Good News!!

I met with the genetic counselor yesterday for the results of the genetic testing and the results were just what I wanted to hear! My results were negative, which means my breast cancer is not hereditary, it is environmental. This is great news for my kids and all my blood relitives!!

I will be looking for healthier options for what goes in or on my body along with any thing I clean with and use on my yard and garden.

My side effects are pretty much the same as the last chemo treatment, puffy knees, food and water doesn't taste right, and I get tired pretty quickly. Thank goodness for a job where I can take nap in the afternoon! I only have about 10 days left of these side effects then onto eating better and exercising more! I can't wait to get back to it!

Writing from my last "Heavy Duty" chemo infusion.......

Well here I am today writing during my last heavy dose of chemo. I will still be getting the Herceptin infusion every 3 weeks until the end of July but that is a piece of cake compared to the full treatment. I will not have the bad taste, hair loss, puffiness, redness in my face or any other side effects I have mentioned, and it should only take about an hour instead of 4-5 hrs, yea!!!

I can't wait until I can start eating better and exercising more. With food not tasting well I tend to eat whatever appeals to me which has been ALOT of carbs.

I will be getting radiation also, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. I don't know exactly when that will be starting until I see the Dr. On January 5th.

I did get some of the Christmas shopping done but I have kids and a husband to help with that, then they can get my gift while they are out. I am also almost finished baking, two more treats left to bake, maybe it will be better to bake when it doesn't taste good less eating while baking (however they are mostly carbs). The decorating is done, I think I put out every decoration I have for Christmas. I must be making up for Halloween (I only put out 4 of 12 totes that I have) and Thanksgiving ( didn't decorate at all, unless you count the fall colored M&M's).

Today is going well. It seems to be going a little quicker than the last 5 treatments. Maybe my reward for finishing the treatments is getting done a little early.

I cannot believe how fast this seems to have gone. It doesn't seem like 5 months ago that I was diagnosed. I know I still have other treatments to go through but what I have heard from people that have gone through this process, both friends and strangers, I am just finishing the most intense part. I realize that each experience is different but it is nice to hear from those that have gone through it.

We will still be posting through all of my treatments but it may be farther between each post, just because the treatments may get monotonous. I will be posting the results of my genetic testing once I contact my family to let them know what I find out.

Speaking of Viruses and Colds

Last week at work, there were two co-workers who didn't miss a day but both obviously had a cold. Their claim was that since they had been sick for a few days they were no longer contagious. The rest of us thought they shouldn't be there. I sneezed a few times last week. I'm hoping I don't wake up tomorrow morning with a cold. Grrr... As a result, this is one of my more uninspired posts so feel free to skip it if you are bored.

There are things in common between a cold and cancer. There isn't a cure for either. There are also risk factors for a cold as there are for cancer. We do try to minimize The family's risk factors. We eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, exercise, take vitamins. (That sounds like the same as for cancer.)

Colds don't necessarily do you in but they do make you feel like crap for a few days. And we have a lot going on with the holidays right around the corner and with Denise's condition we have to be diligent about catching anything.

I saw a news article recently about how to avoid getting sick - but now as I am ready to write about it I cant find it anywhere. They included things like avoiding sick people, washing your hands regularly, etc. I did just look up the difference between a cold and a virus/flu. Basically a cold is centered in your nose and a virus/flu makes you feel bad all over.

Hey, It's the holidays....let feel good about things. Denise's last major chemo trip tomorrow!

Wee Bit of Good News.

I find this very cool. A little research lab in Pennsylvania thought they had a broken incubator but may have stumbled on a significant breakthrough in a cure for cancer. As I am not technical and did not sleep well last night and have not had enough caffeine (not that I drink coffee any more and more only inhale the aroma) I will attempt my explanation:

There is a very simple virus that was being tested on cervical cancer cells which is believed to be caused by the Human Papilloma Virus. Someone left the virus cells in an incubator with the cancer cells and then went back and the cancer cells were liquified. They thought the incubator was broken but then could repeat this phenomenon and with other kinds of cancer cells. Now is that cool or what? Making cancer cells liquify and go away. Sign me up baby! I'm there.

BUT... Of course there is a big fat BUT here (not a big fat BUTT which is an entirely different thing). It has to finish being tested and going through trials. Which can take a couple of billion (yes with a B) dollars and 10-12 years. The article gives a very good and clear summary of what it takes to get a breakthrough from a lab to an authorized treatment:


Steps to FDA approval

It’s a long, long road from the laboratory to the bedside, governed by the Food and Drug Administration. The vast majority of all drugs and therapies developed don’t make it. The American Cancer Society estimates it takes about 10 to 12 years to fully develop a drug or therapy from the laboratory to bedside use.

1. Preclinical (animal) testing. This is where Dr. Meyers team is in the process.
2. Phase 1 studies (typically involve 20 to 80 people).
3. Phase 2 studies (typically involve a few dozen to about 300 people).
4. Phase 3 studies (typically involve several hundred to about 3,000 people).
5. Submission of a new drug application is the formal step asking the FDA to consider a drug for marketing approval.
6. After an application is received, the FDA has to decide whether to file it so it can be reviewed.
7. Review of the application resulting in application approval or the issue of a response letter.
Source: Federal Food and Drug Administration"

So while this a very cool breakthrough and it looks very promising, we can expect to see it maybe in 2021 or so. However it has started my day off with a bit of cheery optimism in the middle of a week. In the meantime, I am cheering on this little virus.

Post Thanksgiving

Well, Thanksgiving dinner tasted wonderful, both of them, that is the benefit of going to my bother's on Thanksgiving and Randy's side the Saturday after.

I have one Chemo treatment left which is December 7th, my brother's birthday and Pearl Harbor Day. Also, I get the results of the genetic testing on December 8th. That will be interesting. I am hoping to get a negative result for a mutation, which would mean I do not have the gene.

Chritmas, hmmm... well, I have started shopping but not on black friday. I am not a midnight or 5 am kind of shopper. I already have the rest of my week and weekend planned to try to get as much "Christmas Stuff" done as possible. You know, the tree, decorations, cookies, shopping etc... I know I won't feel like doing any of it the weekend after chemo so I am planning ahead. I am not a December 24th kind of shopper either, that is why I want to get as much done as possible this week and weekend. Watch out mall people, here I come and I am on a mission!!

We are turning into a country of shopping malls

I am on a different bent today. Normally I find all things medical and health wise to blog about but today that is not what is aggravating me. It's a beautiful day day with temps expected to hit 50 in Mid-November.

Today I want to blog about corporate America - not in the Occupy movement sense but in how they treat their customers. First of all, retailers think they are doing customers a 'favor' by opening stores on Thanksgiving or as soon as they can after midnight.

I was talking to a friend the other day who for 23 years has gone shopping with her daughter on black Friday at 5am, enjoying the first rush, shopping for a few hours and then going out to breakfast. This year the fun has gone out of it. They are not going to get up to shop at 1am. Their annual 5am shopping trip will lose its luster. Its the end of an era for them. I am not sure they will shop on Friday as a result.

What about that Target employee who put up an online petition to 'Save Thanksgiving'? He has over 196,000 signagture so far. There is an unofficial poll on CNN.com this morning where 84% don't want stores open on Thanksgiving. Do I hear some dissent in the masses here? Holidays are for employees too. They deserve some time with their families. Yes you can say if you don't want to work the hours, find another job. But in this economy there are not a lot of options for many people. Retailers are desperate for every dollar they can get. I'm not going to any store this weekend instead I will do all of my shopping online which is refered to a Cyber Monday (even if I do it on Sat/Sun). Sales will be at my convenience, not theirs.


Corporate America is here to stay. However just because they try to tell us what we want and what we need, and when we should buy it, that doesn't mean we need to suck up to their whims. I won't shop in the middle of the night. I only shop when stores aren't crowded. I try to avoid the scams and to good to be true offers. I also try to buy local.

