Just a bit of info on mammograms, have you scheduled yours lately? My cancer was found through a mammogram, so I can't stress enough how important it is to have one. Doctors differ on how often a mammogram should be performed, so ask your doctor about it. Do your research and be diligent, it could save your life.
Last week was full of doctor's appointments, four to be exact. If you add in the x-ray, you get a good idea of how busy my week was. In addition to my daily appointments, I was experiencing worsened neck and shoulder pain to the point that I was holding back tears. My first doctor visit was to the Radiology Oncology department. I met with Dr. Hunter, and was so impressed because he explained about what radiation does and all the statistics regarding why one person is recommended radiation over another who might not be. He gave me enough information to make an informed decision. My radiation therapy begins July 24th, and continues five days a week for four weeks. I talked to him about my pain, his reply was that I needed to talk with the surgeon. I already tried that.
The next day I met with the medical oncologist, who examined my scar from surgery and made sure it was healing well. She also talked to me about hormone therapy, which is a pill called Tamoxifen, that you have to take for five years. My cancer is 100% estrogen positive, which means that estrogen in my body helps the cancer to grow and flourish, so the pill, Tamoxifen, would deter the growth. The doctor then listed all the side effects of this drug: hot flashes mood swings weight gain joint/muscle ache fatigue low libido vaginal dryness hair thinning skin dryness endometrial cancer blood clots It was an easy decision to make, no thank you. With radiation, a patient has a 95% chance that the cancer does not come back. The hormone therapy only adds another 2 %. I'm good with 95%. I asked the doctor about my pain, she said that I needed to talk to my regular doctor about that. Hmm. My next appointment was back to Radiology Oncology. I was given a C-Scan and fitted for treatments. I also had to get 3 tattoos, yes little tattoos. These are used for placement of my body for radiation, and they are permanent. I was pricked 3 times, kinda painful. I was given info about skincare products to use during radiation, only certain soaps and moisturizers are recommended. ( See info in Breast Cancer 101 *Cancer Radiation Information) I'm told I will get something like a sunburn on my breast and it could be painful. Go figure. As if I don't have enough pain to deal with. Just a side note, during my 8 week experience thus far, every doctor and their mothers have touched my breasts! Seriously, I never imagined. I used to be embarrassed, not any more. My next appointment was with my regular doctor about the pain. Finally! I had an x-ray done first, then later checked in at the doctor's office. All said and done, she didn't know why I was having pain and decided to send me to a physical therapy class. I would learn some exercises to help with mobility. I was given a prescription for ibuprofen and sent on my way. This was not the solution I was looking for. I wanted answers. Why the pain? Where is it coming from? Why did it start right after surgery? How can I get relief? So, I had a meltdown. Right in the middle of the Kaiser medical offices, I started crying and cried all the way to the car. I have been trying so hard to work with the program, do the treatments, keep a positive attitude, fight the fight. While on the inside all I feel is confusion, pain, heartache, inadequacy, frightened, alone, fatigued, and helpless. I feel like each doctor wants to thrust me on someone else, and sometimes I feel abandoned, by friends, by family. Having surgery to rid us of cancer and all the other treatments work, I know. But it leaves collateral damage that affects our quality of life in so many ways. I have a feeling that all of this collateral damage isn't going away anytime soon........... If you have had a similar experience with treatments or have any questions, please comment. I'd love to hear from you! I've had numerous doctors appointments and scheduling for radiation since my last post, but I don't want to talk about that today. I'd rather talk about something fun and positive that our family was able to enjoy. We had scheduled a camping trip months before all this cancer stuff happened, so we decided to go and make the most of it. I'm glad we did because I enjoyed every minute of it! We camped at Sugar Pine Point State Park, right beside Lake Tahoe. We set up tents and lived with nature for 5 days. If you haven't visited Lake Tahoe, California, you are missing some beautiful scenery. The lake is surrounded by mountains and the water is so clear, you can see to the bottom. The water is 99.994% pure, making it one of the purest large lakes in the world. You can ski and go sledding in the winter, and swim and hike during the summer. Lake Tahoe was originally named "Da ow a ga" by the Washoe tribe of Native Americans. Pioneers who arrived later mispronounced the name as "Da ow" which eventually evolved into Tahoe. Da ow a ga originally meant Edge of Lake. Right on the Lake is a beautiful Mansion that we toured, it was built in 1903. Hellman-Ehrman Mansion was the home of Isaias Hellman, a banker from San Francisco, who wanted a summer home near the lake. Upon his death in 1920, his youngest daughter Florence Ehrman inherited the Mansion. After her death, the estate was sold to California State Parks in 1965. I enjoyed visiting this home and hearing about its history. Swimming in the lake was so refreshing, I didn't want to get out. The view of the mountains all around just adds to the lake's majestic features. We saw so much wildlife all around us, even black bears! Our first sighting was of a bear who came near our camp in the evening, scratching on some tree bark nearby. Our second sighting was of a mama bear with her two little cubs, she climbed a tree looking for something as her babies played right beneath her. She then climbed down, looked over at us, and took off with the cubs in tow. What a remarkable scene!
