Year end review

(1). Discovery

How : During a routine examination her doctor noticed it had been 10 years since her last mammogram. When he discovered this she insisted that my wife make arrangments for the procedure immediately.

When : Two days after the initial exam, they had her mammagram set up to do, it was during this procedure that they encountered the mass. The Doctor from the Breast Center suggested a biopsy of the mass A.S.A.P.

What : Upon doing the biopsy of the tissue from the mss she was informed that she did indeed have cancerous cells and they were in a very aggressive state.

(2). Treatment
Once the initial discovery had been made, the process of deciding how best to treat was the next step. Further tests were made and measurements taken to best guide the surgeon's decision between a full mastectomy or a lumpectomy procedure. it was decided that the best alternative was a lumpectomy followed by a chemotherapy regimen and finally 33 radiation treatments.

Choices : During this time the consideration of the full mastectomy with less chemotherapy and radiation, versus the lumpectomy and a more intense regimen of chemo/radiation.

Decisions : The biggest decision she faced at this point was to decide between mastectomy or lumpectomy. The mastectomy has a higher rate of success and less recurrence, but is also a much larger removal of tissue. Due to the small percentage increase my wife chose the lumpectomy. her thought being if she should have a recurrence that she would then have the mastectomy.

Outcome : The surgery went well and had no complications. She was able to come home just a few hours after the surgery. Roughly 72 hours after her surgery her surgeon called and informed her that he needed to go back into the original site and remove another 1.4 centimeters of tissue. There had evidently been some mistake in calculating how far to go with the actual removal of tissue. I did question this occurrence but it seems that it is common for this to happen since there is no real way of knowing how far the cancer cells have spread without actually going into the area and taking samples of cell growth.
Now with the scheduled surgery behind her, her only real complaint was that the area was a lot more sensitive and painful the second time through
(3). Now & Then

Changes : There have been several changes that had to be made during and after this whole process. In fact almost everything that my wife did had to have new ways of doing them. some of these changes have proved to be major permanent improvements, while some other have only been temporary fixes for temporary discomforts.
Permanent
Temporary

(4). Family +/-
Family members had some very wide ranging emotions and actions once they had been informed, some that were less knowledgeable about the events, even seemed totally oblivious to the fact.

Reactions : Reactions from family members ranged from indifference to caring to fear. One particular family member that was also one of my wifes part time employers Laid her off the day after she was diagnosed because she says” I can’t have you dying in my shop”. In the same week another family member, not only had shown her great support and caring but also, offered the two of us various alternative sources of income performing services that she required help with anyway.

(5). Strangers +/-
Many total strangers would react to my wife with a great caring and compassion , while others would totally avoid her to the point of not even looking her way. Once her hair was gone we had two very odd and yet sad encounters, with drug seekers asking her in the street to sell them pain medications. The first of these occurrences came while we were outside doing some yard work and cleaning up when a old red chevy chevette approached and stopped beside the two of us and proceeded to explain that they knew her doctors had given her some “GOOD” pain drugs and was actually begging and pleading with her to sell her meds. At this point I just told the man to leave while he still could leave, he yelled a few obscenities and left, needless to say I still watch for this vehicle and the bunch of junkies that was in it.

                  

Eating Healthy and Saving Some Dollars.

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246 Healthy Recipes (That Won't Break the Bank) | Greatist

Photo's of Awareness, thanks everyone.

Since beginning this journey with my wife I have seen some of the most unique ways to show support.  

I wanted to share some of these as I think they are a wonderfully whimsical way to share awareness for a very serious problem. I intend to update this each time I find something that really stands out to me as a unique form of support.

