Weirdest breast cancer question I've heard

Reblogged from My cancer journey:

As you know, I often google news “breast cancer” to stay on top of new research and just plain news. Today’s search got me to this article in the San Diego Reader, copied below.

Read more… 526 more words

Ahh. It brought me right back to the week of diagnosis. I was grocery shopping. When I passed the chicken breasts I started crying, “Oh, I am soooo sorry.”

A Pain in the —Joints

You ache. Your joints hurt. Shoulders. Hands. Hips. Feet. Knees. It’s not because “You’re of that age.” Nor is it arthritis. Cancer treatment comes with some trade-offs. One of them is joint stiffness, and pain. The pain is a side effect from chemo, hormone therapy, and radiation. The good news (they tell me) is the pain gradually goes away when all the treatment ends. And unlike arthritis, treatment-related joint pain doesn’t permanently damage the joints.

According to the Cure magazine, 47 percent of 200 patients taking hormone therapy report joint pain and of those, 67 percent rated the pain as moderate or severe. It’s thought medication compliance is affected by this pain.

While standard arthritis pain treatment may not help, Cure magazine states that studies have shown pain relief from acupuncture, and high doses of vitamin D for women deficient in this vitamin.

It comes down to the obvious. Manage your weight. Get plenty of exercise. (This may vary depending where you are on your journey, and the level of pain that day.) If you’re at the gym and don’t feel you can grip the weights, consider lifting straps (they warp around your wrists and the weight/bar you’re lifting or pulling down.) Walk, swim, stretch. Your speed may have changed with joint pain. If a gym class has a fast pace, set your own, slower pace. Who cares if you’re out of sync with them – mind your body. It’s yet another aspect of self-confidence and creativity to rebuild after cancer treatment. —To thy own self be true!

Sorry, and Thank You

Hi!

For those who’ve tried to “Like” posts and have been met with a pop up requesting a username and password, help is on the way. THANK YOU for your support, and patience.

One way to find if it’s working. . . “Like” the site, or a post you enjoy!

 

Skin Care

So many aspects of cancer treatment dry the skin. Moisturize it baby! Radiation is like one big, bad sun burn. Protect your skin more than usual during and after the months of radiation. I did and my skin looks great again.

•  Cleanse with warm water, not hot, and moisturize while your skin is damp. In the morning, moisturize. At nighttime, moisturize.
• Drink plenty of water. Things like soup, pudding, or popsicles also count as liquids. If you want flavor to water, add a tiny bit of juice. Sodas and warm liquids don’t hydrate. Hydration—inside and out of the body, is really important for skin care.
• Stay out of the sun, especially during treatments like chemo and radiation. You may notice temporary pigmentation changes. Maybe red, or tan blotches. Cosmetic concealer may help, or just roll with it. (Depending on the area being treated, you may be asked not to wear make-up, perfumes or deodorant.)

Two weeks into my radiation the weather was gorgeous. I had plans to meet with friends staying at a local beach cottage. Aware forgiveness is often easier obtained than permission, I told my doctor my weekend plans, adding “I’ll only be in direct sun a few hours.” I wasn’t sure he’d give me the nod. He okayed it with my using sunscreen, a broad-brimmed hat, tying a scarf around my neck, and wearing a blouse with a collar over a tank top. I doubt I would have thought it through to this extent, and it would have been a bummer to show up for Monday radiation with a sun burn. They postpone—not cancel treatments. My self-imposed cancer treatment rule was: No postponing any treatments. Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel and do whatever it takes to get there as soon as possible.

Your body will thank you – now and later.

Mother’s Day

Maybe you’re a parent who’s also a caretaker. Maybe you’ve become the caretaker of a parent.

Below is a poem from the Sufi Mystic, Hafiz. He lived 1320-1389, about one hundred years after Rumi. Read this poem with Mother’s Day in mind. I’m fortunate to have a mother who embodies this poem 100%. If you don’t feel that way about the set up you had or have, become the sun—become the energy that lights up the whole sky, never demanding back. Happy Mother’s Day. Thank you. With love.

Even after all this time

The sun never says to the earth,

“You owe me.”

Look what happens

with a love like that,

It lights the whole sky.

— Hafiz

Wear a Hat

Over ten years ago, I lived in New Zealand. I really liked how they took a serious topic like skin cancer, and had fun with it. Below is a link to two photos from a New Zealand newspaper.

Use Your Head Wear A Hat!

Also, check out the blog: sunnysleevez for some tips to protect your skin.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

Don’t Fry Day is the last Friday in May. It’s the weekend of Memorial Day, the kick-off for Summer.

For some sunrise tips, here’s a link:

http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/dfd.html