Dear Future Karen

A letter to my future self, to be read in November 2010.

Dear Future Karen,

Remember your obsession with not preparing for Christmas before the actual Christmas season?

Well, it's stupid.

Think back to November 2009, Future Karen. Remember the week before Thanksgiving, when you spotted one of the toys WCK wanted for Christmas at Target? Remember how Target had tons and tons and tons of these toys? Remember how you had the opportunity to buy one, but you did not, simply because it was before Thanksgiving and it violated your policy of not buying Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving?

Now remember how you went back to Target on the Monday after Thanksgiving. That's right, Future Karen. Not one of these toys remained. You had to run around to three Targets, and finally ended up having to venture inside -- gulp -- Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart, Future Karen! Wal-Mart! The toy was there, but you stood in the "express line" for what seemed like an hour, only to have the cashier mock your choice of gift for your child. (Note to others: It was a set of doll furniture, so I don't know why she was mocking it, other than the fact that she's a Wal-Mart cashier and probably unhappy with having to spend hours inside that God-forsaken place.)

I'm writing this, Future Karen, because this happens to you every year, but you always forget. Every year, you revert to your stubborn, no-shopping-before-Thanksgiving ways. If you don't want to drink eggnog or listen to carols before Thanksgiving, fine. Fine. I know I'm not going to change your mind. But start your shopping earlier, for the love of God! We were mocked by a Wal-Mart cashier today!

Help me, Future Karen. You're my only hope.

Love,
Present Karen

Yummy Polski Ogorki

Yesterday I craved pickles. I’ve been turned off those babies since I started chemo over a year ago but yesterday was the day. I pulled out a fresh jar and D and I struggled to get it open but once opened, I estimate I had at least five pickles and not the itsy bitsy ones either. They don’t have calories but they do have salt and maybe that’s why I like them so much. Anyways, they were yummy, crunchy and delectable. I think I am good for a day or two now.

This morning I woke up extra early for some reason so I got up had my toast and Xeloda pills. I felt extremely tired and went back to bed for a three hour nap. I feel pretty good now.

It was a quiet weekend so I think that is all for now.

Ducks in a Barrel

OK, it's not fair to attack the Tribune twice in a row--it's too easy, but I had to point this out. An editor was sleeping when working on an astute review of Jonathan Safran Foer's book, Eating Animals. The lede is: Looking forward to your turkey dinner? Think twice. It's time, argues Jonathan Safran Foer, to stop lying to ourselves.
How smart do you have to be to know that you need to change this if it's running the Monday after Thanksgiving? Why not change it to: Did you enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey?... The editor had heard that you're supposed to cut from the bottom, but I guess never learned to change the top if it's not applicable any more
It was written by LA Times Staffer Susan Salter Reynolds, published in the Times on Nov. 8, when readers (there must still be readers, right?) were looking forward to their Thanksgiving meals. To read the original review, click here.

Zometa and bone scan today

I am spending the bulk of the day at the hospital today, getting my monthly zometa infusion and a bone scan. Here's how today will play out --

11:00 AM Place topical anesthetic Emla cream over port site, cover with plastic tagaderm patch and drive to hospital. Run errands along the way. Park in the pay lot because this will be a longer than usual time at the hospital and I might not find 4-hour free street parking.

12:00 PM Show up at Ambulatory Infusion Center (AIC) to have my port accessed.

12:30 PM Walk over to nuclear medicine department, have dye injected, walk back to AIC.

1:15 PM Get zometa (takes about an hour). Have port de-accessed. Hopefully I will get lunch in here somewhere.

2:30 PM Walk back over to nuclear medicine for bone scan. Cover eyes with eye mask and listen to iPod while on scanner bed.

3:30 PM Head home, crash.

Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Almost a whole day spent in medical procedures. Thank goodness I have a good book to read, an iPod to listen to favorite music, and patience. That last is the most important of all.

I get the bone scan results next week and promise to post the news as soon as I get hard information.

Thankful: The complete list

A few posts ago, I mentioned our "Thanksgiving Tree." Every year, WCK and I draw a picture of a tree on a big piece of poster board, and then every night during November, Jay, WCK, and I write one thing we're each thankful for on a leaf and stick it to the tree. This year, WCK was able to write words on her leaves herself. Some of her words are perfectly readable; others needed me to put little "captions" under them when she wasn't looking so I'd remember what that leaf was supposed to say. The poster is full of leaves now, and I can tell you our complete list. I know we have even more to be thankful for than what's on this list, but this is what we came up with in November:

WCK
Mommy
Daddy
Granddaughters (that one was added by my dad when he was here)
My bed
Helping
Chairs
Grandma Kathy
Good food
Running
Sunny Days
Friends
Daughters who like Star Wars (Yeah, Jay put that one!)
Beer (That one, too!)
Football (Again, Jay.)
Grandma Marty
Grandpa Mike
Grandpa Mark
Uncle Pat
Aunt Kim
Garland
Cats
My house
Tapeworms
That we don't have tapeworms!
WCK's school
Sunday school
Delicious apples
Church
Turkey
Movies
Light
Coffee
Friends at school
Parks
Uncle T.J.
Cartoons
Cookies
Judy Garland
Frog (WCK's favorite stuffed animal)
Candles
Cats
Aunt Jenny
President Obama
Books
Cousin A.
Cousin L.
Aunt Patty
Elephants
Pepper -- the dog, not the kind you eat (WCK made me write it exactly that way)

Website...Cancer View Canada

I’ve had a couple people send me the link to Cancer View Canada and I thought I’d share it with everyone. The website’s goal is to connect people to services, resources and information regarding to cancer. It includes information on prevention, screening, treatment and support.

Over the months I’ve found the whole site to be a good read. One thing I really like is that I can have clinical trials info on breast cancer ... in my area ... emailed to me. And that’s just great.

There is a lot to look at so stop by and have a peak...

http://www.cancerview.ca/

Stanford Out, Newport In

I won't be picking up that EOS cap after all. I received a call last week from the Stanford doctor's scheduling desk. They erroneously booked me on a day when Dr. Gotlib will be out of the office. Our schedules don't sync again for another month, so I didn't bother to set another date.

