, so I am happy. The last two infusions saw it at 3.7, so an increase is good. As long as it stays in the 3 pt range, it's vulnerable, to the "downs" of this chemotherapy. Bringing it up to 4 will be good ... hmmm ... sweet potato this weekend?
The Benadryl hit me hard this time ... napped through most of the infusion and I probably would have slept more if that man in the infusion chair across from me had not had his TV blaring. Some people are so inconsiderate. If I don't want to listen to your private phone calls, what makes you think that I would want to listen to your television?
The Benadryl had not worn off when I got home. I took another nap ... actually I think I took multiple naps, and this morning I was up at the crack of dawn! I am well rested.
The end is so close that I can see it! Hard to believe that one whole year of infusions will come to an end. When I first started I remember being a little weepy as I thought of how long it would all take. But you just have to do it because what choice do you have? You plow through it all and at some point it all ends.
I know for some people the end of treatments can be traumatic because it means that all that can be done to beat their cancer, has been done, and they don't know if it has all been enough. No one really knows and that is the hard part. You just have to have faith and go living your life as if this disease is really gone.
I fully intend to do that. This will be just one awful year and a half in which I learnt so many things about myself and some of the people I thought I knew. This time will become part of my history. I will live my life ... grateful for each day and all the people who have been with me through this terrifying ordeal. There are no words to describe the love and gratitude I have for John and Sarah ... life would have been impossible without them.
Today is a new day and I embrace it.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Another Echo
It was snowing as I rode to St. Mary's for my three-month echos and the trees lining the street were silvery with snow ... one of those postcard pretty pictures.
I didn't have to wait too long and we were all done by 9:17. I am going to keep an eye on my charts to see if the results will get posted there. There's something different about this one. I've only had this technician twice but he gave off a vibe that was a little different from the last time. Maybe the snow is playing tricks with my sixth sense. I just hope the old ticker is all right.
I didn't have to wait too long and we were all done by 9:17. I am going to keep an eye on my charts to see if the results will get posted there. There's something different about this one. I've only had this technician twice but he gave off a vibe that was a little different from the last time. Maybe the snow is playing tricks with my sixth sense. I just hope the old ticker is all right.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Hair and More Hair
It was never about being vain but one of the hardest parts of this process was losing my hair. I think it was hard because it was an outward manifestation of an internal disease. Every time I looked in the mirror, I knew what it was that was inside of me.
And when you start this process, it seems that the end is so faraway. But it does end. My TCH infusions ended on July 28 and my hair has been growing steadily since then. The amount of grey has surprised me but everyone has told me that is quite normal and that eventually it all comes back. I never thought I'd say this but I am actually getting used to the color.
What has delighted me to no end and I keep patting my bouncy hair, is that my hair has come back thicker than ever. Hashimoto's disease had already thinned it out so much that it was actually curlier than it had ever been. To get something good out of this crappy disease is something to be very grateful for ... thank you, Lord!
And when you start this process, it seems that the end is so faraway. But it does end. My TCH infusions ended on July 28 and my hair has been growing steadily since then. The amount of grey has surprised me but everyone has told me that is quite normal and that eventually it all comes back. I never thought I'd say this but I am actually getting used to the color.
What has delighted me to no end and I keep patting my bouncy hair, is that my hair has come back thicker than ever. Hashimoto's disease had already thinned it out so much that it was actually curlier than it had ever been. To get something good out of this crappy disease is something to be very grateful for ... thank you, Lord!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Agonizing Leg Cramps
It doesn't seem quite fair, does it, that after surviving some of the hardest things of my life, I now start having leg cramps. Not just any old leg cramps, but paralyzing ones that brought tears to my eyes. I don't even know whether to blame the Herceptin or the Arimedex.
Mine started a week after my last infusion. I knew something was up that day because I kept getting foot cramps in both feet. I've had foot cramps for almost a decade since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, so I wasn't so concerned. But at the end of the day when I was sitting in the recliner, they seemed to be getting worse and moving up to my ankles -- my muscles were contracting and pulling my feet up towards my ankles, and then the contractions literally snaked up my leg to my thigh, and paralyzed me. I wish there are words to describe the pain ... they escape me.
Sarah was downstairs with me and jumped up to grab my Aleve for me and then raced to prepare a hot water bottle. It took about an hour for the pain to go away. I couldn't move ... even the slightest movement caused the most horrendous pain.
