31 Days: Is it the Letrozole ?

This is Day 24 of my 31 days of breast cancer awareness. 

 

I am on day 3 of Letrozole and am wondering if all the fatigue is from the drug, or am I catching something.

This morning I slept in until 10:00 AM. I have been sleeping longer since radiation began and finished, but never this late. And now it is only 9 pm and I've been yawning and very tired for the last couple of hours. I guess the next few days will be tell tale.

Be sure to check back tomorrow. I have been asked to be a guest blogger for Save The Ta-Tas. And you can win one of their Tees. Just check out tomorrows post and follow the instructions there.

Hugs,

Debbie... aka the cancer warrior ... AND SURVIVOR!!!

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

31 Days: Oasis of Healing

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And I'm posting on each of the 31 days as my way of doing something to bring awareness. Today is Day 14 and I am featuring the Think Pink special section on breast cancer awareness featured recently in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. This next article talks about...

Integrative Program Offers an Oasis of Healing

Support center providing restorative therapies poised to expand at new site

By JANET PARMER

FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

As a wife, mother, and attorney, Tiffanie De Liberty of Santa Rosa had a full life. But she was forced to carve out time for intensive treatment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. The Integrative Health and Healing Services program in Santa Rosa is a cherished oasis for De Liberty during recovery, and the program is poised to significantly expand later this month when it moves from donated space at the Integrative Medical Clinic on Concourse Boulevard to the second floor of the former

The cancer support program, sponsored by Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, offers women massage, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, jin shin jyutsu (an acupressure treatment), and an expressive arts program known as Crossroads. IHHS is open to any woman regardless of her ability to pay. The program accepts donations from those who can afford it, and is free for those who meet its low-income criteria. Volunteer practitioners come on Saturdays to give individual treatments, and on a typical day 25 to 30 women participate in sessions. The new facility will allow IHHS to gradually add to its services; program coordinator Pam Koppel said the program will eventually be open several days a week.

Please click on the link above to read the complete article and learn more about this wonderful program.

Hugs,

Debbie... aka the cancer warrior ... AND SURVIVOR!!!

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

31 Days: Sharing "Stuff"

October ~ 31 Days of Breast Cancer Awareness: Day 6

While this may not really be an "awareness" post, it is about breast cancer, but is not something I am thrilled to have the opportunity to do or share with you. You see, I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Not really a close friend, but I am afraid this cancer thing is bringing us closer. And I'm not sure I really like how that feels.

Judy is a high school classmate of mine. We had our 40th reunion at the end of August and it was there that I learned she had recently been diagnosed, already had a surgery, and was about to embark on the roller-coaster ride of chemotherapy just a few weeks later. She has begun her journey, and I am now about to gift to her the two wigs gifted to me by Joan, another friend diagnosed about one year ahead of me. I also have some lovely scarves and head coverings I will pass on. So while it feels good to be able to share with a friend, it does not feel good that yet another lovely woman has been given those words, by her doctor, "You have breast cancer". Another dear soul who will go into battle fighting, frightened, hopeful, and with the love and family and friends by her side.

Fight on, dear Judy, like so many more before you. Be strong, courageous, but allow yourself to cry from time to time. I wish I was closer to help support you. Just know that you have a team in Glen Ellen cheering you on during your journey. We will be with you in thought and prayer ,and here to talk or communicate to help ease your fears.

You too are a survivor already, another warrior.

Hugs,

Debbie... aka the cancer warrior ... AND SURVIVOR!!!

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

Cathartic

I'm using the word cathartic more and more these days when referring to this blog. At first I would say, "It is kind of healing or cathartic". Then I thought; hey wait a minute, doesn't cathartic mean healing? Well... not according to the Meriam-Webster dictionary.

