Sunday, November 26, 2000
Center for Alternative Medicine Research - MelatoninTHE PINEAL GLAND AND CANCER - I'm very interested in the studies on the pineal and melatonin because I have calcifications in my pineal gland. And a strong history of insomnia and nighttime computer use.
The Cancer Journal - The pineal gland and cancer : facts, hypotheses and perspectives
Ralph Moss on Cancer--MELATONIN AND BREAST CANCER
posted by Karen Weber Sunday, November 26, 2000
Tuesday, November 28, 2000
I got a little behind in posting over the holiday weekend, so let me bring things up to date.First, last Wednesday Rick and I celebrated our 14th anniversary. Rick has been an absolute rock this year throughout everything that has happened, a source of joy and humor and a strong support. I am so grateful to have him in my life.
On Thursday, we went out to Murphy's in Prescott. They serve a very delicious turkey dinner that was apparently low in sodium. We had a wonderful day.
Over the weekend, we mostly just relaxed. I took the time to write up a draft of the letter to the Arizona medical board about my first oncologist so that I could get my parents' opinion about it while I was there. I hope to finish that off this week and mail it to the board.
Mom and I walked over to visit her neighbor, who is still having treatment for breast cancer. She completed her AC treatments and has had 5 of 40 radiation treatments. She was telling me how the surgeon put her port in while she was awake - just local anesthesia! Can you believe that? She seems very positive, said she had an easy time with AC, but says she is already fatigued by the radiation.
I sang with mom in her church choir Sunday. I sang with the tenors (down in their range, not an octave up), and found that I have low notes now that I never had before. So this is more indication that the tamoxifen is changing my voice.
I had a lot more problem with lymph flow up in Prescott. It's between 5 and 6,000 ft. above sea level. Phoenix is just 1,000 ft. I needed Rick to drain my back a couple times a day, and I came home with a lot of congestion in my back anyway. My massage therapist told me yesterday that I should see a lymphedema PT if for no other reason to get a sleeve/tube top for when we fly. I'm adding that to my To Do list.
Yesterday, I had to haul my body out of bed while it was still dark out to go for the MRI to see what that funny place on my liver is. The nurse didn't want to use my port to inject the radioactive stuff, and she said the teeny veins on my hands were too small. She made a grab for my left arm, but I fended her off. She tourniqueted my right arm and slapped it around a bit hoping something would plump up. She found a vein she thought she could get in to. I told her that they had used that vein for my stress echo and that it had taken the nurse 25 minutes to get the IV set up there. She told me that she would do it in one stick or we would use the port. So, with that promise, we did the one stick. And we blew the vein. So off I went to have the first part of the MRI (without the radioactive gunk). About 45 minutes in the tube with earphones playing a radio station at a loud, distorted volume. Since it was early in the morning, the radio station was mostly ads and insane disc jockey prattle. Not the most relaxing thing to listen to. Finally that was over and they brought me out of the tube so that the nurse could set up the IV in the port. Well, first off, even though I had told her exactly what kind of port it was, she seemed surprised that I didn't have a pic line hanging out of me. So then she had to run off to see if they had any of the special needles needed to access a Groshong port. Finally, we got started. It took her 7 stabs to get into the port correctly so that she could exchange fluid through it. During this time, there was a great deal of fussing about whether my port was square or round (no one has ever needed to know that before), whether it was clotted, whether I'd ever had return before, etc. After the 6th stab with no luck, she said she was going to try one more time and then it was back to the arm. I said a quick prayer as she went in for the final try. Voila! It worked. Thank you, God, for guiding her hand! Then she bolused in the radioactive syrup and I went back into the tube for another 5 minutes. Then it was done. The nurse flushed the port with saline and then added some heparin. She said she didn't think that you had to add heparin to a Groshong port, but I told her that everyone that has accessed it to date has always added heparin. To her credit, she didn't argue with me, she just added the heparin. I have a nice bruise over my port today - from all the sticks and from all the poking and prodding to try to determine square vs. round.
Beyond Hormones: Other Treatment for Menopausal Symptoms - includes a guide to phytoestrogenes and estrogenic herbs.