I cannot even imagine what I would do if I got an attack at work ... embarrassing and horrifying. But the end is close and I can do this ... yes, I can.
Mine started a week after my last infusion. I knew something was up that day because I kept getting foot cramps in both feet. I've had foot cramps for almost a decade since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, so I wasn't so concerned. But at the end of the day when I was sitting in the recliner, they seemed to be getting worse and moving up to my ankles -- my muscles were contracting and pulling my feet up towards my ankles, and then the contractions literally snaked up my leg to my thigh, and paralyzed me. I wish there are words to describe the pain ... they escape me.
Sarah was downstairs with me and jumped up to grab my Aleve for me and then raced to prepare a hot water bottle. It took about an hour for the pain to go away. I couldn't move ... even the slightest movement caused the most horrendous pain.
I cannot even imagine what I would do if I got an attack at work ... embarrassing and horrifying. But the end is close and I can do this ... yes, I can.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Another Anniversary
At this time last year I was at St. Mary's getting prepped for surgery. Anniversaries like these are bittersweet. The scars from the lumpectomy and the sentinel node removal have faded to tiny silvery lines on my skin and there are moments when I can almost forget that I once had this terrible disease. But I did have it with all the terror it brought.
I am deeply grateful for the team of people who saved my life. On this day I thank God for the skills of Dr. Knaysi. He is a kind, thoughtful surgeon, who paid no heed to my "Just take it all out, I don't care what the breast looks like." He cared and he did a marvelous job. Now when I look in the mirror I don't weep with remembrance. I look almost normal and as the years go by, this will be my new normal, and the memory of this time will fade. I will never forget because no one forgets a time like this, but the emotional response will be different. The choking horror and the dread will be gone.
"Just live" Dr. Schaffer told me and I am doing that. But everyone who has had a disease like this, I think lives on borrowed time. I am no Einstein. I do not have great gifts to give the world. I can only live the best life I know how.
I am deeply grateful for the team of people who saved my life. On this day I thank God for the skills of Dr. Knaysi. He is a kind, thoughtful surgeon, who paid no heed to my "Just take it all out, I don't care what the breast looks like." He cared and he did a marvelous job. Now when I look in the mirror I don't weep with remembrance. I look almost normal and as the years go by, this will be my new normal, and the memory of this time will fade. I will never forget because no one forgets a time like this, but the emotional response will be different. The choking horror and the dread will be gone.
"Just live" Dr. Schaffer told me and I am doing that. But everyone who has had a disease like this, I think lives on borrowed time. I am no Einstein. I do not have great gifts to give the world. I can only live the best life I know how.
Monday, February 20, 2012
An Anniversary of Sorts
It's taken me a while to write this entry because it still feels a little strange to me to think that a year has come and gone. How did I survive a year of this?
All the mechanics of making sure that there is nothing abnormal in my breasts have been undertaken -- my mammogram is done, the MRI is done, and my oncologist's visit for January is done, and no "suspicious" areas or abnormalities have been discovered. My potassium levels seem to have been stabilised and now all I have to do is get through three more Herceptin infusions.
April 20 is my last Herceptin infusion ... whatever will I do with myself? However will I survive with not smelling Herceptin in my pee again? Oh, joy, Oh, joy ... the things I have on my list to do!
The first one is to work in the backyard. I already have all these plans in my head waiting for the weather to get warm enough to start planting. The urge to plant something and watch it grow is overwhelming and yes, I know where it comes from!
Live, my oncologist said, just live! I fully intend to do that.
All the mechanics of making sure that there is nothing abnormal in my breasts have been undertaken -- my mammogram is done, the MRI is done, and my oncologist's visit for January is done, and no "suspicious" areas or abnormalities have been discovered. My potassium levels seem to have been stabilised and now all I have to do is get through three more Herceptin infusions.
April 20 is my last Herceptin infusion ... whatever will I do with myself? However will I survive with not smelling Herceptin in my pee again? Oh, joy, Oh, joy ... the things I have on my list to do!
The first one is to work in the backyard. I already have all these plans in my head waiting for the weather to get warm enough to start planting. The urge to plant something and watch it grow is overwhelming and yes, I know where it comes from!