¹ca·thar·tic    adj      \kə-ˈthär-tik\

Definition of CATHARTIC

: of, relating to, or producing catharsis <cathartic drugs> <a cathartic experience>

— ca·thar·tic·al·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of CATHARTIC

1. There's something cathartic about a punch in the nose. —Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 28 Jan. 2002
2. But Vietnam is hard to sell as a tidy, cathartic morality tale of troubled times overcome. —Jennifer Homans, New Republic, 2 & 9 Dec. 2002
3. Many veterans, at first reluctant to speak, ultimately uncorked their emotions in a cathartic explosion. —Stanley Karnow, New York Times Book Review, 22 Nov. 1992
4. It provokes no healthy tears, whereas Cervantes never fails … to open the cathartic floodgates. —Anthony Burgess, Homage to Qwert Yuiop: Selected Journalism 1978-1985, 1986
5. [+]more[-]hide

Origin of CATHARTIC

Late Latin or Greek; Late Latin catharticus, from Greek kathartikos, from kathairein (see catharsis)

First Known Use: 1612

ca·thar·sis         noun \kə-ˈthär-səs\

plural ca·thar·ses \-ˌsēz\

Definition of CATHARSIS

1: purgation

2a : purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art b : a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension

Hugs, Debbie... aka the cancer warrior

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

Unity is Strength, Knowledge is Power, and Attitude is Everything.

In the fight against cancer, we believe unity is strength, knowledge is power, and attitude is everything.

..... As my buddy Lance Armstrong personally wrote to me today.

Okay, Lance didn't write it to me personally. But I did get a packet today from LIVESTRONG with a guidebook and journal. And the first page of the guidebook contained a letter from my "buddy", Lance:

Cancer is a long, hard road. But if there's one thing cancer has taught me, it is that we are stronger than we think. The journey may be frightening and challenging. But when the way gets tough, we find the strength to go on. That's the message of LIVESTRONG.

 Cancer may leave your body, but it never leaves your life...

 ...Life is messy and this illness is messy...

We believe attitude is everything. Every day, you have choices about how to live. How will you spend your time and energy? Who will you spend time with? What will you do? LIVESTRONG, means living rue to yourself, your ethics, goals and dreams. 

Lance goes on to say how the LIVESTRONG Guidebook was created to help me (and you) not only live, but live life on your terms.

Thanks, Lance!

And especially thanks to Mark's coworkers for sending this packet to me. The people he has spent countless hours on the routing and signs team seeing that riders have their course carefully marked, the people who are up before sunrise to get out on the road and spend a long day with hardly a break for lunch. Then return late at night and get ready for the next day before getting a late night's dinner and then hit the sack. Thank you to them, the team he will sorely miss this year as he takes a break to be with me and care for me during this year of 2011, "this long, hard road".

Hugs, Debbie... aka the cancer warrior

LIVESTRONG:

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

MRI Results

Yesterday was a mixture of happiness, healing, fun, and WORRY! After morning chores, I drove into Sonoma to spend the day with Sarah. We drove down to Sonoma Quilt, the new quilting store. It is fantastic. If you haven't been there, not only do they have loads of quilting supplies and patterns, but there is a huge selection of the most beautiful fabrics I have seen in a long time. I will surely be back when I feel I can take on a new craft.

I could say that Dr. Elboim saved me from spending money, but then I would have rather been shopping than to receive his call to share that my tumors (there are 3 for sure) are considerably larger than the mammogram or ultrasounds determined. Today's appointment with the oncologist will give me the opportunity to share more news in that regard.

After that call, Sarah and I walked into the Plaza for a lovely lunch at Basque Boulangerie where we talked and relaxed. Then Sarah and I browsed and shopped at Readers Books and returned to her house to knit for a bit before I returned home.

It was a very melancholy day.

Hugs, Debbie... aka the cancer warrior

LIVESTRONG:

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

Thank You

Thanks to all my family and friends for their love and support. I have never received so many offers of love, prayers, and support.... from massages, to restorative yoga, free housecleaning and meals, hand delivered flowers and healing and nutrition books, cards, help with the farm and animals -- you name it, it has been offered. And we aren't even into surgery and treatment yet.

