Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the world I wish you good health. Please stay healthy and have your annual check-up as suggested by your physician. To my mother who is no longer here with us Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day always remembered never forgotten.
Love your Daughter....
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Things I Never Said, A Letter To My Love One
We all have lost a love one some suddenly without warning others from long term illness full with pain. No matter what circumstances caused their death, we who are left to morn are sometimes left with the question what if? We wonder if we were the best daughter, brother, sister, mother, father, wife or husband. And most of all we wonder if they knew how important they were in our life. Right now, what would you write to that love one to let them know they will alway be part of your heart? This blog is dedicated to anyone who has lost a love one but feel their was so much they never had a chance to say. Post your letter to a love one...it is never too late.
Monday, March 21, 2011
WHY DO CANCER SCREENING
Cancer has been a part of my life for the last 29 years since the death of my grandmother and then my father a few years later. As a family member of a cancer victim you are always reminded of how important prevention is. For the last two years I have devoted myself to volunteering at the hospice program at Calvary and helping my mother who recently lost her battle with cancer Nov. 26, 2010. I have put off taking care of myself so last month I had all the relevant follow-ups needed for a person who has so many family members who died from various forms of cancer. I had my annual pap smear, breast exam and I am waiting to schedule a colon exam after I receive a referral from my primary care provider.
I had pre-cancerous cells removed 3 years ago and I haven’t been back since, not good but after watching my mother’s battle with cancer I know annual cancer screening is key to diagnosing and fighting cancer early. I have received my results from my pap smear and everything was good, then I received a letter from my mammogram stating I needed to come back for further test. Now what does this mean? Like any person who has had a mammogram anxiety becomes my second name and I am concern there is something wrong, I would prefer not to go back but this is unrealistic and I can’t fear an answer to a diagnosis I have not received. Now it will be two weeks before my next appointment and I need to prepare myself so all my questions will be answered.
Ask questions. Regardless of who ordered the mammogram or other study, who does it, and who reads it, you should ask for some immediate feedback if you are told you need to come back to have extra views taken. Needing additional films or extra views often means that part of the image wasn’t clear, not necessarily that there’s a suspicious area. Ask to speak to the radiologist who will be reading your images. You don’t want to go home feeling puzzled and anxious.
Whatever test you have, make sure that all of your doctors and nurse practitioners are sent a copy of the report. When you sign in for the test, let the receptionist know that each one is to receive a copy of the report to follow. You can even come prepared with a list of your doctors’ and nurses’ names to hand to the receptionist. Ask if you can get a copy of the report and, if desired, copies of the films or digital images saved to a compact disc (CD). It can be especially helpful to have the images if you think you might want to get a second opinion about a suspicious finding. For these and more answers to this question please go to:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/results_records/get_results.jsp
I had pre-cancerous cells removed 3 years ago and I haven’t been back since, not good but after watching my mother’s battle with cancer I know annual cancer screening is key to diagnosing and fighting cancer early. I have received my results from my pap smear and everything was good, then I received a letter from my mammogram stating I needed to come back for further test. Now what does this mean? Like any person who has had a mammogram anxiety becomes my second name and I am concern there is something wrong, I would prefer not to go back but this is unrealistic and I can’t fear an answer to a diagnosis I have not received. Now it will be two weeks before my next appointment and I need to prepare myself so all my questions will be answered.
Ask questions. Regardless of who ordered the mammogram or other study, who does it, and who reads it, you should ask for some immediate feedback if you are told you need to come back to have extra views taken. Needing additional films or extra views often means that part of the image wasn’t clear, not necessarily that there’s a suspicious area. Ask to speak to the radiologist who will be reading your images. You don’t want to go home feeling puzzled and anxious.
