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.....