Sunday, November 5, 2000
Dietary intervention increases omega-3-omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios in breast and gluteal fat in women with breast cancer - low fat dietary intervention with fish oil can change the fat composition in the breast and act as a preventative to development of breast cancer.Clinical use of the pineal hormone melatonin (MLT) in medical oncology. posted by Karen Weber Sunday, November 5, 2000
Monday, November 6, 2000
A couple of milestones: I went to church yesterday with no hat and sang with the band. Up until now, I've been concerned that my head might be distracting, but I'm feeling that it looks acceptable now without the hat. No one asked where the hat was, so I'm assuming no one cares. At the end of the service, the pastor mentioned a new addition to our congregation, a beautiful baby named Grace. Well, let me tell you, I've met Grace up close and personal. I was over to her house on Friday and held her and fed her a bottle and tried to burp her without much luck (she just went to sleep). That child has more hair on her head than I'll have come next April. So when Bob mentioned Grace, I just leaned into my microphone and said, "Bob, that child has my hair." Everyone cracked up. She is a gorgeous child, but she must have been growing hair even before she was conceived! Grace is the second baby in our church born in the past few months who has more hair than I do. I think God is having a little laugh on me. Our church is very small. What are the odds that all the babies would have more hair than me? And yet, it happens! That God, he is one funny guy!
posted by Karen Weber Monday, November 6, 2000
Tuesday, November 7, 2000
Just one more radiation treatment to go!!!!!!!!!!! Yipppeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday, Laurie was touching up the magic marker circle on my breast and I thought she was maybe writing a little bit extra. Sure enough, I get home and she's drawn a happy face in the middle of the circle. Too funny!I went today to have an eye exam. I just don't feel like my eyes are the same post-chemo as they were pre-chemo. And tamoxifen has been known to cause eye problems, from cataracts to retinal detachment. These side effects are usually associated with higher doses than I take, but given my luck, I figure it's best to go in, establish a baseline and then follow-up annually while I'm taking it. The good news is that my eyes are just getting old, probably given a shove in that direction by chemotherapy. The bad news is that I need reading glasses. The doctor said I could get away without them for another year or so, but I would start to notice more fatigue and experience more headaches if I went that route. He confirmed my feeling that the left eye is weaker than the right. It tires more quickly and has an astigmatism. At any rate, I've picked out a couple of cheap frames and I'll be getting them in a week or so. They recommended a tint for working at the computer, and when I asked what color they would recommend, they said rose! So I'll be looking at the world through rose-colored glasses from now on! I've been accused of that before, but from now on it will be the truth :-)
After the treatment and the eye exam (including dilation), I was more than ready for a nap. But the phone kept ringing and ringing. I finally gave up and got up. One call was from the nurse at our GP's office. She had Rick's results from his check up last week. The good news: his PSA is very low. The bad news: his cholesterol and triglycerides are out of control. He's going to go on Zocor and have a stress echocardiogram. So when I get the go ahead from the radiology oncologist to go on my diet, Rick will join me. We are planning to go mostly plant-based with a lot of fish and a little chicken. I need to do low sodium, and Rick will need to do low sugar and low fat. You know, it's a total drag getting old!
BellaOnline: journals - I was interviewed about my journal and featured at this great site for women.
There are a couple other things I have to write about. First, Rick and I were talking about my hair Sunday night when a commercial for Pantene came on and promised that if I would just use their product, I would notice the difference in my hair in just 10 days. Rick, of course, didn't miss the opportunity to laugh and joke about that!
Last night, after I had gone to bed, Rick brought in a package off the porch. He woke me up to show it to me. I was willing to let it wait until this morning, but he was like a kid on Christmas Eve and was opening it before I could say anything. It's a lovely basket from an old Internet friend, Simmie, and one of her co-workers. I'm not exactly clear how she found this site, but she did and she sat and read through the whole archive. The gift basket arrived with a very touching letter from her. It was heavily loaded with chocolate along with some herbal teas and a cute plaque about cats. Simmie is a total sweetie. She once drove down from LA to San Diego to pick us up at the airport and drive us to my ortho appointment. What a gal!
Speaking of ortho appointments, I spent a good amount of time yesterday setting up appointments. I made the vision appointment for today, a dental cleaning appointment plus a check on a loose filling (had to wait for approval from my oncologist before I could do this), and a local ortho appointment. I also need to make an appointment to see my surgeon in December and to see my San Diego ortho in Feb when Rick can go with me. I'll see the cardiologist again in January, get tumor markers drawn in January as well, then see my oncologist in early February. I've heard that some patients have a feeling of despair after they complete chemo and radiation, because they aren't actively doing anything about their cancer anymore. When I look at my appointment book, I don't think that's going to be a problem for me. I just can't wait to get back to my normal life where I get up in the morning and wander about the house for hours in my PJs without a single thought in my head about leaving the house. It's going to seem like such a luxury to be able to do that again! ( Just so no one gets the wrong idea - I do shower! And I put on clean PJs every morning. And I usually dress in real clothes before Rick gets home. I'm not totally hopeless! Just call before you come over if you want me in clothes!)