I was so glad to get away for a few days and just forget about reality back home. Focusing on the beautiful sights and being involved with nature just puts things in perspective. It reminds you of what really is important, and what really doesn't matter. "At the end of the day, you can either focus on what's tearing you apart, or you can focus on what's keeping you together"
What do you say to someone with cancer? That question stumps most people, as the word "cancer" makes people feel awkward and uncomfortable. And rightly so, cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death in the United States.
When we see a person we know with cancer, do we go the other direction in order to avoid the situation? It happens to us all at times, we are afraid to say the wrong thing, or we just don't know what to do. Take note, however, that this is the time our friend or family member needs us the most, and needs comfort and reassurance the most. Lets not forget the person's family members who need support as well. I will admit, I used to squirm when I saw someone who was going through this ordeal. I just didn't know how to go about expressing my concern for them, afraid I would hurt their feelings or that something stupid would come out of my mouth.
So what can we say or do to help a cancer patient? Let's start with what Not to say.
1. You'll get through this, you are strong. 2. Just keep positive thoughts! 3. Well at least you've got the good cancer stage. 4. My uncle had cancer, he died. 5. Just remember there's always someone worse off than you. These statements only tend to trivialize their situation. So what can we say or do to help someone with cancer? I found a few suggestions from "Awake" magazine that I know helped me.. Let me just say on a personal level, a hug and a comment noting that you are thinking about the person and their family and that you are sorry for what they are going through, makes all the difference in the world. The magazine suggests that we want to put ourselves in the individual's place and find out what he/she wants and needs from us. That involves listening. When we apply the principle "every man must be swift about hearing, slow about speaking*, we want to be a good listener, be attentive and sympathetic. Don't rush to give advice or try to come up with a solution. The person may not be looking for answers but for someone who will listen with an open heart. Don't try to minimize their condition by pointing out that others have it worse, this only makes matters more difficult. Offer specific help to the person, whether it's grocery shopping, running errands, driving him/her to appointments, or helping with the children. These are ways to show that we care. If you can't visit with your friend due to distance or other circumstances, a phone call, text message, sending a card with encouraging words, are different ways to reach out. Don't forget about the other family members. I saw a quote the other day that said, "when someone has cancer, the whole family and everyone who loves them has it too", that is so true because the rest of the family will feel stress, anxiety, and will need reassurance as well. Any of the above suggestions would help make the situation a little more bearable for the person. Bottom line: hug the person, tell them that you care, and just listen. *James 1:19
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010486?q=what+to+say+to+friend+who+is+ill&p=par
The Face of Cancer I have a scar. A scar on my right breast. I don't know how to feel about it. It's bigger than I expected, about three inches across. I know some people might reply, "Look at the bright side, at least you still have the breast, or at least you are alive". Others may think of it as a battle scar, or a sign of survival. What I know is that everyday, day after day, I will see it and it will be a constant reminder.......taking me back to the feelings I had when I first heard the words "It's cancer". I don't know how I feel about that. Cancer is not my friend, it's been an intrusion into my life. My livelihood. I now have radiation to look forward to. Who knows what else lies ahead. I've often thought, if cancer had a face, what would it look like. My first visual impression was of a monster, a scary looking monster that puts fear in those who see it or even hear it's name. Our immune system was designed to protect our bodies. It identifies foreign cells and viruses and attacks them, thus eliminating the spread of these bad cells.
After doing research on cancer, knowing that it mutates and can hide from our immune system and change its form, I don't have the same visual of cancer anymore. An article from Immuno-Oncology News describes how cancer cells evolve, accumulating and increasing in their number of mutations, and then stop secreting interleukin-33, a protein used by the immune system to recognize and target a cancerous mass. The cancer cells basically become invisible to the immune system. They then metastasize and spread throughout the body. It's almost like they blend in. A monster doesn't blend in. A monster can't blend in, it looks like a monster, right? So the face of cancer would look more like it's surroundings, like everyone else. My new visual of cancer is like the picture below. You don't really know who or what it is, or if it is friend or foe. No alarms go off. Then all of a sudden, it walks right into your life. |
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September 2017
AuthorSherri Dunning is a wife, mom, grandmother, and recent blogger. Follow along with her as she writes about her experience with breast cancer. |