Thanks Team Awesome

Today's post is basically to give thanks to all those people that helped to guide us on this journey thus far. We are nearing the end of the radiation treatment, and none to soon I might add. My wife is really becoming tired from all the ongoing treatments and a forever string of appointments and meds.I know she is looking ahead to when a small break in the action may occur. Here towards the end of the treatments, she has become a little less than excited about the process, but the two ladies assigned to her case have really helped to fight off the depressive thoughts and energy.
Today marks the beginning of the end of radiation treatments for my wife, she will have been through a total of 33 treatments over the past weeks. This has been a long hard journey through these ongoing breast cancer battlefields. I have to say I am proud of my wife for facing all this as she has, she is a fighter and a winner. I pray everyone that reaches for help in this kind of situation can be as fortunate as she has in finding, a community option for treatment and support. The Harbin Breast Center
Harbin Clinic is a team composed of more than 200 providers and 1,400 employees in 20 locations throughout North West Georgia. But this is only part of the team. Approximately 1,000 other physicians not directly associated with Harbin Clinic from throughout North West Georgia and Alabama regularly refer patients to Harbin Clinic and collaborate on care.
Hospitals, diagnostic centers, insurance plans, and other health care organizations throughout the region coordinate services and work with Harbin cancer doctors. For patients at the Harbin Clinic Cancer Center, this broad team approach to cancer care improves outcomes. From the development of a shared electronic medical record to the recruitment of world-class doctors, Harbin Clinic continues to provide patient-care leadership in the region.
The individual team members at Harbin are some of the best I have ever encountered, the techs assigned to my wife's treatment have made her very comfortable in an un-comfortable situation. I have secretly named these two ladies "Team Awesome", they have given my wife so very much support and guidance. The caring they exhibit is far beyond what I have seen in the past in most health care environments, not to mention an environment such as cancer treatment. So this is my thanks to all of the people involved and especially to Team Awesome (Kristine & Michelle), thank you so very much!

Wrapping up the radiation treatments.

We are approaching the end of the radiation treatments, as of today she has 7 left. The last seven treatment wil be of a slightly higher intensity and in a tigher burst, but for the same amount of time each time. They did say to expect the side effect to become a little worse. The whole process has actually been a little less horrifing than I originally thought. I really have to thank the whole staff at Harbin for all there support and knowledge they have given us along the way. The two radiation techs assigned to my wife are very caring and concerned with all there patients. They take care of everyone like they are family, and answer any questions to the best of their ability. I like the fact if they don't know something they don't give her some lame pat answer. In this case they research and help us to research the answers. In this post I have brought some photos of the equipment used. I was able to gain access to these pictures with the help of the staff. I do want it to be known that the public isn't allowed to just walk around and take photos inside the clinic. These were taken only while the areas were unoccupied, and with the full knowledge of the staff. I must offer great thanks to the two ladies that guided us through the photograph and even took a few for me in places I couldn't go, the one I chose to post here today was in fact not taken by me.

New items we like.

New Breast Cancer and Awareness items we've come across.

Radiation, what should she expect?

After completing the last round of chemo we begin the countdown to radiation.  She has already been to a preliminary visit to have special pillow formed to perfectly fit her to insure proper aim of the radiation. I wasn't allowed to be present during this measuring and forming process so I really don't have the full details of what exactly occurs. I will ask her to give me a step by step of what was done later and share it with you at a later time. We are aware that there will be some superficial skin damage similar to that of a burn. We were also told to expect some nausea similar to the chemo, I do hope it isn't as severe since the treatment are so short. I may well very well be kidding myself and her but just from what I have seen from the outside I do think she will tolerate the radiation better than the chemo. I just hope what I think turns out right not only for her but others of you facing the same procedures.

                          

Today marks the nine (9) days out since her last chemo and six (6) days out since her last nuepogen injection. She as of yet hasn't lost her voice to the point she did after the last infusion. I think this was due to a two day break away from the nuepogen upon restarting that particular treatment. I will say the flu like symptoms were a little worse.  The symptoms seemed more severe but of a shorter duration.

Now begins the onslaught of a new set of unknowns. We met the Radiation Oncology doctor, he went over the basic detail of the process but there is still more I do not yet understand fully. I will say as with most of the other doctors his primary concern was to ride my wife about smoking. She full well knows the effect of smoking but she also knows that she will not quit unless SHE decides to. I do understand their concerns but I also understand how angery she becomes when the continually hound her on this subject. I do sometime wonder which is worse for her.

I will be back again soon with another update of our journey anyone reading this that would like to ask or share anything please feel free.