I think its time we vote with our feet. If we don't like poor customer service, tell them and stop shopping there. If we don't like the quality of their products, tell them, and stop shopping there. If they are the only store for miles around because they have forced out the competition (think Walmart and its evil practices on small town USA), and find another option. Maybe you can't go to a grocery store weekly but you can stock up monthly on the non-perishables further away and buy locally/non Walmart for the little stuff.

We also should remember money and goods aren't everything. Low prices don't mean good quality and good service. My last trip to the Supermarket resulted in rotten produce - it didn't matter if it was cheap in the first place if you have to throw it out and go shopping again.

My last words of advice is to stay home and give thanks for things you have.

Hodge Podge of Thoughts

Don't underestimate the heat your hair holds in! With it getting colder I have definitely found that when you are bald you get cold much faster. I was thinking of going to the mall this weekend in the buff, my head I mean.

My side affects seem to be occurring sooner after each treatment. I have been puffy the last couple of days, with my knee's swollen. They seem to be getting better today. I have found that if I put lemon in my water it tastes much better, I think the lemon cuts the metallic taste.
I talked to my oncologist about radiation so I will be starting that process after the holidays.

Up until November 13th we were busy with Cross Country with my daughter. Well, Nordic Skiing started on the 14th so now we are working on equipment and warm clothes, not just for her but for all of us spectators.

I will be celebrating my daughter's birthday this weekend. I am not getting any older so I don't know how my kids keep getting older.

Number 5 tomorrow.

Well, tomorrow is the 5th of 6 chemo treatments! It seems to be going quickly. I had another heart echo today, everything seems to be fine. I will be asking my oncologist about radiation tomorrow. Soon I will be onto the next phase of my treatment.

I wish I could get excited about Thanksgiving dinner, but I am pretty sure it isn't going to taste right. I was grocery shopping today and I would think, "Hey, that would be good to eat this weekend!" then I would put it back remembering that it won't taste anything like it should. That seems to be the hardest thing to get use to. When you're tired you take a nap but you can't make things taste better.

You know I really am lucky when the taste is the worst side effect I have from chemo. Going into this I thought I was going to experience nausea, diareah and vomiting, and have a thin sunken hollow look to my face. Medicine has come along way in a very short time!

Ouch! Smile! Ouch! Smile!

This sounds like a weird topic heading for the blog I know but that is how I have been feeling lately.

Things still are going well. I go when time permits for my expander fill ups. I usually go by myself in the mornings. I lie down on a table. They inject me with the saline. I have lost count now on how many times I have had a "fill up."I have had it pretty easy with the expanders and no complications thus far. The expanders don't move around at all and one is partially under my left arm. It doesn't hurt, just digs in when I use my left arm across my body. When Randy asked if I was comfortable with them, I just said they seem to get in the way. Please understand I'm not sharing all this to complain.

As I've said time and time again, I have been so fortunate. I guess I just feel it's important to share what it is like, this getting back to "normal" and the way I once was. So that's the "ouch part." It's all part of the journey. And the getting back to normal is the "smile" part. It's knowing the end of it all is in sight. I spoke to my doctor about the process of radiation therapy as I have to decide if that is the next thing to completion. She said we may need to deflate one side for awhile but that would be standard procedure.

Today I get my new permanent tooth.

We Don't Get A "Do-Over" In Life.

When we are little we want to grow up and be a policeman/fireman/doctor/teacher/nurse/president/astronaut/professional athlete. Then as we get older we want to go live in the woods and become vegetarians/paint or live on the beach in Tahiti/save the world and have all sorts of idealistic rose colored glasses filled dreams. Maybe next you want to get rich so you can live the easy life in a nice house with nice cars, etc.

At some point you go to college, get a job, date, marry, children, etc. But then life starts to interfere. Maybe you don't get married until later. Or you never get rich. Or you don't get recruited out of college for the team of your dreams. Or you have children and are struggling as a single parent. Or find your college major will not help you get the job of your dreams. Or your health interferes.

At some point you realize your dreams are not all going to come true. You are not living on a beach in Tahiti and you aren't a millionaire. Are you filled with regrets? You shouldn't be or you need to learn not to be.

If I had a preference I would not have gotten cancer, maybe I would be richer, maybe I would be a size 4, 5'7" physically fit person who never has to work out and could eat chocolate and ice cream three times a day. Yeah, right.

Life is about learning to adapt. We all have a bit of Darwin in us as we learn to roll with the punches.

We do not get a 'do over' for life. We are stuck with how our cards are dealt. We need to learn to roll with the punches to thrive and survive. And still eat chocolate every day. But, Family and Friends sure help.

Water, Water Everywhere

We take water for granted. It is always here and we use/drink it when we want to. I hate it when water doesn't taste good. On a normal day I drink 8-10 glasses of water (I don't want to deal with constipation) but when your water tastes like your drinking it with metal in your mouth it is really hard to swallow, literally! When I have that taste, about 2-12 days after Chemo,I find it hard to get enough liquids in me and I tend to get puffy, my hands and feet swell, and I notice it in my face. But, when that taste goes away and water tastes good again, I am like a thirsty man in the desert, like drinking the best thing you have ever had for the first time. I really miss good tasting water during those days. It makes me appreciate water that much more.

Breast Cancer Fighting Foods

Here's another topic on cancer fighting foods.....when things are going good, it's tough to come up with interesting subject matter on a daily basis :)

You can lower your risk for breast cancer by reaching for the right foods, according to five new studies. A woman can cut her chance of cancer by as much as two-thirds with good nutrition and weight management. Even a woman who carries the BRCA 1 or 2 gene can reduce her risk. Denise always tells me to fill my diet with lean protein and plentiful produce—to help keep my weight in check and provide cancer-fighting compounds, more for the weight but any cancer fight stuff is frosting on the cake.

Broccoli

Sulforaphane—a compound in broccoli—reduced the number of breast cancer stem cells (which cause cancer spread and recurrence) in mice, according to research from the University of Michigan. Eating broccoli may not deliver enough sulforaphane to achieve the same effect, but to get the most you can, eat your broccoli raw or briefly steam or stir-fry the green florets. (Boiling destroys some of the sulforaphane.)

Salmon

Taking fish-oil supplements for at least 10 years can shrink your risk of ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer, according to a study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. It’s thought that the omega-3 fats in fish oil reduce inflammation, which may contribute to breast cancer. But you can skip the supplement aisle, say the study’s researchers, and eat about 8 ounces of oily fish (salmon, sardines, tuna) a week. Alway's a favorite of our family.

Olive Oil

Another reason to reach for extra-­virgin olive oil: when researchers in Barcelona gave rats with breast cancer a diet in which fat came predominantly from extra-virgin olive oil (versus corn oil), they found that the olive oil’s antioxidants and oleic acid (a mono-­unsaturated fat) quelled growth of malignant cells.

Parsley

Research scientists found that this herb can actually inhibit cancer-cell growth. Animals that were given apigenin, a compound abundant in parsley (and in celery), boosted their resistance to developing cancerous tumors. Experts recommend adding a couple pinches of minced fresh parsley to your dishes daily.

Coffee

Drinking about two 12-ounce coffees a day may lower your risk of an aggressive form of breast cancer, says a recent study in Breast Cancer Research. One possibility is that coffee’s antioxidants protect cells from damage that can lead to cancer,more research is needed, so don’t up your intake based on these findings just yet. You can contact us for one of those fancy Keurig Coffee Makers though.....

Beyond blueberries: 8 unexpected antioxidants

We had another lazy weekend. Denise underwent her 4th Chemo treatment last Wednesday so we know the weekend would be spent dealing with side effects. So far fatigue seems to be the only thing we are dealing with. She also decided to take a major step and shave what was left of her hair, so she is now bald as a cue ball. Looks good, but she says it’s a little chilly on her morning walks. While undergoing Chemotherapy we were advised not to delve into too many antioxidants, but I recently found another list I thought I would share.

