Breast Cancer and Tattoos

More and more we hear about women covering their cancer and especially their mastectomy scars with beautiful vibrant tattoos.  I for one was dead set on getting a tattoo when I was healed enough.  I didn't know where I was going to put it but I wanted a breast cancer ribbon tattoo to remind me to stay strong and kick cancers ass. 
As a breast cancer patient we go through horrible treatments that often times leaves a lot of physical and emotional scars.  I felt all hacked up like a female Frankenstein between all the scars from chemo burning my veins, the port scar, the IV scars, the 16 inch mastectomy scar was a bad one that bothered me a lot.  Not to mention the baldness, the radiation burns I did not think there was Anything pretty about my body other then it was still alive. 
Those scars were forced upon me, I didn't want them, they were a necessary evil, of the sickness that had invaded my body, like scars from war on a soldier.
I knew I wanted a "pretty scar"  a tattoo is in my total control, I can get one or not.  With all the ugliness of my cancer scars I had to have one I could smile about and that was "pretty".
Now I ended up having reconstruction to my breast and chose to have a pink breast cancer ribbon over a cross on my right wrist as I lost my right breast.  Every time I look down I am reminded that God got me through this once, He can do so again and it gives me the strength I need.  It is very pretty and I do not regret it at all.
I do not think that we as society has the right to judge a woman who has beat this awful horrible disease for her choice to cover her chest in beautiful tattoos to cover the scar of her war wounds.  We should empower our fellow women for their bravery in their war on breast cancer and support them if they choose to memorialize their loss of limb with a tattoo.

What Cancer Cannot Do

WHAT CANCER CANNOT DO

It cannot cripple love,

it cannot shatter hope,

It cannot corrode faith,

It cannot destroy peace,

It cannot kill friendships,

It cannot suppress memories,

It cannot silence courage,

It cannot invade the soul,

It cannot steal eternal life,

It cannot conquer the spirit.

*Author Unknown

Beat cancer with nutrition

I don't know about you, but as a cancer patient and mom I don't want to let my body down and give my cancer any chance to grow or survive.  I need to know that I have done Everything I can to kick cancers ass out of my body for good!!!!


I am a big believer in supplementing medicine with nutrition or natural assistance along with meds, treatments like chemo or radiation, surgery your body needs the right nutrients in order to become or stay strong and thrive.


About 6 months after I was diagnosed with my breast cancer I started researching cancer and nutrition.  I wanted to know where I went wrong and how to change it and even build a better and stronger body in order to ward off and kill cancer.


Here is a list of the best cancer fighting foods:


Vegetables: dark greens like kale, spinach, asparagus, kelp/seaweed, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sprouts, beets, tomatoes, onions, (yuck I HATE onions, so I supplement garlic), carrots, avocado, yams


Fruits: the darker in color the better: black berries, blue berries, strawberries, cherries, apples, cantaloupe, red grapes, oranges, plum and bananas


Grains: whole grains, multi-grains, barley, oats, wheat, and Ezekial bread, wheat pastas, brown rice

Meats: fish is good, for poultry and red meat non-hormonal and antibiotic free is best and DON'T burn!!!  chard meat releases natural cancer causers and you could be eating your way to cancer


Other: Green Tea is awesome!, black tea and coffee in moderation, water, alkaline water, ginger,


****ALWAYS CHECK YOUR DIET WITH YOUR ONCOLOGIST!!!! SOY IS BAD FOR ER POSITIVE BREAST CANCER BUT GOOD FOR OTHERS SO ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR ONCOLOGIST!!!!


Hope this helps :)  message me for good books on this topic

Your family and your cancer

When you have cancer you do not go through it alone.  Everyone around you is affected by your diagnosis.  You will or have already heard from your doctors mention family and caregivers, these are the people who will take you to and from appointments, go with you, help take care of you when you are sick from chemo or home recuperating from surgery.  There are books that help cancer patients talk to their family, and especially children about cancer and how it could affect them and their lives.  There are also programs to help caregivers which can be a family member, friend, nurse, home health aid, etc. 
The one going through cancer, like me must not forget that their loved ones are going through hell too and need extra hugs, and appreciation. 
My mom took the news of my cancer really hard, I am her baby girl, her first born and miracle baby.  We were both so shocked that I had it, breast cancer was no were in her side of her family or my dads unless a woman had it and didn't know.  My mom offered to cry with me, she took me to try on wigs and even brought me groceries one time and hasn't stopped praying that I will be cured for good! 
My dad was my cheerleader always reminding me that we will get through this and that I am a fighter, strong and tough.
My husband was shocked, and worried at first and since then he has been my champion he has no doubt in his mind that I won't beat this and totally kick cancer's ass.
But my kids.  Kids are the hard one, they get worried, worry when you are sick from chemo, worried when you go into the hospital for surgery, worry when they see your bald head. (will dedicate a post strictly about cancer and kids)
Even the pets are affected.  My big beautiful pit bull mix dog was so sweet and gentle with me after chemo, radiation and all of my operations, my cat has been so affectionate and sticks close to me when I don't feel well and stays by my side when I am recovering from surgery.  They can smell the poison of chemo and radiation, they can sense illness and wounds when humans can't.
So don't forget your family, thank them for their support and love, they are a part of you as you are a part of them too.