Lymphedema Strikes Cancer Survivors
posted by Karen Weber Tuesday, November 28, 2000
Wednesday, November 29, 2000
Well, life is funny sometimes. Just a few days ago mom was asking me if I planned to keep posting in my journal now that I'm done with treatment. The question took me aback a little bit, because I don't consider myself done with treatment and I've read so much about breast cancer being a chronic illness. Still, I admitted I'd probably slow down on posting here as time went on. Today I got news that may or may not make the whole question moot. The spot on my liver is not a hemangioma as my oncologist thought. The MRI was unable to reveal anything further. The oncologist said that it could still be a benign growth, but we obviously have to be more concerned now. He doesn't want to do a biopsy, just wait and do another scan in a couple months to see if it is growing. This isn't exactly the Christmas present I was hoping for. I will call my surgeon tomorrow to ask his opinion of a biopsy, and I'll talk with my oncologist (he just left voice mail today).
posted by Karen Weber Wednesday, November 29, 2000
Thursday, November 30, 2000
I spoke to my oncologist today. He said that the radiologist feels that the funny place on my liver is very likely nodular hyperplasia. This is a benign condition, most common in women of my age group. The radiologist could not rule out a highly vascularized metastasis, although the oncologist says that small single lesions are not typical. The radiologist also could not rule out a primary liver cancer. He says he prefers to wait and see because of the risk of bleeding with a liver biopsy. He also says that finding out earlier would not change how he treated it. I asked about liver resection for metastases, and he didn't sound convinced that it would be helpful. I told him I'd done a Medline search and it looks like with a small, solitary lesion it can increase survival time. He told me to print off the stuff I found and he would go over it. His office was supposed to fax me copies of the CT and MRI reports today, but they never arrived. I'll wait until I have those things in hand before talking to the surgeon for his opinion on biopsy/resection.Focal Nodular Hyperplasia of the Liver - this is what the radiologist think they saw on my liver. We have to wait to see if it grows to be sure, however. There's no way to tell for sure by scanning.
posted by Karen Weber Thursday, November 30, 2000
Friday, December 01, 2000
New Theory Suggests Breast Cancer Risk Is RelativeTreatment May Prevent Breast Cancer's Spread to Bone
The American Health Institute - I haven't had a chance to read everything here, but most of the material I looked at talked about the importance of attitude in boosting your immune system and surviving cancer.
posted by Karen Weber Friday, December 01, 2000
Saturday, December 02, 2000
I received copies of the CT scan and bone scan yesterday, but am still waiting on the MRI. Apparently the oncologist has it in his tickler folder to call me about it again. The bone scan is unremarkable except for the knee. I saw my local orthopedist on Thursday and he was very positive about my knee. The lateral stability is still good and I don't limp, even when trotting down a long hallway. I was afraid he was going to get on my case about not keeping up my exercise this year, but he was very compassionate and encouraging. He was also very excited that we may soon have a pool in our backyard so that I can start swimming again. He usually takes X-rays during my yearly visit, but since I had just had the scan with knee X-ray I signed a release so that he could take a look at those.There are a number of interesting things on the chest CT scan. I have a small abcess in my right lung. Nothing significant, but isn't it funny how many imperfections the body picks up as we age that we never know about until we have a routine scan? The report also notes that there are clips in the axilla from the axillary dissection done in March. I didn't know that either.
Now we get to the part that has everyone wondering - the abdominal CT scan. Here are the findings: "Fatty infiltration of the liver" (commonly seen in people who have had chemotherapy). A "focal area of decreased attenuation in the caudate lobe of the liver" - "too small to characterize". Probably too small to biopsy, too. According to the summary, this is, in all likelihood, a cyst. A "focal area of increased attenuation in the setting of a diffusely fatty infiltrative liver, which is nonspecific but most likely represents an enhancing mass. The differential includes a hypervascular metastasis, a hemangioma, or focal nodular hyperplasia." Everything else in the abdomen in unremarkable. The radiologist recommended the MRI with gadolinium enhancement, which I had Monday but I'm still awaiting the copy of the report. All we really know for sure following the MRI is that this isn't a hemangioma.
The reason I'm so concerned about waiting is that I do have pain in the liver, and have had for several years. I feel like this should be explored rather than waiting. I couldn't get in to see my surgeon until after Christmas, but once I have the reports I can talk to his nurse and see if he would share my concern. If so, I can wait for a cancellation and try to get in sooner. If he doesn't share my concern, then I can rest a bit easier that the oncologist is recommending the right thing about waiting to see if it grows.
Instantaneous Relaxation Exercise for People With Cancer
Relaxation & Guided Imagery Recording
posted by Karen Weber Saturday, December 02, 2000