I know that it will not come as a surprise when I say that cancer and its treatment can be stressful for people with cancer and their caregivers. Understatement of the decade, I’d say. When I was sick, for the first time in my life, I started using relaxation techniques and other mind/body practices to… Continue reading Relaxation During Cancer Treatment
Treatments – Chemotherapy & Radiation
Breast Cancer Tattoo Removal
One of the constant reminders of my experience with FBC (f-bomb breast cancer) is my tattoos from radiation. Now, granted they are small, the size of pen dots. Most people wouldn’t even notice them. The people who would and do are the people who have had them. You know who you are, unfortunately. I have… Continue reading Breast Cancer Tattoo Removal
Helpful Hot Flash Hints
Helpful Hot Flash Hints For those of you who have experienced (naturally occurring or chemo-induced) menopause, you know exactly what I mean when I say that hot flashes absolutely S**K!! Not only do they rock your world in a moments notice with absolutely no warning, but they (at least mine) are all consuming and utterly… Continue reading Helpful Hot Flash Hints
Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy
Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy After my taking Taxol, I experienced something called neuropathy. It is yet another example of the collateral damage that chemo does in its pursuit to eradicate FBC (or any kind of cancer for that matter). I know many (way too many!) people who have also experienced nasty neuropathy. The image above describes how… Continue reading Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy
Let’s Talk About Sex (During Cancer Treatment), Baby
Let’s Talk About Sex (During Cancer Treatment), Baby In the midst of a cancer diagnosis, treatment, or recovery, intimacy can easily slip to the bottom of the priority list (if it makes it on the list at all!). I know that this was the case for me. As a bald skeleton, the last thing in… Continue reading Let’s Talk About Sex (During Cancer Treatment), Baby
Nail Care During Chemotherapy
Nail Care During Chemotherapy One of the things that I really wish that I had been prepared for during chemo treatment was the havoc that it was going to bring to my fingernails. Now, I’ve never been a slave to my nails, but they are something that I look at every single day and I… Continue reading Nail Care During Chemotherapy
Chemo Mouth During Cancer Treatment
Chemo Mouth During Cancer Treatment Yesterday, I had the incredible opportunity to be on the Health News: NPR morning segment. It was great fun to discuss one of my favorite topics: EATING. This was especially poignant because the topic was: Cancer patients and lost appetite. Boy oh boy did the interview take me right back to the period when… Continue reading Chemo Mouth During Cancer Treatment
Safety During Chemotherapy Treatment
Safety During Chemotherapy Treatment This week, I heard an absolutely heart-breaking, tear inducing, mind-numbing story involving a person who had just finished a chemo treatment. While driving, this person had a bad reaction to a just-received medication and this reaction caused a fatal car crash. Unimaginable and truly horrific, I know. This incident automatically made… Continue reading Safety During Chemotherapy Treatment
Chemo Wigs: How to Buy Them During Chemotherapy
One of my chemo wigs. I named this one “Nataska”. Please don’t ask me why. I was in the middle of chemo! Shortly after my first round of chemo, I (correctly!) presumed that it was time to figure out how (the f-bomb!) to buy a chemo wig because I knew that being bald-bald-bald was inevitable.… Continue reading Chemo Wigs: How to Buy Them During Chemotherapy
Endurance During Cancer Treatment
As I am training (or attempting to train) for a half marathon in May, I am working on building my endurance. Some days are better than others (though isn’t that the case with everything in life?). As I have been running (and especially when I am in pain or struggling), I find myself thinking about… Continue reading Endurance During Cancer Treatment