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Pray Pray Pray
Your attitude is going to determine your altitude
Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book is an excellent source for medical information. It is incredibly easy to read and understand. I still refer to mine from time to time. You can pick this up at any bookstore.
Beware of emails which make claims about breast cancer(a popular one is that the use of anti-perspirants causes breast cancer) An excellent source to check out internet rumors/urban legends is found at www.snopes.com
Prioritize....decide which activities are really important to you and conserve your energy for those things.
Live a dog' s life......sleep all you want!
Doctor Advice
My first few visits to the Doctor after my diagnosis are kind of a blur. Try to have someone go with you to help you retain the Doctor's instructions. You may want to look into a small tape recorder to record what he has to say.
I used a daily calander(Franklin Planner) to jot down all my questions...i wrote down EVERYTHING! I also would use it to make notes of magazine articles that I would read in the waiting room.
During chemo I used my Franklin Planner as a journal to record my feelings and reactions to things and/or side effects. Since I was only seeing the doctor every three weeks it was helpful to have it in writing to remind me of things that may have only happened once or twice during tratment.
Being in so many waiting rooms and reading so many magazines it is a good idea to keep track of articles and websites by jotting down where you found pertinant information. If it is an article you really want to keep, you can later go to the library and photocopy the information you need.
Advice for after a Lumectomy
A comfortable seat in your living room/ family room/den is invaluable!!!!! During my recovery 'my' seat was on the left side of the couch so I could prop my arm up on the seat arm.
For the first few days after surgery you may not feel like sleeping on your side. I found it helpful(and comfortable) to prop pillows under my arms.
When I did try to sleep on my side, not only would I prop up my arms with pillows but I would also place a pillow between the breasts for support.
I purchased several athletic bras that fasten in the front at Target (or Walmart, Kmart, Meijers, etc. ) I bought them one size larger than I would normally wear because athletic bras tend to fit closer. These made the myriad of doctor appointments to come more bearable.
**check with your doctor before you try this** In addition to the wall walking exercises they give you, I found that long slow stretches with my arm above my head next to my ear, sped my recovery.
Chemotherapy Advice
My favorite part of the Chemo was the time I got to spend with my dad. We made a ritual of going out for breakfast on the mornings that I had treatment. I will forever cherish this precious time together.
Ok, I have no medical or scientific proof to back this up...but let me just say three important words, Welches Grape Juice. I was given this advice by a lady who had chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Her claim was that it helped her white blood counts during treatment. All I can tell you is that I felt better when I had lots of grape juice after treatments.
During my first two treatments I drank lots and lots of Diet Sprite/Diet Z-Up. While it tasted good at the time, I now have a strong aversion to any lemon lime soda.(My sister suggested I eat foods like cheesecake and french fries to develop an aversion to them *smile*)
It sounds very juvenile, but I took My Ty Beanie Baby, Princess the bear with me to my treatments.
I found that drinking lots of water while I was getting the Cytoxin helped minimize the tingling in my fingers and toes.
The Oncology Clinic is not always the most cheerful place in the world. It helped me a lot to read the psalms and listen to praise and worship music before going in for chemo or a blood draw.
Hair Loss Advice
A lot of people dont realize I lost all my hair during chemo. Part of the reason for this was that I had my hair cut in the same style as my wig before I lost my hair. (*laughing* I guess everyone knows it now)
Use this time to wear a wig in a color that matches your complexion, eyes, etc. My wig is red. My natural hair color was auburn. (Whats coming back is dark brown) I get a lot of compliments on the color of my 'hair'. Now that I know what I look like as a red head this may become the color of my new growing hair *wink*
My plan was to let my hair just gradually fall out until it was gone. On day 15 after my first chemo, huge handfuls came out in the shower. I would only brush my hair once or twice a day, and avoided washing it. (Yes I know how gross that is...I lived it!) After several days of 'shedding' I gave in and had my head shaved.
While shaving my head, Sherrie turned me away from the mirror so I wouldnt have to watch my hair go away. I didnt look down either.
I avoided looking at any recent pictures of myself right after losing my hair..it helped me in my grieving process.
Dont feel guilty about grieving your hair a little!!!!! The Bible says that a woman's hair is her glory (1 Corinthians 11:15)
While you are bald, some really good scented lotion rubbed into your scalp is an excellent way to pamper yourself (and helps make your wig more comfortable)
A cool hat with a wig of just bangs can be a really cute alternative to wearing your wig on hot days.
I didnt lose all of my eyebrows or eye lashes during treatment, but I found that Lancome and Clinique make awesome and very natural looking products to help you fill in your brows.
A sense of humor always helps. (A merry heart doeth good like a medecine) My parents and I joked about rubbing my head for good luck.
Pamper yourself! My favorite way to 'treat' myself during this time was frequent pedicures!!
Spiritual/Support Advice
Brag on what Jesus has done for you....even if you can only say that He allowed you another day of life.
Understand that everyone is going to have a different reaction to your illness, some will want to know all the details, others will be afraid to talk to you about this.
I found it helpful to communicate with friends and family via e-mail. It made it easier for me to get the word out quickly. I asked everyone to not only pray for me, but pass on my request to their churches, prayer chains, and friends and families. As a result of this I got encourageing e-mail from all over.
Speaking of prayer chains, I also sent e-mail and called the prayer lines for national ministries like Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, Joyce Meyers, etc. I even found a website that will take your prayer requests to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Only in heaven will I ever fully understand the scope of how many people actually prayed for me.
Ask the Lord to raise up those around you who will support and love you through this time.
Remember what the Lord told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (NKJV)
Have some advice of your own?
