It was early February, 2000 and while everybody else was getting ready for Valentine’s Day, I was getting ready for a full battery of tests, including my first MRI. I was in a bit of a funk.

Earlier in the week, I got the reports from the pelvic ultrasound. The “lesions” they’d seen on the CT scan seemed to be cysts, but they weren’t sure. One ovary was greatly enlarged by this “mass.”

I had done a lot of research on the net and talked to my doctor and I knew this might be more cancer. Breast cancer and ovarian cancer often go hand in hand.

I was devastated. I had been feeling really good about making a great recovery from breast surgery, but now it looked like a hysterectomy might be in my future.

I moped around the house on Tuesday night, all of Wednesday and Wednesday night thinking about maybe having a whole new kind of cancer. I didn’t even get dressed. Finally I found the strength to call the doctor and schedule more tests.

Thursday I was in a much better mood. I’d taken some action and scheduled the tests for Friday. Plus, I was thinking about all my friends who were there for me and praying for me. Life might not be good, but with friends and faith it usually doesn’t stay too bad for too long.

By now I was used to tests so I wasn’t nervous about most of them. They started Friday morning at 7:30, way before I usually even get up. The first test was the MRI. The prospect made me nervous.

I’m just a little bit claustrophobic, and the idea of being stuck inside a really small space was scary. But the staff did everything they could to make me comfortable.

They covered me with a blanket for warmth and gave me ear plugs for the noise they said I would hear. Then they gently pushed me into a narrow tube. The quick look I took showed about 5-6 inches of space between my face and the tube.

I kept my eyes shut most of the time!! One time though, I opened my eyes and found that it was light inside the tube. That helped. Don’t ask me why, but I didn’t really feel closed in.

Then the MRI started: Tap, tap, tap - like a drummer counting cadence on the rim of a snare drum. Then loud discordant sounds: sort of a doo-wop, doo-wop, doo-wop coupled with a low pitched busy signal.

This went on for what seemed like about 10 minutes. Slight pause, tap, tap, tap and different pitches of static like you get on a TV station after it goes off the air. I kept myself amused trying to imagine what tones would be next.

Then I was wheeled out, given a dye injection, and wheeled back in for “three more sets!” By then I was used to it and I got to see some of the pictures. They looked pretty to me, but I would have to wait until the following week for results.

So I set off for the rest of the day’s tests, with one more thing I could check off life’s list. I had my first MRI and survived by listening to the strange music of the tube.

Deb Haggerty is a breast cancer survivor who helps women with breast cancer and their loved ones by providing information, inspiration, and links to resources through her web site Positive Hope ( positivehope.com positivehope.com). If you’d like to know the results of the tests, you’ll find them in her email of February 17, 2000 ( positivehope.com/email_diary/20000217bcemail.htm positivehope.com/email_diary/20000217bcemail.htm).

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One of the main causes of skin cancer is exposure to harmful sun rays. If you thought that getting tanned at tanning salons was safer than the sun, please think again before visiting any salon again. Tanning beds and sunlamps are as dangerous as the sun rays.

Most of the bulbs used in the salons emit both UVA and UVB radiations that are also found in the sunlight and are responsible for both Melanoma and Nonmelonoma types of cancers. Exposure to tanning bulbs also reduces our body’s ability to repair the damaged DNA, which is caused by UV radiation.

Tanning not only may cause cancers as the last damage but also prematurely ages the skin. How many of us realize that tanning is body’s response to damage to the skin. every time, you get tanned , you accumulate skin damage. There is no such thing as safe tanning.

Unfortunately the cosmetic trends are pushing more women to tanning salons. More people are inviting cancer for the sake of the tanned look. Melanoma can kill if not diagnosed earlier. Unfortunately the young population is not changing its behavior about getting tanned. as they accumulate skin damage over the years, their getting affected by skin cancer at later stage of their life is increasing.

If you are one of those who believe that a tan is good and that tanning beds or sun lamps are safe, please stop using them. You are putting your life to a very painful death.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

The author C.D. Mohatta writes articles on skin problems, skin treatments and skin care. You can visit

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Tags: melanoma, skin cancer

All about The “Big C” word - CANCER

Cancer is one of our most serious diseases that effects anyone, whether you are Young or Old, Rich or Poor, Black or White, Thick or Thin, No matter what your status in life is. Get your mind right and focus to beat the big C. Became aware of the early warning signs of cancer to have a excellent recovery rate. Most Cancers caught at the early stage can be cured and beaten.

Remember: It is not your fault that you got cancer. There is ongoing research and development regarding cancer as a disease. Improved treatment and medication. Look after yourself for a Better You. Remember that cancer is a very complicated disease as there are more than 150 different kinds of cancer. Some cancers are reletively easy to detect and treat, sometimes with 100% recovery rate. There are other Cancers’ that spread rapidly through the body and cannot be cured. In countries where there is a very high rate of Ultra violet rays such as in South Africa and several other countries across the globe have a high level of people contacting Skin Cancer.

For the most part, woman are more susceptible to breast cancer than men, but it is a known fact that there is a large percentage of the male population that contracts breast cancer as well. It is therefore important that both men and women do a regular search to enable them to know their breast and then it will be easier to recognize a difference or a lump.

The main cancer’s that are contracted by women are cancers of the breasts, cervix and col-rectrum. For men it is more common for them to contact lung, prostate and Oesophageal Cancers.

There are of course triggers that can spread things along. Factors such as lifestyle, which includes genetics, environment and diet, all play a role in increasing your risk to contracting one of the cancer’s. Sometimes there is a no known cause, no family history, a good lifestyle and dietary habits, It just happens. There are a few know lifestyle do’s and don’ts that may help you not to contact cancer and also to stand a better change of survival if you do contact cancer.

Drink plenty of fresh water
Cover up and always use the highest sun block lotion available.
Eat at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis.
Regularly exercise
Give up smoking
Limit your alcohol intake to one serving per day
Cut down of your red meat intake
Do regular self checks and self examinations
Have a regular medical checkup and screening
Try to stay away from over processed food, junk food and food that is high in animal fats

Although not complete by any means and the list can be added to everyday, the warning signs are just guide lines, maybe a wake up call for you and me. These signs can also be signs of other diseases. The best if you suspect anything go get medical help straight away.

I lost a beloved sister in law to breast cancer because she was scared to go and have her suspicions confirmed. She went to late. She left three beautiful daughters behind. Do not let this happen to you. Don’t do that to your family. Give yourself a fighting change. Please!

Some op the early warning signs of CANCER:
Indigestion or you find you have difficulty swallowing
Vomiting or nausea
Your voice is hoarse
You have a cough that will not go away
You smoke
You have a change in bowel or bladder action
Changes in warts or moles
You have unusual bleeding and or a discharge from anywhere in the body.
If you find a lump, anywhere on your body
You could also notice a thickening in the breast, your neck, under your armpits or any where else on your body
You just do not feel right. Remember no one knows your body like you do. Get a second or a third opinion if you feel that there is something wrong.

Please you owe it to yourself firstly and secondly to your family to have yourself checked out. It is better to be a little paranoid and stop cancer in the early stages that to act mucho or to be scared and leave your loved ones behind.

Please feel free to post a comment of encouragement on my site. The more motivate a Cancer Patients is the beter the chance of recovery.
My blogspot: Woman-Emotion-Motivation-Health.blogspot.com Woman-Emotion-Motivation-Health.blogspot.com
You can use this article on your site if you wish to spread the word and help others with this dreadful Disease, one of our most dangerous disease known to man. —— The Big C word - CANCER.
Keywords: Cancer,How To,Beat Cancer,Early Warning Signs of cancer,Recovery Rate,Cancer Cures

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient, skin cancer

The fact is about one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one man in 34 will die of the disease. Maybe you have just been diagnosed with prostate cancer and don’t know what to do; the first thing to do is don’t panic - generally it is slow-growing - next change your diet to living foods. The male hormone testosterone contributes to the growth of cancer.

Some facts: Prostate cancer is deadly, but because it is slow-growing can be cured if it is caught early enough. About eighty percent of men who reach the age of 80 have prostate cancer. The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, which is the milky substance that transports sperm.

Some men will experience symptoms that could indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Blood in the urine or semen and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs can also be symptoms of cancer. And there are other symptoms that may not be mentioned here.

Because prostate cancer symptoms can mimic other diseases and disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough workup to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. And having one or more cancer symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. If cancer is caught in its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms.

A chest x-ray may be done to see if there is a spread of cancer. Your doctor may use one or two of the most common tests for prostate cancer detection. A urinalysis test may indicate if there is blood in the urine, which may or may not be related.

Keep in mind that experts report that PSA tests are not reliable; they are looking for better ways to diagnose prostate cancer. A prostate gland biopsy usually confirms a prostate cancer diagnosis. And when a digital rectal exam is performed it often reveals an enlarged prostate with a hard, irregular surface.

Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, usually removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues. Thoroughly discuss all your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals too; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or even more if necessary - don’t be afraid to ask. Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to the prostate cells.

Be aware that some men chose natural treatment options and forgo surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Treatment options can vary based on the stage tumor is in. Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally: with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes and/or chemotherapy or nothing at all.

If more chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician’s office. Impotence can be a potential complication after a prostatectomy or after radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is used primarily to treat prostate cancers classified as stage A, stage B or stage C.

Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in those men whose cancer has metastasized (spread). The approaches to treatment include ever watchful waiting to see whether the cancer is growing slowly and not causing any symptoms. Also surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis.

Cancer-fighting nutrient-dense living diet ideas: make smoothies with fruit only, using a base of two bananas, adding a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of coconut oil; add one or two leaves of kale or handful of spinach leaves for an additional highly nutritional boost. Use a little flaxseed oil or walnut oil along with your extra-virgin olive oil in a huge daily dark green salad. If you are not already doing so, make a serious effort to watch your diet closely.

Put two tablespoons of unbleached, unrefined and undeodorized virgin coconut oil in your smoothies; coconut oil is plant-based, not animal-based and is actually good for us. A good dietary, natural treatment approach is to avoid all acidic inflammatory foods; foods that are not alive. Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day and or sun for vitamin D generation.

Many men have lowered their PSA levels by eating a plant-based diet of living foods. Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in three or four cored pesticide-free apples with the skin on, and mix for a minute or so; much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another big boost. Drink plenty of pure filtered water too, a minimum of a quart a day.

If you have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, choose the option that’s best suited to you and your continuing good health. Evidence indicates that many patients detect cancer at an earlier stage than ever before because of annual screening, so make sure to get a good exam. And make sure to read everything you can about natural and conventional treatment online and offline.

For more information on BestProstateHealthTips.com prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to BestProstateHealthTips.com BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and BestProstateHealthTips.com natural prostate cancer treatments

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