Live, my oncologist said, just live! I fully intend to do that.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Anniversary Approaches
The anniversary of my diagnosis is approaching and I have been trying not to think of it. This is not an anniversary that anyone looks forward to or celebrates. Instead it brings a dread that is hard to shake off. I have often referred to 2011 as the year that saved my life and while John thinks of it as the most awful year of our lives, I do not quite see it that way.
I went through some terrible things that I wasn't sure I would survive. But I fought so hard not to have them break my spirit or my body. Some days were harder than others but here I am almost a year later ... stronger in spirit and getting stronger in body.
I began 2012 ... the year of the Dragon ... with so much hope. I am filled with the sense that this is a different year from the last. I can't wait for Monday morning to be over ... so that the dread that is dancing on the edges of my being can be dispelled.
I went through some terrible things that I wasn't sure I would survive. But I fought so hard not to have them break my spirit or my body. Some days were harder than others but here I am almost a year later ... stronger in spirit and getting stronger in body.
I began 2012 ... the year of the Dragon ... with so much hope. I am filled with the sense that this is a different year from the last. I can't wait for Monday morning to be over ... so that the dread that is dancing on the edges of my being can be dispelled.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
My Radiation Friend has died
I was sad today to learn about the death of Fr. Theophile Brown:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesdispatch/obituary.aspx?n=theophile-waldorf-brown&pid=155229224
http://richmondmonks.org/?p=451
John was reading the Catholic Virginian and said, "Isn't this the priest that had his radiation with you?" I looked at the picture and saw that it was indeed, Fr. Brown. He had died on Christmas Eve.
Our paths had crossed during our radiation sessions -- his were a couple of minutes before mine and we would chat as we waited for our treatments. I remember how happy he was at the end of his treatment. We ran into each other outside St. Mary's and we stopped to chat. He told me that he was done and that he was looking forward to gaining back some of the 30 pounds he had lost. We wished each other good luck and that was the last I saw of him.
I had hoped that he had gone on to recover from his tongue and throat cancer and was gaining weight. I am deeply saddened by the fact that he lived only a few more months after that day. I hope his last days were filled with peace and acceptance that his time on this earth was coming to an end, and that his 86 years here had been well spent.
It is not always easy to keep away thoughts of what this disease really means -- it is a death sentence that hangs over you for all time, and it gets more difficult when people who have touched your life, succumb to it.
I shall pray for you tonight, Fr. Brown, and I hope that you are now with the God you served for so many decades. And I hope you spare a thought for me and a prayer that God gives me the long life he gave you.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesdispatch/obituary.aspx?n=theophile-waldorf-brown&pid=155229224
http://richmondmonks.org/?p=451
John was reading the Catholic Virginian and said, "Isn't this the priest that had his radiation with you?" I looked at the picture and saw that it was indeed, Fr. Brown. He had died on Christmas Eve.
Our paths had crossed during our radiation sessions -- his were a couple of minutes before mine and we would chat as we waited for our treatments. I remember how happy he was at the end of his treatment. We ran into each other outside St. Mary's and we stopped to chat. He told me that he was done and that he was looking forward to gaining back some of the 30 pounds he had lost. We wished each other good luck and that was the last I saw of him.
I had hoped that he had gone on to recover from his tongue and throat cancer and was gaining weight. I am deeply saddened by the fact that he lived only a few more months after that day. I hope his last days were filled with peace and acceptance that his time on this earth was coming to an end, and that his 86 years here had been well spent.
It is not always easy to keep away thoughts of what this disease really means -- it is a death sentence that hangs over you for all time, and it gets more difficult when people who have touched your life, succumb to it.
I shall pray for you tonight, Fr. Brown, and I hope that you are now with the God you served for so many decades. And I hope you spare a thought for me and a prayer that God gives me the long life he gave you.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Normal Potassium!
On Friday, January 5th, I went for my Herceptin infusion and was happy to find out that my potassium has finally climbed up to 4 from the miserable 2.9 three weeks ago. I guess removing the HCT from my Diovan and all the potassium pills have finally helped!
I knew that Herceptin was somehow interfering with one of my medications. At least now I don't have to worry about my potassium levels and whether each time I go for my infusion, I would need to have an extra two hours for the potassium infusion.
So happy!
I knew that Herceptin was somehow interfering with one of my medications. At least now I don't have to worry about my potassium levels and whether each time I go for my infusion, I would need to have an extra two hours for the potassium infusion.
So happy!
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