When scientists first discovered the power of antioxidants to destroy cell-damaging free radicals, the hunt was on. They knew these preventers of cancer and heart disease were in colorful fruits and vegetables and nuts, but recently researchers have uncovered them in new, unexpected places. And that’s a good thing, because upping your antioxidant intake from as many sources as possible is more beneficial than getting them from just a few highly publicized foods. Don’t just eat blueberries every day and think you’re covered, when you eat a diverse diet, you get the entire spectrum of benefits they deliver.

1. Whole Grain Pasta

Whole grain versions of pasta (whole wheat should be listed as the first ingredient) have 3 times more antioxidants than enriched or refined varieties. Many epidemiological studies show that the consumption of whole grains can reduce the risk of heart disease. We used to think this was because of the fiber sweeping out the cholesterol, but it’s looking more like it’s the polyphenols’ positive effect on blood pressure and other markers of heart health that deserve the credit. The concentrations of antioxidants in whole grain flour used to make wheat pasta are comparable to those found in fruits and veggies.

2. Popcorn

Popcorn has 4 times more polyphenols—powerful cancer-fighting plant compounds—than the average amount found in fruits. When air-popped at home, it’s a 100 percent whole grain food, so it’s not a complete surprise that it’s packed with polyphenols.

3. Eggs

Eggs aren’t commonly considered a rich source of the antioxidant lutein (which protects your eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts) because they have low concentrations of it, relative to top sources such as spinach. However, the lutein in egg yolks is absorbed more effectively than that in spinach, possibly because the yolks’ fat helps our bodies process the antioxidant much better. So even though one egg has only about 5 percent of the lutein found in just 1/4 cup of spinach, we absorb it 3 times more effectively. Spinach and other leafy greens are still the best sources, but whole eggs are another easy way to get more lutein.

4. Canned Beans

A 2004 study conducted by the USDA found that certain varieties of dried beans contain high levels of antioxidants. Recent findings found that while all canned beans contain antioxidants, small red beans have the highest levels, followed closely by dark red kidney and black beans. In fact, darker canned beans have as much as 3 times more phytochemicals—plant compounds that wipe out free radicals to protect your cells and repair DNA damage—than white kidney and great Northern beans.

5. Yogurt

Love yogurt? You’ll love this stat: Just 1 cup of low-fat plain yogurt provides at least 25% of the daily value for riboflavin—the same that’s in 1 cup of boiled spinach. While not an antioxidant itself, riboflavin (a B vitamin) is critical in promoting antioxidant activity. Without it, the antioxidant glutathione—which is already in our cells—cannot destroy free radicals, which may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions. Because riboflavin is water soluble, it remains in the body only a few hours and must be replenished daily. Yogurt does the trick.

6. Canola Oil

Heart-healthy canola oil (which is less expensive and milder tasting than olive oil) is rich in the antioxidant alphatocopherol (did I spell that right?) Just 1 tablespoon contains 16 percent of the DV. Alphatocopherol is one of eight antioxidants in vitamin E, which scientists have found keeps the fats in “bad” LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and forming free radicals, potentially leading to cardiovascular diseases and other chronic conditions. Turns out, though, we aren’t getting enough of this potent antioxidant. Close to one-third of women have low concentrations of alpha-tocopherol Easy fix: Use canola oil when baking or anytime you need a neutral-tasting oil for sautéing.

7. Organic Milk

Switch from regular milk to organic and you’ll be rewarded with a stronger dose of antioxidants, including vitamin E and the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein. Antioxidants in milk from cows raised on organic or grass-fed diets are about 40 to 50 percent more concentrated than the milk from conventionally raised cows. These cows eat more grass, and the pasture itself provides more antioxidants than grain feeding even if the feed is augmented with supplements. If you’re not a frequent milk drinker, look for cheese and butter from grass-fed cows; they also offer more antioxidants than conventional varieties.

8. Natural Sweeteners

The average American consumes 130 g of added refined sugars each day. If you cut excess sugar and use natural sweeteners like molasses, honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup instead of refined whenever possible, you can add the equivalent of antioxidants from an extra serving of nuts or berries to your daily diet. Antioxidant content of several natural sweeteners found that molasses (particularly dark and blackstrap varieties) had the highest amounts. Honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup also contained significant levels of antioxidants. Studies have measured antioxidants in a variety of honeys and found that darker types tend to have significantly higher polyphenol counts. For example, buckwheat has an antioxidant level 8 times higher than clover, which is also outranked by sunflower and tupelo honeys.

So, there you have it. Once this Chemo thing is done, we’ll be trying more of these foods to stay on the straight and narrow.

Only 2 Chemo Treatments Left!!!

Well, I have 4 chemo treatments behind me and only two left. I am feeling fine today although it does take me a little longer to accomplish things already. This usually starts on Saturday after treatment so I think it is hitting me a little earlier with each treatment.

The kids decided it was time to get rid of what is left of my hair so I had it all cut off today. The stylist said I have a nice shaped head, who knew! I also went to the dentist and had my temporary crown put on my front tooth. I should have the permanent one in about two weeks.

Food doesn't taste good and I don't know when I am hungry. Not much different than the last 3 treatments. I am ready to take it easy this weekend. Maybe a movie and of course the Viking game on Sunday. It really is nice to PLAN to take it easy. I realize I don't do that enough!!

Over The Top

Okay, I lied. I'm sorry. I'm writing about pinkification again so if it is really driving you crazy feel free to skip my blog today and read it again tomorrow. I was surfing this morning and came across a list of weird things that have been pinked. If you must buy pinked things, you might as well get something really weird... but check the fine print first.

Penguin Group Romance Novels- They have a Read Pink program and will donate $25,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. But I couldn't find how much of each purchase is part of the $25,000.... Maybe they are just making the donation and not taking a specific amount for each book. I can see the connection - romance novels are read by women... Not that bad an item.

Pink Ribbon Pasta from the Pasta Shoppe. 10% of each purchase goes to Komen... But I didn't see a maximum being donated. But pink pasta with red sauce might look yucky on your plate.

Pink Boxing gloves - 'A portion of each item goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation' - so what portion? Is there a maximum? Can I have a pair to take out my frustrations with my health and not hurt my hands if I get the desire to punch something?

Delta Sky Miles & Minute Maid Pink Lemonade - 10% of your membership fee goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. They also give you an opportunity to donate directly. And 100% of all sales of Minute Maid Pink Lemonade in October are going to the BCRF as well. What ever happened to free inflight beverages?

A car - I am not kidding on this one. You can get a Fiat 500 with a breast cancer ribbon decal. $1000 of each car purchase goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Again I did not see a maximum being donated.

Carry-on bag from Tumi - 20% of the $445 price (or $89) of a special multi color pink bag goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation during October.

Pink Ribbon Cable lock - It vaguely states that the manufacturer donates a portion of the purchase to the National Breast Cancer Foundation... I would skip this one. How much is being donated? Don't waste your $14.95 plus shipping.

9mm Hand Gun - Just because Smith & Wesson now makes a pink gun, does not turn me into a card carrying member of the NRA. They don't tell you how much is being donated... And its out of stock.

Magnetic hammer - I am not a tool person and am not sure why a hammer needs to be magnetic but a pink one? No thanks. I already have a pink tool set that has a pink hammer - that was given to me as a joke. (My husband refuses to use any of the tools in it.) This company has its own Pink for a Purpose fund which gives money to Avon's Breast Cancer Awareness and Anti-Domestic Violence funds as well as a pet care fund. But how much?


Swiffer Duster kit - but its out of stock....

Beer Pong Table - I didn't know they made beer pong tables never mind pinked ones. Since I am long since out of my party days..., I don't need one. I can see these in fraternity houses across the country. And its the official size of the World Series of Beer Pong and the Atlantic City Beer Pong Championship...$10 of each $139.95 price (on sale from $169.95) goes to breast cancer research... but what organization?


Skis from K2.... But they don't tell you how much or who it is etc.

Okay. Most of these are over the top. But if you must buy any of them, be sure you know how much of your money is going to what organization and if there is a maximum. Often companies set up these products and give a portion of your purchase to a non-profit up to a certain amount. After reaching the maximum, the portion becomes part of their profit. I promise to stop blogging about pinkification. I am so happy October is almost over.

