Fighting The Storm

https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Storm-Breast-Cancer-Journey-ebook/dp/B017UTFFRQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=fighting%20the%20storm&qid=1453013528&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

FREE E-BOOK

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

E-BOOK

GRAB A COPY NOW

https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Storm-Breast-Cancer-Journey-ebook/dp/B017UTFFRQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=fighting%20the%20storm&qid=1453013528&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

FIGHTING THE STORM - MY BREAST CANCER JOURNEY

AVAILABLE IN THE AMAZON STORE 

Fighting The Storm - My Breast Cancer Journey: Recurrence

Fighting The Storm - My Breast Cancer Journey: Recurrence: Every day we fear that our cancer will return. Every ache and every pain keeps us awake at night. We struggle with the side-effects of our m...

E-book Giveaway

Fighting The Storm - My Breast Cancer Journey
Enter here for a chance to win a copy of my e-book.
U.S residents only


https://www.amazon.com/gp/f.html?C=RNOTE2AA1ZDP&K=A139FXW8PCFC4M&R=36ZSM4BMO1WW9&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fgiveaway.amazon.com%2Fp%2F3deb0cdd16434dc9%3Fref_%3Dpe_1771210_134854370&A=MMHKFKIT7LRWSWRLE0GMAH9EQ1MA&H=LOIMYHKYSUMCMRXAGIYTPWPYPLCA&ref_=pe_1771210_134854370

Fighting The Storm Giveaway

https://www.amazon.com/gp/f.html?C=RNOTE2AA1ZDP&K=A139FXW8PCFC4M&R=36ZSM4BMO1WW9&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fgiveaway.amazon.com%2Fp%2F3deb0cdd16434dc9%3Fref_%3Dpe_1771210_134854370&A=MMHKFKIT7LRWSWRLE0GMAH9EQ1MA&H=LOIMYHKYSUMCMRXAGIYTPWPYPLCA&ref_=pe_1771210_134854370

Enter My Giveaway Here. Good Luck.

Another Giveaway?

I have 3 more e-books to give away to people in the U.S. (Sorry to people from outside U.S but Amazon only allows for U.S residents)
Be sure to keep coming back or follow me to find out when the giveaway starts. You don't want to miss out!

Yes We Can...

Damned if you do................

After completing radiation on my right breast in 2013 with very little side effects I assumed, wrongly,that my second time, now on my left breast would be a breeze.
I expected the burns and blisters and the tiredness, that was all just a part of having radiation. This time around though my side effects were much worse than the first time. I found myself feeling very tired immediately after having radiation, I found it hard to keep my eyes open sometimes whilst still driving home. I couldn't rest or sleep as much as my body wanted me to and it was months before I got some energy back.
What I wasn't expecting was damage to my esophagus. I now have reflux. I have had episodes where I get excruciating pain in my chest. I can't swallow without pain, not even fluid. My doctor calls it spasms in the esophagus, caused by the radiation. I've just had a gastroscopy, a camera down the throat, to see how much damage has been caused to my esophagus. I will get those results in a few weeks.

This is just another side effect of breast cancer. Does it ever end?

My Breast Cancer Journey

https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Storm-Breast-Cancer-Journey-ebook/dp/B017UTFFRQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=fighting%20the%20storm&qid=1453013528&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Goodreads Giveaway to Aussie Readers

Enter by clicking the link on the right. Open to Australian residents, this time. Closes soon. Two signed copies to giveaway.

Goodreads Giveaway

I have 2 signed copies of my paperback book Fighting The Storm - My Breast Cancer Journey to give away. This one is only open to Australian residence but be watching for more giveaways in the future.
To enter - click the link on the right hand side to be taken to Goodreads and enter there.

My Breast Cancer Journey. : Fighting The Storm-My Breast Cancer Journey

My Breast Cancer Journey. : Fighting The Storm-My Breast Cancer Journey: FREE E-BOOK For a Limited Time I have a limited number of free e-books available in the amazon store.

Fighting The Storm-My Breast Cancer Journey

FREE E-BOOK For a Limited Time
I have a limited number of free e-books available in the amazon store.

Oncotype Test

The Oncotype DX test is a genomic test that analyzes the activity of a group of genes that can affect how a cancer is likely to behave and respond to treatment. The Oncotype DX is used in two ways:

to help doctors figure out a woman’s risk of early-stage, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer coming back (recurrence), as well as how likely she is to benefit from chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery
to help doctors figure out a woman’s risk of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) coming back (recurrence) and/or the risk of a new invasive cancer developing in the same breast, as well as how likely she is to benefit from radiation therapy after DCIS surgery

The results of the Oncotype DX test, combined with other features of the cancer, can help you make a more informed decision about whether or not to have chemotherapy to treat early-stage hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer or radiation therapy to treat DCIS.

Who is eligible for the Oncotype DX test?
You may be a candidate for the Oncotype DX test if:

you’ve recently been diagnosed with stage I or II invasive breast cancer
the cancer is estrogen-receptor-positive
there is no cancer in your lymph nodes (lymph node-negative breast cancer)
you and your doctor are making decisions about chemotherapy.
Most early-stage (stage I or II), estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers that haven’t spread to the lymph nodes are considered to be at low risk for recurrence. After surgery, hormonal therapies such as an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen are prescribed to reduce the risk that the cancer will come back in the future. Whether or not chemotherapy is also necessary has been an area of uncertainty for patients and their doctors.

If you’ve been diagnosed with early-stage, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, the Oncotype DX test can help you and your doctor make a more informed decision about whether or not you need chemotherapy. (Some research also suggests the test may help postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes make chemotherapy decisions. Talk to your doctor if you are in this group.)

You also may be a candidate for the Oncotype DX test if:

you’ve recently been diagnosed with DCIS
you’re having lumpectomy to remove the DCIS
DCIS is the most common form of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS usually is treated by surgically removing the cancer (lumpectomy in most cases). After surgery, hormonal therapy may be recommended if the DCIS is hormone-receptor-positive. Radiation therapy may be recommended for some women. Doctors aren’t always sure which women will benefit from radiation therapy.

If you’ve been diagnosed with DCIS, the Oncotype DX test can help you and your doctor make a more informed decision about whether or not you need radiation therapy.


Source: breastcancer.org

Giveaway

Enter here for your chance to win one of 3 e-books of Fighting The Storm-My Breast Cancer Journey. This giveaway is for U.S residents.
Australian residents please go to goodreads.com for your chance to win a signed paperback copy.

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/2f9a8342e8ca4644?ref_=pe_1771210_134854370#ln-ln

Where have my friends gone?

I read these types of stories a lot lately. Seems many of us lose family or friends.



whatnext.com by GregP_WN


You're diagnosed with cancer, you call a few friends and give them the heartbreaking news, they promise to be there, just tell them what you need. Fast forward a few months and see who's there now. Many of them aren't around, or are very distanced and you may even have a new circle of friends that include people that weren't friends before cancer.

Where Are All My Friends

A cancer diagnosis is devastating news, for you, your family and your friends and many people just can't handle it.

Is it your fault? NO!! Most people mean well and don't mean to hurt your feelings, they are sometimes overwhelmed by the whole "cancer thing" and can't cope with you having cancer. Or maybe they just can't handle cancer. There are many reasons they might have bailed, here are a few:

1) Sometimes people don't know how to react - I actually did my senior seminar paper partially addressing this issue, influenced additionally with my own personal experience, and I found that some people just react in that way because they don't know how else to react to the situation. This doesn't mean that they don't care, it is just their way of dealing with the issue. In the same way, certain people might react in a completely opposite manner because of the same thing. Just try to understand that especially for those who are closest to you, will react in certain ways. This does not mean they do not care, but their body or mind may react in a certain way from something which -- frankly -- is a lot to process for them, too. I'm not saying those individuals will not eventually come around; I would suggest to perhaps give them a bit of space and then reach out when you think they are ready to reconnect. Thoraxe23

2) Some people just can't deal - Sad but true. Although I still have hope for one of my friends who has stayed away because I really do think that we are good friends. It's just that she can't deal with this on so many levels. Sue_2015

3) Sometimes people just don't have the extra time to be there - I have found the same thing. I have found that some people I thought would really be there don't seem to have the time anymore. It is sad and hurtful. Especially when some of them are ones i thought were my closest friends. I also found people that I thought were just aquaintance ended up being true friends. I also made some new friends. I guess when the chips are down you really do find out who your true friends are.

4) People just don't know what to say, so they say nothing - I have experienced the same reaction. I know that many people were thinking of me but just didn't know what to say - so they chose to say nothing. Sadly, I know I have done the same to others in the past when they had gone through something even though I thought of them and wished them well often.But unless that is conveyed, it is not known.

I Don't Know What To Say

5) They don't know how to handle it, and don't want to upset you - People do treat you differently though. I think it is because sometimes they just don't know how to respond. It makes cancer 'real' to them and that's scary. They don't want to upset you so they don't always know what to say or do. Cancer is hard on everyone. - Alimccalli

6) It's a difficult emotional situation - It is a difficult situation emotionally, but you can't see into other people's hearts. Maybe people are scared. Maybe they don't know what to do. Maybe they feel that you should be reaching out more to them. It is hard to understand unless you have actually gone through it. - Jalemans

7) It makes them think about their own mortality, and they don't want to - Some people can't handle any illness and are so afraid they could get it too and don't want to think about it or their mortality. - EstherJ

8) Spouses and close relatives may not be able to deal with the fact that you may die - I can relate. mine left in a different way. he couldn't face the fact that i may die and took to the bottle - Isnoop

9) People feel inadequate and unable to do anything about your situation - I know what you mean I went through the same thing People are weirded out by cancer They mean well but they feel totally awkward and inadequate They simply dont know what to say Plus patients are different Some people want everyone to pretend that nothing is going on while others want the support Give them some cues. You bring it up. Tell them "I am stressed today thinking about my cancer and the future, how about we doing something distracting?" This tells them the topic is not off limits but doesn't beg them for sympathy Good luck I am always jealous when i read posts from caregivers I could have used a caregiver! - Zubsha

The take home message for this situation is to just remember, it's not your fault. You may make some of these situations better by explaining your situation to them and letting them know you understand, and explain what they can do to help you. You might be able to stop some of these situations before they get started.

My Book Currently in the top 10

My book is available as an e=book or paperback on Amazon.com Fighting The Storm - My Breast Cancer Journey

http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Storm-Breast-Cancer-Journey-ebook/dp/B017UTFFRQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1453013528&sr=1-1&keywords=fighting+the+storm

A great read

5 Rarely Discussed Breast Cancer Early Warning Signs
By Ty Bollinger

Breast-Cancer-Early-Warning-Signs-1-new
Breast cancer awareness month has just gotten underway, which means the Great Pink Push is being unleashed. The cancer industry will shift into overdrive, urging women everywhere to get their mammogram screenings as they beg for cash donations for breast cancer research. All the while providing little in the way of practical preventative tips and tools that women can use to avoid this common form of cancer.

As an informed, health-savvy individual, you probably want to know what you need to look for right now in order to nip breast cancer in the bud. Instead of trying to deal with it after you’ve already been diagnosed – which hopefully will never happen! We’ve compiled a list of five early warning breast cancer signs, most of which are rarely talked about in the media. Learn these signs as part of your preventative arsenal to stay ahead of the game.

Don’t Just Look for Breast Lumps

The most common way that conventional doctors look for breast cancer in women is to identify lumps in the breast. They most often do this with mammogram x-rays. This offer physicians a basic roadmap for navigating the terrain of breast tissue, allowing them to pinpoint any lumps, masses, or other questionable abnormalities that might point to a malignancy.

But mammograms can be a potential cause of cancer due to the ionizing radiation they send into breast tissue. They also aren’t accurate 100 percent of the time, despite what you may have been told. Lumps and masses in breast tissue can be either benign (harmless) or malignant (harmful), and mammograms don’t differentiate between the two. This often leads to false diagnoses and unnecessary treatments with chemotherapy and radiation.

A better option, if you choose to undergo routine cancer screenings, is thermography. This unique screening method allows doctors to not only look for unusual lumps or growths, but also identify whether or not angiogenesis is taking place within the breast tissue.

A lot of health experts like to talk about breast cancer as something that results from “bad genetics,” being passed down from mothers to their daughters. This implies that breast cancer can’t be avoided and occurs as an unfortunate “luck of the draw” type scenario. And depending on the type of breast cancer they’re talking about, there may be some merit to this popular theory.

But most types of breast cancer are a result of environment, diet, and lifestyle, all of which dictate how a woman’s endocrine system produces and balances hormones. In other words, hormone imbalance plays a much greater role in determining breast cancer risk than many people think. Thermography can help qualified physicians determine whether or not a woman has an elevated breast cancer risk due to this often overlooked early indicator.breast-cancer-warning-signs
Know the Breast Cancer Signs

Every woman’s body has a unique ebb and flow, and getting in tune with your own personal rhythm is invaluable for staying healthy. Paying close attention to any unusual changes that might be occurring, especially within breast tissue, is critical to avoid breast cancer.

If you feel any unusual aches or pains in your breast, including occasional throbbing, pain, or even fluctuating discomfort, talk to your doctor. Many women assume that only an isolated lump with localized pain suggests the presence of breast cancer. The truth is that breast cancer can manifest as “scattered, seed-like” tumors that, in some cases, spread like small tentacles throughout breast tissue.

Experts from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston warn that breast cancer often shows up without the classic lump, showing symptoms such as swelling and irritation, dimpling, nipple discharge beyond normal lactation, nipple inversion, and/or a thickening and reddening of skin around the nipple.

“There are breast cancers that present as half a lump or there may be no lump at all,” says Dr. Naoto Ueno, chief of Translational Breast Cancer Research at the Center, as quoted by CBS News. “It could just be a strange-looking skin appearance or skin being red or dimpled.”

Just be sure to look for patterns of change or any new and unusual symptoms that occur outside the norm. Occasional pain may not be indicative of breast cancer, but persistent itching, for instance, could point to fluid buildup, poor lymph function, or your body trying to create new blood vessels for breast tumors.

Can Back Pain Indicate Breast Tumor Development?

Upper back pain that feels as though it’s coming from deep within the bones may be an early sign of breast cancer. But don’t assume that every occasional bout of soreness or back pain means you’re becoming the next statistic! Chronic back pain that doesn’t relent with stretching, chiropractic, or other means may be a sign that breast cancer tumors are forming.

Sometimes when tumors are developing in a woman’s breast, they put pressure on the ribs and spine causing new found and persistent pain. You need to be aware of any changes that occur in your spinal column, upper back, and even neck. Talk to your doctor if you feel as though the pain you’re experiencing is unusually pronounced and marked by pressure from a possible internal growth.

Nutrient Deficiency and Breast Cancer

If you’re not getting enough of the right nutrients in your diet, including vitamin D and iodine, your risk of developing breast cancer is already elevated. Nutrient deficiency is endemic in the West. Many people don’t realize that what they’re not eating is increasingly their likelihood of developing chronic health conditions such as breast cancer.

Nearly 75% of the adult “healthy” population is deficient in iodine, which has been shown to help ward off cancer cells in the breast and elsewhere throughout the body. Vitamin D is another risk factor in breast cancer. A 2012 study published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that low vitamin D levels are a hallmark in women with breast cancer. Other studies show similar findings.

A good rule of thumb in today’s nutrient-depleted world is to supplement with these and other cancer-fighting nutrients such as selenium and zinc. You may also wish to consult with a trained naturopath or integrative doctor. They can help you identify any specific nutrient deficiencies you might have and help you optimize your unique biological “terrain” for best breast cancer prevention. https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/5-early-warning-breast-cancer-signs/

My Breast Cancer Journey

Updated to include my most recent, second diagnosis. Available as an e-reader and shortly will be available in paperback. Purchase a copy at Amazon.

Risk of breast cancer

KNOW YOUR RISK?
There are 625,000 women who will have either at moderate to high risk of developing cancer and Pink Hope wants to find them.
Share this tool with your friends, family, work mates and with your help we will find these woman and help them to assess, manage and reduce their risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
‪#‎knowyourrisk‬ ‪#‎pinkhopeuas‬
http://pinkhope.org.au/know-your-risk/


https://www.facebook.com/pinkhopecommunity/?fref=photo

World Cancer Day

http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Storm-Breast-Cancer-Journey-ebook/dp/B017UTFFRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454553250&sr=8-1&keywords=fighting+the+storm

Fighting The Storm - My Breast Cancer Journey

Available on Amazon Kindle. My Breast Cancer Journey

Gorgeous

'I have stage three breast cancer and I have never felt more beautiful in my entire life': Cancer-stricken model poses after chemo to inspire other women
Cancer-stricken model poses after chemo to inspire other women

Sugar

This Common Dietary Ingredient May Increase Breast Cancer and Lung Metastasis Risk
According to a recent study, 30% of mice in a controlled group developed breast cancer after six months compared to 50%-58% of mice that were given this ingredient commonly found in your kitchen.
This dietary ingredient could be a trigger for breast cancer and lung metastasis
One commonly hypothesized "trigger" of cancer metastasis that researchers have been focused on for years is an item found in basically every American household: sugar. Sugar is a source of energy for healthy cells in our bodies, but researchers have long postulated that it could also be the energy source that kicks cancer cells into overdrive. However, proving this hypothesis has been a challenge -- until now.

Breast Cancer and Pregnancy: POSITIVE Study Welcome

Dr Kathy Miller from Indiana University, back with another Medscape Oncology video blog. I haven't been with you for a while, and I want to make you aware of two pieces of information specifically about pregnancy and birth outcomes in our patients with cancer.

First, make your way to the November 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, and you'll find a case-control study from the International Network on Cancer, Infertility, and Pregnancy (INCIP) that looked at 129 babies born to women who were diagnosed and treated for their cancer during pregnancy and compared them with a matched cohort of children with mothers who did not have a cancer diagnosis or treatment during pregnancy.[1] The good news: no difference in outcomes. There was no difference in gestational age, size for gestational age, cognitive development, and incidence of cardiac disease or cardiac malformations. This is great news for our patients who, in the midst of pregnancy, are diagnosed with cancer and need treatment.

Now on the flip side, many of you know that I spend most of my time treating patients with breast cancer. The issue I'm often faced with is pregnancy after diagnosis and treatment in my young patients with cancer. We've talked before in this forum about the results of the Prevention of Early Menopause study (POEMS),[2] suggesting that using ovarian suppression during chemotherapy can facilitate preservation of fertility and successful delivery of babies after treatment. However, this study was in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-negative disease.

In our patients with ER-positive disease, it gets a whole lot more complicated. We need to think both about the hormonal milieu associated with pregnancy and what impact that might have. We also need to think about the impact of interrupting antiestrogen therapy to allow for pregnancy. This has really been a data-free zone, with very little information to guide these patients.

However, among the international community, a study has started, known as the Pregnancy Outcome and Safety of Interrupting Therapy for Women With Endocrine Response Breast Cancer (POSITIVE) trial,[3] investigating pregnancy outcomes in women with ER-positive disease. This trial will enroll patients who are premenopausal; have ER-positive tumors; and have a history of antiestrogen therapy for a duration of 18-30 months, and are now at a point where they desire conception.

The trial will investigate stopping their antiestrogen therapy to allow for conception and delivery, with the goal of being off antiestrogen therapy for a maximum of 2 years. After delivery and breastfeeding, if possible and desired by the woman, she will then resume antiestrogen therapy to complete at least a total 5-year duration.

This study is not randomized, but it has a goal of enrolling 500 women worldwide. It will track success of those conception attempts, health of the women, recurrence of their breast cancer, new cancers, and health of the babies, and will give us a tremendous amount of really important information to guide those discussions with our younger patients.

I want to make sure you all are aware of this trial. It is an incredibly important trial for these patients, and one they really want and need us to conduct. If you're seeing a young patient who is premenopausal, has ER-positive disease, and is interested in pregnancy, please join the POSITIVE trial so that her data can contribute to our understanding of these important issues even more. Be sure check out the New England Journal of Medicine for some good news about the health of the babies born to our patients.

Oncology

When you don't have another appointment with your Oncologist until April. The receptionist calls and tells you the doctor wants to see you next week. Panic stations. Freaking out right now. Life will never be "normal" again. Living in fear.