breast cancer

Day 112: Estrogen, ovaries, menopause… depression… ooooh my…

Day 112: Estrogen, ovaries, menopause… depression… ooooh my…

dontoverayactOk, so I have to admit, it took me a few weeks to call my gynecologists office and for the first time in this process actually felt genuinely depressed.  I mean, facing instant menopause is not a fun prospect… a quick google search gives you this lovely list of 35 side effects or symptoms of menopause.  But as I mentioned in my previous post, the whole to have or not to have a child question was the big one rolling around in my head.  I am now 44.  At 44 I have no business having a child really.  So, finally I decided that if I am going to have my ovaries removed, I will inquire about freezing my eggs (btw – not a lot of studies on freezing the eggs of someone my age… yeah… that doesn’t make me feel ancient or anything… I could do a whole post on how depressing that was…).  The egg freezing option is what finally got me to pick up the phone and schedule the appointment.

During this little depression break, many friends have tried to assuage my concerns about menopause with stories about how it isn’t “that” bad.  Well perhaps not if it is your body doing it’s natural thing.  But seriously… this is one minute you have all your hormones and snippity snip, next you don’t.  The body doesn’t have an opportunity to adjust, it is instant AND you don’t get to supplement, because the whole point is to make you estrogen free.  Funny side bar, my little brother asked me, “Isn’t that what makes you.. you know… girly and stuff?  You are already pretty masculine… I mean assertive… what Continue reading →

Day 91: Surgeon’s final follow-up

SmokinHotBodyAfter my meetings with the medical team at the cancer clinic, I had my final follow-up with my surgeon… the original one… I know… it is confusing for me too.

My surgeon really had hoped that the cancer center would have talked me into radiation and chemotherapy.  I know he will be disappointed.

I get into his office, and sit down.  He smiles wryly and says, Continue reading →

Day 79-80: Decision Time…

Day 79-80: Decision Time…

This is a long one… 2 days 5 doctors, 2 nurses and a resident.  Yep it’s been busy.  However, before I write it all up, there are a few disclosures I want to toss out there:

  1. My cancer and diagnosis is not like the cancer and diagnosis of anyone else… and as such, no one has the same cancer situation as I do.  I think it is really important for people to do their own due diligence, my decision is mine solely and not intended to influence anyone else.
  2. If you are a doctor and reading this, please remember you treat a human with a life they likely rather enjoyed prior to the diagnosis – you are not treating a disease but a person.
  3. I have said since the beginning that quality trumps quantity for me personally.

That being said… here we go – Continue reading →

Day 72: Knitted knocker test drive…

Day 72: Knitted knocker test drive…

I decided to give the knitted knockers a whirl today.  I have to thank my mother in law Joyce for making these for me.  It is strange on so many levels.  Where to start…

Size for the day: C two sizes smaller than the original set I had grown all myself…

I have strange sensations Continue reading →

Day 67-68: Dark clouds roll in…

Day 67-68: Dark clouds roll in…

It’s been a particularly rough weekend, as I think about it, weekends in general do seem the hardest.  I don’t think it is necessarily any one thing, in fact, I would say that during the week I can easily find a singular thing to focus on and tackle.  However, during the weekend, it all comes together and I just bet you that we could name those dark clouds Continue reading →

Day 65: Did you have a vitamin injection?

Day 65: Did you have a vitamin injection?

So I met with the naturopathic oncologist for a little over two hours.  Met… Maybe interrogated is a better way to put it… As you all know I have been doing my research.

I was excited to talk with him about approaching treatment from this perspective, not just alternative but more preventative.  Since I am swimming in “ifs.”  He says, “You mean treat it as if surgery were a success and not as if surgery was a failure.”  

Why yes… That is what I mean!

Now this naturopathic oncologist works with my first medical oncologist.  I say first because I do have the SCCA consult coming up…

We talked about a number of things, such as breast cancer being attributed to two primary things, inflammation and high blood viscosity.  (Guess who has high blood viscosity?). 

We talked sleep and melatonin (I wrote a previous blogpost on the research of melatonin and Cancer.). 

We also talked about removing all EMF producing devices from the bedroom.  Now before you chuckle about that one, it’s worth a little research.

We talked about vitamin D.

We talked about baby aspirin, which is now next to the daily vitamins and I am taking it daily.  Not just for my high blood viscosity but because it’s been clinically proven to reduce recurrence by up to 60% and metastasis by up to 70% by causing apoptosis, acting as a systemic anti-inflammatory agent, inhibiting the growth of tumor blood vessels, and recent studies show that aspirin may slow down normal cells mutations.

We also talked about a number of other treatments and possibilities, including:

Iodoral, which is an iodine/potassium iodide supplement.  Interesting to note where we store iodine and how shortages affect the body.  

Iscador injections, which has been used in Germany since the 1920’s and has good clinical trial data to support the claim of doubling life expectancy for those who use it ongoing.

Laetrile (amygdalin) which is made from apricot seeds and clinically proven to reduce growth and spread of cancer cells and encourage apoptosis.

We also talked about green tea.

I had the question about estrogens.  Since my cancer is estrogen positive, conventional treatment recommends 5-7 years on an aromatase inhibitor, which has such terrible side effects the medical oncologist admitted very few people finish the recommended 5-7 years.  My question is – why not just remove my ovaries and supplement with a photo estrogen?  If I follow conventional treatment recommendations, my body will be kicked into a chemically induced and chemically sustained early menopause.  If the drugs are that terrible on the body and estrogen producing organs are to rendered useless anyway, why not remove them?  This isn’t conversation I will have with my surgeon and medical oncologist as well.  But back to the “other estrogens” – estrogen receptor positive cancers have a hunger for estrogen and a special estrogen receptor.  Apparently, the phytoestrogens can fill that receptor and block it from receiving estrogen created by the body.  I need to more research here, but already it has my mind spinning.  I had asked the naturopathic oncologist about red clover as I have read positive studies on red clover and cancer, interestingly it is also one of the best phytoestrogens for pre menopausal women – soy being a better option for post menopausal women.

Finally, we talked about exercise.  Which I am excited to get back into a routine with.

So, as I went to schedule my follow up with both the medical oncologist and the naturopathic oncologist that team at the front desk says to me. “WOW! Did you just have a vitamin injection? You are just GLOWING!”

I laughed and said, “Nope, this is what hope looks like.”

Day 63: Look good feel better, SCCA, fellow warriors and Danger Girl……

Danger GirlDay 63: Look good feel better, SCCA, fellow warriors and Danger Girl……

Attended a “Look Good Feel Better” session with my new friend and fellow warrior Danna.  The session was good, though odd in some ways.  It is interesting the focus on how important for women it is to not look sick or tired when I imagine you are feeling sick or tired.  I couldn’t help but wonder if men are given the same pep talk… but I digress.  Warning this post is feeling like it is going to do that a lot.  🙂

In addition to make-up tips, we talked wigs and the chill you get when you no longer have hair covering your head.  So there are night caps – you know like the illustrations in the old Charles Dickens books.  Who knew?   The modern versions are little less pointy.  We also talked about how to draw your eyebrows back on in a way that does not look drawn on and then my big BIG BIG concern… Continue reading →

Day 62: Fighting for your joy…

Day 62: Fighting for your joy…

I have mentioned that cancer feels like a second job, all the research, appointments, decisions… I suppose you could say that fighting for your joy is a third job.  Cancer will do what it can to try and steal it away with the chaos and fear it causes.  It could just be adjusting to the new normal as this new theme dominates parts of your day, many of your thoughts and inserts itself into almost every conversation.  Of course that is the part that goes mostly unseen and unnoticed by the outside world.  Daily you Continue reading →

Day 61: Data…

Day 61: Data…

So in addition to researching alternative treatments I am also looking at success rates of chemotherapy for breast cancer. Gotta admit, I am a wee bit less than enamored with what I am finding.

According to the table below and the report from the Royal College of Radiologists which this table comes from, we are talking about a Continue reading →