Finishing? Chemo ; Independence Day

This is the week my wife finishes her chemotherapy. It's seems to me a very ironic and strangely pleasing that the end of this step in my wife's treatment is falling in the general time of Independence Day. I do feel a certain sense of new independence, and relief. I know the road ahead is still going to be eventful and unknown, but I am very thankful that this particular ordeal is over. I must say this experience has both changed and reinforced some of my views of healthcare facilities in general. It is a well know fact that, King Hostile doesn't "DO" doctors. To my much appreciated surprise I found several of the professionals the did and did not fit in my normal Medical Clowns categories. I found the particular group from the infusion center to be caring and compassionate. I know everyone that goes through this must be as worried and confused as my wife and myself. I found it very odd that even a lot of the actual doctors showed little or no care in the questions that were foremost important to us. I got more information about the real effects and whats to be expected from the crew at the infusion center, than from any other source we had available.
     I am so thankful that this process has been a lot easier for her than I had imagine. I guess it's always best to pray for the best and expect the worst and reality falls somewhere in between. Still at this point she has yet to lose control of her nausea to point of vomiting. She was very set on being one of the few, if not the only person, to go through this process without vomiting. i still don't really understand why this was so important to her but I am glad she achieved this goal if she wanted to. The last treatment falls where she will miss one of the Nuepogen shots that she is given after each treatment. Today being Independence day the breast center is closed so she will begin the regime again tomorrow. I will relate how this affects her treatment in a later post.
     That's all for now I think I will take the rest of the day to relax with my wife, and play some 8 Ball on Google game with her.

Luck

Luck

 Luck is relative -- still, I choose wisely and am not alone. 


Whenever I envision, expect and choose great things, I will then and only then identify, pursue, and experience great things. 


My options are always open and I will acknowledge emotional clutter or unrealistic expectations. 
I am empowered by a desire for understanding and my gift is opportunity or epiphany.

Chemo.5

   I chose to title this post as  Chemo.5  since we are at the half way point in my wife's battle to overcome the cancer that has invaded her life. The treatments she has been receiving, are well underway, with all the expected side effects in place. Since the complete loss of her hair she actually seems to be adjusted to these "side effects. The first treatment seemed to be more of a mental  hurry up and wait program. She spent the majority of her time after the first treatment waiting to see what the effects would be. So far as expected she has had the hair loss, nausea, headaches and a lot of tiredness.

 

   I will say that so far she has yet to become so nauseated that she vomits. This was on of the things my wife has all but refused to accept, she swears she is going to go through the entire therapy and never vomit, and so far she has held on to that thought and has been successful in doing so. Because of this fact we have a running joke going around saying "Ma is a Gangster, not even Cancer can touch her!".

I do hope she can make it through the entire therapy just like she wants to. I think the little goals she set for herself like that tend to help her maintain a hold on what she has to do and what she needs to do in order to overcome this obstacle we call Cancer.

   There are 3 shots she must take after each treatment they are given to her (1) one a day for (3) three days. These Neupogen shots, seem to cause her more suffering than any of the other treatments involved, including the actual lumpectomy. The shots cause her severe bone pain and headaches. she has said that bone pain and nausea almost seems to trade out after the shots, then about  (5) days after the shots, pain gets a little better and the nausea tends to take back over.

Cancer in the Community

Cancer in the Community 

This post is just a simple heads up and thanks to the ones that have really been supportive and informative.

The Lydia Project

Lydia's free services are meant for women currently facing cancer. Receive support for yourself or any woman currently receiving treatment for any type of cancer anywhere in the world by using the buttons to the right to request a tote, prayer, or support.

The Challenges/Situations Lydia Addresses:

Women with cancer
Suffer with depression and feelings of isolation; are afraid to share their fears with family and friends; and seek out tools and other survivors to help them cope with their emotions during this time of crisis.

Caregivers and Loved Ones
Struggle with what to do or say to comfort the woman in their life with cancer; search for tangible signs of comfort and support to give to the cancer patient; and need a safe place to discuss their fears and emotions about their loved one.

Health care Providers
Look for places of referral for cancer patients and families to find emotional and spiritual support; desire to show compassion, empathy and community support to the cancer patient; and value practical tools that complement medical treatment.

Cancer Navigators

You received the diagnosis, and you have begun your journey. Now what...?

Maybe you have done just fine on your own until now...Or maybe you have had wonderful friends or family that have been a wonderful helping hand.

Now, Imagine someone who has been through cancer a dozen times, maybe even a hundred times.

Wouldn’t you want to know what they know? Wouldn’t you want to learn the secrets and shortcuts?

Imagine someone who wants to help you with your financial situation?

Maybe you have no insurance and you need help paying for bills, medicine or even food.

Maybe you are having trouble finding transportation to your treatments, or to the grocery store.

Imagine someone who knows the answers to all the questions you forgot to ask while you were at your appointment.

Wouldn’t it be nice to get those answers with one phone call?

Cancer Navigators is this help...

Harbin Breast Center

Harbin Clinic is a team composed of more than 200 providers and 1,400 employees in 20 locations throughout North West Georgia. But this is only part of the team. Approximately 1,000 other physicians not directly associated with Harbin Clinic from throughout North West Georgia and Alabama regularly refer patients to Harbin Clinic and collaborate on care.

Hospitals, diagnostic centers, insurance plans, and other health care organizations throughout the region coordinate services and work with Harbin cancer doctors. For patients at the Harbin Clinic Cancer Center, this broad team approach to cancer care improves outcomes.

From the development of a shared electronic medical record to the recruitment of world-class doctors, Harbin Clinic continues to provide patient-care leadership in the region.

Closing Doors???

"Sometime we concentrate on closing doors, to the point we don't see others when they open."

Sometime we concentrate on closing doors, to the point we don't see others when they open. I have heard this saying many times throughout my life yet really until rec3ently I had really not understood fully how true this really is. The discovery of my wife's cancer lead to her being able to finally receive some of the other much needed health care she has needed before the discovery. Her insurance only covers certain things and some of her problems were not covered. We have since found many systems of support in place for cancer victims and survivors. Many of these places offer counseling, financial aide, and even transportation to and from the multiple visits that are required to various health care facilities. We only took part in the programs we truly needed as not to over tax the system for others with the same needs. I can only hope others in the system try also to observe this practice in order to keep these entities in place since they do so very much good for the community they serve.

One of the other doors that opened seems to be opened since this discovery is a newly rekindled closeness to her father. Without going into great detail since our marriage my wife's father had for the most part dis-owned her. It had been over 10years since they had spoken face to face. I was very proud to have been present when he did appear at her hospital room door with a smile for her and even a few kind words. I do believe there are more "opening doors" to come and I do believe they will be very important and much needed.

Chemo begins.

First treatment in a series of 4(four) 4,30,2012 
In the visit prior to beginning her chemo therapy, we were introduced to the nurse that would be in charge of my wife's treatment throughout the entire series of treatments. I think that is a very important detail to keep the same person throughout. In all honesty this is one of the first things I have been really pleased to learn about. It seems a lot of the people providing these services really have no idea of any background or personal connection with their patients. That is not the case when your introduced into the Harbin Clinic Infusion Suites. Each case is designated one nurse, In our recent visit we were introduced my wife's case manager, "Sheri". I was very impressed with Sheri, she seems to have a lot more "REAL" experience with the patients than the doctors themselves do. One of the things I noticed most about her in relation to some of the other "professionals" we have met in this journey, is her ability to actually listen and at least try to answer the questions both my wife and myself have. I have in several instances asked questions of several of care givers we have encountered to only be given what I refer to as "pat" answers. I can say without any doubt, out of all of the others thus far involved in my wife's treatment, Sheri has never once given us a"pat" answer.

During this same visit we were told exactly what to expect from each following visit and how to prepare for them. Preparation for each visit is as important as the chemo itself. Each visit requires her to prepare by taking a powerful anti nausea medication twice a day one(1) day before, on the day of, and one(1) day after each treatment. Following each treatment she will receive one(1) shot per day for 3 to 5 days following the chemo, these shots help to increase her white blood count to aid in the healing process.

Each treatment begins with the first IV being another form of nausea medication, it takes around sixty(60) minutes for the first infusion to take place. Once the first infusion is completed then the first infusion of the actual chemo therapy medication can begin, this particular infusion takes only about thirty(30) minutes to complete. During this second infusion the nurse stays with my wife for the first (15) minutes to insure she has no ill reactions to the medication. We had been informed that around 12% of the people receiving this type of chemo therapy will have an adverse reaction that must be addressed immediately, requiring the nurses full attention be on her patient during this time. once this bag of medication is received she receivers the final infusion of the day it is the secondary part of the actual chemo therapy, this again takes around sixty(60) minutes to complete.

Upon our return home from the first treatment my wife seems to be in fair condition she, didn't really become nauseous until about 12 hours after her treatment. Thus far her side effects have been minimal, more so worry and and fear of the unknown has affected her the most.