Please know that even though I am not able to physically respond to all your emails, calls, and communications, Mark and the girls and I know you are there on our team, cheering on all the healthy cells and helping us to get ready for this next phase of the war. Don't you worry, we will be ready and willing to accept and receive all the good wishes, and offers once we have our plan of surgery and treatment in place, which will be very soon since my appointment with the Oncologist is tomorrow.

My beautiful pink and white beaded bracelet gifted to me by my adorable niece, Kiana.

Hugs, Debbie... aka the cancer warrior

LIVESTRONG:

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

Dear Debbie's Breast Cancer

I have decided that I need to step down as a Sonoma County Farm Trails board member to concentrate on me, my healing, and whatever this may all mean to me. So I contact my board and let them know of the situation and that I won’t be attending the meeting the following day. Everyone is in shock and so caring and sweet. One of our board members, Lynda, is a writer herself and he husband a cancer survivor. She gets some strength and sends her love by writing this very sweet letter to my breast cancer. Thank you, Lynda!!!!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Debbie's Breast Cancer:

I regret to inform you that you have tangled with the wrong woman.  Not only are you trying to grow on one of the most efficient, wonderful board members around, you are also trying to grow on a woman who really knows her HR.  Luckily, Debbie caught you with the background check, but unfortunately you had already signed your contract.  You should reread that contract, as it clearly states that it is a violation of company policy (see: section 34C) for you to impinge upon the overall health of the company.  Hence, you need to leave this company effective immediately, and your contract is rendered null and void.  Let me make this perfectly clear: no unemployment benefits for you.

If you choose to put up a fight, I would also like to inform you that you won't just be fighting Debbie the Super-HR-Woman. You will be fighting the full force of her family, friends, and community, who will all be praying like crazy and sending healing thoughts, foods, and gifts to fight you.

But of course, you might say, that's true of anyone.  You're always fighting with people's family and friends.  Well, let me tell you why you have truly chosen the wrong woman.  You picked a FARMER, who fights not only with the force of friends and family, but a cavalry of fierce alpacas and a battalion of ferocious Maremmas.

On a farm, healing is a way of life.  And those Maremmas might look sweet, but only until a predator comes around... so, breast cancer, you'd better look out!  Because if you ever try to come back once you're kicked out the door, those Maremmas -- and sweet-looking but fiercely spitting alpacas -- will get you.  And after that, you'll be torn to shreds by a bunch of angry women farmers shaking shovels & pitchforks at you. So if I were you, I'd start running NOW.

Sincerely,
Lynda




LIVESTRONG:
I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

Making THE Appointment

Today I do finally hear from my OB/GYN, but only to say the words again, Infiltrating/Invasive Breast Cancer, that he cannot interpret it any further, but that I have been referred to Dr Elboim, well known breast specialist and surgeon in Sonoma County. And, I need to make an appointment with him. So I immediately call Dr. Elboim’s office at Redwood Regional Medical Center and get their voice message and many options of buttons to push to be redirected to the line I need. But I’m not sure which line I need. Am I a new patient (I’ve seen him before for unrelated issues), am I scheduling surgery, or am I calling to talk to the nurse breast specialist, or some such thing. Heck if I know -- just give me a live person. So I connect to the line I think I need and leave a message. About an hour or two later I do the same thing and leave another message.

Sarah arrives later in the morning with scones and a couple of books, one on Nutritional Healing, which is about the size of 2 phone books put together. And she brings her lovely smile, and some much needed company. What a wonderful daughter she is. I’m feeling better, but still so anxious. By now I’ve already researched Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma a bit.

