We Laughed

11 Oct

Pink Ink…

Chemotherapy is the use of strong drugs used to stop the growth of tumors.  Chemo also kills cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body.  The length of the treatment and the drugs given, depends on the type of cancer. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, early menopause, mouth sores, weight gain, and memory loss (chemo brain).

This is about all the information that a person diagnosed with cancer, receives.  And really, what more do you need?  Yes, I did hear the names of medicines I was given, but to this day, can’t pronounce them.  Yes, I had all the side effects, and them some!

Are you a caregiver, friend or family member who wants to do something to make chemo “easier”?  I’ve got the answer!  Create a chemo bag.  One of my closest friends gave me a bag that I took to every chemo appointment, and every surgery.   Often, people who have had chemo say they don’t want to keep anything from their chemo days.  Not me.  This bag has come to represent comfort for me, and my family.  Perhaps you can give someone this gift.

Inside the bag?

My chemo bag!

  • Blanket: It gets cold in the chemo suites.  Warm sheets don’t cut it.
  • Socks: Helps the feet stay warm.
  • Lemon or ginger sucking candies:  These help with the nausea.
  • Magazines: I could barely stay awake during chemo, but the magazines came in handy.
  • Potpourri bag or small scented pillow: This was the best thing in the bag.  My bag was filled with eucalyptus and lavender.  When a person gets chemo, the nurses must “flush” the needle with saline.  For some, the saline can cause nausea. (Me!)  The solution is usually holding an alcohol wipe under the nose.  The potpourri works MUCH better.  I still use mine whenever I have to have blood drawn, or an IV is inserted.
  • Journal: As the drugs course through the body, random thoughts come…and GO! Chemo brain kicks in pretty quick.  The journal is a place to collect random thoughts, make lists, etc.  I love to look back and see what I wrote during those 1st few treatments.
  • Small picture frame or book:  Most chemo suites discourage the use of cell phones. (so no pictures, or internet!)  I kept a picture of my husband and daughter with me.  Their smiles gave me strength.
  • Lotion and lip balm: Skin gets really dry!

 

Over the months, I added things like crackers, and my Ipad.  It may seem like a lot.  But chemo can last anywhere from 2 -6 hours, or longer!  Mine averaged 4.5.  Anything that can make the time go faster, or be more comfortable, is a bonus.

One more tip for the caregiver.  Immediately re-pack the bag when you return home.  Then the bag is ready to go the next time chemo rolls around.

I started chemo a year ago yesterday.

Time flies when you are fighting!

Tip for the Survivor:Don’t forget to thank your Chemo Crew!  They work hard to make a bad situation…tolerable!  Yesterday I took treats to thank my nurses for all the care and attention they showed me last year!  These are the people we scowl at, and throw up on.  Many times, the nurses are literally wiping up our blood, sweat and tears! By the time we are done with chemo, we just want to run and not look back. The least I could do was thank them for their care!

My Chemo Crew a year later!

Yesterday, as I walked away, I turned and said, “I hope I never see you again.”

Together…we laughed.

Tags: , , ,

Love mail

8 Oct

Pink Ink…

 

It’s the 2nd Mammogram Monday of Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Have you scheduled your mammogram yet?  Have you asked your mom or sister or BFF when was the last time they got a mammogram? Here’s another question….

Have you ever actually seen your mammogram films?

Ladies, it’s not enough to get a mammogram, and then breathe a sigh of relief when you get the call that everything is fine.

Tip: Ask to see you films at your next appointment.  You have the right to see your films.  Do not be embarrassed.  Ask your doctor to explain what you are looking at, and what they look for!  Looking at your films is part of knowing your body, and knowing what is “normal” for you.

Fact: The breasts are flattened during a mammogram in an effort to get a better picture of the breast.  It helps reduce the number of x-rays taken.  Remember, you can ask the tech to EASE the pressure if it feels too uncomfortable.

“Do something” tip of the day!

