Blogs Are An Educative Tool, Not Intrusive!

I went onto my FB page today catching up with various postings. I’d had a night out with a dear friend in Camden Town and he had posted pictures up. The first posting I saw on my home page was from Doug. Poor 'Doug' had gone through the rounds with his treatment. He was facing a setback on treatment due to his mastectomy wound getting infected. On his last post on FB telling others to check his latest blog posting out. I noted a individual had said they found his blog too personal and Intrusive. Instantly I thought what the hell is this individual on. Then I had to think back how someone had tried to say the same thing to me about my blog.

I understand others would sooner keep their journey private with breast cancer, but then 'Life In Transition' another blog posting came up later on about the issues with Tamoxifen that are never discussed until things go wrong. This person is now facing the possibility of  endometrial cancer.

Blogs are an important tool within cancer land because they are informative. I personally like this individual did not know Tamoxifen can cause another serious cancer. Just like I have never met a man with breast cancer. By these individuals opening up the door of their very personal journeys with cancer they are filling in gaps. And those very gaps educate all of us on treatment and the processes involved. It gives people the tools to question our treatment and move forward. Every time I walk into my Gyno office I sling questions at them. Just like when I meet my breast cancer nurse I will ask her about Tamoxifen and get her opinion. To say a blog is intrusive and too personal to me is wrong. How else are we to build up the confidence in the system that treats us unless we educate ourselves to say the  word WHY? Why do I need this treatment? Why is there not alternatives?  

I have personally been in the system too long to know do not except all straight away. The shock of receiving the diagnosis of cancer sends a person into over drive and panic. You believe that what you are told is your only alternative. Well I have learnt NO! Sometimes it is better to step back and say why? Then collect a heap of info from the net such as these blogs and slam it at your  physician.

As my husband said Sarah is on the ball she won’t let a trick slip because it is her body, her life.

To sum it up if I don't step up and show an interest in my treatment, who will?

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Ultra Sound Department V's DIY Breastlight

My six month oncology appointment has finally arrived and I have been booked in for a ultra sound. After the lovely registrar read my notes and listened to me getting straight to the point. Point one being my right breast is a very naughty breast. Point two last night I found a pea size lump on the left side. The registrar checked both my imposter and my right breast out. And decided he wanted me to have an ultra sound as a precautionary measure. The pea size lump he said may well possibly be a lymph node, but just in case he wanted it confirmed. As for my naughty right breast he said he wants the same thing done to find out if the pain is down to the return of my cyst, which to me makes sense. He found my breast to be very lumpy especially round the lumpectomy scar.

In conversation whilst the registrar was preparing the slip of paper to be taken to the ultra sound department, I said I bet you have never met a bubbly patient like me. He explained it was nice to have a patient who was staying calm. My reply was hey no good fretting over spilt milk. Besides it is better I get straight to the point, so you can sort it out.

On returning home and checking various articles I read something about a breastlight. With cancer comes the nagging question, are they missing something? And there are many scrupulous companies who have latched onto this anxiety. To some they think they are doing breast cancer patients a service to ease their anxiety created by fear, but I always question their ultimate aim and that is to part people from their money.

I had heard about the breast light before and how women are being encouraged to try it out. And I must admit spending £84.99 is tempting just to see what my remaining breast looks like under a red light. Yet another part of me is saying what is the point, after all if this new gadget was reliable why haven’t GP’s been issues them as well as hospitals. Maybe it is because its value is selling it to vulnerable women rather than keeping it as a medical implement strictly used in clinics.

What is the breast light?

The Breastlight advertises itself as a new health and wellbeing product for women. It can be used as a tool to help women notice any changes in their breasts over a period of time.
Apparently with the Breastlight you get a new view of your breasts. The Breastlight shines a harmless red light through the breast tissue so that you can see some of the details inside. That way you can get to know what’s normal for you, spot any changes and hopefully ease anxiety and build confidence.

The fact that UK Boots chemist is selling the Breastlight only backs it as a reliable tool against the fight against breast cancer, but again it is all about pound signs.

But I want to do my own evaluation/ research and if anyone reads this blog and has used the Breastlight please leave a response. I know at the end of the day there would be women just as curious as I about this gadget and how it truly fairs in breast cancer land.

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Living, Laughing and Breast Cancer

My six month oncology appointment is on the 25th and yes I don't deny I am nervous.Yet as normal I have kept myself busy by learning new tricks as I say. Although my house is still needing a good lick of paint on fresh plaster I have personally decided enough is enough. I have sat on my arse and let my husband clean up the rest of the house. I had rushed to complete two rooms and my husband thought what I did was alright. The perfectionist in me has said you know what the only way this man will learn is to treat him like he treats me. And I have had fun doing exactly that. A friend put out a request for a place to do a short film in, so I said he could use my home. It was three days of laughter and mayhem, but hey that is the life I love. My kitchen was a massacre scene from a horror movie, but it was fun. Do not get me wrong my husband had fun also whilst puffing out his plumage, and I had to clean up the mess after filming. But it was something other than my husbands company and a ticking clock.

Me holding a boom and the cameraman.

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STICK YOUR TONGUE OUT AGAINST CANCER!

Sharing the frustrations of treatment and the setbacks it creates, can lead to an outlet with humorous consequences leading to a defiant united backlash against cancer. Those affected by breast cancer hate the fact our journey is totally focused on breasts rather than the individual. Some of us who are outspoken hate the titillation media/others create to make breast cancer more palatable/saleable. After all we all know breast cancer means big bucks to certain companies. Yet as a united community that is on various forums we still find the time to show how we want cancer to be dealt with. STICK YOUR TONGUE OUT AGAINST CANCER!

Image taken at the Dark Shadows premiere..
Johnny Depp signed the poster I painted.

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