Ode to Dr. Rivera

My dear oncologist, Dr. Edgardo Rivera is leaving the Methodist hospital for MD Anderson in Phoenix, Arizona.  Sniff, sniff, sniff- I am sad to say the least.

If you don’t know me very well, I confess that I am a high maintenance patient.  I need comfort, I need patience, I need hope and love.  I need to be able to come to an appointment with a list of questions and concerns.  I need a team of active listeners, I need to be able to have a break down in the infusion room, I need to feel safe at an appointment to get angry and question recommendations, I need laughter, I need to hear that it’s okay that I need a drink of wine, I need to be asked about my husband, my children, my parents, I need to be supported in every way, I need an advocate.  Dr. Rivera, you have been all of these things to Me!  Thank you friend!  How will I ever replace you?

I looked for a poem to describe my innermost feelings of gratitude for Dr. Rivera, but instead I found this lovely, humorous poem on mammograms.  And since I don’t ever have to have another mammogram in my life, I thought it was only fitting to share with you.  It’s called Ode to Mammograms, author unknown.

For years and years they told me, Be careful of your breasts,
Don't ever squeeze or bruise them, And give them monthly tests.

So I heeded all their warnings, And protected them by law.
Guarded them very carefully, And always wore a bra.

After 30 years of astute care, My Doctor found a lump.
She ordered up a mammogram, To look inside that lump.

"Stand up very close" she said. As she got my boob in line,
"And tell me when it hurts," she said. "Ah yes! There, that's fine."

She stepped upon a peddle. I could not believe my eyes!
A plastic plate pressed down and down, My boob was in a vice!

My skin was stretched and stretched, From way up under my chin.
My poor boob was being squashed, To swedish pancake thin.

Excruciating pain I felt, Within its vice-like grip.
A prisoner in this vicious thing, My poor defenseless tit!

"Take a deep breath", she said to me, Who does she think she's kidding?
My chest is smashed in her machine, And woozy I am getting.

"There, that was good", I heard her say as the room was slowly swaying.
"Now let's have a go at the other one".  Lord have mercy, I was praying.

It squeezed me from up and down, It squeezed me from both sides,
I'll wonder if she's never had this done, Not to her tender little hide!

If I had no problem when I came in, I surely have one now.
If there had been a cyst in there, It would have popped, Ker-pow!

This machine was designed by man, Of this I have no doubt,
I'd like to stick his balls in there.  And see how they come out!

So Ladies, get out and get your mammograms- forget the over 50 recommendation!  I had my baseline at age 35 and think you should too!  And as for my oncologist, pray for me.  That God taps me on the shoulder and tells me who to consult with next.

Here are a few photos of me and Dr. Rivera.  The first was my last day of chemotherapy and the second was from the 2010 Waltz Warrior fundraiser. 

Oh, be sure and look at my book list and eating out information that was just added to my sidebars.  More to come!

Be Well Everyone,

Anti-Inflammation in 2011

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope all is well with you as we start 2011.  I have many plans for Anticancer Amy, the first to complete the sidebars on my face page.  Look for anticancer resources soon!

I just finished reading the winter issue of CURE magazine.  If you aren’t familiar with this magazine, it’s a great resource full of education and updates on all diagnoses of cancer.  It is free for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers (www.curetoday.com).  This edition includes information pertaining to the late effects of radiation to the neck, new screening recommendations for lung cancer, bone loss and cancer recurrence and new options for prostate cancer.  I was just about to file the magazine away when I turned to the back of the magazine where guest writers can submit their story.  A woman, a daughter wrote about her love for her dad who has survived cancer twice and what she has realized through her journey.  She quotes “Cancer rides in the passenger seat of the car when you drive alone.  It drags you into sadness.  It’s there in your favorite places, making your garden not as pleasant and a sunset sad instead of glorious.  Cancer doesn’t care that you want more time with your child.  It doesn’t care that lovers who met late in life need more time to make up for lost years.  It doesn’t even care that two years is not long enough for a child to live.  Cancer doesn’t care that it makes you miss a semester of school, or causes you to lose your job or makes you too sick to watch your sister get married.  It doesn’t even care if it takes a young bride or a new father.  Cancer is a living, thriving serial killer.”  This just breaks my heart while at the same time gives me a burst of energy to go, fight, win!  People, we have a war on our hands!

I have been following a blog of a young gal who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after the birth of her third child.  She writes in her blog that she always thought her chances of having cancer at some point in her life were very high.  She says “Look around-- everyone knows someone who has or had cancer.  I’m just a realist, and if this is my battle, it seems to be manageable”.  Wow, do most people think they are going to get cancer?  I didn’t, especially being young with no family history.  I agree that cancer is all around, particularly with young adults.  I know I have said this before.  I know many more folks my age (in their 30’s) getting cancer than my mom does in her 60’s.  Maybe it’s just me but cancer seems to be increasing with my generation and it is SCARY! 

Okay, enough doom and gloom…

Like most people, I have spent much brain power on identifying my resolutions for 2011.  My list keeps growing- I should stop now before I have to add ‘no more lists’ to my list.  I’ll share one with you that has been pretty fun.  By now you all know me well enough to expect more fruits, veggies, legumes and grains in the Waltz home.  This year I plan to do this by cooking vegetarian dinners for my family Monday through Thursday.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to convert my family to vegetarians.  I simply want to put some focus on plant based meals.  Why is this so important to me?  Eating well is a factor to having a well body.  Eating well fights chronic inflammation which leads to chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis and more.  Jessica Black writes in her book The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book that inflammation is the first response by the immune system to infection or irritation.  Inflammation presents with redness, heat, swelling, pain and dysfunction of the organs involved.  Acute inflammation is needed to help heal trauma (like a broken bone).  This is important because it keeps the body from doing further damage to the injury.  On the other hand, chronic inflammation is ongoing, usually invisible to the eye and usually occurs as a response to prolonged acute inflammation or repetitive injuries.  This chronic inflammation changes the body, takes years to silently develop.  This is disease.  There is a lot of information out there on inflammation.  Here is a list of some things that contribute to chronic inflammation:

Carcinogens (like chemicals and smoking)

A body burdened with toxins (like plastics and pesticides)

Deficiency in minerals and antioxidants

STRESS

A weak immune system

High acidity or imbalanced pH (caused by dehydration or not enough fruits and vegetables)

A deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids

An excess of sugar, sweets and refined carbohydrates

A diet high in animal protein (from industrialized raised animals)

My life has been filled with many of the contributing factors above.  I know I will never know at what point angiogenesis took over my body, but I sure have some solid evidence of an un-well body through the years (I’ll spare you with my medical history).  I am hoping that our plant based dinners will target some of these factors.  What’s funny about this venture is that I haven’t told my family.  I’m going to let them figure this out on their own- that is unless Daddy (my husband) reads this post!    

The last thing I want to say about anti-inflammation is fish oil.  Everything I am reading about fish oil describes it as the numero uno anti-inflammatory supplement for everyone.  Dr. Barry Sears who wrote The Anti-Inflammation Zone says that fish oil is ultimately the healthiest fat around and the only side effect is that it might make you smarter.  He recommends daily high-dose fish oil with ultra-refined EPA/DHA concentrates.  And, make sure your product is tested for contaminates.  The International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) is an organization that tests and posts levels of toxins in fish oil samples submitted by manufacturers. Before you buy fish oil, look at the website www.ifosprogram.com to see if the lot number on your bottle is listed.  Nordic Naturals is always on the list and can be found at HEB or Whole Foods.  The website also lists fish oil for kids.

Whew!  This has been a long post.  I leave you with Amy’s 2011 Buzz Words:

Plant-based         Anti-inflammation         Breathe            Determination

 

Be Well!