Genetic testing: the tarot cards/palm readings of the 21st century

In the past, when people wanted to learn what might be in their future, they had their tea leaves, palms, crystal ball, tarot cards read. Now we can do one better and skip the hocus pocus by going straight to science with genetic testing. Give a few cells and get back a scientific yes or no of if you have that gene. The latest round of genetic testing publicly discussed is the longevity gene which joins dozens of others previously announced. If you have the longevity gene, you are predisposed to live to be 100... Well a 77% chance of that. You could still get hit by a bus tomorrow. Or if you chain smoke, you probably are lessening your odds as lifestyle factors still have an impact.

But also if you do not have the gene, it does not mean you won't live to be 100. You still could. The same could be said for any other genetic testing. If you have a specific gene, it does not mean that defines what will happen to you any more than what someone with a crystal ball said a generation ago. It simply means you are predisposed to that condition that was found to be determined by that gene. Our bodies have many more genes that could predispose us for the same or other conditions. Genetic testing still has a long way to go.

Once you find you have a specific gene, what do you do then? Just because you know you have a genetic predisposition for something, how do you use the knowledge to help you? Take the BRCA gene for example. Women with either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have a higher predisposition to get breast and ovarian cancers. It doesn't mean they will get them, it means they are at higher risk of getting them. Many women who test positive for one of the two BRCA genes will choose to undergo prophylactic oopharectomies or mastectomies to remove the risk. They opt to have surgery just in case. This is for their piece of mind.

I'm not sure I want to know my future. I believe it will help give information to my kids and rest of the family by blood. I think I prefer taking each day as it comes. My grandmother lived a long life, so is longevity in my future? Maybe. But I've had cancer so does that tilt the scales the other way? Maybe I'll go get my palm read if I really ever want to know.

The Way Of The Future

My non-medical opinion of cancer treatment is that there are a lot of assumptions built in. If you have a tumor,they should take it out. If they think you need chemotherapy, they guess at the dose based on your body weight. If you need radiation, they try to hit only where the tumor was, this is a change from hitting the entire area of the body. They assume you will respond as well as everyone else who had the same treatment protocol but realize that not everyone does and they don't necessarily understand why. It is realized that many cancer patients are either under treated or over treated because the medical field simply don't understand enough about cancer. And often the treatment is almost as bad as the disease - it causes significant short term (hair loss, nausea, etc.) and some long term side effects.

Surgery excises the tumor and the clump of cells. They hope chemotherapy will zap any remaining cancer cells in your body - but my non medical brain asks if chemotherapy zaps all cancer cells, why are there so many kinds of chemo if they zap all cancer cells? I feel that this goes back to the all cancers are the same theory that was disproved generations ago. One treatment does not fit all. Radiation tries to zap the cancer cells in a certain area - where they think they are. But it also damages the healthy cells and causes all kinds of burning. Some systemic treatments like Tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors work for some women and not for others and are trying to make your body less attractive to hormone receptor cancer cells.

But none of these treatments focus on what I call the key questions:

- Where did these cancer cells come from? Why did they start mutating in the first place?
- Why was this part of the body more attractive to the cancer cells than others?
- What is the underlying cause of all of this?

Recently I read an article about the importance of the type of cancer not just its location, I was intrigued to say the least. I have also heard many times of the trend to personalized medicine. But now the next step is beginning to expand on these areas and actually take concrete steps to make changes.

Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have launched a massive study to test cancer patients' tumors for hundreds of genetic aberrations. The goal is to obtain a better understanding of the underpinnings of cancer and how to tailor patient's treatments. They want to have 10,000 patients each year to include in their study.

There was another program at Mass General in 2009 where they had scanned the genes of 50-60 patients tumor tissue and have identified 160 genes and 15 mutations. Their goal is to help guide treatment or to pave the way for new clinical trials. They are moving toward a broad genetic analysis of all cancer patient's tumors.

There are two issues here. They weren't talking about genetic markers but more of the type of tumor characteristics - hormone receptors, Her2/nu status, etc. However as cancer cells have damaged DNA, their genetic sequencing grows in importance.

I think this is the way of the future and how we will look at cancer as we move forward in both a way to find their cause and to find a cure.

Wednesday when I have Chemo, they will also be taking blood for the genetic testing. The results for the genetic testing will come back as one of the following three;
Positive - A mutation that is associated with an increased risk for hereditary cancer was identified.
Negative - A mutation was not identified.
Uncertain - A genetic change was detected but it is not known if this change is linked to cancer risk.
I should have results in about 3 weeks.

Mammogram Controversy

More on the if we can't kill them, let's confuse them theory

So when should women start having mammograms. One theory is that annual mammograms lead to more false alarms and unnecessary biopsies. Then the opposing side says mammograms in younger women are essential as younger women are more likely to have their cancers found in early stage through mammograms than by self exam.

Hmmm.... so what is a smart woman to do? On one hand if you have mammograms you might have scares and unnecessary stress. On the other hand, your cancer is much more likely to be caught early thus allowing you to live a longer life. Me? I would opt for the longer life idea.

So if you are confused you are not alone. I think it is a giant conspiracy anyway. So if you have a nasty medical diagnosis, your doctors give all kinds of advice and expect you to make a rational decision while in the fog of 'OMG-I-have-cancer-and-gonna-die'. Confused patients are much more malleable and cooperative.... 'Um, I'm not sure. Doctor what should I do?" And then they make the decision for you.

Shave or Not

Two weeks ago I completed round 3 of chemo. It’s hard to believe I have made it this far. When I started chemo back in August, October seemed sooo far away and now here it is. Fall has always been my favorite season, especially Halloween!

When I sat and listened to the chemo nurse talk back in July to find out what to expect. She said, “Denise with the drugs you will be receiving you may lose your hair." I know she meant well and was only trying to prepare me, but the comment was unexpected and I felt unnecessary. I mean is there really anyone on the planet who doesn’t understand that chemo usually equals hair loss? I managed to answer as if it would be no big deal to lose my hair. Anyway, here I am post chemo session 3 and I still have some hair on my head!

Granted, it’s not much, but there’s still some there. If you saw the Leonardo D’Caprio movie Shutter Island, I look like the creepy crazy woman with thin hair standing in the flower garden at the beginning of the movie when he arrives on the island. If you saw the movie and have had chemo, you know exactly who I’m talking about. I think there’s a message in there somewhere that if you have thin hair you are scary looking and I don’t think I like that message very much, but that’s a topic for another time.

Most chemo patients shave their heads as soon as hair loss begins or even before. It makes them feel more in control they say. I have adjusted to having almost no hair amazingly well.

I even walk around the house now without wearing anything on my head. Randy just laughs and says, “Oh, I got used to that a long time ago.” I have let my kids decide when it all goes. One is ok with it anytime, the other wants me to keep it as long as I can. I have let the second one know that it will be gone sometime before the last treatment either way.

I guess the point of all this rambling is that you can and should do what you want about shaving your head. Shave it all off early or let it fall out slowly. You decide. It’s your hair, it’s your cancer journey and it’s your decision.

Halfway

I have survived half of Pinktober... Well since there are 31 days in October and this past weekend was halfway but that is a mere technicality. I have not bought a single pinked thing. The only pinked things I would consider buying are those made by individuals who are giving the money to cancer research or support. My husband on the other hand....well he goes overboard sometimes. I will not contribute to the marketing schemes of the corporate world who pink their products to increase their sales.

A Day At A Time.

With last treatment October 5th, Denise has reached the half way point in her chemotherapy. There was no singing and dancing to celebrate the metaphoric "light at the end of the tunnel." Instead, she approached it just like the week before, and the week before that: get up, get on with it and move forward.

That's what you do when you have cancer. Is there a choice, really?