That means that I'll be headed to Newport Beach a little sooner for that uninterrupted R&R (reading and 'riting) time.

Feel like getting away? Give me a call or drop me an email.

Four more years! Four more years!

I'm writing this post in case someone recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma has stumbled across my blog. No doubt you've already been online for a while, reading a whole bunch of scary information and statistics, including the one about how you have three years to live. Well, here I am, and today is my fourth anniversary of being diagnosed, and I am perfectly fine. Fine.

I'm not cancer-free, and maybe I never will be cancer-free, but I am completely drug-free and also completely healthy, other than that pesky little spike in my blood. I feel perfectly normal. I exercise every day and chase around a four-year-old. My life is perfectly normal -- as long as you count driving around with a concrete goose in the back of my car "perfectly normal." I call myself "Cancer Girl", but I rarely feel like one. I spent two years on medication and, yes, the dex made me a little crazy and a lot tired and cranky, but really it could have been much worse, compared with what a lot of other cancer patients go through.

I have more than 10 million stem cells that have been sitting on ice for two years now (two years!!), and I hope those suckers never see the light of day again.

New developments in myeloma treatments are happening all the time. When I was first diagnosed, Revlimid was still in clinical trials. A year and a half later, when I needed it, it was approved by the FDA and ready for me.

I know I've been really, really lucky that my disease has so far been really lazy and non-aggressive, and I know myeloma is different in every patient. I know a lot of people need to launch a full-fledged attack on the disease right away. I just hope newly diagnosed patients find this and can know that it's possible for things to turn out OK.

Here I am, four years after being diagnosed with a "you'll-be-dead-in-three-years" disease, and I'm nowhere near death's door. I'm not even in death's driveway. Heck, right now I'd need a very fancy GPS to find death's neighborhood, and I'm not even sure I'd end up on the right street. I've never been very good with directions.

My First Public Wheelchair Ride

Yesterday we decided to hit Costco ... D phoned ahead to confirm they had wheel chairs, there’s no way I’d be strong enough to walk all those aisles. I’ve been very apprehensive of being pushed around in a wheel chair, never mind being seen in one. But you know what ... it’s like most things in life ... fear of the unknown ... because the trip ended up being pretty good. I sat in the chair and D pushed me up and down every aisle, we stopped and looked at this and that. It wasn’t a big deal.

I must say D needs some pointers on wheelchair chauffeuring because he’d stop and look at an item and say something like, “have a look at this” and I’d be ahead of him so I’d have to twist my neck to see what he was looking at. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he needed to pull me back to see what he was talking about. I just figured I get some extra neck stretches in for the day.

Costco is an amazing place with a lot of good deals but after seeing the huge line-ups to pay, we ended up leaving without buying a thing. We’ll try again another day.

Mujadderah recipe

Peel and thinly slice 6 onions.

Saute onions in a large skillet over very low heat in a little olive oil until onions reduce in size and caramelize (turn brown and sweet). This takes a long time, more than an hour, so be prepared.

Combine one cup brown rice with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook about one hour until done.

Combine one cup lentils in water to cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until done (about 30 minutes). Salt to taste after lentils are cooked.

Combine rice and lentils. Top with caramelized onions and serve. Pass sour cream or thick Greek-style yogurt as a topping.

Delicious!

The Julia Child meal

Last night we hosted the friends who gave me a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking (both volumes). In their honor, I served an (almost) entirely Julia meal:



Challah they brought from Seattle's Macrina Bakery
Potage Parmentier (potato-leek soup)
Epinards a la Mornay, gratines (creamed spinach with cheese sauce)
Chou-fleur roti a la gratine (roasted cauliflower with buttered breadcrumbs)
Mujadderah (Lentils and rice with caramelized onions and sour cream is the not-Julia dish, but I love it and this is the time of year to serve it. It's what Jacob served to Esau when E was so hungry he gave away his birthright for some pottage.)
Plenty of wine for me and grape juice for our friends
And for dessert, Les Croquets Denison (little walnut-almond cakes with French vanilla ice cream)

It was a delicious meal if I say so myself. Everyone had two helpings of cauliflower and spinach!

And I love serving Shabbat dinner the day after thanksgiving that doesn't even come close to reminding us of turkey leftovers.

More Waiting

In the spirit of "Waiting Room", my family and I have been in one lately. My mom had a stroke a few weeks ago, followed by several more strokes which left her very disabled. She was hospitalized twice. She yesterday had another massive stroke and is in the hospital again. She is not conscious or expected to survive.

I traveled to see her the last two times she was hospitalized recently. I knew she was at very high risk for more strokes, and I knew the last time I saw her during her second recent hospitalization that it was probably the last time I would see her alive...so I made sure to tell her I loved her and goodbye then.

I feel sad for what she has suffered, that she had become disabled and
intermittently confused related to her stokes. She had also become very depressed as a result of her recent traumas, and I know personally that the emotional struggles are the worst part of any physical illness. But as she is in the last waiting room of her life, I really do not grieve for her, or for myself. I am sure some would see me as callous. But I know when she leaves this world she will finally be at her real home, and will be whole and happy and will have many to greet her. She will never hurt or struggle again. I would rather see her there than enduring months, maybe years, rehabilitating from her stokes in a nursing home, away from the home she loved and the things she loved to do. I will miss her, but only for awhile, it's a temporary separation.

Being in the cancer community for so long, I have seen very many lose their battles. Many who were young and still raising children, many who had careers they loved and goals they wanted to achieve in the remaining decades they thought they would have. I was recently in contact with a family who lost their 23 year old son to a cancer similar to ours. I've communicated with a 19 year old appendix cancer patient. I worked once with a family who had lost two children both in their early twenties to two different types of cancer, brain cancer and lymphoma over just a two year period. A five year old at our church died of brain cancer in spite of overwhelming prayer support.

I had trouble dealing with all of that for a long time, so read many books about heaven and the life after this one. I also worked for a hospice as a volunteer for many month in trying to come to terms with it. I talked to many patients about their feelings about their impending death. Their fears, their hopes, their struggles. Patients who were relieved to finally have someone they could talk to about their impending death.

As a nurse, I've held the hands of many who were actively dying as they have passed from this life into the next, some who I think waited for family members to leave as they didn't want to put their loved ones through the trauma of witnessing their death. I've let patients who were barely living know that they had permission to leave, to move on to their next life, to stop suffering and lingering in the dying state...that it was okay, they could go home. I've also asked families to give their dying loved ones that permission. I've supported families who have chosen withhold food and hydration that would only prolong death and not life in a person who was at the end of their journey. So I am very familiar with end-of-life issues.

Once when I was waiting in the "CT scan waiting room" wondering if I had an impending death sentence, I met a woman, now 70, who in her 20s had a near death experience when she was very ill. She told me in detail about the heaven she went to during that experience. She said when she woke up in a hospital room later, she cried for three days because she so wanted to go back, she preferred the heaven she had experienced to living in this world, even though she was a young mother with small children then. Now at 70 she still longs to go back; she's been waiting for decades, but decided she must have work to do here, that she has been in this life's waiting room and not where she feels she really belongs for a reason. She told me not to be nervous, I had nothing to fear even if my CT results were not good.

In the end I developed a profound belief in heaven. A surety that life doesn't end here, that this life is only a short and temporary one in comparison to the eternity we will one day live in. Death isn't an end, it is a transition. It's a transition all of us will one day make. I personally, though I believe in heaven and a life after this one, still fear the unknown of that transition. But I now think it will be like many other transitions in my life that I was fearful of that turned out in the end to be enlightening and empowering. Transitions I'm so glad I made.

Interesting thing,the five year old in my church who died of brain cancer....he'd become physically but not mentally disabled. When he was in a wheelchair, he one day told his mom "Look over there, Tyler is back!!". Tyler was a dog they had put to sleep six months earlier. He then had a very animated conversation with someone no one else could see, and he smiled during that conversation. Shortly after he lost consciousness; he died a few days later. His transition. Many in hospice had similar experiences, many saw people they knew coming to take them home near the end.

For those who are at the crossroad of this transition, I can recommend several of the books I've read during my sojourn:

In Light of Eternity, by Randy Alcorn
Crossing the Threshold of Eternity: What the Dying Can Teach the Living, by Robert Wise
Heaven...Your Real Home, by Joanie Erickson Tada (who has been unable to move her arms or legs for four decades after a swimming accident as a teenager)
On Life After Death, by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (who spent decades working with those who were dying)
Heaven and the Afterlife by James Garlow
The Shack, by William Young
When There is No Miracle, by Robert Wise

Sloth vs. Armadillo

Today we were all fully recovered from our turkey comas, and we went to the Omaha zoo with my mom and dad. It was a great day for the zoo. Because WCK is obsessed with nocturnal animals, her favorite exhibit was "Kingdoms of the Night", which is an exhibit consisting of nothing but -- yes -- nocturnal animals. It's a really cool exhibit, and I am thankful there isn't space at the zoo devoted to her other obsession, because I don't think I could handle walking through "Kingdoms of the Tapeworm." But "Kingdoms of the Night" is great.

WCK said her favorite animal at "Kingdoms of the Night" was a sloth. My favorite animal was in the same enclosure as the sloth; it was a teeny little armadillo who kept zipping around and around the cage like a little windup car. It was like he felt he had somewhere extremely important to be. WCK and I thought this little guy was hilarious, but I wondered if the zookeeper who put the sloth and the armadillo in the same cage really thought it over beforehand. It seems like the two of them would drive each other insane, in an Odd-Couple sort of way.

Then I decided to look up armadillos on the Internet and I found out that armadillos and sloths are actually cousins. Shocking! Just think of it. All over the world, sloths and armadillos are forced to get together at least once a year for family reunions. All the way home, the sloths are muttering to each other, "All that running! We are not going back next year. We're not!" And that's a whole lot of complaining, because it probably takes them 30 hours just to crawl home.

Stretch and Exercise

Since I started my foot exercises this week I decided to start doing stretches as well. I’ve been stretching my arms and legs and it’s paying off because today I was able to have a look at the bottoms of my feet. I haven’t done that for months and months. This has all become possible because I’m off that horrible Taxotere. My last cycle ended five and half weeks ago and my body is starting recover.

My posture has become atrocious. To correct that, I’ve started sitting in a proper dining room chair while watching TV instead of the cushy living room furniture. I’ve also been pulling my shoulders back when sitting and walking.

My body is starting to release some of the fluid it was hanging on to. My moon shaped face is slowly disappearing. Yesterday, I pulled my belt one notch tighter ... so my chemo belly is going down and I’m back in some of my regular shoes. I’ve really been focusing on having protein at every meal and I think it helps with reducing water retention.

I’m so much more self-motivated now than when I was on Taxotere.

day after turkey day

Enjoyed my Turkey Day, I ate in moderation I have to start my training table in order to be ready for the transplant Olympics this summer. I am thankful for those special people around me and to still be alive upright and vertical raising heck and embarrassing the girls with my air horn (at soccer games, dance recitals, spelling bees, basketball games well maybe not the basketball game too much echo, swim class....)

week in review

• I got my swine flu shot on Monday
• The CT scan on Monday was not too bad, no IV contrast sickness thanks to my NAC pills; I will get the results 12/14/09
• No black Friday for me unless you count the darkness the grayish / black I see (or don't see) when my eyes are closed and I am asleep.
• The Parade of Lights in downtown Fort Worth was pretty exciting the girls had a fun time, they got so excited when they saw Santa at the end of the Parade.

Comatose

Fighting ... turkey ... coma. Must ... stay ... awake ... long ... enough ... to ... make ... today's ... blog ... post ... Must ... stay ... awake ... Must ... not ... collapse .... Must ... not ... adkfnadnafieawad

CDC ..Update For Cancer Patients

From the CDC website...

To help prepare you for the flu this season, CDC answers some of your most important questions about special considerations for cancer patients and survivors for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu.

Here is their link http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/flu/#1

Thanksgiving rituals

Ever since I was a little girl, I have watched the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on television. The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes are my favorite part. I wanted to be a Rockette, but the minimum height is 5'7", and I never got taller than 5'5". Watching them do precision high kicks every year may be the reason I love dance.

It took me a few years to convince Rik that this was a ritual worth continuing. Even if he ignores me, I follow the Cohen family custom of shouting for company when the Broadway shows come on, the Rockettes, a particularly good marching band, or a favorite balloon (I loved Underdog as a kid).

These days the Broadway shows and the Rockettes are on at the beginning of the parade, so I can watch for an hour and then start the cooking.

Ah, cooking. It's just not the same when we go to Thanksgiving dinner at someone else's house, even if I bring something yummy. Every so often there is a year we do not host, so I have developed a new ritual: I cook some turkey parts at home so that the house smells like roast turkey and we have leftovers for the next day.

Yesterday I baked chef Kevin Davis' Theo chocolate pecan pie. I made it last year from a recipe printed in the newspaper and learned that the cooking times had been printed incorrectly. After the holiday, I called the paper, they called the chef, and he solved the mystery. It's a most unusual pie, baked in a springform pan with tall sides and uses a full pound of butter in the crust. But you only have one piece....

Today, after watching the Rockettes, I will bake an apple pie, roast the turkey drumsticks, and my Thanksgiving rituals will be complete. Then it's off to the most important part -- being with friends who are like family.

Maybe someday I will achieve a lifelong dream of being in the crowd in New York City on Thanksgiving Day and seeing the Rockettes in person.

CSC news roundup 2009-11-26

• Distinct population of highly malignant cells in a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line established by xenograft model, 7thSpace Interactive, November 16, 2009 [J Biomed Sci 2009(Nov 16);16(1):100 (OA)][PubMed Citation][FriendFeed entry].


• Tumor-initiating Cells Detected in Pten Null Prostate Cancer Model, PhysOrg.com, November 12, 2009 [Cancer Res 2009(Nov 15); 69(22):8555-62][PubMed Citation][FriendFeed entry].


• Mouse Models for Cancer Stem Cell Research by Le Cheng and 4 co-authors, including Alexander Y Nikitin, Toxicol Pathol 2009(Nov 17) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].


• Prognostic impact of ALDH1 in breast cancer: a story of stem cells and tumor microenvironment by Erika Resetkova and 6 co-authors, including Sunil Badve, Breast Cancer Res Treat 2009(Nov 13) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation][Connotea bookmark].


• Recognition and Killing of Brain Tumor Stem-Like Initiating Cells by CD8+ Cytolytic T Cells by Christine E Brown and 10 co-authors, including Michael C Jensen, Cancer Res 2009(Nov 10) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation][Connotea bookmark].


• Notch Pathway Blockade Depletes CD133-Positive Glioblastoma Cells and Inhibits Growth of Tumor Neurospheres and Xenografts by Xing Fan and 14 co-authors, including Charles G Eberhart, Stem Cells 2009(Nov 10) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation][Connotea bookmark].


• Targeting breast stem cells with the cancer preventive compounds curcumin and piperine by Madhuri Kakarala and 8 co-authors, including Max S Wicha, Breast Cancer Res Treat 2009(Nov 7) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].


• Identification of single chain antibodies to breast cancer stem cells using phage display by Deniz Gur and 5 co-authors, including Max S Wicha and David N Krag, Biotechnology Prog 2009(Nov 6) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].


• Methodologies in assaying prostate cancer stem cells by Hangwen Li and 7 co-authors, including Dean G Tang, Methods Mol Biol 2009; 568: 85-138 [PubMed Citation].


• Pituitary adenoma stem cells by Patrizia Tunici and John S Yu, Methods Mol Biol 2009; 568: 195-201 [PubMed Citation].


• Targeting breast cancer stem cells by Max S Wicha, The Breast 2009(Oct); 18(Suppl 3): S56-8.

It's a Thanksgiving miracle!

Today we pulled into my parents' driveway, and we found this guy waiting for us:



My dad called around to some lawn ornament places, and he found a place that had one goose left.

It just goes to show you: If the Fairy Princess and God don't come through, Grandpa will.

Thanksgiving Hours

We will be open from 9AM to 4PM on Thanksgiving.

Happy Drinking!

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

De Broef/Bell's "Van Twee" and more!

1. De Proef/Bell's Signature Series #3 "Van Twee"
2. Ayinger Weizen Bock
3. Samuel Smith Winter Welcome
4. Traquair House Ale
5. Traquair Jacobite Ale
6. New Belgium Frambozen 6-pk
7. Elysian Bifrost


cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

Exercises and School

Yesterday I put together and started my exercise program for my feet. After doing some of the stretching exercise, I realise that my calves are extremely tight ... likely from the lack of activity on my part for the last eight to ten months. The exercises include ... picking up a tea towel with my toes and rolling my foot over a frozen water bottle. These two seem to benefit me the most when I do them in the morning.

As well as stretching my calves and feet, I’ve also been doing stretching exercises for my arms. Can I tell you ... I am so out of shape. I walk like someone who is 105 years old ... but I’m going to stretch all those weary muscles out and get in better shape. I only hope that Xeloda works because so far it is a very manageable chemotherapy.

Last night in class, we were working in small groups. One of the girls coughed and another said,”Bless you.” Then she said, “Oh bless you is for a sneeze ... what do we say for a cough?” I said, “Hope you don’t give me swine flu.” We all had a good chuckle. Now... there are only three classes left before I graduate.

An Example of Treatment Difficulties of Mesothelioma

Smoking is a rare cancer is contact asbestos. This disease is a cruel cancer types, because it is hard to find, often only diagnosed late stage. At this point, the treatment is usually very difficult. Give your idea, we have a job how difficult it is, in this article. The complication,

This is mesothelium cancer entry. This mesothelium found is a kind of lining the chest and abdomen, is more or less protection organs of scabbard, such as the heart and lungs. Although cancer easily recognizable, cannot say so, in thin lining around it. This is what makes mesothelioma so deadly. It is usually very late, usually found in has grown up to 20, 30, 40 years or longer.

Cancer is the most commonly found in mesothelioma lung. The doctor�s diagnosis, usually must undergo biopsy material. It is through the creation of a small incision, then insert the relevant medical instrument. Small amounts of substances are cut off, and then sent to the office and pathology in microscope examination. It sounds simple, but here is to cope with this. new

Surgeons have noticed a unique problems, this form of cancer. To perform a biopsy, a cancer often take the invasion of the incision. Cancerous growths and sprout, began to flourish. Consider, for one minute. This kind of cancer is so difficult, making an incision can spread. Facing this huge problems, you can understand why less than 10% of the patients survived 5 years.

Smoking is a rare disease, but a vicious circle. Treatment is improving, but no cure, has found that one is on the horizon. In this case, it is clear that should prohibit partial asbestos into a complete ban, absolutely, more and more people suffer.

Source : Meso

Mesothelioma Types and Their Symptoms

Mesothelioma or cancer is a deadly mesothelium tumor, influence, peritoneal and pericardium lining, abdomen, subpleural lung and heart around. This is a deadly disease causing the asbestos, natural minerals.

Tumors are benign, namely mesothelioma. This may explain and spreading or can be amplified malignant such as cancer and spread to other parts of the body cause death. The main reason is that long-term exposure to asbestos, it has a 30-50 years incubation period.

Different types of entry

Smoking can be divided into three categories depending on the area of the body.
Three common mesothelioma.

1. Pleural mesothelioma

2. Peritoneal mesothelioma

3. Pericardial mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma

The most common form, the pleural mesothelioma pleural mesothelioma) is (cancer tumors protective liner. It can be benign or malignant.

Pleural is a sac � like membrane by two layers of chest was released. This, in turn, like a lubricant agent to breathe, pulmonary function. Period,

Symptoms:

Common symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma are:

� Shortness of breath

� Chest pain

� Back pain

� Pain in the rib cage

Other symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma, for both benign and cancerous forms, include:

� Fluid build-up in the lung lining

� Hoarseness

� Coughing up blood

� Swelling of the face and arms

� Muscle weakness

� Paralysis

� Sensory loss

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Another common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma or cancer of the peritoneum that causes tumor in the abdominal lining. Like pleural it can be benign or malignant.

The peritoneum is the membrane that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity and also includes:

� Tunica Vaginalis Testis (mesothelial tissue lining the male internal reproductive organs)

� Tunica Serosa Uteri (mesothelial tissue lining the female reproductive organs).

Symptoms

The fluid released in the peritoneum helps in the smooth functioning of these organs. When the peritoneum is affected, some common symptoms experienced are:

� Stomach pain

� Weight loss

� Nausea

� Vomiting

� Hernia

� Bowel obstruction

� Fluid in the abdominal cavity

If the cancer spreads beyond the abdominal cavity, additional symptoms can be found, such as:

� Anemia

� Blood clotting abnormalities

� Trouble swallowing

� Swelling of neck, face or arms

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial Mesothelioma or the cancer of pericardium is a tumor of the protective sac-like lining around the heart.

Pericardium protects the heart by:

� Smoothening its motion against surrounding organs

� Limiting its motion so that it stays in the chest cavity

� Preventing it from over-expansion during excess influx of blood

Symptoms

When pericardium�s function is affected by mesothelioma, the following symptoms may occur:

� Chest pain

� Shortness of breath

� Fluid accumulation in the lining

Source : Meso

Treatment of Traditional Mesothelioma

Traditional treatment is the standard treatment for malignant mesothelioma entry, this is a kind of disease, cancer cells and tissues of the body mesothelial effect. Mesothelioma treatments because of different factors, such as the position of cancer cells, and the patient�s disease, a personal choice. Generally speaking, the traditional surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, including mesothelioma or different combinations, these 3 kinds of treatment.

Surgical treatment of cancer, or delete the affected organ or alleviate pain. Sometimes it may not be able to remove all the parts, almost has spread, However surgery may help to relieve pain. Two categories, including �lung surgery� and �palliative program.�

Pneumonectomy involves lung. This method in two varieties, �traditional� lesions resected lung cancer is removed, and extrapleural lung �in� poor pulmonary and parts, the diaphragm and parietal pericardium pleural side with the chest, has been cancelled.

Application procedures, treatment, but cannot heal mesothelioma symptoms to relieve pain and control. �Thoracentisis� and �pleurectomy/decortication� is all sorts of palliative program. In thoracentisis, a needle is on the chest, either from liquid to diagnose, or from liquid to alleviate pain. Pleurectomy/decortication remove pleural to alleviate the pain or prevent recurrence of pleural effusion.

Chemotherapy is another important traditional treatments used to kill cancer cells of the entry into the intravenous drugs. This method also involves the use of drugs to maintain normal tumor cells. Quite serious side effects, but in the treatment of chemotherapy, and may even damage because of cancer cells, but health. Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss, constipation, decreased appetite and oral ulcer is some of its effects.

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy or treatment with high-energy rays) (such as X-ray) to destroy the cancer cells in the local area. Entry Although healthy cells would also be affected, they can more effectively repair themselves. Radiation effects include as a kind of traditional treatment mesothelioma fatigue, hair, skin allergy, nausea and breathing difficulties.

Source : Meso

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a kind of disease, mesothelioma from exposure

To the relevant material asbestos. Asbestos fiber, usually by then
Enter the body through the mouth or skin, then enter
Lung and blood.

Mesothelioma cancer has become more widely in the record last 5-10 years,
Due to the symptoms of asbestos cancer between 20 to 40 years for
To manifest. Cancer is difficult to diagnose mesothelioma symptoms, such as no tendency
Until then show their disease. Symptoms,
Mesothelioma lung cancer has shortness of breath, chest pain, fever and other
Minor illnesses such as pneumonia.

The most commonly occurs in the asbestos cancer men between the ages of 50-70 years old
Who were exposed to high levels of asbestos in the workplace. Asbestos is
Mainly used in manufacturing industry, such as automobile, shipbuilding
In the construction industry. With asbestos is only recently
In 1990.

Mesthelioma lung cancer has been found to be the most common form
It happened in the lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma (.).
Cancer can also mesothelioma abdominal peritoneum) (
In the heart (pericardial). Have a greater chance of malignant
Abdominal asbestos cancer. For a more detailed explanation of smoking
Cancer,

Smoking can be detected by lung CT scan, make it
Sometimes the diagnosis of early than the other two types of mesothelioma cancer.
This type of cancer therapy depends on the stage of cancer. Entry
The patient was diagnosed, age and individual be fond of. Alzheimer�s disease
Four different stage division. At this stage of the process, reached the disease
Cancer treatment method to determine the entry. In the first stage
Cancer of the lungs, only can attempt to remove surgeon
Surgical resection of the tumor. Once the tumor into the surrounding the body
In a later period, it cannot be cured.

Generally speaking, the more advanced mesothelioma
Cancer treatment is radiation and chemotherapy. Radiation,
Using high energy X-ray destroy cancerous cells treated with contraction
Cancer chemotherapy, on the other hand, the use of drugs to destroy the cancer cells.
The aim is to extend the entry of cancer therapy the patient�s life
Because of the more advanced disease can not be cured.

Besides the traditional mesothelioma cancer treatment, also have
Currently investigating different experimental treatments with new
Hope.

This form of biological immune: treatment mesothelioma cancer treatment
Using the patient�s own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. Clinical research,
The immune system that can distinguish healthy cell tumor cells,
So can be used to destroy the cancer cells.

Gene therapy: this type of cancer therapy is still in the entry
Stage of development. This course includes into a particular genes
Into the tumor. The genes that cancer cells sensitive
Glanciclovir antiviral drugs, in normal circumstance is not practical
According to these cells. This glanciclovir can destroy all the cancer
No damage healthy tissue cells.

Drug treatment of symptomatic only: drug approved drugs
The us food and drug administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with malignant tumor
Mesothelioma lung cancer. This new and exciting drugs has been proved in practice
Test, reducing symptoms and increase the patients.

Photodynamic therapy: photodynamic therapy including use
Light to kill cancer cells. Patient first
Photosensitizing drugs, only collect in cancer cells. Optical fiber cable
Then insert the body, so that the frequency of light must focus
Tumor. Light stimulates photosensitizing toxic oxygen molecule drugs
The destroy cancerous cells.

These experiments, although still mesothelioma cancer treatment in development,
Cancer patients to provide better prospects and long service life. with
The possibility that more and more people have been diagnosed with asbestos
Cancer, further research for other forms of cancer therapy mesothelioma
Is of vital importance.

Source : Meso

Treatments of Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma treatments may be difficult, all kinds of reasons. First, to correct diagnosis, entry may not appear in a patient for decades. This could cause problems with the processing, because, like all mesothelioma of cancer therapy is more difficult, and are no longer allowed to the progress of the disease. In addition, caused by delay treatment of difficulty, this disease is usually mesothelioma should not traditional cancer therapies, more complex treatment. At the same time, the agency, involving mesothelioma cannot bear part or the whole of the removed usually, it means surgical options can be very limited. Finally, the fact that most of the male patients with advanced international level of smoking older than 50 years, usually means that the more radical therapy can be used, because fall because of the health old.

Altogether, this means that even mesothelioma patients, recently diagnosed can get quite a negative outcome doctos from them. Statistics is difficult, but British scientists think 10% of the patients newly diagnosed with at least 3 years of entry, Only 5% of the live for five years or longer. In the first stage, 50% of patients live for at least two years. But doctors may be wrong, and diagnosed mesothelioma is not always equal death. In the case of a famous scientist Stephen jay gould, live peritoneal mesothelioma nearly 20 years. Finally, he died of another kind of cancer.

The four stages of disease malignant mesothelioma measurement has been improved. How to treat patients mesothelioma depends largely on which stage, he or she�s sick.

I: local mesothelioma * stage, only exist in lung, diaphragm and pericardium lining.

The second stage: advanced mesothelioma sexually transmitted to the lymph nodes in the chest.

Stage 3: advanced mesotheioma * has spread to the chest wall, chest, heart and diaphragm. The third stage malignant mesothelioma may or may not has spread to lymph nodes.

* 4: advanced mesothelioma is spread to other organs in the chest and abdomen.

Surgery,

Example 1) or mild second stage mesothelioma is usually provide one or more traditional cancer therapy: surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. For early surgery patients, the disease is cured by literally entry cutting of cancer patients. The most common surgery is a pleurectomy pleural mesothelioma or decortication and this is doctor remove all or part of a lung tissue and chest. If doctors found that they cannot eliminate cancer and dismantling of lung tissue, they may also removed a pneumonectomy under, This is called. A more radical types of surgical treatment of pleural mesothelioma called extrapleural pneunonectomy (EPP). In this case, the surgeon will remove a subpleural lung cancer and a heart of inner diaphragm,. It is dangerous and difficult types of surgery, the surgeon will recommend or light.

This kind of influence, peritoneal mesothelioma abdominal surgery patients could give cytoredutive. In the surgery, doctors are trying to remove all the cancerous tissue they can find his belly and viscera. Doctors also can choose peritonectomy throughout the abdomen will be removed. Again, this isn�t an easy surgery and may not be suitable for every man, but it has successfully some patients. Cardiac patients undergoing surgery is generally entry.

Radiation and chemotherapy

In addition, or instead of the surgery, doctors will give patients with early mesothelioma chemotherapy and radiotherapy or both. Radiation and chemotherapy are used to kill cancer patients without killing. Unfortuantely, in order to kill cancer cells, these people often kill healthy cells. This is why cancer patients often lose their hair, diet, and generally weak and sick. The doctor prescribed of chemotherapy and radiation may also suggest nutritional supplements or other measures to control these symptoms.

Chemotherapy is any treating patients is specially designed to chemical drug therapy of cancer cells attack experience. This drug is injected into the blood often swallowing or in weeks or months later, in a loop, and give some patients recover time during treatment. Patients can stay at home, only need to visit your doctor�s office, they can be treated, Sometimes even treatment at home. In some cases, doctors can choose chemotherapy drugs, it needs directly carcinoma patients who, so must live in a hospital. There are many different kinds of chemotherapy drugs, scientists are trying to develop better every day.

Radiation therapy, aims to kill cancer cells and high-energy rays radiation, such as x-rays, prevent them grow. Patients with external-beam radiotherapy, directed by director certain parts of the body ray radiation is affected by cancer. This treatment lasts about 30 minutes a day, is in the same every day after a few weeks. In brachytherapy (internal, the doctor beside a container of radioactive substances of cancerous tissue, surgery, or existing in the body cavity. Some, others will be removed, replaced. Finally, radiopharmaceuticals is sometimes used to execute the radiation therapy, or injections into the body cavity or swallowed.

Source : Meso Info

Bring back our goose!

Does everyone remember the traumatic goose theft last June? I tried to post a link to the old post about it, but it wasn't working. I'll sum up: For years, we had a very fabulous goose lawn ornament on our front porch that used to belong to my grandma. We dressed it up in various outfits. Then, some evil hooligans stole it right off of our porch. WCK was devastated. Devastated. So was I.

Yesterday, we went to see the Fairy Princess. The Fairy Princess is an old Kansas City tradition around Christmastime, although she always shows up in November so that Santa can take over after Thanksgiving. I feel it is OK to go see her before Christmas since she is not Santa. She is a fairy. (Fairies before Christmas are OK. I suppose.) She's a pretty teenage-ish girl who wears a beautiful gown, and kids can go sit on her lap and tell her their holiday wishes and get their picture taken, and then she gives them a crown to take home. Last year was the first year that WCK was brave enough to talk to the Fairy Princess, and now we love the Fairy Princess.

The Princess asked WCK if she had a holiday wish. Did WCK wish for a Hannah Montana doll? A DVD? A video game? No, WCK said she wished the people who stole our goose would bring it back.

Wait, it gets sadder.

Just now, I heard a tiny little voice coming from WCK's room:

"In the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. God? Can you bring back our goose? Can you tell the people who stole it to bring it back? Oh, thank you. Amen! In the name of the Father ..."

Oh, nothing like a little child's prayer to make you want to hunt down goose thieves and poke them in the eye. We have to get another goose.

Sore and Stiff Feet

The bottom of my left foot continues to be sore and stiff ... to the point where walking isn’t fun. I pulled out the yellow pages and looked up orthotics clinics and gave a few of them a call. One said I need a referral from a doctor. I also called a chiropractor. He also said I should check with my oncologist to make sure there isn’t any cancer in my foot that may be causing this issue. He would be willing to work with me after I talk with my Onc.

The reason I included a chiropractor is because I had great success in the past. I don’t go for the ‘bone cracking’ per say but I go because some do the active release technique which is like a deep massage stretching action. Years ago, they resolved tendinitis in my right arm after my mastectomy and planter fasciitis which I developed from walking marathons.

I just searched YouTube and found a video on foot stretching exercises that are similar to what we did when we trained for walking marathons. With any luck, I’ll have stretched out some of this stiffness/soreness before I see my Onc in a couple of weeks.

life is a struggle, right?

A brief update: I am currently working on my senior thesis collection for fashion design; a culmination of my college work and personal artistry. It is exciting and rewarding and STRESSFUL AS HELL.

Normal stress after cancer is proving to be an uphill battle. In my pre-cancer days, I'd stay up for days and a time, drink gallons of caffeine, and kick out a project that I could be (reasonably) proud of. My body would recoup in a few days and I'd be fine.

Now, things are drastically different. I am managing my time well and have allowed time for rest, but my body is screaming at me. I like working with a deadline, but I worry that my body won't be able to keep up with the demands I'm putting it through. 10 hours a day, every day, I've been draping, pattern drafting, sewing, drawing, crying in the shower with my clothes on, all with wide-eyed anticipation for May.

After a few days at work my muscles are burning. Everything aches, from my back to the tips of my fingers. I've had a cold that's been waxing and waning for 3 months now. My PTSD symptoms are out with full force, presumably due to all of this stress. I am not complaining, I'm merely documenting my experience. I understand that cancer, PTSD, stress, and the general "failing" of my body won't go away, and I'll need to cope and adapt. That said, I am the happiest I've ever been in a long, long time. Or perhaps, just more appreciative of happiness... :)

Here is a really great, accessible essay on PTSD. I relate to just about everything that is written.

Here's a sneak peak at one of the muslins I've been working on:



So basically, in a nutshell, I'm stressed and in pain and it sucks, but I'm trying to work it out. [Not "make it work", I swear, the next person who says that to me gets a pressing block to the head.]

Quick questions

How effective is my medication? Can I miss a dose?

The Megace is doled out to me in 100 mg/ml liquid form, in small bottles. It can be hard to predict how long the last few doses will last. So when it looks like I have only some drops left, I call for a refill or in yesterday's case, a new prescription.

The first time I did this, the pharmacy told me they don't normally stock this medication and it would take a day or so to order it from another location. Now that I have been on it for a few months, I guess they are stocking it. I called the doctor's office and they said they would call in a new scrip for me.

I just called the pharmacy and my medication is ready to be picked up.

Yay that I don't have to miss a day's dose.

Boo that I had to call the nurse twice to remind her to call in the scrip.

Yay that this pharmacy learned to keep a new medication on hand now that they have a regular client taking it.

Yay that I don't have to miss a dose and learn the hard way if it would have an adverse effect.

Cross the Line, If You Dare

Over at Open Mouth, Insert Fork, we've discovered that the food always tastes better when you're being a little naughty.

Read about our latest trespassing picnic adventure here.

Crazy!

When I'm not busy complaining about grammar, I'm busy complaining about people who put up their Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. Fortunately for me, I really enjoy complaining. I'm an absolute joy to be around this time of year. Apparently, I've complained enough that I have brainwashed WCK. She becomes absolutely outraged now when she sees Christmas lights. If there's one thing four-year-olds are good at, it's becoming outraged.

"THEY HAVE THEIR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS UP!" she'll exclaim. "THAT'S CRAZY!!!!!"

I have taught you well, young padawan.