I've made arrangements to pick up some goodies to take over to the radiation therapists for their lunch tomorrow. They've been so nice to me through this treatment, I wanted to do something special for them. I was hoping to have it delivered, but that was a no go. So I'm going to have to take them myself -- so everyone pray that the goodies arrive at their intended destination intact!
posted by Karen Weber Tuesday, November 7, 2000
Wednesday, November 8, 2000
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAW! I am done, done, done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I took lunch over to the radiology office - a platter of subs, chips and mini-Oreos along with some Thank You! balloons. I am so grateful for the kindness everyone there has shown me. When I arrived there in September, I was hurt, betrayed, angry, and not really trusting doctors anymore. They made it safe for me to express my feelings, to accept the treatment, and to become a happy participant in my own recovery again. I'm not actually sure that they realize how great a gift that was, because they were just being themselves. That is a very special group of people.After I dropped their lunch off, I took myself out to lunch and then some shopping. I bought a really cute, summery outfit at deep discount. Then I headed over for my treatment. I sat and gabbed with the other patients, who were all jealous it was my last day. And finally I had my treatment. I was sent off with a survey and an appointment to see Dr. Chen in 4 weeks. I came right home, and I washed all the magic marker off my breast, applied some Aquaphor, and got into more comfortable clothes. Rick and I will dress up and go out for dinner tonight, maybe a movie.
Ladies, Take the Tests That Save Lives!
Test Can Detect Breast Cancer Before Mammogram - ductal lavage.
Komen Foundation Announces the 'Gift of Life'
posted by Karen Weber Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Thursday, November 9, 2000
Last night I put on a beautiful dress I've never had occasion to wear before - black and covered with small pieces of heaven that change color whenever you move. I also put in my diamond earrings that Rick got me on our first Christmas together, before we got engaged. Rick was disinclined to change out of his work clothes, but he gave into pressure fairly gracefully. We went out to an Italian restaurant where the waiters reportedly sing opera arias. We could not, unfortunately, get anyone to sing for us last night, so we have to go back! Afterwards, we went out to see "Best in Show" -- a very humorous behind-the-scenes look at a dog show. It was a wonderful night.This morning I got up and said Today is the first day of the rest of my life! I did a Bible study on praise, then I took a 16 minute walk, showered and got into comfy clothes. I'm going to reorganize my dayplanner, which I haven't used all year, to track weight, measurements, BP, pulse, exercise, etc, as well as to start getting back on track with working again. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how I want to set it up, but that's half the fun.
Had a good day. My new glasses came in, so I did end up having to get dressed to go out. They had told me it would take 7-10 days, but they came in within 36 hours. So I spent today trying to get used to having glasses on my face while working at the computer. I feel so old! Then again, they told me that most people my age are wearing bifocals, so I guess I should be glad to need very little correction just for reading. I feel like I'm poised at the edge of a very steep downhill slope about to start falling downhill. (You can stop laughing, mom!!!!)
I did not have any depression or concern about the end of treatment like the books say that women have. It's just so nice to be without magic marker, oozing burns, and concern about whether things are going to get worse. I've been using the Aquaphor lotion on the crease below the breast and it's looking less red than when I got up this morning. I wore my bra without a Vigilon pad for the first time in weeks. OK, just for very short times, but still! It's progress.
posted by Karen Weber Thursday, November 9, 2000
Friday, November 10, 2000
Very busy today - somehow I got to Friday with almost no work done, so today I had to go great guns. Plus dad and his buddy, Patrick, from the Big Brother program were coming down tonight, so I tried to do a little straightening as well. The guys were here prepping the deck for the cool decking that will be added on Monday. They were using some kind of power saw on the concrete, so it was pretty noisy around here today. Then the guy from the phone company came out and took me off line for half an hour to work on dropping some new phone lines for the neighbors. I thought that life would be less hectic when I didn't have to spend an hour running out for a radiation appointment, but so far that's not happening :-) I did take a nice 18 minute walk, do my Bible study, and some reading on tamoxifen this morning before everything went crazy. And I did get almost all my work done. My stamina for sitting up at my desk is getting better, but I'm still doing most of my work on my laptop in the recliner. I don't know what I would have done this year without my laptop.Novartis' Femara appears more effective than tamoxifen in treating advanced breast cancer
Fatty Diet Not Linked to Higher Estrogen Levels - don't get too excited, because obesity still increases your chance of developing breast cancer.
posted by Karen Weber Friday, November 10, 2000
Saturday, November 11, 2000
Hepatic Hemangioma - this is what my oncologist believes they saw on my liver during the CT scan. I am still waiting for the MRI to be scheduled to follow up and confirm this.
posted by Karen Weber Saturday, November 11, 2000