Health Insurance Companies part 1

Ok getting on my soapbox for a bit tonight. 

Why is it when big insurance companies reap our hard earned money monthly paid to them directly from our employers and such regularly no matter what and that employer sponsored portion of the monthly premium do they make it so damn difficult should we dare to get sick and need high priced medical tests?

How are they the insurance company which lets tell the truth is just a service provider get to deny us the proper tools for diagnosis???  Is the insurance company a doctor?  And even if they have a doctor on staff what kind?  Honestly have they consulted with various medical teams from all over the country in EVERY medical field to find out what kind of trends and needs of their insurers are? 

Fact: Breast cancer is affecting  women younger and younger now, and there are genetic tests that can be done to help women do their best to minimize their risk of such cancer!  I was 35 when diagnosed with 2 forms of breast cancer and she had to Fight the insurance company to get me a mammogram.  We should not have to fight for our health!  And as for as Obama's heathcare act ..... we will see what happens.

Our health should NOT be a luxury, it's a God given Right!  We have children and spouses and friends and family to live for, we shouldn't have to battle the damn insurance companies as well as a disease, whatever disease that may be!

Ok I think I am done venting now :)  thanks :)

Wig or no wig?

As a girl/woman it's hard for us to lose our hair to chemo.  Sure we can beat the heck out if it in our youth, dye it different colors, bleach it blond, cut it short, shag it, grow it long, blow out, tease, hair spray, hot oil you name it and in the name of beauty we will do it to our hair.  But shave it bald??? Only the crazy celebrities do that, for a role or for attention.  But no self respecting professional girl or woman would actually choose to be bald for no good reason.  Unfortunately it is a very all too common side effect to most chemo treatment.  I am no exception.  I had 5 rounds of extremely aggressive chemo before my mastectomy in November 2011 and 4 rounds after the surgery ending in March of 2012.  As my oncologist predicted I started to lose my hair after the second treatment.  I cut my hair short to prepare for the loss, at the time I cut it my hair was past my shoulders I cut it about 4 1/2 inches to above my shoulders.  My mom took me wig shopping in Orange County, holy cow a simple one styles like Lisa Rinna's hair was over $300!!! Holy shit!  Well that was fun, I started to look in my own area in Riverside and found very affordable wigs at a local beauty supply/salon, I ended up buying two, one long like the hair I had just cut and another a cute bob that was more reddish-brown and fun.  I actually got tons of compliments on my short wig all the time.  I didn't go completely bald, I had about 1/2 an inch of hair so I looked like a newborn baby with a buzz cut! LOL  But I did lose all my hair on my arms, legs armpits, etc. So I got to go through the whole summer and fall without having to shave anything!  That was nice.
Truth- wigs are HOT, wigs are ICHY!!  I don't know how women do it, who actually choose to wear wigs all the time!  I have a love/hate relationship with my wigs :)
But in the end I really prefer my own hair.  Your hair can start growing back within 30 days of your last chemo treatment and mine was textbook, I originally had straight dark brown hair with red tints, and fine, and it came in course, curly and GREY!!!!  Ok started dying it right away, I am in my middle 30s I just had to lose my hair I am SO not going grey!  Give a Girl A Break!!!
I still have my wigs even though I have my hair back to more of a normal as it's been 18 months without chemo.  And I will be so Pissed off if I have to lose it again since my cancer came back 2 months ago and if the hormone treatments don't work to stop it, then it's radiation and possibly chemo again!  I pray the hormone treatments work, I really don't want to go for a ride on the chemo train again.  But I know I am strong enough to do it if I have to, and of course I reserve the right to bitch about it if I have to go through it :).
In the end if you have to get a wig, enjoy it and channel your inner Cher and just go with it. :)

Attitude

Cancer is a bitch that's a fact. Little known secret to surviving the cancer storm is to be a bitch right back!  I was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 3 two years ago.  So far it's been a roller coaster for sure.  When the doctor told me to have a positive attitude my mind was blank, positive hmmmmm I got nothing, I'm not a everything is rainbows and unicorns kind of person.  I told the doctor my idea of a positive attitude is " let's kick cancers ass!" I won't let this beat me before I beat it up first! So with my kick cancers ass attitude and bottle of wine I bravely entered my cancer journey.  There has been laughter, tears, anger and hope along the way. I think I would rather have Dorothy's "lions and tigers and bears" oh my :)