Whatever test you have, make sure that all of your doctors and nurse practitioners are sent a copy of the report. When you sign in for the test, let the receptionist know that each one is to receive a copy of the report to follow. You can even come prepared with a list of your doctors’ and nurses’ names to hand to the receptionist. Ask if you can get a copy of the report and, if desired, copies of the films or digital images saved to a compact disc (CD). It can be especially helpful to have the images if you think you might want to get a second opinion about a suspicious finding. For these and more answers to this question please go to:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/results_records/get_results.jsp
Saturday, January 29, 2011
THE FACES OF CANCER PEOPLE WE KNOW
Cancer has many faces from the young to the aging. Cancer continues to be a major disease for those in developed countries. The numbers for those that are dying of cancer in the world are increasing. 2007 was one of the last years recorded, and 7.9 million people died of cancer. That number is slated to increase to 11.5 million by the year 2030.
When we see the numbers the faces sometimes get lost but for many of us who know a family member or friend who suffered from cancer the disease is real. Who are the faces of cancer the people we know? For me the faces are many, I have lost a mother, grandmother, step mother, niece and father to cancer, This doesn't even count the four uncles my children have lost. All those silent exits, most died without anyone ever knowing they had cancer until they became seriously ill and then died. This post is dedicated to the faces of cancer people we know: bring awareness to this disease prevention is the key. Post a comment or a picture of your face of cancer people you know.
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Many-People-Die-From-Cancer-Each-Year?&id=2038102
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Grieving A Love One Who Has Died From Cancer
The death of a love one can be the most difficult task anyone can go through, but the death of a love one who has been through the ups and downs of cancer, grief can be intensified. For months you have had hope, pain and despair one part of you hoping the diagnosis of cancer was wrong. The other standing strong and trying to prepare for a life without your love one. There are feelings of gracefulness that your love ones pain is over but there is also that hurt inside that makes you wish they were still here.I have picked up the funeral service book for the fourth time this month to send out thank you cards to friends and relatives who have been supportive,few words can express how important this support can be.
Because your emotions are so torn it may be some time before you allow yourself to grieve. There is a period where you just get through what you need to get through and then you began to realize that your love one is really gone. Like anyone else losing a love one grieving begins. Cancer death is always followed by what kind of cancer did they die from? Did they smoke? Or they are in a better place. All comments are with the best intentions but they leave you with a multitude of emptiness. Because the battle of cancer can be so long term for not only the cancer patient but also the caregiver understanding that these emotions are alright and sometimes necessary for you to move on. My family and I all took care of my mother at home my brother,niece and I live here in the same city as my mother. My sister came home from Kansas for three months to spend time with her with the help of family leave for relative who have a extremely ill family member. My brother left his home in California and moved back home the last three months of my mothers life to also take care of her. We all said a prayer for her with our family members a day before she died. We all kept our promise we would take care of her until she died. We all said good-by to her in our own way before she died and then it was time for a funeral... Now here we are after months of a joint venture of care for our mother we try to go on with our lives, we grieve separate. My sister and brother have returned home out of town and my other brother and I are in our own homes and the real grieving has begun.
Because your emotions are so torn it may be some time before you allow yourself to grieve. There is a period where you just get through what you need to get through and then you began to realize that your love one is really gone. Like anyone else losing a love one grieving begins. Cancer death is always followed by what kind of cancer did they die from? Did they smoke? Or they are in a better place. All comments are with the best intentions but they leave you with a multitude of emptiness. Because the battle of cancer can be so long term for not only the cancer patient but also the caregiver understanding that these emotions are alright and sometimes necessary for you to move on. My family and I all took care of my mother at home my brother,niece and I live here in the same city as my mother. My sister came home from Kansas for three months to spend time with her with the help of family leave for relative who have a extremely ill family member. My brother left his home in California and moved back home the last three months of my mothers life to also take care of her. We all said a prayer for her with our family members a day before she died. We all kept our promise we would take care of her until she died. We all said good-by to her in our own way before she died and then it was time for a funeral... Now here we are after months of a joint venture of care for our mother we try to go on with our lives, we grieve separate. My sister and brother have returned home out of town and my other brother and I are in our own homes and the real grieving has begun.
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