Denise’s hope hasn't faded, but the facade of strength has begun to show cracks. Behind her ever-present smile that seems to buoy others more than herself is a flu-like fatigue that no amount of rest seems to ease. This hits her the first few days after chemo and lasts for 4-5 days. Then comes the "The Change of Life". Hot flashes have thrown Denise’s internal thermostat off kilter. And all of the other nasty side effects seem to come without warning. It's all new here..for all of us. Yet still, there's: get up, get on with it and move forward.

We've heard it before, "That which does not destroy us makes us stronger." Some might say it's a challenge put before cancer patients as they go through treatment. The pressure to be strong is very real.

I've come to realize that Denise carries a burden to be strong, because she must, but also because we want her to be. We expect cancer patients to battle cancer as brave fighters. These words -- and I've used them repeatedly in my blog, helping to fuel this expectation -- convey the image of a strong warrior. But Denise is not a warrior. Yes, she is strong -- in more ways than one -- but when it comes to cancer, she has no choice but to be strong. As she puts it, "you do what you have to do."
There are days when falling into self-pity and despair would be much easier than fighting. But in the three months since her diagnosis, I'm not sure I could count even one day when she retreated into self-pity. This is tough work...to stay upbeat as your body and mind tries to bring you down.

Soon, there will three treatments left, then two, then one....and Denise will move beyond all of this. Perhaps stronger, but relieved of the burden to constantly be strong.

The Charles Schulz Philosophy

(This is profound! I received this from a friend this morning. Scroll thru slowly and read carefully to receive and enjoy full effect!)


The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.

You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them.
Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.







How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.

These are not second-rate achievers.

They are the best in their fields.

But the applause dies.

Awards tarnish.

Achievements are forgotten.

Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.





Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.


Easier? The lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the
most credentials, the most money or the most awards.

They simply are the ones who care the most.



Stand up and make a difference in someones life today. I know I will.

Being A Good Copy Cat

In elementary school or when among siblings later in life, being a copycat is not a good thing and can earn you a lot of derision. But sometimes being a copycat is a good thing. When diagnosed with some nasty ailment, all we think we hear from the doctor is bad news - you will need this surgery, course of treatment, will have these side effects and should be fine in the end. We can't get past the words 'should be' and focus on the seemingly dismal survival rates. What we really want and need to hear are the good stories of the people who are still around to talk about it.

In this time of the Internet and patient education, one resource not to over look are the stories from others who are or have gone through what you have. There is nothing more positive than hearing that someone else made it through treatment and is still around many years later.

There are lots of people online in blogs, message boards, articles, and websites who are telling their stories and many more who are reading them. I don't think the majority of them started with any more intention than to keep friends and family informed which is what I did. Some of them go on to turn them into books or non profit or for profit organizations - that is not something I ever plan on doing because that would require organization and work and I've got plenty of other work thank you.

A big emotional positive when diagnosed with anything bad is to find someone with a good outcome to copy and be a copycat.

What Did We Do Wrong?

All of us lucky cancer people have one deep desire - to know how we got cancer in the first place. What caused it? What did we do right and what did we do wrong that put us staring down the barrel of the cancer cannon at the top of the really scary roller coaster hill? That is the only thing we want to know.... well maybe we want to know about the cure too but that's not quite as personal.

I mean I eat right and exercise, I like my fruit and veggies. But then we did play in the swamp behind the house, under the power lines, and god knows what kind of run off was there. We also ate ice cream, french fries, flew on airplanes, played outside in the sun without sun screen, rode in the back of pick up trucks, stayed up late, did things that seemed like a good idea at the time.

There are all sorts of theories on what is a carcinogen and what isn't. They really don't know why some people get cancer and why some don't. They have linked tobacco use to cancer but there are chain smokers who smoke 2 packs a day into their 90's and the people who don't smoke who die of lung cancer in their 30's. So apparently there are other factors coming into play here.

Do cell phones cause cancer? Well maybe, maybe not, the jury is still out on this one. I mean lots of people got cancer before there were cell phones. They say cancer may be a result of industrialization of the world in the 19th century. But people got cancer before that.

So we still don't know what we did wrong. We all just want to be able to tell other people not to do what we did.

Halfway Point

Well I finished treatment number 3 of 6 on Wednesday and feel about the same as after treatment two.... Face flushed, nothing tastes good, don't sleep well, hot one minute and cold the next (nothing new to those of you going through menopause), I can't tell when I am hungry or have to go to the bathroom, and I get physically tired pretty quickly. However, I can thank my lucky stars that I don't have the nausea, constipation or diarrhea that is normally associated with chemo. Thank you so much to my friends and family network, I think my positive attitude is a direct result of having such a great network around me.

Just Do It...Again.

The marketeers at Nike have decided that "Just Do It" isn't enough anymore. Now we have to "Just do it...then do it again." For Denise and her chemo treatments, it's again...and again...and again...for a total of 6 treatments over 5 1/2 months. Wednesday marked only treatment #3 of the potent chemo cocktail.

So far, she's tolerated the Chemo drugs better than expected. And believe it or not, she's still smiling...and maintaining a busy schedule between working and gladly welcoming a steady stream of her friends and family.

Because the chemo drugs have a cumulative effect, the toxins are building up in her body, which means she's almost certain to experience greater fatigue and face the onset of new side effects. During the first couple weeks of treatment we anxiously and nervously maintained a 24 hour side effect watch. No more. Some side effects are now more predictable: mouth sores, some nausea, fatigue. We remain thankful for every good day Denise has and for the strength to get through the difficult days.

After treatment #2, Denise faced the loss of her hair head on.. (pun intended). And for the past two weeks the remaining tiny splinters of hair that held on are thinning quickly. Though she's found comfort in a colorful variety of hats and scarves ("The Sandra" wig still sits in the box it came in), she may soon boldly leave the house some morning topless (on her head, that is). My point is this, the "journey" continues on a path of hairpin turns and steep hills, but we're still moving forward and the wheels haven't come off....yet!

Chemo Brain

I have turned dumb....pretty dumb.

Somebody explained it to me. It's called "chemo brain." Happy to know it's not just me. I knew there would be nausea, sickness, pain, etc. but I did not know I'd get dumb. Chemo brain is a general foggy, fuzzy brain that can't seem to think right. I do not retain information like before. Difficulty with organization. I often cannot think of a word I need to say so something random comes out instead. I forget a lot. I never get my kid's names straight. I have trouble remembering past experiences. I've had my issues before for I know I'm not the brightest bunch in the group (don't get me started on that Geography stuff) but this is really different and it is strange. We just laugh about it. Oh well, at least I've still got my health....Oh yeah, well at least I still have my good looks....Okay... that may be debatable--in fact I just had to ask my husband how to spell debatable. Yeah, I can't spell anymore either. Chemo brain at work. Oh well, I know I got something...I just can't make my brain think of what it is right now.:)

Beta Blockers And Breast Cancer

Women who take beta-blockers for high blood pressure and are diagnosed with breast cancer may have better outcomes than women who do not take beta-blockers, according to findings from two recent studies. Results from both studies were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Beta-blockers are a class of drugs used to treat heart conditions and high blood pressure. Studies have indicated that beta-blockers may help control growth and spread of breast cancer, possibly due to their ability to control stress hormones. Two current studies have further investigated this association.

One study, conducted by researchers from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, reviewed 1,413 patients with breast cancer who had been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy prior to surgery) between 1995 and 2007. Outcomes including complete response, relapse-free survival, and overall survival of those taking beta-blockers were compared with outcomes of those not taking beta-blockers.

Of the participants, 102 used beta-blockers. Rates of complete response among those using beta-blockers were not significantly different from complete response rates among non beta-blocker users. Beta-blockers use, however, was associated with significantly better relapse-free survival when the researchers accounted for age, race, disease stage and grade, receptor status, lymph node involvement, and other factors affecting disease outcome. Overall survival was not significantly improved among beta-blocker users. Patients diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer who took beta-blockers had improved relapse-free survival but, like other patients, not significantly improved overall survival.

