I sincerely ask that no flowers be sent. Just keep me in your thoughts and prayers. If you must make a special gesture, please donate a small sum to the Pat-the-Nurse fund at Northern Arizona University. This fund will help student nurses buy their books and it is a tax deduction for you!
Send to: Northern Arizona Unversity Pat-the-Nurse Scholarship Fund C/O Connie Ott PO BOX 15015 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Fortune Like the Moon
O Fortuna! Velut Luna Statu variablis Semper Crescis aut Decresis.
(From a poem I read in Latin Class in High School)
Oh, Fortune! Like the moon, changing. Forever waxing and waning.
I have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer and have started this blog at the suggestion of my friend Kathy Promberger.
*******************************
You may email me at: pennygaard@cox.net _____________________________
See my Breast Cancer Primer Below - It is a work in progress and mistakes are entirely my own except for one definition provided by my friend Shirley. Feel free to send me any input that you have on the primer!
Learn to Sail - I want to be Corey's First Mate on and off the ocean!
Weld something with a great big welder.
Learn to cut something with a circular saw
Attend Zebedee's college graduation
Visit Basecamp at Mt. Everest but not a step farther!
Travel to Kathmandu
Hike the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim with Michelle & Corey and stop at the waterfall this time.
Finish Hiking the Camino del Santiago
Visit Antarctica
Breast Cancer Primer -
Arizona Institute for Breast Health (AIBH), which is a non-profit organization that provides education and support to newly diagnosed patients about their treatment options, completely free of charge. These second opinions are offered through a multi-disciplinary panel of Breast Cancer Specialists and each patient that is seen through the program is guided and supported by a patient advocate, a breast cancer survivor herself. Contact AIBH through their website http://www.aibh.org/ or by calling 480-860-4200.
Axillary Lymph Nodes: These are the lymph nodes under the arm.
Brachytherapy Description & Pictures - See entry July 15th, 2009
Brachytherapy Radiation: See partial breast radiation.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 stand for Breast Cancer Susceptibility gene 1 and 2. These are human genes that help supress tumors when they are normal. If the genes have changed or mutated they can increase the chances that breast or ovarian cancer will develop. Mutations are also linked with other types of cancers as well.
Breasts: My friend Shirley calls these "the girls".
Cancer: Cancer cells are cells in the body that divide and grow without control or order. They often spread into other cells in the tissue nearby and can travel through the blood and lymph node systems to other areas in the body.
Chemotherapy: Drugs which kill cancer cells and normal cells as well. They are usually given by mouth or through an IV. Some drugs kill certain types of cancer cells better than others. Chemo drugs usually have side effects because they effect both the normal cells as well as the cancer cells.
Estrogen Receptor Positive: Means that the cancer cells contain a protein that allows estrogen molecules to attach to them.
Guide Wire Placement - A guide wire that leads to a titanium clip is placed before surgery to help make sure the surgeon takes out the right spot. See description of placement on entry dated 06-15-2009.
Helpful Hints for Radiation - See entry dated July 17th, 2009
High grade: Describes cancer cells that are rapidly growing. This is based on the amount of mitochondria in the cancer cells that are tested.
In situ: this is a term that means that the cancer has not invaded the surrounding tissue.
Low grade: Describes cancer cells that are slowly growing. This is based on the amount of mitochondria in the cancer cells that are tested.
Mastectomy: Surgery to remove part or all of a breast.
Partial Breast Radiation: Also called brachytherapy. This is the delivery of radiation to the specific area of the breast that had cancer rather than using radiation to the whole breast. Radiation kills any stray cancer cells near the site of the cancer removed.
Progesterone Receptor Positive: Means that the cancer cells contain a protein that allows progesterone molecules to attach to them.
Radiation Therapy: Research shows radiation therapy after removal of cancer decreases the chances of the cancer recurring.
Sister Study - Breast Cancer Research: This landmark study of how environment & genes may affect the chances of getting breast cancer enrolled 50,000 women whose sister had breast cancer. Follow the progress at www.sisterstudy.org
Stage 0: This is cancer that has not spread to surrounding tissue or outside of the breast where they started.
Stage 1: The tumor is up to 2 centimeters (cm) and has invaded nearby cells
Stage 2A: Cancer cells are found in axillary lymph node and the tumor is up to 2 cm. or the tumor is between 2 cm and 5 cm but not found in the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage 2B: The tumor is between 2 cm and 5 cm and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, or the tumor is larger than 5 cms but is not in the lymph nodes.
Stage 3A: Cancer or tumor is any size and aggressively invading the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage 3B: Cancer or tumor is any size and aggressively invading the axillary lymph nodes and is found in the chest wall and/or skin of the breast.
Stage 3C: Cancer or tumor is any size and aggressively invading the axillary lymph nodes and the lymph nodes above the breastbone and is found in the chest wall and/or skin of the breast.
Stage 4: This is breast cancer which has already spread to other organs upon diagnosis usually because it was not found or treated while still in the breast.
Stage: Breast cancer is ranked in stages o, 1,2, 3 and 4. The use of a standardized ranking helps describe the extent of the cancer based on size, involvement of the lymph nodes, spread to surrounding breast tissues and spread to other parts of the body. It can also help identify which treatment will be needed.
www.armyofwomen.org: The army of women site listed recruits healthy women with no history of breast cancer, breast cancer survivors and those at high risk for breast cancer to register through the site to become potential clinical trial participants.
Way to GO! I look foward to keeping up with you along your journey! Kathy
ReplyDelete