my Breast Cancer blog

2004, age 34 — this is my story
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Raw October — Day 15 (Not for the Squeamish)

Posted on 10/15/2012 By

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Raw October: raising breast cancer awareness — one fact, figure, feeling, and photograph at a time.

There is nothing pretty about breast cancer, and CancerVacation blogger Julia Grim captures the disease in its raw form (click on this link, then Photos & Reports, then Photos). Her photos are not for the squeamish; they are for anyone who wants a peek at the realities — surgery, chemo, hair loss, weight gain — that cannot be tied up all pretty with a pink ribbon.

Here are the photos: http://www.cancervacation.com/home.html

Leslie Scored a Sleeve and Ditched Cancer

Posted on 9/4/2012 By

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Leslie won the LympheDIVAs giveaway sleeve. Here, she shows off her new fashion (and function) statement and shares her breast cancer story.

I have been so fortunate and blessed in my cancer journey. My doctor received the “normal findings” of my annual mammogram, which was done in mid-May, with the notation that my tissue was dense. He called and said he would like for me to have an ultrasound done as an additional precaution. Early in June, I had the ultrasound and a small spot (4mm) showed up in my left breast. The radiologist recommended that although it was probably just a cyst, I should go ahead and have a core biopsy. This was done a week later, and 10 days postbiopsy, my doctor called to sadly inform me that I had stage 1 cancer. I was catching a plane to celebrate my father-in-law’s 95th birthday within a couple of hours after that call, so my husband and I decided that we would keep the news to ourselves for the long weekend while my doctor set up an appointment with one of our local surgeons for the following week. I must admit that I have felt from the beginning a sense of peace about this whole experience. I have never doubted that my Lord has been with me at all times, and I rest in His saving grace.

When I returned from our trip, I met with the local surgeon and told him that because my mom was a survivor of cancer in both breasts, I wanted to go ahead and have a double mastectomy. He agreed and was to process the schedule with the reconstruction plastic surgeon. In the meantime, I made an appointment for a second consultation with MD Anderson in Orlando. I met with both the oncologist and then the surgeon, and both physicians felt that I was being extremely aggressive in my decision for a double mastectomy based on the results of the biopsy and felt a lumpectomy was the appropriate course of treatment with radiation. But they would do whatever I decided. After researching the statistics and talking to my family, I decided to go with the breast conservation and had a lumpectomy done on August 2. Ironically, the lab reports that came back from that surgery, which included the sentinel lymph node, indicated that ALL the cancer had been removed by the initial core biopsy done in June, and there was no finding of any cancer in the site or at the lymph node!

I am now undergoing 16 days of radiation and will meet again with the oncologist to discuss hormone therapy. Through all of this, I have had minimal pain or discomfort and the only inconvenience is driving 50 miles to and from Orlando for my doctor visits and radiation treatments—no complaints on my end! So many wonderful people have been such a support to me—what a blessing. I have met numerous courageous women dealing with their cancer, been encouraged by an unbelievable number of breast cancer survivors, and have become an advocate for educating and encouraging women in my daily walk to be sure to get their annual mammograms, and if the findings are dense tissue, to seek additional screening such as the ultrasound. Had I waited another year for my next mammogram, who knows how large the tumor would have grown or how far it could have spread. Thanks to my doctor’s foresight, my cancer was caught so early that my prognosis is excellent.

During this journey, I had the pleasure of getting together with one of our business clients. My husband had told her what was going on and she told us all about her cousin Jacki Donaldson and her exceptional cancer journey. As it turned out, I was given a LympheDIVAs sleeve that my friend had won in a contest.  When my girlfriend (who is an OT and is trained in lymphedema therapy) was measuring me for the LympheDivas sleeve, I showed her the design I had picked out. She wondered why I was going with the lacy look that will stand out instead of a neutral skin tone color. I told her I want people to notice and hopefully ask about it so I can promote LympheDIVAs and give the elevator version of my  experience and how important it is for women to be informed and know about dense breast tissue.

Thank you for detailing your story, Leslie; I hope you get to tell it over and over again because it will make a difference.

Mastectomy Trend May Be Misguided

Posted on 1/23/2012 By

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I asked my breast surgeon today for his thoughts on mastectomy for someone in my boat:

  • early-stage breast cancer.
  • no spread to lymph nodes or anywhere else.
  • lumpectomy + chemo + radiation + Herceptin.
  • seven years survival.

“Definitely not,” he told me.  ”You’ve come too far, and you are doing so well.”

Plus, I am constantly monitored, and, at this point, my chance of developing a life-threatening breast cancer is slim.

There’s just no need for a such a drastic and major surgery, he said. The resident on service with him agreed.

I told my doc that it seems a trend that woman are removing their breasts after diagnosis rather than saving them when conservation is a real option.

“It is a trend,” he said, sharing that he spends lots of hours in lots of meeting discussing why women are moving in this direction.

If not medically necessary, mastectomy is just not something he supports. He even advises women who do need mastectomy for cancer in one breast to not remove the other one. Why? Because lopping off a healthy breast does not up the odds of survival.

Never did I actually want to cut off my breasts — I just wondered if it was a wise move for someone like me. The majority of readers who responded to my November poll Mastectomy — Do It? Or Too Drastic? chose “Do It.”

But my surgeon picks “Too Drasic,” and so I’m gonna roll with his wisdom.

For now.

Mastectomy — Do It? Or Too Drastic?

Posted on 11/14/2011 By

37 Comments

I’ve had breast cancer. I’ve had a lumpectomy (tumor was taken, but breast was not). I’ve had chemo, radiation, and more drug therapy. I’ve survived for seven years. You’d think I’d be fine for the long haul. But last Thursday — a suspicious MRI, a report that read “malignancy considered,” and a three-day wait for today’s follow-up ultrasound made me crazy with worry and panic. The ultrasound docs say “benign” to everything they saw this morning, but for safety sake, I’ll have a re-do MRI in two weeks. And this Wednesday, I’ll meet with a surgeon, just so he can check me out and review what’s taken place over the past few days. When I see him, I think I’ll ask him a big question: Should I just cut off the damn boobs?

My initial reaction is that it’s too drastic. I mean, if I were faced with breast cancer again, I’d definitely do it. But without the bad news, do I take prophylactic measures? Do I endure major surgery and the whopper decisions regarding reconstruction?

But what if I continue to have scares like the one from which I’m still reeling? When does it become worth it to just cut the risk right off my body. Why wait for cancer to strike again?

Still, what if cancer isn’t in the cards for me at all anymore, and I go and chop off some of my womanhood?

Heavy stuff, right?

Former Fox News Anchor and conservative E.D. Hill removed her breasts based on family history alone.

What would you do, you know, if you were me?

(Please answer the poll, then leave a comment if you care to share your views.)
(And click on “view results” to see how the responses are stacking up.)

Port Support

Posted on 10/8/2011 By

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My sister and Danny were with me the day I had my port removed. That surgery signified the end of cancer — the means by which all drugs entered my body was taken away. I worried I’d need one again at some point, and maybe I should just leave it there. But I have not required anything of the sort, and that boy in the photo is now 8 years old!

Forgetting December 3

Posted on 12/3/2010 By

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Cancer: 6 years gone.

A friend just posted on Facebook that 6 years ago, she had surgery to remove her breast cancer tumor. That’s when it dawned on me that December 3 is the day mine was removed, too.

Also 6 years ago.

Today’s gift: forgetting.

Because, for me, that means cancer is not, in fact, all consuming.

Biopsy, 2004

Posted on 11/23/2010 By

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November 2004

6 years ago.

2 days before Thanksgiving.

I had a biopsy.

“Call the nurse tomorrow afternoon for the results,” the surgeon said.

I have no memory of how I filled the long hours leading up to that afternoon.

I do remember I never made that call.

Because the doctor called me.

That’s never a good thing.

When the doctor calls.

Julie Clark: On Cancer and Making Kids Smile

Posted on 10/10/2010 By

2 Comments

Tell us a little about your life at the time you were diagnosed?
I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, at the age of 37. My life was stressful, but terrific. I had sold Baby Einstein to Disney and was financially lucky, and I was in the midst of filming a video for my new company, The Safe Side. I was raising my daughters, and I was happy and healthy. I ate well and worked out most days.
Can you share a bit about your diagnoses and treatments?
When I found the lump in my breast the first time, I was ‘lucky’ because the disease was stage 1. The tumor was under 1cm in size, and it had not visibly spread to my lymph nodes. Though a lumpectomy was recommended, I opted for a double mastectomy. I was devastated by the cancer, and wanted to assure that this would never happen to me again.
Unfortunately, it still did. In 2008 I found another small lump on my chest wall. When I learned that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes and liver, I was in shock. I heard the words Stage 4 in relation to me, and I couldn’t believe it. I did chemo and Herceptin (another cancer treatment) for five months, and came out with no evidence of disease — the best news I could expect. Now it’s about maintenance. Trying to stay in this place. I had my ovaries out, because my cancer was estrogen positive. I take a medication called Femara to help shut down any additional estrogen from my body. I have osteoporosis in my spine and neck from early, forced menopause, but I’m here. And thankful to be so.
How old were your kids when you were first diagnosed, and how did they handle the cancer news?
They were six and nine the first time, and eleven and thirteen the second time. The first time they were young, and I was really optimistic that I’d caught it early and eradicated it. The second time was harder. They were older, and had a better understanding of what it could mean. They knew people died from cancer. And chemotherapy was worse to watch than surgery, because I really looked sick. That’s when I saw the need for a book like You Are the Best Medicine.
How did you deal with having a recurrence (mentally, physically and emotionally)?
Anxiety. Fear. Depression. Shock. I still feel these emotions, but I also feel hopeful. I feel grateful for the beautiful life that I have, and lucky to have my current health status.
What “aha” moment led you to write “You Are the Best Medicine”?
I’ve never seen myself as a very brave person. I don’t deal well with physical pain. But I knew that I would be brave and strong because I wanted to be around for my children, and I wanted them to know how much they were a part of my strength and hope. I wrote the book because I wanted to give other people with cancer a way to tell their children the same important message.
What do you hope is the end result of having written this book?
I hope it will help kids understand how much their love means. And I hope to raise $100,000 for the research team at UCLA, to help with their incredible work in finding a cure for all cancers.
Since you have accomplished so much, what do you hope will be your greatest legacy one day?
Julie Clark made children smile.
Julie Clark

Julie Clark

Julie Clark (you know, Baby Einstein Julie Clark!) recently worked with me on a giveaway of her new children’s book, ”You Are the Best Medicine,” and then she kindly answered some questions for me about her breast cancer journey. What follows is what Julie has to say about being diagnosed with cancer — twice — and how important kids (hers and yours!) are in her life.

Tell us a little about your life at the time you were diagnosed?

I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, at the age of 37. My life was stressful, but terrific. I had sold Baby Einstein to Disney and was financially lucky, and I was in the midst of filming a video for my new company, The Safe Side. I was raising my daughters, and I was happy and healthy. I ate well and worked out most days.

Can you share a bit about your diagnoses and treatments?

When I found the lump in my breast the first time, I was ‘lucky’ because the disease was stage 1. The tumor was under 1cm in size, and it had not visibly spread to my lymph nodes. Though a lumpectomy was recommended, I opted for a double mastectomy. I was devastated by the cancer, and wanted to assure that this would never happen to me again.

Unfortunately, it still did. In 2008 I found another small lump on my chest wall. When I learned that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes and liver, I was in shock. I heard the words Stage 4 in relation to me, and I couldn’t believe it. I did chemo and Herceptin (another cancer treatment) for five months, and came out with no evidence of disease — the best news I could expect. Now it’s about maintenance. Trying to stay in this place. I had my ovaries out, because my cancer was estrogen positive. I take a medication called Femara to help shut down any additional estrogen from my body. I have osteoporosis in my spine and neck from early, forced menopause, but I’m here. And thankful to be so.

How old were your kids when you were first diagnosed, and how did they handle the cancer news?

They were six and nine the first time, and eleven and thirteen the second time. The first time they were young, and I was really optimistic that I’d caught it early and eradicated it. The second time was harder. They were older, and had a better understanding of what it could mean. They knew people died from cancer. And chemotherapy was worse to watch than surgery, because I really looked sick. That’s when I saw the need for a book like “You Are the Best Medicine.”

How did you deal with having a recurrence (mentally, physically and emotionally)?

Anxiety. Fear. Depression. Shock. I still feel these emotions, but I also feel hopeful. I feel grateful for the beautiful life that I have, and lucky to have my current health status.

What “aha” moment led you to write “You Are the Best Medicine”?

I’ve never seen myself as a very brave person. I don’t deal well with physical pain. But I knew that I would be brave and strong because I wanted to be around for my children, and I wanted them to know how much they were a part of my strength and hope. I wrote the book because I wanted to give other people with cancer a way to tell their children the same important message.

What do you hope is the end result of having written this book?

I hope it will help kids understand how much their love means. And I hope to raise $100,000 for the research team at UCLA, to help with their incredible work in finding a cure for all cancers.

Since you have accomplished so much, what do you hope will be your greatest legacy one day?

Julie Clark made children smile.

Lisa Wins ‘You Are the Best Medicine’ Book

Posted on 9/19/2010 By

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Lisa is the lucky winner in the “You Are the Best Medicine” book giveaway, and let me tell you — she is quite deserving! Here’s her “C” story:

Lisa and son

Lisa, 41 and fighting!

I turned 41 and knew I needed to set up my mammogram — 40 went by so fast, and I had not done it yet. (I’d had a diagnostic mammogram when I was 35 due to a milk discharge, and everything was OK.) So, I went for my mammogram and got called back in for additional views. I was not scared at all, I knew a lot of times people need extra views. So, I went back in and had those views taken, then an ultrasound, and then a biopsy. The doctor said “usually masses that look like this are not benign.” That’s when I knew I was in trouble.

Five days later, I was told I had breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma, two spots, maybe three. The next day, I went to a surgeon, he told me no chemo and a lumpectomy — that is if my MRI didn’t find something different. Well, the MRI showed a shotgun effect in my left breast. There was cancer “splattered” all around my left medial breast. This means a mastectomy. Fortunately, no lymph node involvement could be seen.

The doctors could never feel the masses in my breast — even when the surgeon held the tissue in his hands, he could not feel a mass.

I had my mastectomy on August 31, 2010, and being the master of this game, my cancer tricks us all again, and there is lymph node involvement, three out of 33 lymph nodes are positive. Great, I just got a free ticket for chemo! I had my bone and CAT scan, and thank goodness, those both are negative.

I get to go in Tuesday for my port surgery. I am so scared about chemo — not the sickness, not the fatigue, but the hair loss, and I feel stupid for admitting that, but it’s what keeps me covered. My hair keeps me warm, it keeps me hidden, and now I am going to be totally open. I am also concerned that my son will have trouble with that. He has never seen me without my hair flowing down my back. But I will make it. I have to. There is no other way, because I will do anything to be able to see him grow and have children. So, chemo will start in a two to four weeks, and I will put on those boxing gloves once again because I will not let “C” win.

And now, here’s where I weigh in with a few thoughts:

First, the hair. I know. I know. I know. It’s almost worse (OK, it is worse) than the disease. Please don’t feel stupid, Lisa, for fearing the bald. We all worry. It’s totally normal, and completely expected!

Second, thank you, Julie Clark, for writing this book, and for making it possible for Lisa to win a copy. I know it will warm her heart and help her son cope.

Third, best wishes to you, Lisa, as you begin this horrible and wonderful journey. You’ll find the wonderful along the way. It just takes time!

Your Mantra — Spill It, We Need It

Posted on 6/10/2010 By

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Got a mission for you:

1. Click here.

2. Type in your mantra or message of strength. Mine is there. Go see it.

3. Hang out through June 18, and see if you get an email announcing that you are the! big! winner! You just might be, never know.

More about it here, including the prize that could be all yours.

Time Heals My Wounds

Posted on 5/27/2010 By

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Photo: tanakawho, Flickr

Time may not heal all wounds, but in my case, it definitely blurs them. Let’s talk chemo, that horrible thing from which most of my breast cancer wounds developed.

For each of my four dose-dense infusions of adriamycin and cytoxan, my sister delivered lunch to the pink pretend-leather recliner I called home for hours at a time. There was a yummy gyro, a delish tuna sandwich, a great turkey sub, and I can’t remember the fourth one — which is exactly my point: I can’t remember. Time has erased my memory of the food that so repulsed me I couldn’t eat it for years. Years!

It’s been five years since my chemotherapy ended. And just now have I realized that the thought of these foods does not make me want to vomit. They actually sound pretty appetizing.

All it took was time. The same time that has allowed my hair to grow back, my surgery and port scars to fade, and my fear of recurrence to morph into something almost unrecognizable.

Yes, my wounds have healed — not completely and entirely, but mostly.

I love that.

Life Over Cancer

Posted on 4/26/2010 By

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www.lifeovercancer.com

www.lifeovercancer.com

A new book made its way to my mailbox the other day, and here it sits on my kitchen counter, full of good stuff for treating and beating cancer. Since it might be just the book you need for your library, here’s a little rundown of what you’ll find on its 594 pages.

Life Over Cancer is all about integrative cancer treatment, and the guy who wrote the book — Dr. Keith I. Block (Director of Integrative Medical Education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago) — has treated thousands of patients who have lived long, full lives beyond their original prognoses.

Dr. Block is an expert at understanding how the mind and body work, he believes that lifestyle plays a major role in combating cancer, and he uses his wisdom to help folks meet the demands of their treatment and recovery. His book features the following:

  • Innovative approaches to conventional treatments, such as “chronotherapy” — chemotherapy timed to patients’ unique circadian rhythms for enhanced effectiveness and reduced toxicity.
  • Dietary choices that make the biochemical environment hostile to cancer growth and recurrence, and strengthen the immune system’s ability to attack remaining cancer cells.
  • Precise supplement protocols to tame treatment side effects, relieve disease-related symptoms, and modify processes like inflammation and glycemia that can fuel cancer if left untreated.
  • A new paradigm for exercise and stress reduction that restores your strength, reduces anxiety and depression, and supports the body’s own ability to heal.
  • A complete program for remission maintenance — a proactive plan to make sure the cancer never returns.

Ready to buy the book? Place your order here. And to dive a little deeper into what Dr. Block has to offer, take a look at the following exclusive article he is sharing with us (breast cancer people: see purple).

Avoiding Refined Sugar Helps Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence
By Keith I. Block, M.D.,
Author of Life Over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment

Several years ago, we saw tremendous growth in the consumption of fat-free and low-fat products. Believing we now had “healthier” versions of everything from salad dressings to our favorite desserts, these products began flying off the shelves, and formerly “forbidden” foods for those watching their diets became acceptable in their reduced fat versions. While perhaps reducing their fat intake, most consumers were unknowingly increasing their sugar intake, as refined sugar was the ingredient most often used in place of fat. The increased consumption of refined sugar can have serious health consequences, including a greater vulnerability to cancer, and possibly, even a worse outcome. Let me explain what happens when too much refined sugar and other food products are consumed.

If you ingest whole foods, insulin will be secreted slowly and the body will manage this well. Insulin is needed to carry glucose into your tissues and is essential for providing much needed fuel. However, ingest a candy bar, your favorite brand of cookies, or 12 ounces of soda pop — what I like to refer to as carbonated belly wash — and the cells in your pancreas will respond with a surge of insulin.

In recent years, researchers found that women with early stage breast cancer who had the highest insulin levels were twice as likely to have their tumor metastasize, and three times as likely to die of breast cancer, as women with the lowest insulin levels. For this reason, I believe any patient combating breast cancer or trying to avoid a recurrence would be wise to have their doctor routinely monitor their insulin and blood sugar levels, as well as their insulin growth factor (IGF-1). Choosing a whole foods diet and staying fit can reduce the deleterious effect that elevated sugar and insulin levels can have on both the risk of recurrence and risk of death. In addition, following a nutritional, fitness and therapeutic supplement program can help achieve or maintain improved levels.

Even though all therapeutic interventions should be individualized to match the needs of each patient, I’m convinced that certain dietary recommendations are fundamental to achieving improved health.

These include:

  • Eat a diet lower in fat, and make it a better quality fat. Ideally, fat should represent no more than 18% of your daily caloric intake. “Good” fats include monounsaturated and Omega 3 fats.
  • Examples of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, almond oil and walnut oil. Omega 3 fats include flax seed, canola, and, of course fats contained in cold water fish.
  • Eat abundant cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, bok choy, kale and brussel sprouts — which contain plant phytochemicals that result in lower blood levels of estrogen by increasing the estrogen detoxification and dumping capacity of the liver.
  • Eat a diet high in fiber, with plant-based sources of protein. Consuming more fiber in the form of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, and beans can reduce harmful circulating estrogen levels.

Peeking in at Breast Cancer: Lynea

Posted on 4/1/2010 By

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Lynea was diagnosed at age 39 with breast cancer following a “baseline” MRI. She’d had a mammogram 8 weeks prior, and her OB/GYN’s office pushed for a MRI due to family history, just so she’d have records to look at years from now. Forget years from now — the cancer was already there! Lynea is stage I, triple negative, and her treatment plan includes 4 dose-dense AC and 4 T. No need for radiation. Here is a snippet of her story:

First day of chemo, 2/2/10

First day of chemo, 2/2/10

I came up with the idea of taking pictures at the beginning of my treatment, at mid-point and at the end. I joked that presidents have their pictures taken to show how old they got, so why shouldn’t I have pictures to prove how bad it has made me look — or how well I did!

Halfway done with chemo, 3/30/10

Halfway done with chemo, 3/30/10

I think so far, I don’t feel like I look much different, although, unfortunately, I have found some weight due to the lovely steriods they give me, but I figure there is always time to worry about my weight later.

Just think, Lynea: one day, that tree will be covered with leaves, and your head will be covered with beautiful hair!

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