Another study of beta-blockers and breast cancer survival was conducted by researchers from Ireland. Women diagnosed with Stage I to IV breast cancer between 2001 and 2006 were identified in a national cancer registry. Women who took beta-blockers in the year before they were diagnosed were matched and compared with women not taking beta-blockers. Two types of beta-blockers with different mechanisms were evaluated, propranolol and atenolol. The researchers assessed risk of tumor progression and spread and time to death from cancer.

Patients who used the beta-blocker propranolol had a significantly lower rate of death from breast cancer than their counterparts who didn’t used beta-blockers (9% versus 22%, respectively). Atenolol, however, was not associated with any improved outcomes.

These two studies suggest that beta-blockers could possibly improve outcomes among women with breast cancer, including those with difficult-to-treat triple-negative disease. However, it is far too early and beta blocker use should not be administered to women with breast cancer at this time until further research is done.

Digging Through The Layer Of Pink

I just got back from a weekend away and sat down to read the Sunday paper. The paper was fine. Even interesting. It has the latest news (as of last night) which is fine by me. I feel caught up and educated after being out of touch.

Silly me, after going through the paper, I decided to see what coupons and sales ads were available. That was a mistake. Everything was pinkified. I could bake, do laundry, eat cereal, bread, drink juice and I can't even remember all the rest for the cure. Oops! I can't say anything is 'for the cure' because it has been trademarked by the Komen marketing machine. But you get my point. It is pinkified. Life is pinkified.

I own a few of pink items - including a pink (official MLB gear) Twins hat. But sometimes I feel this pinkification goes a bit too far. I think it throws a layer of paint or ink on a not so fun ailment. But cancer is not about pink or paint or shopping with the politically correct color to send $1.00 of every $10 you spend to find a cure/more research or whatever. Cancer is about people who are living and coping with it. Cancer is not about pink.

Anyway, I will dig my way through a layer of pink this month and see what I can do for the cure at the grocery store.

It's That Time Of Year Again.

Are you ready for the barrage of pink? It is going to be everywhere for 31 days starting on Saturday. Do you remember when October was black and orange for Halloween? My favorite holiday by the way. Now we have pink everything.

I am not looking forward to it. A couple of weeks ago I paged through a couple of magazines, and all were full of pink stuff. There was a two page spread of items which are pinkified and their purchase will help support breast cancer. There were numerous ads for 'pinked' products. There were several articles with breast cancer stories. There was too much pink. I would have preferred articles on pumpkins, trick or treating, Halloween parties and decorations.

So anyway, I have braced myself. Perhaps I won't wear pink for the entire month. I want people to be aware and to help eradicate this terrible disease cancer is, but too many companies are using it to make a buck. Everything can be purchased in pink in October now. Randy is a good example as he buys pink hats like they are going out of style. What does it really do? It is basically a scam. It cons people into purchasing things that they believe are helping a cause when it is really a marketing ploy by many companies to sell more products.

You will notice it is very rare that they tell you how much of your purchase price goes to support breast cancer research or awareness or whatever. And that is the important question to ask. They may say 'this company will donate $25,000 from the purchase of this product during the month of October to breast cancer whatever'. But that means that a tiny percent of your purchase goes to the breast cancer part and when they hit $25,000 they will continue to sell the product but won't donate any more than that amount.

My son came home from school yesterday and announced he would like to sell the pink wristbands he wears, to his fellow classmates in school and donate 100% of the proceeds to breast cancer research. That is more of the spirit I like.

My little company also sells a multitude of "pink" items from calendars to staplers. This year I may feel differently when someone purchases one of those items and send 100% of the proceeds to cancer research as well. Maybe I'll post a few things with all proceeds going to a worthy cause.

What you want to ask before you purchase anything pink is what portion of my purchase will go to breast cancer whatever. And is there a maximum the company is going to donate. Without knowing those two, I would skip the pink product and buy what you normally do. And if the answer is 10% of the profit from the sale, that is nothing. A $10 item probably wholesales for $5 and of that probably $2 is profit so that means your 10% is $0.20. You are better off sending in $10 directly.

Yes there are some legitimate companies who donate a decent portion of their sales. And there are some good products which are worth their pinkification. But for 31 days you will need to sift through the pinkification and make your decisions on what you want to buy. Or just skip the pinkification and send a check to breast cancer research. What I really wish I could see is all the money spent on pink products was just sent in for cancer research.

Angry At Cancer?

There are supposedly five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. It is the process we go through when faced with a 'bad' thing - a death, a yucky medical diagnosis, or other trauma. I know I went through something like this.

Anyway, I recently experienced two events which made me think about this. The first one is I was with a few other cancer people and one of them said she was so angry about cancer and another agreed. I thought this was pretty shocking since I know both were diagnosed several years before me. Which means they have been angry for a long time.

Then a few days later I met a woman who said she had lots of friends who had had cancer and some of them were very angry about it which was upsetting to her. She was coping and doing okay and into the acceptance stage and all these others were just angry and it made it harder for her.

Anger is a nasty emotion. It creates negativity and stress - neither of which do much for quality of life. I decided I was going to take care of me - first and foremost. It took time to work through it and cope with the roller coaster it brings but I think I am doing okay.

Its all a matter of attitude, any other way of thinking is just stressful. It is my way of accepting what I am living with.

But people with anger are just making themselves miserable. They are not coping and accepting. They are still fighting and exhausting themselves. Anger is a waste of energy. No, cancer is not fun and it can be fatal. But it isn't always and we need to appreciate that we are still here.

Cleaning For A Reason

The following is an example of what can happen when others begin talking about cancer surgery and chemotherapy. It’s all about helping others. This was sent to me originally by a fiend of mine. It looks like a worthwhile cause and is listed along the side of our blog.

“If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning – once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It’s our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

“You may not know someone going through chemo, but someone on your email list might. Please pass this information on to your family & friends.”

This service is for women only. They do explain why men are excluded. (It’s okay, guys; how many of us really do a lot of housework?) Regardless, undergoing chemotherapy is tough enough without having to do daily chores around the house. This could be a life saver for many women.

Check out the website. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

A Backwards Look

It has been 40 years since President Nixon declared a war on cancer. We still don't have a cure but we have a lot of progress. Maybe the president was being a bit unrealistic in his goals but it did start some substantial progress in cancer's treatment and survival rates. But looking back on 40 years of research shows some progress. Let me say that I never did like the term war but I'll use it here.

This morning I was bouncing around the internet looking for worthy blog topics and came across a some articles on the subject..... (Do you think I come up with this stuff by myself? I always have to search for ideas. Sometimes I find things to write about and then forget about them before I start writing but today I went straight from the article to my blog before my brain loses the content I want to write about and here I am.)

I have been reading about the centuries of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It amazes me how early cancer was known to be a killer but also how badly it was mistreated and misdiagnosed.

By 1971 doctors thought they understood cancer. Since then, they have discovered how wrong they were. Cancer is now thought to be 200 different diseases that need to be treated differently. However there have been two significant break throughs:

- The most important is that of genetics based on the decoding of the human genome in 2001.
- The next is the understanding of the lifestyle changes that help reduce cancer rates - these are everything from eating right, quitting smoking, getting exercise.

Next in the war on cancer it is expected that personalized medicine will give us the answer. Also, the prevention of cancer should contribute greatly to solving the puzzle. If we can continue to make lifestyle changes that help prevent cancer in our aging population, more lives will be saved.

But after 40 years of progress we still have over half a million Americans dying of cancer each year. I see some progress here but I also think that overcoming 200 diseases is much more daunting than overcoming only the one disease the war was originally focused on.

Oh No! Not My Fish Oil.

Chances are, you’ve heard of the wonders of fish oil. Filled with rich omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil supplements are known to ward off Alzheimer’s, boost heart health, and prevent arthritis. But now Dutch researchers found fish oil has another, more sinister, power: It may stop chemotherapy drugs from working.

Randy and I have been taking fish oil for years because of the touted benefits of heart health and lower cholesterol claims, and now I'll have to stop temporarily. News of this new correlation between fish oil and chemotherapy broke just last week.