Around 4:30pm, Alura calls to check in and we talk about “things”. She is always so practical and logical, asking very direct and sensible questions. What a wonderful daughter she is! I’ve told her about my frustration in getting my first appointment scheduled and she says, “Mom, call the number again and press 0.” Hello, why didn’t I think of this? So as Alura is researching Dr. Elboim online while we are talking, I ask her for his Santa Rosa number, rather than the Sonoma phone number I was given by my doctor. Since it is late in the day, I anxiously call again. The number Alura provided gets me through to a radiology office downstairs from Dr. Elboim but they eagerly offer to transfer me. And they do!

A man answers, but not with an official greeting as one would expect from a receptionist at a doctors office. After apologizing and saying I am trying to reach Dr. Elboim’s office, I ask, “Is this Dr. Elboim?” And he says, “Yes”.

Well missy Alura, your trick worked, even better than you thought it would. Dr. Elboim quickly hands me off to one of his staff and we set up an appointment. But as she is saying, “My next appointment is Wednesday, ...”, I’m thinking she is going to say January 19th, which is next Wednesday, and how can I possibly wait a whole week to learn more and get going on this horrible news I have received. Instead, she says, January 26th. “JANUARY 26TH! no way!!!!” I think. Of course I start to cry, practically sob. She is very apologetic and says she will call me if there are any cancellations, and to call in if I have any questions.

TWO WEEKS AND A DAY!!!. How can I wait this long? What will the cancer do during all this time. I am beside myself, but have sweet Sarah sitting there with me, who is another very level headed daughter during all my anquish. Sarah calmly says, “Mom, why don’t you call your doctor and ask that they fax you the pathology reports so you will have some more information to research”. We then do just that and the report is faxed to us by Dr. Amara’s office within minutes.

We end the day with the 3 of us having a nice dinner together.

LIVESTRONG:

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!

Diagnosed

Bazooka ~ The first day I was diagnosed, Mark disappeared for a moment over to the dining room where our small farm store is located. He returned with this pink alpaca teddy bear for me from our shop. After Sarah described her as bubble gum colored, Mark and I named her Basooka. She sits with me in the living room, while I read and spin. She has gone with me to each appointment since that day, waiting me in the car to bring back a snippet of good news to her after my appointment.

It’s 8 am on Monday, January 10th 2011, and we have slept in a bit. I’m up, just barely, and the phone rings. I rush to it, and the Pathologist is on the phone and the first thing he says is, “I’m sorry...” As he’s talking, Mark jumps up and runs to be next to me. He knows what this is all about because we have been waiting since the Thursday biopsy for some news.

The Pathologist must have said it 15 times during the call, “I’m sorry”... sorry to be calling you but your doctor is in surgery most of the day, sorry to tell you this over the phone but you called several times on Friday asking for a call.... sorry to tell you that you have breast cancer..... sorry.... sorry”. I’M SORRY! MARK IS SORRY! THIS SUCKS!!

So, after some immediate sobs, I thank the Pathologist and ask him to repeat what he has said to me so I can write it down... Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma. He tells me that samples have been sent to another lab to test for hormone receptivity and those will take about a week. “Your doctor will be calling you soon, but he is in surgery right now.” I get off the phone, and think he also said something like “invasive”. What the F___! This does not sound like something I am willing to hear or accept right now.

So Mark and I hug, we cry, we wonder, we worry, we hug some more, we cry some more. This sucks some more.

Of course, when you get a call like this you are ready to charge into action. I’m thinking, “WHAT NEXT?” and yes... I’m shouting it. Let’s get in to see that doctor right now, let’s get this “stuff” out of me. Hurry. hurry... no time to waist.

We spend the day calling the girls, and doing research. I call my doctor’s office to learn he will be in surgery most of the day but will call in and they’ll have him call me today. Later they call to say he is not comfortable calling me until he has the written report of diagnosis, so it will be tomorrow morning.

So we wait some more and wonder, and worry, and read, and research. Sarah tells me she will come up tomorrow and spend the day with me, which puts a huge smile on my face.

I’m reluctant to tell anyone else until I have more information....

LIVESTRONG:

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!