Imagine getting a mammogram, and then getting the call that you have breast cancer.  Well, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer approximately every 69 seconds!  Their life is forever changed.  You may not know someone who has been recently diagnosed. Lucky you! But that doesn’t mean you can’t do something!

Thanks to the ladies at Effie’s Paper (effiespaper.com), I was introduced to Girls Love Mail.  This organization collects hand written letters of support and delivers them to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients!  What a great idea!  I immediately signed up for a monthly reminder to write a quick note.

Letters collected from friends this weekend

Get a card, and some stationery and write a note of support.  Not sure what to say?  Speak from the heart?  What would make you smile if you were in the Cancer Lane? I kept every letter, note, or card that I received.  When I feel low, I take a few out and read them.  It only takes 5 minutes to jot something down.  Take those words of support and drop them off at your local hospital’s oncology department or Susan G. Komen affiliate, or visit girlslovemail.com.  I guarantee you that you will make someone smile, and feel good about it!

Need something effective to do this month? There it is!

Remember, we all…love mail!

Tags: , ,

A friend

4 Oct

Pink Ink…

We’re coming to the end of the 1st week of Breast Cancer Awareness month!  Turn in any direction , and there is something PINK.  There are Races, development drives, Zumba classes, and pink products. Celebrities come out of the woodwork to share their “stories of inspiration”.  The White House even goes pink! That din you hear is the call for a cure, and awareness!

Last night Phoenix Fashion Week was kicked off with a Fashionably Pink Fashion Show.  The proceeds went to Susan G. Komen for a Cure.  The Fashion Show brought together “real” models, celebrities and Survivors to walk the runway.  The fashion show, while a showcase for local designers, was really a celebration of Survivors.  It was a great event not just because it raised a lot of money, and we got to play dress up.  It was a great event because people shared their stories, and people listened.  Yes, there were interviews, and videos of Survivors.  But as we sat around, models and Survivors, getting our make up done, or waiting for the show to begin, we talked.  I met a woman diagnosed at 25, who is using her experience of the last year to educate other young woman.  I chatted at length with a 3 year Survivor who was diagnosed when her daughter was 9, like me. Holly has spent the years since her diagnosis spreading awareness, through any means necessary.  (Sounds familiar!) Interestingly, none of the Survivors I spoke with cared about losing their breasts!  One of us proudly shared that she said “no way” to reconstruction, and hasn’t looked back!  We compared chemo port scars, drugs, and shared stories of losing our hair.  Other models took the chance to ask questions about how we were diagnosed, how we felt, and how our families held up. The feeling of the event was of warmth and love and support!  It reinforced the idea that we must share our stories!  Attendees, models and Survivors all learned something about breast health last night, in a fun environment. Thanks Phoenix Fashion Week and Susan G. Komen for a great evening!

But the truth about breast cancer is that not everyone survives.

People die.

Last night marked the 1-year anniversary of the passing of a family friend from breast cancer. So I briefly share her story.

Inspiration

Like me, Angie was diagnosed with aggressive triple negative breast cancer.  Like me, she did it all.   Chemo, double mastectomy, radiation etc.  Like me, she had a great team of friends, family and doctors supporting and loving her.  Like me, she was young, active, didn’t smoke, and breast cancer didn’t run in her family.  Like me, Angie fought.  She fought hard, while always maintaining a positive attitude.  Angie’s cancer eventually spread to her lungs.  Even then, she was positive.  She shared her journey with others.  She shared her journey with me. She was an inspiration even before I was diagnosed.

Angie is now an Angel, but she continues to inspire me, to push me to fight.

Last night, as I walked that runway, I thought of my friend. I didn’t share with anyone what that night truly meant to me.  I didn’t want the “sad eyes”.  Last night was a celebration of clothes and survival for most.

But for me, it was also a celebration of …a friend.

Tags: , ,

Everything is not ok

1 Oct

Pink Ink…

From Parenthood “Everything is not OK” (Season 4, ep 3) on NBC.