While investigating why a tumor becomes resistant to Cisplatin—a chemotherapy drug that is used to treat many cancers, including testicular, lung, and colorectal—the researchers discovered that a cancer patient’s own cells can start producing platinum-induced polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PIFAs, that protect cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy interferes with DNA and cell division in tumors to stop tumor growth. But it’s not yet clear how PIFAs block the chemo drugs from working. The PIFAs likely create an additional substance in the patient’s blood that effectively prevents the chemo drugs from attacking tumors.

Turns out, some fish oil supplements contain PIFAs as well. Many cancer patients take these products to reduce their risk of heart attack, help maintain muscle mass, and decrease inflammation. When mice with cancer took these supplements, however, the chemo became ineffective against cancerous cells, reports the study published this week in Cancer Cell. Scientists need to conduct further research to see if all fish oil products contain PIFAs and if these products have the same effect on humans.

Researchers warn that until future studies are done, cancer patients undergoing chemo shouldn’t take these supplements unless they consult with their doctor first. They may be able to get the same heart-protecting omega-3 benefits from the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found in flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. Plus, they can still eat whole fish like salmon and tuna, since they contain substantially less PIFAs—if any PIFAs at all—than concentrated fish oil.

There’s no reason for someone who’s not on chemotherapy to discontinue his or her fish oil supplement regimen. And while, I don't use this specific chemotherapy drug, I'm going to stop using just in case. I'm going through this whole process so the drugs going into my body are actually working. Randy on the other hand will continue with his fish oil...

Red White And Blue Blood Cells

After each chemotherapy treatment, it’s important to understand the level of red and white blood cells in our bodies. With modern technology, a blood sample can be instantly analyzed and delivered to the oncologists in a matter of minutes. Such was the case last wednesdday weeks ago when I had my chemo treatment. I’m thankful to report that my red and white blood cells were all in the normal range.

Of course I was aware that my oncologist was going to monitor my blood cell count after each treatment. It’s why she scheduled an appointment each time I have chemo. I was also aware that the blood cell count could fluctuate, but I was not aware that the count could be obliterated in the blink of an eye. But, according to the internet, after the fact, that is always a possibility.

Why aren’t we told this? Do our oncologists think we only need to know what they think is reasonable? Why is it their choice? If I had been told this, I know I still would have chosen to receive the chemo treatments. But it doesn’t change the fact that we have a right to know.

Questions to ask our oncologists are: I know that you will be monitoring my red and white blood cell counts, but what are the chances that I could wake up one morning and have no white blood cells? If this happens, what do we do? Will I get every infection known to mankind? Will my kidneys fail? Could the count be so low that I might not even wake up? If the count can be corrected, how long will it take? Will I ever return to normal?

These are not the only questions. What are others? Please share.

Doctors, Doctors and more Doctors.......

Among the many methods for closing wounds of the skin, stitching, or suturing, is the most common form of repairing a wound.

Removing stitches or other skin-closure devices is a procedure that many people dread. Understanding the various skin-closure procedures and knowing how they are put in and what to expect when they are removed can help overcome much of this anxiety.

Stitches (also called sutures) are used to close cuts and wounds in skin. They can be used in nearly every part of the body, internally and externally. Doctors literally "sew" the skin together with individual sutures and tie a secure knot. Stitches then allow the skin to heal naturally when it otherwise may not come together.

Stitches are used to close a variety of wound types. Accidental cuts or lacerations are often closed with stitches. Also, surgeons use stitches during operations to tie ends of bleeding blood vessels and to close surgical incisions. I've had both types in recent months internal and external sutures.

Sutures are divided into 2 general categories, namely, absorbable and nonabsorbable.

Absorbable sutures rapidly break down in the tissues and lose their strength within 60 days. This type of suture does not have to be removed. These are used internally or in special areas such as inside of the mouth.

Nonabsorbable sutures, on the other hand, maintain their strength for longer than 60 days. These sutures are used to close skin or external wounds and require removal once the wound has healed.

The general technique of placing stitches is simple. The "thread" or suture that is used is attached to a needle. The wound is cleaned with water and peroxide. Betadine, an antiseptic solution, is used to cleanse the area around the wound. Next, the area is numbed with an anesthetic agent such as lidocaine (Xylocaine). Then the needle with the thread attached is used to "sew" the edges of the wound together, in an effort to recreate the original appearance. Several stitches may be needed to accomplish this. Once the wound is closed, a bandage is initially applied to the wound.

I actually only had 4 stithces on the outside of my chin but my doctor said I have "plenty" on my lip and inside my mouth that will disolve on their own. I seem to get them stuck in my front bottom teeth from time to time. Wierd feeling.

I also went to my plastic surgeon today for another fill. She informed me that if I decide to have the radiation treatment I would need to be fully expanded before radiation and that it is possible they would need to deflate one side so they can direct the radiation easily. Interesting.....

Little Mermaid and Kombu

Sea vegetables may play a role in lowering risk of estrogen-related cancers, including breast cancer. Since cholesterol is required as a building block for production of estrogen, the cholesterol-lowering effects of sea vegetables may play a risk-reducing role in this regard. For women who are at risk of estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, sea vegetables may bring a special benefit in this regard.

Kombu seaweed is an important part of Japanese cuisine. Kombu is also eaten in other parts of Asia as well; it can be found fresh, dried, pickled (yes, pickled), and frozen in many Asian markets. There are a wide range of uses and it is one of the more popular foods in Japan since it is so versatile and affordable, thanks to seaweed farming which makes it easy to cultivate and harvest. It grows naturally in the deep waters of the ocean and is a variety of very thick, wide and dark green kelp. While it is commonly used in cooking, specifically to make soup stocks, candy and condiments, Kombu is also useful in natural cures and home remedies.

Because Kombu, like all other seaweed, is harvested from the ocean, it is extraordinarily rich in mineral elements that provide immense nutritional benefits. Believed to be beneficial to beauty and diet, Kombu is also very low in calories.
Known to reduce rates of breast cancer in women, the Lignans in Kombu are specifically believed to be responsible for the lower incidence of the disease in Japanese women who consume diets rich in sea vegetables, including Kombu.

In people with under-active thyroids or who are deficient in proper levels of iodine, Kombu is also known to help increase physical energy. In fact, it is widely used in natural cures and home remedies to treat both of these disorders.

As a naturally rich source of dietary fiber, Kombu is also commonly used to treat bowel issues, including constipation, and other digestive ailments which Chemotherapy patients are always concerned with including Denise.

Kombu also helps to soften beans and legumes, making them easier to digest and will help to prevent gas too which will be a godsend to all of you who know my family.

Taste Changes

There are 4 main types of taste: Sweet, sour, bitter, and salt. Sense of taste is primarily located on the tongue. Taste changes are common during chemotherapy. The exact reason for taste changes is not clear, although it is thought that it is a result of the damage to the cells in the oral cavity, which are especially sensitive to chemotherapy. About 50% of patients getting chemotherapy experience taste changes.

One of the chemotherapy drugs known to be associated with taste changes include carboplatin, which Denise has been taking. Some drugs also produce a metal taste during the actual intravenous infusion and sometime afterward. As Denise describes “it’s like sucking on a metal pipe”. Taste changes may occur during therapy and last for hours, days, weeks, or even months after chemotherapy. We did order special water from New York to take care of some of the metallic tasting water, but the results haven’t been what we have expected so far.

There is no one magic solution for taste changes that suits everyone. Finding foods that taste appealing may be a process of trial and error. Utilizing plastic utensils to avoid the metallic taste is a small step we have tried. Some people who experience taste changes avoid their favorite foods to prevent the possibility of spoiling them for the future. So we as a family are supporting Denise by not eating anything we like, so we can all enjoy our favorite foods when this is over.

Thoughts of Kindness

I often marvel at the realization that it has really only been just under 3 months since the start of this crazy cancer adventure. That is not very long to digest and wrap my brain around all that I have experienced and learned. How life can come to a halt so quickly. And yet I have gone through such an ordeal beyond what I could have ever imagined.

There is something I have noticed. I feel me coming back to life slowly as I recover from my initial surgery. I've been out and about more. The love and concern from my dear neighbors, friends and family is always there and I can understand their support. What has surprised me is the concern from total strangers. People that notice the scarf and understand will stop and talk to me with genuine concern in their eyes. Heartfelt questions are asked on how I am holding up. People hug me and pat my shoulder. People feel an instant connection to me and want to be extra helpful in whatever I need.

One experience is especially memorable for me that happened this week. I was involved in a auto wreck on Thursday, the day after my chemotherapy. Dazed and confused after the collison a wonderful women appeared at my door and helped me out. I couldn't speak, I thought my jaw was broken for sure. This wonderful person helped me by using my phone to call Randy at work and get instructions as to what to do. She stayed with me the entire time at my side comforting me. I was frightened at the thought of what had just happened. She took everything in stride and helped me. She came to the hospital later where she left behind her kindness and these flowers to brighten my day.

It is nice to know there are people like that out there. Complete strangers that are not only able but willing to help out. She may not know but she made my day, helping me feel a bit more confident. Cancer really does bring out great kindness and compassion in others. Compliment someone today for ANY reason at all. It is a great feeling and you never know the good you can do!


Swelling is going down a bit in the jowls. Hopefully some of the stitches will be coming out his week.

Running Cross Country

I was able to get out on a cool fall day and enjoy the Cross Country Invitational my daughter participated in. She was able to run her best time of the year at 16:37 and finished 6th out of 211 JV girls. So, so proud of her. Even though I look beat up from the car wreck on Thursday it felt good to get out amongst friends and enjoy the day.





1 Dana J., Gr12 16:03.3 Eden Prairie
2 Kaitlyn G., Gr9 16:12.2 Chanhassen
3 Mallori J., Gr9 16:19.6 Moorhead
4 Hayley M., Gr8 16:27.5 Chanhassen
5 Anna D., Gr10 16:37.4 Eden Prairie
6 Samantha S., Gr9 16:37.7 Eden Prairie
7 Olivia H., Gr10 16:41.0 Moorhead
8 Kylie R., Gr10 16:41.4 Chanhassen
9 Erica G., Gr11 16:44.8 Eden Prairie
10 Annika B., Gr12 16:45.6 Eden Prairie

New Boobs, New Hair, New Teeth

Signaled a few days in advance by a head-tingling sensation, Denise started shedding her hair last weekend. It was just as some had predicted: 18 days into her treatment. First, it was more than the usual strands of hair around the bathroom sink. But by yesterday, Two days after her second chemo treatment, strands of hair became clumps. A small wastebasket is quickly filling with hair. It was gut-wrenching to witness.

The anticipation and dread of this moment has gnawed at Denise -- and me -- for days, perhaps weeks. But today, I was moved by how Denise has handled it with such inspiring courage, calmness and grace.

Thursday, after hitting her face on a steering wheel and sustaining injuries unrelated to any chemotherapy treatment or cancer prognosis, she is still able to show alot of grace and a little smile. I told her her in the ER that now we can look forward to New Boobs, New Hair and some new Teeth, she was able to smile through the tears. Brave lady for enduring so much in a short amount of time.

There were a few tears at first, but she ended it with her great big smile -- truly, a smile against which no hairstyle or sutures can compete. Denise is beautiful, not because of her hair, but simply because she is beautiful. I continue to be in awe of how Denise has fought this fight, and today was no exception.

Battered and Bruised, But Outlook Staying Positive

I ran across this story the other day when reading about all of the 9/11 tributes. I thought I would repost the story since this was kind of how we felt yesterday. I'm not saying there is a correlation of the attacks on 9/11 to what we are going through. What I am saying is, as we get battered and bruised and look kind of tough, we are coming back for another day and will continue the fight.

The Sphere and eternal flame 9/11 memorial. A plaque alongside "The Sphere" reads as follows:

"For three decades, this sculpture stood in the plaza of the World Trade Center. Entitled "The Sphere", it was conceived by artist Fritz Koenig as a symbol of world peace.

It was damaged during the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but endures as an icon of hope and the indestructible spirit of this country.

The Sphere was placed here on March 11, 2002 as a temporary memorial to all who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

This eternal flame was ignited on September 11, 2002 in honor of all those that were lost. Their spirit and sacrifice will never be forgotten."

The Sphere once stood in the middle of Austin J. Tobin Plaza, the area between the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan.

After being recovered from the rubble of the Twin Towers after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the artwork faced an uncertain fate, and it was dismantled into its components.

Although it remained structurally intact, it had been visibly damaged by debris from the airliners that were crashed into the buildings and from the collapsing skyscrapers themselves.

Six months after the attacks, following a documentary film about the sculpture, it was relocated to Battery Park on a temporary basis—without any repairs—and formally rededicated with an eternal flame as a memorial to the victims of 9/11. It has become a major tourist attraction, due partly to the fact that it survived the attacks with only dents and holes.

Stitches and ointment repair those dents and holes and we're not looking back.

When It Rains It Pours

"Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?"

Yes, sometimes bad things happen to people who seem undeserving of them. But God allows things to happen for His reasons, whether or not we understand them. Above all, however, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. However, instead of doubting God's goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Need some happiness sent our way this evening, been a rough day.

Chemo: 2nd Round In The Books !

Today was my 2nd Chemo treatment. Earlier this week I was anxious in anticipation for today knowing full well what is coming. I have felt so good these past few days that I feel sad to lose that and nervous for what may hit. However, today, I have felt calm. My neighbor Lori again drove me and when she came back to pick me up, she came a little early to support me during the end of the chemo. I went in at 9:30am, waited for a bit, got my port hooked up, then saw Dr. Lassi. She is really wonderful. Everything looks fine and on track. She really put some of my concerns to rest, reminding me that everyone reacts differently to chemo and are on different chemo meds so it is difficult to make specific comparisons. After meeting with her, they hooked me up. The medication round is, first, Herceptin, then two anti-nausea drugs, then usually Benadryl which helps counter any allergic reactions to the chemo drugs, but today I felt good enough to pass on this option. This drug always knocks me out and makes me feel woosey. I no likey. Then the Taxotere chemo med starts followed by Carboplatinum. Each one takes a certain amount of time to complete. The whole appointment time lasted 4.5 hours but the actual chemo treatment was about 3 hours. Better than last time. Turned out to be a much better experience than my first chemo. Almost as enjoyable as chemo could be! :) We drove home feeling good and calm, that everything would be fine. I can tackle this, at least I will try to be brave.

Why Chemotherapy Is Given In Cycles

Chemotherapy attacks cells that are in the process of dividing. So, any resting cells are not killed. Cancer cells that were resting during the 1st treatment could be dividing and attacked during the 2nd or subsequent treatments. This is the reason chemotherapy is a cyclical process of administering a combination of different chemotherapy drugs designed to attack cells at different stages of cell division.

The fact that chemo drugs kill dividing cells helps explain why chemotherapy causes so many negative side effects. It attacks healthy body cells that are constantly growing and dividing, such as the skin, bone marrow, hair follicles, and lining of the digestive system. These tissues have dividing cells that are continually damaged throughout the course of repeated chemotherapy treatments. The current standard for chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer is 6-cycles spaced 21-days apart. Denise's first cycle was August 24, 2011. The second is tomorrow.

Confessions Of A Chemo Brain

A typical day in my life… with Chemo Brain.

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back
on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of soda I’d been drinking.

I’m going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the soda aside so that I don’t accidentally knock it over.

The soda is getting warm,
and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the soda,
a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye – they need water.

I put the soda on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I’ve been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I’m going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we watch TV,
I’ll be looking for the remote,
but I won’t remember that it’s on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,
but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to
remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:
the car isn’t washed
the bills aren’t paid
there is a warm can of soda sitting on the counter
the flowers don’t have enough water ,
there is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can’t find the remote,
I can’t find my glasses,
and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I’m really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I’ll try to get some help for it, but first I’ll check my
e-mail….

I know we have all done something like this as part of the normal day's activities but it seems to happen more often and more extreme.