Special Arrival: Van Winkle Bourbons

We are happy to announce the long awaited arrival of the Old Rip Van Winkle line. Just in time for the holidays, bring some class and sophistication to your Thanksgiving, or impress the relatives with an extraordinary Christmas gift. The Rip Van Winkle line is the most sought after and critically acclaimed line of Bourbon in the world and the secret lies in the use of wheat instead of rye in the mash. Wheated Bourbons tend to be softer and smoother on the palate and are said to age more gracefully. New in:

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year 107 proof Bourbon
-The youngest in the line of Bourbons, this one packs quite a punch being bottled at barrel proof and yet delivers on the subtle poise and complexity synonymous with Van Winkle Bourbons.

Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year Bourbon
-This Bourbon strikes a perfect balance between age and bottle proof. Due to it's well integrated sweet and smooth character it can give any fine Cognac a run for it's money. In 2008 it won the "Best in Class Gold Medallion"at the International Wine and Spirit Competition and was also awarded a "Trophy for Worldwide Whiskey".

Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 15 year Bourbon
-"The second highest rated bourbon in the world" (World Spirit Championships), the highest rated is its big brother Pappy Van Winkle 20 year in case you were wondering. This 15 year Bourbon also received an inconceivable 98 out of 100 by the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago. My suggestion buy it while you can.

Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 year Bourbon
-The absolute most limited quantity Bourbon of the entire line. Received a 99 out of 100 from both the Beverage Tasting Institute and the World Spirits Championships. Doesn't get much better my friends.

Unfortunately due to the extremely limited quantities we will not be able to ship these. Come and get it!

Nate

The Days of Wine and EOS

Once I get an idea in my head, I have a hard time shaking it off. Take that EOS cap. I won't rest until it's sitting on my head.

I might have a hard time justifying a jaunt to the Eos winery for a taste of the liquid grape, but when it's on the way to Stanford Cancer Center, that's an entirely different matter.

I'm scheduled to see EOS specialist Dr. Jason Gotlib on November 30. The EOS wine specialist is on the calendar for November 29.

Now I can rest again.

Xeloda Cycle Two - Day Seven

The side effects I seem to be experiencing from the Xeloda so far are cramps and diarrhea, neuropathy and hand/foot syndrome symptoms.

The stomach issues seem to have settled down a bit. I’m learning that I have to be ever so careful of what I eat and drink otherwise my stomach tends to rebel. The oncologist prescribed Metoclopramide but even that doesn’t always do the trick. After I laid down in bed last Saturday night, I was struggling with stomach cramps. I had already taken Metoclopramide but it didn’t quite do the trick. I then took an Ativan and that seemed to settle me and my stomach down. I guess the trick is to relax the mind and the body will follow.

For the past year, I’ve been calling my feet and hands issues ‘hand and foot syndrome’ when I should have been including the word ‘neuropathy’. I’m just now beginning to realize there is a difference between neuropathy and hand/foot syndrome.

Neuropathy is nerve damage and causes tingling, numbness, and a pins-and-needles type of feeling where as hand-foot syndrome is where the palms of the hands and soles of the feet become red, swollen, cracked and painful (tenderness, tingling, burning) and the skin may peel, blister, or develop sores. These two side effects appear to be very similar.

CT scans today

Getting ready to head out to Dallas, TX in all this fog. Bad weather is not good for people used to the heat and sun. A couple of Dallas doctor visits ago when driving in bad weather on a bumper to bumper highway parking lot I was tailgated and rear ended. How the HECK do you run into someone when the traffic is moving 5 mph??? Oh well we shall see what today's trip brings. I do however feel nauseous already, I wonder how bad I will feel after going through multiple failed IV attempts and ingesting all those shell fish (i.e. contrast dye) for the CT scan.

At the lg txp doctors in Dallas, the CT was painless today and I tolerated the IV contrast; however I am disappointed to know that a member of the post transplant team is leaving it is hard to train new doctors to what your medical condition is and to understand your unique personality.

PFT's were good I am 60% of a normal health person with two good lungs; I think I would be about 67% or maybe 73% if I had two full lungs.

My testosterone was in increased, I am mixing it with the steroids; it is not having much effect on me, I am still green, very green although I want to argue with everyone I even had an argument with myself on the drive over to Dallas today... I think I won the argument

All solutions are individual.

That's what I learned from reading the Chicago Tribune today, specifically, a little wrap-around page touting itself. But wasn't it preaching to the choir? It should be boasting to people who don't have the newspaper in their hands.

First problem: A pizza deliveryman was mugged and carjacked. Solution: "...people from as far away as South Korean and Germany sent in more than $16,000" so he could return to his pizza route, which I would bet doesn't supply him with health insurance. But that's not mentioned.

The second problem: A reporter wrote about a family living in a storage faculty. Solution: the "generosity of friends, family and Tribune readers touched by their troubles" provided money to put the family up in a motel.

Whew. Problem solved. Don't look to the left or right to see if there's anybody else homeless.

Third problem: A kid was in foster care and he got himself more than $1 million in scholarship offers. I remember reading about this kid. It was a feel-good story. It was the kind of story to make you think, Why don't all the kids pull themselves up by their bootstraps?

Also of note: The Tribune tells us it is "[s]hining a light on the persistent and often ignored problem of youth violence...." Persistent? Yes. Ignored? By whom? Not by the kids who are killed each year and their families. Not by people who live in violent neighborhoods.

Everything was off today. Ask Amy said that doctors should always be called by their titles because of their expertise. Hell, I'm an expert and my students call me by my first name. This is America, talk-show-etiquette America, where everyone has a first name but maybe not even a last. I call some of my doctors by their first names. Sometimes I have to force myself because of all the years of calling doctors doctors but if they call me by my first name, I do the same, especially if they're 20 years younger.

But we subscribe and we read the Tribune and it does give us some information about the city. And suburbs. Even though it is so so embarrassing how every other story seems to be based on a TV show. We can't be treated like real adults; we have to be able to relate our news to broadcast (or digital?) fictional dramas and comedies. We are amusing ourselves to death.

Which is the title of a book by Neil Postman, in which he writes: "What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism."