World Cancer Day

Did you know today is "World Cancer Day?" Yeah, me neither, until I saw some BC survivors post that factoid on their Facebook pages. So as a nod to this day, which aims to reduce stigma and reduce myths about cancer, I'd like to share an alarming article with you.

Truly, if you have not been personally 'touched' by cancer nor know someone that has, you are a lucky individual. And unfortunately, that luck may run out. Cancer is abound! Since I was diagnosed in 2011, there have been multiple friends, acquaintances, and a family member diagnosed; I have also lost a good friend to cancer. It seems to ravage so many individuals and families, with no thought to their good deeds, great personalities, whom they may leave behind, nor their social status. There are no limitations for cancer. 

In many ways, cancer the "perfect disease." It is smart and can change itself and its deadly pathways based on an individual's treatments. The only downfall it has (so far as I can tell) is that it eventually kills its host. There must be something done - or I'm afraid the article below will become true - or worse.

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The World Health Organization predicts an "alarming rise" in cancer rates worldwide in coming years.

Cancer cases are expected to surge 57% worldwide in the next 20 years, an imminent "human disaster" that will require a renewed focus on prevention to combat, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The World Cancer Report, produced by the WHO's specialized cancer agency, predicts new cancer cases will rise from an estimated 14 million in 2012 to 22 million annually within two decades. Over the same period, cancer deaths are tipped to rise from 8.2 million a year to 13 million annually.

The rising incidence of cancer, brought about by growing, aging populations worldwide, will require a heavier focus on preventive public health policies, said Christopher Wild, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

"We cannot treat our way out of the cancer problem," he said. "More commitment to prevention and early detection is desperately needed in order to complement improved treatments and address the alarming rise in cancer burden globally."

The report notes that the rocketing cost of responding to the "cancer burden" -- in 2010, the economic cost of the disease worldwide was estimated at $1.16 trillion -- is hurting the economies of rich countries and beyond the means of poor ones.

The report said about half of all cancers were preventable, and could be avoided if current medical knowledge was acted upon. The disease could be tackled by addressing lifestyle factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and exercise; adopting screening programs; or, in the case of infection-triggered cancers such as cervical and liver cancers, through vaccines.

Cutting smoking rates would have a significant impact, as lung cancer remained the most commonly diagnosed cancer (1.8 million cases a year, or 13% of total cancer diagnoses) and the deadliest, accounting for about a fifth (1.6 million) of all cancer deaths worldwide.

The report's authors suggested governments take similar legislative approaches to those they had taken against tobacco in attempting to reduce consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks, and in limiting exposure to occupational and environmental carcinogens, including air pollution.

According to the report, the next two most common diagnoses were for breast (1.7 million, 11.9%) and large bowel cancer (1.4 million, 9.7%). Liver (800,000 or 9.1%) and stomach cancer (700,000 or 8.8%) were responsible for the most deaths after lung cancer.

"The rise of cancer worldwide is a major obstacle to human development and well-being," said Wild. "These new figures and projections send a strong signal that immediate action is needed to confront this human disaster, which touches every community worldwide."

The report said the growing cancer burden would disproportionately hit developing countries -- which had the least resources to deal with the problem -- due to their populations growing, living longer and becoming increasingly susceptible to cancers associated with industrialized lifestyles.

More than 60% of the world's cases and about 70% of the world's cancer deaths occurred in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.

Governments needed to appreciate that screening and early detection programs were "an investment rather than a cost," said Bernard Stewart, co-editor of the report -- and low-tech approaches had proven successful in some developing countries.

The World Cancer Report, which is published about once every five years, involved a collaboration of around 250 scientists from more than 40 countries. 

(Original article can be found here.)

Prescriptions for Fruits & Veggies?

A yummy fruit, veg, and herb medley we made.

Images from nwedible.com.

New York City has instituted a program - a fruit and vegetable prescription program. The basic premise? "It allows doctors to 'prescribe' fresh fruit and vegetables to overweight or obese patients by giving them 'Health Bucks' that are redeemable at local farmer's markets."

One part of me thinks: great idea.

The other part says: is this what our nation's eating problems have come to?

What do you think? I'm curious to hear what you have to say.

Here is the Hungry for Change article I read about this program.

Wholesome Wave is the group that has the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program™ in addition to their Double Value Coupon Program and Healthy Food Commerce Investments.

-   -   -   -   - 

Since the subject of today's post is fruit and veggies, I thought this would be a great place to insert this helpful graphic on how to find a "just right" avocado. I always thought it was a guessing game based on feel and color, but this makes it simple and has helped me find perfectly ripe avocados. Yummy!

A Glimpse of Understanding

A Can-Can sister shared this article on our Facebook Chemoraderie page. I like both the descriptive writing and the way the author caught what it's like:


Living With Cancer: Life of the Party
by Susan Gubar

The prospect of a party frightened me — probably because the enforced isolation of cancer treatments has rendered me hypersensitive. It was raining outside and festivities would not begin until after 8 p.m. But my husband and I had promised to attend the celebration of a book publication. So we dragged ourselves to Judith and Aidan’s house where I hoped to find a comfortable chair in which I would not look like the battle-ax at Mrs. Dalloway’s party whom everyone had thought long dead.

The house, crowded with people clutching drinks, pulsed with their robust vitality. Before the cancer diagnosis, I would have moved around the room schmoozing with a series of acquaintances while getting a tad tipsy. Now I was determined to have a drink, but I would need to sit down, and I could not control who might sit with me or indeed whether anyone would. Still, sit I had to do while dealing with a hideous mix of nostalgia, jealousy and self-pity. Exhausted by five years of surgeries and drugs, I have spent too much time alone and have nothing to exchange in return for tidbits of gossip.

My colleagues, kind people, took turns as sitters. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of jollity only underscored my worries: fears that thinning hair would not hide my scalp, qualms about not recalling the names of graduate students I recognized but could not place. The cumulative effect of treatment also left me bereft of the prevarications and censors that ease everyday interactions. The membrane between internal feelings and external expressions (on which I used to rely) has worn thin.

I have neither the time nor the energy to maintain buffers between me and the limited world I inhabit. Cancer has made me porous and susceptible to others — those I know personally, and those I do not. A friend in mourning, or runners and spectators maimed in Boston, reduce me to tears. Have other patients experienced this permeable sense of self when the barrier between the person we present in public and our private sentiments erodes? With few filters, I really do not belong in polite society.

Just when I decided to give my husband a signal for us to up and leave, two guests started to sing in a corner of the room. I settled down, pleased at not having to make chitchat with my current sitter, a very young woman with a crew cut. A succession of musicians followed, producing that vivid vibrancy only live music in an intimate space can create. By the time Jason Fickel stood up to sing, accompanying himself on his acoustic guitar, my exhilaration knew no bounds.

Live music should not be reserved for memorials. Musicians ought to be allowed to play in infusion centers, hospital rooms and hospices. Or so I think as my body feels sprayed and bathed, plumped and pumped by the rhythms of a melody that comes from Jason’s mouth and hands but courses through me like currents of energy.

The wine helps, undoubtedly, but it is the thrumming strings and the wry yet sonorous voice that delight me, galvanizing my attention and quickening my spirits. I sense the vibrations on my skin, in my bones, massaging the synapses of my brain: “music, sweet music, music everywhere.” Let there be trombones and guitars, flutes and pianos, singing and, especially, cellos for the sick and the dying. During my mother’s last months in assisted care, she would have loved to have heard a string quartet: harmonies returning her to pleasures displaced by old age and disease.

Awash and exultant as the music ends, I recall a line of poetry — “we feel that we are greater than we know”— and turn to the girl on my right. I did not remember her because, apparently, I had never met her before. But, she explained carefully, she works out with a member of my cancer support group … in a special class. A beat, a pause, and I understand.

The crew cut has to do with cancer. I shake her hand to wish her well. Her fingers are icy. A surge urges me on: the need, the palpable urgency, to pay tribute to her resolute stamina. I clasp both her frozen hands and kiss them, overwhelmed that someone so young has had to go through what she has gone through, though I scold myself too, for these eruptions of extravagant emotion are sure to make me look like a fool.

By the time Don and I got home, I realized that there are liabilities but also benefits of being thin-skinned. At the party I had felt the beauty, felt the fun. Lucky, lucky, lucky, I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

(Original link to article can be found here.)

Movie: Pink Ribbons, Inc.

I highly recommend watching the movie Pink Ribbons, Inc. It's available via Netflix streaming. It's also available online here and here and here.

Last year, I saw down with two of my "breastie" sisters (BC survivors) to watch this documentary. Our viewing resulted in a lively conversation afterwards between the three of us. I took a bunch of notes, intending on writing them all up in to a blog post. But frankly, that was nearly a year ago and I don't want to take time to type things out that you can watch for yourself.

Please consider watching this documentary. It addresses the "pinkwashing" of breast cancer, the "pretty, feminine, and normal" portrayal of breast cancer (none of which BC actually is), and many of the ridiculous ways of turning this disease into a bottom-line fundraising event for way too many companies. Some of which are in direct conflict with ever finding a cure! Cancer-causing cosmetics? Slap a pink ribbon on it, donate a teensy amount to BC awareness or research, and sell a lot more product. It sickens me.

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Here are my notes, in case you want to get a high-level peek into what this documentary includes:

• A Huffington Post article about Komen's bad decisions...one after the other. 

• BC has become a "culture" of pink ribbons.

• 1981 - President Reagan changed things so BC funding/research needed to seek private solutions ...which lead to BC marketing. To get marketing to work, they need attention of companies. If companies associate with a cause, more people will buy their products - it worked! BC marketing promotions range from household goods to handguns to gasoline to porn sites!

• In 1940, chances of getting cancer were 1 in 22.
  In 2011, it was 1 in 8.
  Today, changes of getting breast cancer are 1 in 4. 

• Lighting monuments pink for "awareness" - accomplishes what, exactly?

• During breast cancer awareness month, the message being sent out is "be vigilant - mammograms can save lives" - But what does this really do to effect change?

• Early detection (is your best "protection") works for some...and some get sick from treatment...and for others with aggressive current treatments that can't it can't help at all. Everyone thinks they're in the first group (that early detection will save you), but that only works for some!

• Learning to live versus learning to die.

• We are not just a little pink ribbon! We have faces, pain, and stories.

• Some survivors have anger with pride and optimism expressed by marketing tactics and companies have to "sell the disease" in a certain way or lose customers.

• Yoplait "Save Lids to Save Lives" example: For every lid you save from a Yoplait yogurt (and mail in, using a stamp that costs you money), they will donate 10 cents to breast cancer research. If you ate 3 yogurts/day for 4 months, you will have raised a grand total of $36 for breast cancer research, but spent more on stamps and in environmental shipping waste. Really? - Just write a check!

• NFL: players were in trouble with the law, needed help with boosting positive image of individuals and teams, and they realized there's a large women viewership. So they started in on PINKing everything! Shoes, sweat bands, ...

• To those that call surviving "fighting a battle." We're not fighting a battle. We force ourselves to comply with the treatments recommended. 

• We shouldn't deny what is possible - good AND bad. To do so offends our sense of DIGNITY.

• Pressure on BC patients to be happy, overly optomistic, etc. : "the tyrrany of cheerfulness" - coined by Barbara Ehrenreich.

• Make it pretty, feminine, and normal = it sells. BUT BREAST CANCER IS NOT pretty, feminine, and normal!! It's time to re-politicize it: find out where your money goes! Most monies go to researching a marketable product (that extends life). Not to finding out what causes it.

• We hear how much companies raise, but not how it was spent or the results from it. How can you cure something when you don't know the cause?

• What "eggs on cancer"? It is not a foreign entity (e.g., from space, alien, "Osama") - it's at home (e.g., your body, familiar, "McVeigh").

• Every 23 seconds an individual is diagnosed with breast cancer.
  Every 69 seconds an individual dies because of breast cancer.

• Casting a pink veil of positivity over a dark and dreadful disease, we are told, encourages the myth of progress and distracts from treatment options that remain limited to what Dr. Susan Love calls “slash, burn, and poison” and mortality rates that have barely altered in six decades.

• Federal standards do not protect public health.

• Charlotte Haley is the original ribbon maker. Hers was salmon colored. Estee Lauder wanted to use it to market. Haley wanted nothing to do with Estee Lauder; they were too commercial. On goes the story with lawyers, changing the color, etc. Estee Lauder conducted focus groups on what color was "comforting, reassuring, and non-threatening" (everything BC is not) - which led to the ribbon color being pink.

• "We used to march in the streets. Now we run for a cure."

• Get the stuff out of the products we use everyday.

• Another Yoplait example: send in lids from dairy stimulated with RGBH - linked with breast cancer! Activists called them on it and they changed their formula - no longer use RGBH.

• AstraZeneca: the maker of Tamoxifen and Arimidex (biopharmaceudicals used in BC treatment) - also makes chemicals that are estrogen-boosters! Check it out here or read a quote from the article below:

"Some of the very companies that sponsor fundraising events and make money off of pink revenue either make deleterious products linked to cancer or stand to profit from treatment of it. Revlon, sponsors of the Run/Walk for Women, are manufacturers of many cosmetics (searchable on the database Skin Deep) that are linked to cancer. The average woman puts on 12 cosmetics products per day, yet only 20% of all cosmetics have undergone FDA examination and safety testing. The pharmaceutical giant Astra Zeneca can’t seem to decide if it’s for or against cancer. They produce the anti-estrogen breast cancer drug Tamoxifen, yet also manufacture the pesticide atrazine (under the Swiss-based company Syngenta), which has been linked to cancer as an estrogen-boosting compound. Breast cancer history month (October) is nothing more than a PR stunt that was invented by a marketing expert at… drumroll please… Astra Zeneca! Their goal was to promote mammography as a powerful weapon in the war against breast cancer. But as the American arm of the largest chemical company in the world, the reality is that Astra Zeneca was and is benefiting from the very illness it was urging women to get screened for. Perhaps the most audacious example of them all is pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. Sponsors of cancer research and treatment, both in medicine and the community, Lilly produced the cancer and infertility causing DES (diethylstilbestrol), and currently manufactures rBGH, an artificial hormone given to cows to make them produce more milk. rBGH has been linked to breast cancer and a host of other health problems. These strong corporate links in many ways explain the uplifting, happy, sterile messaging behind the pink ribbon. Corporations are, quite bluntly, making money off of marketing cancer, so if they don’t put a smiley face on the disease, they will alienate their customers and the conglomerate businesses pouring money into these campaigns."

• October: BCA month (breast cancer awareness): a comforting lie.
  mammography-->radiation exposure-->BC risk increase

• Research = incremental increase in life expectancy. That is not enough.

• Walk and run-a-thons are like a revival.

• Do something besides worry. Act!

TNBC Facts

Breast cancer. Other types of cancer. Do you know there are subtypes to nearly every major type of cancer? There are!

Below are infographics I discovered this morning via the TNBC Foundation Facebook feed I receive. I want to pass on the information that explains facts we know about BC and this particular subtype. (Which, incidentally, has 6-7 identified sub-subtypes, too...) The mystery is slowly unraveling in real time. Just wish it could happen at the speed of light rather than based on funding, politics, and myriad other variables.

Got questions about BC or TNBC? Please feel free to ask general and personal questions via comments on the blog. I'll do my best to respond and get answers if I don't know myself. Dialogue is important. Communication is key. Understanding is powerful.

Medical ID/Lymphedema Alert Bracelet Update

Time for another personal BC-related update. The summer is flying by way too fast, yet I'm enjoying going and doing - something I haven't been really able to do the two summers previous. More on that later - possibly. :)

I'd like to bring attention to medical ID bracelets again.

About this time last year, I blogged about my first medical bracelet. It was a good friend - while it lasted. During my trip to Boerne, TX this year, it spontaneously flew off my wrist in several pieces (completely unprovoked, I might add!) and broke in a way that I could not repair. See what happened:

I have its bits and pieces & hope to have it repaired.
Still, a major bummer.

Luckily, I brought a second medical ID bracelet with me. It is more rugged and I purchased this one to take with me while participating in "sporty" things (hiking, biking, anything needing sunscreen application, and other dirty-making activities).

I think this bracelet has a smart design: adjustable and easy-to-use Velcro, durable materials that can stand up to a beating, waterproof, machine washable, and a handy-dandy inside pocket for customized and important medical information.

This bracelet from Amazon came with
2 foldable (and waterproof) ID cards.
It holds important customized medical information
about me in case I'm incapacitated and
need medical attention.

This lightweight, durable medical bracelet really saved me on my trip! Not having a medical alert bracelet makes me anxious - the peace of mind it gives me is powerful. And it is so important that medical personnel know to not poke me with needles nor take my blood pressure on my right arm! What a mess that could easily lead to...

While the above bracelet came to my rescue, I did prefer to have something a little less "sporty" for everyday use (something I can wear with normal clothes and when I dress up). That led me to start searching for a durable metal bracelet that could (hopefully) stand the test of time. I settled on the one shown below - and truly hope this one lasts for years and years. I chose to have it engraved with my specific medical information, too. (After all, what good does having a medical alert bracelet without information in/on it do if you aren't able to think clearly or speak to those trying to help you?!)

FYI and a tip for others:  When wearing a medical bracelet, I think it's a good choice to let that be the only bracelet on your arm. Some medical bracelets out there look like charm bracelets and hide the important "medical alert" well. To me, that seems to totally defeat the purpose of having it in the first place. While this is a lower-profile bracelet, it has the medical symbol on it + special instructions and it is the only thing I wear on my right arm (besides ye olde lovely lymphedema sleeve / glove / gauntlet when needed), so I think there's a greater possibility of someone noticing it if ever I'm in that situation.

It's also a great reminder to myself! On one of my follow-ups at the oncologist's office last year, I started hollering like a crazy cat lady when the blood pressure machine began pumping on my right arm - I had totally forgotten about my limitation. I freaked out the nurse tech (and myself), but she stopped the machine promptly and all was well.  That was when I knew I needed a visual reminder - for others as well as for myself - and it prompted me to get my first bracelet.

Think about it - it could save you and others from a lot of pain and agony.

BC Infographic

I'd like to share an informative infographic with you all. There will probably come a time another woman (or women) I know will be diagnosed, although I hope that I won't know many that do. It's a club that you don't want to be a part of, but boy is it uplifting to meet others that have "been there, done that" and "get" what this experience is all about.

Please pass on this information to anyone you know that could benefit from: knowing the facts, checking their breasts (male and female!!), or not feeling alone in their journey.

There's definitely a part of me that wants to know more about this disease. Like what specifically causes it? What are surefire ways of stopping its growth? When will there be a cure? So many questions...hopefully time and bonafide research will elicit answers.

source: http://www.onlinenursingprograms.com/code-pink/

'Tis the Season...

...for SUNSCREEN!

Boy, have I had [more than] my fair share of bad sunburns:

 Sunburn acquired while honeymooning.
Hawai'i, 2004

Now that most of us have emerged from our dwellings to enjoy summer sunshine, it's time to apply sunscreen. Did you know all sunscreens aren't created equally? It's true.

Waaaaay back in the early stages of my cancer treatments, I watched a documentary that spoke to me: Crazy Sexy Cancer. It's based on Kris Carr's own battle with cancer - stage IV cancer found in her liver and lungs in 2002. While I didn't/don't subscribe 100% to all of her recommendations, the documentary was jam-packed with information. I took what spoke to me and incorporated it into my own life. I now have the same approach with her email 'digest' I receive once weekly.

In early June, the focus was on sunscreens. While I knew some sunscreens contained freaky toxins, I wasn't sure quite what to do about it, who to trust, and what to spend my money on. This article helped me. In case you don't want to read the full article, here are some excerpts and tips to help point you dear blog readers in a different direction when making choices about that next bottle of sunscreen. After all, we do vote with our money!

To begin with, look for these 'red flags' when reading sunscreen ingredients:
• What: Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate or “retinol”).
Why: Linked to increased cancer cell growth.

• What: Oxybenzone.
Why: Hormone disrupter—experts caution against using it on children.

• What: Powder or spray mineral-based sunscreens (usually on ingredient label as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide).
Why: These ingredients are typically safe in lotion form, but can cause internal damage if inhaled.


Have you heard of the Environmental Working Group (EWG)?

EWG is an American environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability.

Stephanie, a BC friend of mine, introduced me to this organization sometime this May/June. Since then, I've used their databases to look up products we had at home that I thought were safe (many weren't!) as well as ones I've considered buying - this organization's work has helped me make more informed and clear decisions when purchasing cosmetics, sunscreens, produce...the list goes on.

To help you on your quest, here are some of EWG’s top-rated sun care products in the sunscreen category - for adults and kids:

• Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Sunscreen, Green Tea, SPF 30+
• Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Sport Stick Sunscreen, SPF 30+
• Badger Baby Sunscreen Cream, SPF 30
• Green Screen D Organic Sunscreen, Original, SPF 35
• Kiss My Face Natural Mineral Sunscreen with Hydresia, SPF 40
• Releve’ Organic Skincare by Emerald Essentials Sun-Lite Sunscreen, SPF 20
• Seventh Generation Wee Generation Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30

"There's an app for that!"

Yes, it's true. There are two apps available for the iphone (one for the iPad) created by the EWG. They are working on others. 

The Dirty Dozen: a list of foods with the highest pesticide residue (also complimented by the 'Clean 15' - a list of foods with the lowest pesticide residue).

EWG Sunscreen Buyer's Guide: Isn't it self-explanatory? I think so.

Now that I'm armed with strong and broad UV protection with few safety concerns, it's time to get out and enjoy some more of that Colorado sunshine!

Dinosaur Days

When talking with other BC people, I find it interesting to swap stories and hear other people's perceptions of their journey. One thing a gal said recently about her upcoming reconstruction surgery brought back some memories. I immediately recalled how frustrating it was to live like a T-Rex for quite a while post-surgery. Boy, am I glad the "dinosaur days" are over!

It couldn't be drawn much more clear than this!
(source)

I often referred to my physical limitations as making me like a T-Rex. Why? It's easy to understand if you were around me post-surgery or if you're a survivor yourself. If not, here's some reasoning why:

• After surgery (for me, it was mastectomy surgery and switch-out surgery) you're directed to NOT lift your elbows for weeks after surgery.
• Your pectoral muscles have been cut, moved, and sewn...you don't wanna mess up the healing process.
• Even when the surgeon-imposed limitations are lifted, it's difficult to get your arms to move up - and when they do, you know it.

While I looked like a T-Rex (flailing my hands and forearms when I could), I felt like anything BUT "unstoppable" post-surgery. However, if I had a neat grabber tool like this T-Rex had...I might've been a wee bit unstoppable! On a whim, I just searched Amazon.com for "grabber tool" and it came up with a bunch of relevant items just like Mr. Rex has. If there ever comes a time when I need another surgery that effects my wingspan, count me getting one of these things! And if you're reading this blog and headed into surgery and like the idea - try it and let me know how it goes.   :)

The Cherry on Top

A while back I declared to Joshua: "I've decided to just go ahead and order some nipples. So I'm going to do it - now." And I did.

Excited at the possibilities...

What a weird thing to tell your husband. And what a strange thing to shop for online. It's a mixed bag of emotions from my perspective: absurd, serious, and a little humorous. When the temporary tattoos from Rub-On Nipples (yeah, that's what I said) were en route to our home, I was looking forward to experimenting with them. 

While I had good intentions of applying a pair right away, it just didn't happen. Why? I think I was a bit nervous. What if my emotional self couldn't handle this experiment that stemmed from good intentions? What if I applied them lopsided and they ended up "looking" in different directions? These little pesky fears delayed me trying them...until our earthship vacation!

Boy, was I glad I finally got around to trying them!

For those women out there who have had a mastectomy and are electing to not have nipple reconstruction -OR- for those that elect to have nipple reconstruction but need to "fill the void" before that time comes, I believe these temporary tattoos offer an great alternative. Once I had mine on, it was like a puzzle piece came together - not only visually on my body, but especially in my mind. The girls really look like "girls!" There's a visual clue there that has been missing and my mind enjoys the relief of glancing at the mirror and seeing what it used to see and what the eye/brain combo is wanting to see when it looks at a chest: the "cherry on top," so to speak.

Top: colors in the "light variety" pack
Bottom: before and after

To see their color palette, size info, and dye info, click here.

I wanted to share a special offer* from Rub-On Nipples:  Save 10%!

Customer Appreciation Discount:   A 10% discount will calculate in your shopping cart with the code "March" (enter the code without quotation marks). The option to add the coupon code is on the last page of ordering, just prior to the request for credit card/PayPal information. (The price reduction does not apply to shipping and handling charges.)
Offer Expires:   March 31, 2013
To purchase:   click here.

*So you know: I am in no way affiliated with this company, nor do I receive any kind of kickback on sales made. Just want that to be clear. 

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  An Aside  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

(source)

Joshua and I were watching a 1968 documentary recently. It reminded me a lot of the projector films we used to watch in elementary school because of the way it was filmed, narrated, and the background music. One thing the narrator said cracked me up and I had to put it on this blog somehow. Methinks this is just where it belongs:

"He doesn't need no nipple." 

--Gordon Eastman referring to 5-lb bear drinking milk from a can 

From High, Wild, and Free, a 1968 film in which Gordon Eastman takes his two sons on a journey to the wilds of British Columbia fishing, hunting, canoeing down miles of wild water, living with Indians and trapping beaver. Available on Netflix streaming. 

Young cubs can survive without their mother's nipples. I've been surviving without mine. Still, it's nice to see them again and I think I'm onto something...

Inaugural TNBC Day

This fundraising event ends today!

To support the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation by the end of today:

click HERE.

Look at what we've done together!
What will today bring?

Today is the day: the inaugural Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Day! I feel good about taking this day and doing something with it - thank you for helping make that possible! It feels so good to support the TNBC Foundation.

This foundation is dedicated to finding a successful treatment and cure for TNBC as well as providing information and support to the TNBC community.

Mission:
To raise awareness of TNBC and to support scientists and researchers in their effort to determine the definitive causes of triple negative breast cancer, so that effective detection, diagnosis, prevention and treatment can be pursued and achieved.

Company Overview:
The TNBC Foundation was founded in 2006 in honor of Nancy Block-Zenna, a young woman who was diagnosed at age 35 with TNBC and died 2-1/2 years later in 2007.

In response to Nancy's diagnosis, her close friends launched the TNBC Foundation to raise awareness and support research in the area of TNBC.

Felt good to get a nod from the TNBC Foundation
in support of my fundraising efforts.

A most gracious shout-out to those of you who have contributed already: 

A. Milam, A. Sapp, A. Ayson, 

B. St Clair-Borrero, A. Ayson, E. Ayson, 

E. Yale, H. Shaunty, J. Rollins, J. Allman, 

J. Myers, K. Butvilofsky, L. Birch, 

M. LeRoy, S. Bull, S. Peterson.

As an individual with TNBC, I am touched by your generosity - every one of you. When my request was approved to participate in this fundraiser, there were just 16 days left. -- Just LOOK at what can happen in a couple of weeks! Thank you for your support of this foundation, my fundraising efforts, my spouse, me and my journey, and my family.

There is no "good" cancer to have. It's all bad - the level depending on each person's diagnosis and journey. We are like snowflakes; nobody is exactly alike. Nor may be our treatments in the future. Thank you for supporting a foundation that is trying to unravel the unknowns behind my particular diagnosis.

I plan on meditating about this day and what it means to me at a gong bath tonight. What a great way to process this overwhelming occasion.

a reminder: This fundraising event ends today!

To support the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation by the end of today:

click HERE.

Help Raise Awareness/Funds for TNBC

Now that's a day with which I can identify!

I'm putting out an APB for all you blog followers out there far and wide. Here's the deal: In June 2011, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Boy, that was a day that quite literally rocked my world. What? - Me? Cancer?! Throughout the initial diagnosis and further tests to gain information about what my exact nemesis was...I wanted to learn as much I could about this journey and the sub-type of cancer that was calling my body "home." One statistic I learned early on is that triple negative breast cancers account for about 15% of all breast cancers.

Fast-forward to late January of this year: I found out the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation (TNBCF) is having its inaugural TNBC Day on March 3, 2013. I really wanted to be part of this special day - which I hope continues in future years. So I submitted information about conducting an online awareness/fundraising campaign and was approved a couple of days ago.

Will you please help me meet my goal of raising $3,333 to support this valuable foundation by March 3, 2013? If the answer is yes - or even maybe - please click on the following link to be taken to my official fundraising page: The Ta-ta Times' fundraiser for TNBC. It's a lofty goal and a quick turnaround time, but I'm confident I can make a dent in my goal with your help (and by putting some of our own money where my mouth is, too)!

If you know others that have been diagnosed with triple negative BC, the TNBCF can be a great resource for them - to find information, learn accurate statistics, seek others with the same diagnosis, etc.

A bit about the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation:
The TNBCF was founded in 2006 in honor of Nancy BlockZenna, who was diagnosed at the age of 35 with triple negative breast cancer before succumbing to the disease in 2007. In response to Nancy’s diagnosis, her friends identified a need to create a central source of information for this dangerous and aggressive form of breast cancer, about which little was known just a short time ago. It is the Foundation’s mission to raise awareness of triple negative breast cancer and to support scientists and researchers in their effort to determine the disease’s definitive causes, so that effective detection, diagnosis, prevention and treatment can be pursued and achieved.

The TNBCF supports the triple negative breast cancer community in many ways:
• They host regular “think tanks” which are attended by the top doctors and researchers in the field, to create roadmaps for a cure for triple negative breast cancer.
• They offer research grant support to encourage the launch of projects aimed at finding targeted treatments for triple negative disease.
• They co-sponsor a $6.4 million Promise Grant with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is aimed at finding a targeted therapy for triple negative disease.
• They offer a financial assistance program to help women with triple negative breast cancer afford transportation, child care and other expenses associated with their treatment.
• They continuously expand their website, www.tnbcfoundation.org, and offer an ever-growing resources section and up-to-the-minute information about the disease.
• They host online forums which offer the TNBC community a central place to go for support and information about the disease.
• They offer a TNBC Helpline, where patients can call and speak with oncology social workers specifically trained to address the needs of the TNBC community.
• They work to educate patients about TNBC through teleconferences and webinars, and with printed and online materials that have proven to be essential resources for newly diagnosed patients.

My goal is to raise $3,333 

to support the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation 

by March 3, 2013.

To donate, click HERE.

Yoga

Our yoga class isn't about being a human pretzel.
Silly Stephanie was getting ahead of herself!

I'm taking a weekly yoga class at Oncology Rehab where I also receive lymphatic massages, get help with my range of motion, and take Pilates classes (which I've blogged about before).

Brianna, our yoga sensei.
Her hands are in lotus mudra.

I've found this yoga class to be vital to my mental health. It's easy to see the physical benefits by way of improved flexibility, strength, and posture. I've also gained new confidence with my modified body and its capabilities. The price is fair, the teacher is knowledgeable (about yoga AND survivors' bodies), the "chemosabes" are friendly, and the personal gain is priceless!

Things we learn about and focus on in our classes:

• yoga poses (obvious, but...)
• chakras (locations, elements, colors, meanings)
• being content with what our bodies are able to do that day; each session is different
• breathing techniques
• focusing on yourself; not comparing to others
• hand mudras

What's a mudra? A symbolic gesture involving the hands and fingers.

Brianna's hands are in lotus mudra (above): by touching the base of the palms together, touching the tips of the pinky fingers, and touching the tips of the thumbs together. The inner 3 fingers form a cup to complete the lotus blossom.

The 7 chakras. Click to enlarge.
(source)

This mudra is good for times of loneliness, as an open heart can bring love and companionship back into your life.

In Buddhism, the lotus blossom represents a heart opening. The lotus flower blooms on the surface of water, with its roots deep below in mud—making it a symbol of light and beauty emerging from darkness. The fingers resemble a lotus flower unfolding. Feel connected to your roots, and remember that the greatest source of steadiness in life is an awakened heart. (source)

A beautiful wall
hanging with mudra.
(source)

To add an affirmation to mudras, you can say them (in your head, or everyone's gonna hear you!) on each inhale, such as:

“I open my heart to receive whatever comes my way today.”
"I'm a creative being."
"Every cell inside me vibrates with health and energy."
"I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life."
"Today I'm a kick-a$$ survivor."
"I am satisfied with where I'm at today."
"Loving myself heals my life." 

Still not sold on this new-agey activity? Open yourself up to the possibilities. And get with the times: 1 in 10 Americans practices yoga! Not that I just used the ol' "everybody's doing it" argument or anything ... oops. You don't have to take my word for it, either. Check out this Health Benefits of Yoga infographic. It's not so much graphic as it is information, but the benefits are clear: circulation, stress, heart disease, depression, back pain...the list goes on.

You can even take a moment to focus inward
and practice a mudra while snowshoeing. 

ANYone can come to these yoga classes (meaning able-bodied, modified, radiated, broken, healing, whatever you are). If you live in Colorado, this resource might be just what you're looking for:

Yoga classes at Oncology Rehab

Wednesday evenings  6-7pm

Friday afternoons  1-2pm  

email Brianna : brianna@oncologyrehab.net 

or 

call the front desk : (720) 306-8261

Pinktober is Over

This relevant and thoughtful blog post written by Alexis, a BC survivor, really got my wheels turning at the beginning of October. I had in mind doing some sort of blog post about October being breast cancer awareness month, but wasn't sure how to go about it until I read and digested her post. Awareness can be a double-edged sword.