Cancer Gal: First, everybody you know in your whole life and then a bunch you don’t know are going to pay WAY too much attention to you.  And the phone’s going to ring so much ‘till you want to shoot yourself! And then, a little while after that, people, they go back to their own lives, their own problems.  That’s when you find out.  That’s when you find out who your real friends are.

Kristina: I haven’t really told any of my friends, my family doesn’t know.   It’s just Adam so far.

 

Today kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month!  When I was thinking about what to post today, the above scene came to mind.  In 1 minute, it teaches so much.  So instead of reminding you to wear pink, how about what 1-minute of TV reminded me?

  • Everyone diagnosed with breast cancer needs a Cancer Mentor.
    • Over the next few days, you will meet mine.  Every newly diagnosed person needs someone to tell him or her the cold, hard truth.  Cancer Gal definitely kept it 100% real!
  • People DO go back to their own lives.  The calls stop. People avoid asking how you are, or they ask, but don’t care for the answer.
    • To fellow Survivors, it is ok to mourn the loss of friends who stop calling, or don’t check in.  It has taken me almost a year to let those friends go.  But everyday, I say a prayer of thanks for “Team Pinkwellchick”.
    • To those friends or family of those in the Cancer Lane, my advice to you is to REMAIN PRESENT. If you can’t bring yourself to call, drop a note in the mail, or email or text. Thanks to my friend who sent me a card every 10 days for the past year. Just DO SOMETHING! It makes a difference.
  • We must share our stories.  I have learned it is not a sign of weakness to share my fear, or struggle with breast cancer.  I have learned that we must be open about our journey.
    • Survivors are often worried about “burdening” our loved ones. We must get over that.  Fighting Cancer requires a strong team! Fighting Cancer gives us a right to think about ourselves first!  Survivors, talk about what you are going through!  Some have been turned off by my honesty. Many more are thankful.   It is only through sharing our stories that we learn.
    • Friends and family, don’t be scared to ask questions.  Share your fears and struggles.  The story you share can help someone else.

 

I look forward to seeing what NBC and Parenthood have in store for us over the next season! Yes, this is an unpaid endorsement of a great show!

While sifting through all the “Pink” of the day, remember,

  • A woman is diagnosed every 69 seconds.
  • Over 40,000 American women lost their lives to breast cancer in 2011.

For those women and their families…everything is not ok.

 

 

 

Tags: , ,

Think about it

27 Sep

 

Pink Ink…

Breast Cancer Awareness Glass

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Even though kickoff is still 4 days away, you may already feel inundated or tired of all the pink ribbons, products, and calls for pledges or a Cure.

The truth of the matter is that Breast Cancer Awareness is not just one month.  As a Survivor, I think I speak for many, when I say we are aware of our breast health every day, all year.  For women, breast health awareness must become a lifestyle.

A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer approximately every 69 seconds.

Every 69 seconds.

If you don’t want to participate in a Race in October, that’s ok.  But do something.  Some thoughts:

  • Schedule a mammogram.
  • Do a self-exam.
  • Ask your mom, best friend, or sister when was the last time she did a self-exam.
  • Remind your dad, brother, or husband that men get breast cancer also!
  • Donate a blanket, socks, scarves or magazines to a breast clinic.  It gets cold in chemo rooms!
  • Learn your family history.
  • Talk to your daughter about breast health. It’s never too early.
  • If you know someone who is battling breast cancer, or is a Survivor, ask them how they are doing? And MEAN IT!  Ask them to share their story.  It may be painful to hear, but you could learn something.
  • Wear pink one day, in support of those who are fighting breast cancer.

These things are free.

During October, there will be a barrage of available products to support awareness and finding a Cure.  You will get an email or a call asking for a donation.  That is a necessary part of any awareness campaign.  Do what works for you.  But do something.

Be present in October. Be aware. Be educated.  It could save your life.

Think about it.

Tags: , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →