my Breast Cancer blog

2004, age 34 — this is my story
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Real Men Rock Pink

Posted on 10/5/2010 By

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Proud to wear pink!

Jack, October 2010

For five and a half years (ever since I was diagnosed), my brother-in-law Jack has worn that pink breast cancer bracelet you see in the photo to the left. Well, not that very one. The first one broke.

“It broke and that was to let us know you were in remission and we didn’t need  to wear it anymore,” Jack told me. “With that said, I will always wear this as a reminder of how strong and courageous you were and are.”

OK, that made me cry a little bit.

My courage aside, let’s talk Jack’s support.

WOW. What a long time to wear a band of pink.

We all started out with an adornment just like Jack’s — me, my husband, my mom, my sister — but as time passed, we slipped off the pink rubbery band and forgot about it. Sometimes I forget Jack still wears one, and then I glance at his arm, and I see it there. And it chokes me up that he stands firm in his commitment to the cause. And to me.

And here’s what I have to say about it all: You rock, Jack, and I am nothing short of completely honored.

The power of pink!

Armed with pink!

The Pink Ribbon Diet

Posted on 10/5/2010 By

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www.amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Dr. Susan Love thinks lifestyle plays a role in preventing breast cancer.

The authors of “The Pink Ribbon Diet” happen to agree.

(For the record, so do I.)

“The Pink Ribbon Diet” offers an effective, research-based diet plan for overweight breast cancer patients and anyone else at risk for the disease. The book comes stocked with 150 Mediterranean-inspired recipes, and the featured foods are both nutritious and thought to lower breast cancer risk.

Authors Mary Flynn, RD, and Nancy Verde Barr explain what to eat, what not to eat, and why. They discuss reframing the approach to eating, and then they dive into the goodies: Soups, sandwiches, salads, veggies, casseroles, pasta, seafood, and more. Yes, even dessert!

They recommend this diet to those wishing to improve their health, and to anyone trying to lose weight. Why not eat to accomplish both, they say.

Until Every Woman Knows

Posted on 10/5/2010 By

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Pass It On Until Every Woman KnowsNot every woman needs chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. For some types of the disease, less than 2 in 100 women will benefit from chemo.

Do you know there is a test to help determine whether the toxic treatment is necessary? The test is called Oncotype DX.

Pass it on.

Until every woman knows.

More information: Until Every Woman Knows.

Eggland’s: Why Are They The Best?

Posted on 10/5/2010 By

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pink-dozen-logo-200jd092910 copySo, why all the hype about Eggland’s Best eggs?

Here’s why, according to a friend of mine, who offered this unsolicited comment:

“They are the only eggs I buy. Vegetarian fed hens, no chemicals used to make the eggs bigger, great tasting, and I’ve never cracked one open to find a nasty surprise inside (blood, etc).”

No blood is always good in my book.

There’s more, and while you can take it all in by reading the press release, “Eggland’s Best Now Even More Nutritious,” let me just highlight a few good nuggets:

  • Just 70 calories in one egg.
  • Four times more Vitamin D and more than three times more Omega-3 compared to ordinary eggs.
  • 25 percent less saturated fat and 19 percent less cholesterol than regular eggs.
  • Great taste.
  • Pretty pink ribbon on each egg this month (a symbol of EB’s partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure).
EB eggs!

EB eggs!

OK, so you get the idea, right? Eggs are healthy. Eggland’s Best eggs are healthier.

Gotta love that.

Eggland’s Best Hosting Twitter Party Oct. 6

Posted on 10/5/2010 By

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pink-dozen-logo-200jd092910Eggland’s Best is hosting a Twitter party tomorrow night, and you are invited.

Why?

Because EB is supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure (the world’s largest breast cancer advocacy organization) by donating $50,000 to help save lives and end breast cancer forever, and they want to celebrate their support with you!

Now, I’m no expert at the Tweet, so I can’t explain all of what follows, but if you have some know-how in the Twitter department, I’m sure you can make sense of all these details:

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6th, 2010
Time: 8 pm EST (thats 7 pm CST, 6pm MST, and 5 pm PST)
Hashtag: #EBSGK
Hosts: @egglandsbest and @chaotic_barb
Tweetgrid: http://is.gd/fKUR1
3 lucky winners will win an incredible gift pack during the party including:
Three-month supply of EB eggs (six free product coupons)
Six 50-cent off coupons
Eco-bag
spatula
plush egg
Poach Pod
TWEET: Eggland’s Best Twitter Party: Support Susan G. Komen for the Cure: http://bit.ly/9tSf9K #EBSGK Wed! RT PLS?

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6th, 2010

Time: 8 pm EST (thats 7 pm CST, 6pm MST, and 5 pm PST)

Hashtag: #EBSGK

Hosts: @egglandsbest and @chaotic_barb

Tweetgrid: http://is.gd/fKUR1

3 lucky winners will win an incredible gift pack during the party including:

  • Three-month supply of EB eggs (six free product coupons)
  • Six 50-cent off coupons
  • Eco-bag
  • spatula
  • plush egg
  • Poach Pod

TWEET: Eggland’s Best Twitter Party: Support Susan G. Komen for the Cure: http://bit.ly/9tSf9K #EBSGK Wed! RT PLS?

Just click on the link listed below to RSVP with your Twitter account:

Eggland’s Best Twitter Party To Support Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Dr. Susan Love’s New Breast Book: Giveaway

Posted on 10/5/2010 By

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www.amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Five and a half years ago, my surgeon called it the bible on breast cancer, and Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book has been a constant companion of mine ever since. It’s the one book I recommend to everyone I meet with a new diagnosis, it’s my go-to gift recommendation for family and friends who don’t know how to help, and it sits tattered and worn on my bookshelf, ready for instant consultation.

As of yesterday, I have a brand new shiny copy of Dr. Love’s treasured book of wisdom (fifth edition) — the coveted resource she revamps every few years so that women everywhere have the latest and greatest information on a disease we so badly need to understand.

How is this book different from all the others? Well, it’s been totally reorganized and rewritten in order to communicate two paradigm shifts that have taken place over the years:

(1) We now know that all breast cancers are not the same. There’s actually five or six molecular subtypes, and treatment must be personalized to match each one.

(2) We also know that cancer cells do not function in isolation. There’s more than a mutated cell at work — it needs an environment to nourish it. A bad cell in a good environment will likely stay dormant. But if the environment changes, there might be trouble. Aha, lifestyle is important.

With these two topics woven throughout, Dr. Love breaks down everything from the biology of the breast to risk factors to decisions regarding treatment. She talks recurrence and research and politics, and she’s got sketches, drawings, charts, and graphs to help make sense of it all. The book is more than 600 pages long, and that should tell you something about how detailed and complex breast cancer can be. Don’t be intimidated, though. You don’t need to sit down and start reading — just use it for reference, and be thankful that there’s someone out there, armed with the best and most accurate information, who cares enough to try to stop this deadly disease once and for all.

It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to give away one copy of Dr. Love’s book. If it happens to land in your hands, you will be forever grateful for the direction and inspiration that lies within.

Ready to play? Just follow the steps below:

  • Leave a comment sharing why you need this book in your library!
  • Leave your comment no later than 5PM ET on Tuesday, October 12, 2010.
  • You may enter only once.
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, who are 18 and older.
  • One winner will be selected in a random drawing via random.org.
  • One winner will receive one book, valued at $22.00.
  • Winners will be notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you’ve won!