Metastatic breast cancer
awareness ribbon

I'm sure many readers were aware all of last month was dedicated to breast cancer awareness. How many of you also know that Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day was October 13? Do you know what that ribbon looks like? Check it out----->

FYI: metastasis (meh-TAS-tuh-sis): The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed by cells that have spread is called a “metastatic tumor” or a “metastasis.” The metastatic tumor contains cells that are like those in the original (primary) tumor. The plural form of metastasis is metastases (meh-TAS-tuh-SEEZ). source

Visibility and acceptance of metastatic breast cancer patients is important; they want new treatments that are less toxic and help them live longer. During Pinktober, I can easily see how some of the metastatic breast cancer population feels like the collective "we" have given up on them. After all, what does Pinktober's fundraising really give in the way of support to that subset of breast cancer patients?

Did you know that another type of cancer awareness is also in October? No? (It's liver cancer by the way.) WHY WOULD YOU?!! Everything's gone up in PINK! On Wikipedia, I found a list of ribbon colors and what their awareness meanings are; my head is spinning!

So Pinktober is over...and I'm relieved. It's as though the entire month of October has pinkwashed the world over. And, while it is and has been a fantastic cause (pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness), I believe the message has been received and time, energy, and money could now be arguably better spent on a CURE. Early detection is all good and fine, but it does not equal a cure.

The tip of the rose-colored iceburg:
some pink items, emails, and ridiculousness I ran across in October 2012.
~click to enlarge, some are bound to grip your attention~

I'm appalled at some of the claims of "raising funds for breast cancer research" that some companies use to sell their products. But the most repulsive sales pitch I came across this year was this:

Who thought that was a good idea? Perhaps more importantly...did this sleazy sales schtick actually work? How is it that women will be exploited so that a penny will go for research for every 30 videos men watch? How the heck is this "the most genius initiative to raise money for an important cause"? This is beyond my understanding and tolerance, and is wrong on so many levels.

Even batteries at Home Depot fall prey to the almighty pink.
Thanks, dad, for sending this my way.

Think Before You Pink, a project of Breast Cancer Action, calls for more transparency and accountability by companies that take part in breast cancer fundraising, and encourages consumers to ask critical questions about pink ribbon promotions. Breast Cancer Action is the only national breast cancer organization that does not accept funding from entities that profit from or contribute to cancer, including the pharmaceutical industry.

I encourage you to visit the above links and learn how to become informed about how to make better purchasing decisions by discovering:

• how much money from your purchase goes to support breast cancer programs
• what organization gets the money and how they will use the funds
• if there is a cap on the amount the company will donate
• if this purchase puts you or someone else at risk for exposure to toxins related to breast cancer (or anything else, really!)

That last bullet is a zinger, and you'd be surprised. Then again, maybe not.

What are your thoughts?

Gongs Away!

A month ago today, I attended my first ever gong bath with Ann. It was a unique experience! I'd like to share what I learned about gong baths and some of my observances with you. I'll begin by being upfront with what I thought it would be like - then tell you what it really was like.

What I imagined:

• there would be a ton of gongs there making a bunch of noise - might be good noise; might be bad noise
• there would be lots of granola hippies there
• there might be an uber granola hippie that broke into twirling action during the gong session (think whirling dervishes)     Rach, that reference is for you!
• my ears might not be able to handle the stimulation
• a lot of "energy" speak could happen
• how could I stay still for 90 minutes?
• how could this guy possibly play a gong for 90 minutes??

What I experienced:

There were a handful of hippies there, but nobody quite as airy-fairy as I expected. Okay, except one gal that was pretty spacey and focused on sharing her deep, meaningful experiences (past and present). But this post isn't about her! :) Most folks looked like your average, everyday person. The one thing that you couldn't see that was palpable was that everyone seemed to be there for a reason.

Richard and his gong.

Ann and I got there early to ensure a "good seat" relative to Richard Rudis and his gong setup. "What's a good seat at a gong bath?" I inquired. "Close up!" said Ann. We chose a spot directly behind Richard and his gong. (Truth be told, Ann wanted to semi-spy on Richard during the performance so she could check out his techniques. The sound is also so piercingly crisp up close.) We set up our yoga mats, makeshift pillows, blankets, etc. I learned that the recommended positioning for a gong bath is with your head closest to the gong. As more people came in, they set up their mats in a starburst pattern around Richard.

We used the time before his performance to check out items being sold at the event: Tibetan singing bowls, tingshaws, gantas and vajras, crystals, and special oxygenated water (!). We played every one of the bowls and balked at the prices. We passed the time quickly.

All the lights were turned off before the performance. Richard explained a bit about how his performance would begin, crescendo, and end. And then it began. The tingshaws were used first. Then a singing bowl. Sounds from singing bowls are like chicken noodle soup; they're comforting, warm, and nurturing. They can help settle all the mind chaos and chatter that's bouncing to and fro in your noggin.

HALF of the striking tools used.

Then the gong. Oh, that gong! Who knew a gong could make such a variety of tones and sounds. As you can tell from the pictures here, he had MANY different striking tools to use. It was a cacophony of sounds with the volume waxing and waning. It didn't take long before my brain started floating a sinusoidal path like the gong's sound waves...in and out, high and low, deep relaxation and profound awareness. It was all very cool. (I did have to plug my ears for a few minutes during the ultimate crescendo of the gong.) I imagined that if a gong sound could look like something, it would be a concentric path of sorts.

The other half of the striking tools, a singing bowl
(with a neat fabric cover for transport), and a tingshaw.

The performance came to a close the same way it began; with a singing bowl and the tingshaws. The gong bath concluded with us eating a piece of dark chocolate (70+%) to release endorphins. The entire 90 minutes passed quickly and I felt relaxed and serene afterwards. Would I do it again? -- Absolutely!


More about gong baths:

- If attending a gong bath, you might want to bring:

• a good mat/pad (yoga mat or sleeping/camping pad) lay on - you'll be laying down for the entire experience
• comfortable clothes
• water - always good to stay hydrated
• pillow or other prop for your head - for comfort
• objects to heal - think paper pieces with names of those who need healing, or objects you may want to "cleanse," etc.)
• blanket - your body temperature will decline as you lay there during the experience

- Gong baths are said to positively affect all cells in your body. Sound strange? Check out this video to see and decide for yourself.
- Richard says his gong baths are about empowering people to heal themselves through creating the ground conditions for transformation to occur. The gong helps participants release traumas held in cellular memory and awakens them to an expanded state of consciousness. (Source URL)


More about Richard:
- Read this fairly recent (6/2011) Denver Post article written about Richard, his gong sessions, and how a Buddhist Temple complex changed his life.
- Richard also plays at a place called The Star House in Boulder, CO.

A Reminder

Everyone knows what's being plastered everywhere this month: pink. And you all know why. 'Nuff said. 

Like most people, I tend to be attracted to fun, enjoyable things and shy away from painful stuff. I also like smatterings of cheeky, irreverent stuff too. The video below is a lighthearted (and good looking!) take on breast health. Please watch it (< 2.5 minutes). You can choose to take it one step further and download The Man Reminder app (available on iPhone and Andriod). But really - the best action you can take is to give your breasts some TLC...regularly.

For those of you (female and male) that still have their originals, puh-lease touch, look, and check your boobies! Several times this month, I've ran into several women in the medical field that admit not doing their breast self exams regularly. Why aren't we all more mindful about our own health? Wouldn't it be great to really know your body - so much so that at the first hint of something being "off," you'd recognize it? Being that familiar with your (or your loved one's) boobies can really make a difference, medically speaking.

Sound Healing

Anyone ever heard of sound healing? I hadn't until recently.

Sound healing uses vibrational sound to help reduce stress, alter consciousness and create a deep sense of peace, well being and better health. (from http://www.soundenergyhealing.com/pages/aboutSoundEnergy.html)

Ann, with some of her singing bowls.

Enter Ann, my massage therapist. She's always on the lookout for new therapies that will benefit her clients. One type of client demographic she'd like to be able to include are individuals that are touch sensitive. For example: people with PTSD, fibromyalgia, going through chemo, etc. and are sensitive to touch.

She's educated herself about sound healing and explained its basic principles to me. Interesting stuff! Here's some Q&A she shared with me that I found helpful in understanding the principles of sound healing and how it works.

The Science of Sound
Brainwaves are the electrical patterns emitted by the brain, and, as such, they respond to frequencies. These waves change frequency due to the neural activity in the brain. Sound Therapy can affect that activity by applying specific frequencies using various instruments. When we present rhythm, beats, tones, and pulses to the brain, it begins to mimic them. The process is called entrainment. In effect, the sound instruments ‘speak’ to the brain in its own language; the language of frequencies. Brainwave frequencies determine what state we are in at any given moment.

When clients turn their attention to the sounds created in the sessions, the brain-chatter turns off and a deep peace overtakes them. We can use sound therapy to achieve specific goals, ie: relaxation, learning, uplifting, energizing and so on.

How do the vibrations from the singing bowls help in the healing process disease?
1. Restoring the normal vibratory frequencies of the diseased, out-of-harmony parts of the body. Since all matter is energy vibrating at different rates, by altering the rate of vibration we can change the structure of matter.
2. Sound from the bowls entrain the brain to move into the deeper Alpha and Theta brain wave frequencies that induce deep meditative and peaceful states, clarity of mind, and intuition.
3. When placed directly on the body the sound vibrations are transmitted into our blood, organs, tissues, and cellular memory through the 80% water in our system.
4. The sound vibrations impact our nervous system, engaging our relaxation reflex and inhibiting the stress or pain response. It reduces brain wave activity, slows the respiratory and heart rate creating 'Cardio-Respiratory Synchronicity'—the perfect condition to bring the body back into alignment.
5. Sound induces trance states of consciousness conducive to healing. Their sound synchronizes sentient brain waves and creates a therapeutic effect upon the mind/body realization. They stop one's internal dialog, the 'Monkey Mind.' The individual is transported into a space of tranquility and balance.
6. The ensuing sympathetic resonance between brain and bowls reawakens the intrinsic blissful self in us. The healing process is initiated by entraining our brainwaves and creating sympathetic resonance with the perfect vibrations of the bowls.
7. Positive thinking can strengthen your immune system and change your life. The combination of the sound vibration of the bowls with positive visualization and affirmations will greatly enhance the healing experience.

More about Ann's Sound Sessions

Ann uses a variety of instruments during her sound healing sessions.

-tibetan bowls
-tuning forks
-crystal bowls
-rin gongs
-tingshaws
-temple bells
-gongs

After a healing session last week, I experienced a profound difference in my mental state. Before the appointment, I was zipping here and there, trying to juggle errands, remember what to do, etc. I was a bit frantic and frazzled - a common status for my brain the past few weeks. It was as if the sound waves and my brain patterns wrestled for a while at the beginning of the session, but the singing bowls won in the end. They calmed down all my mind chatter and I felt SO MUCH MORE at peace!  It was wonderful and brought me back to a place I hadn't been in a while.

Partly based on my peaceful mind experience after the sound session, I'm saying "Yes!" to going to a 1.5 hour gong bath this weekend with Ann. Hope to experience some good vibrations during and after Richard Rudis' gong bath.

Ann Martin, CMT

Transforming Body, Psyche & Soul

303-378-6250