When my grandmother, Grams, came to live with us in 1997 she was depressed and a shell of person that I had known in my childhood. She came to us because she was leaving a violent marriage of 20 years. The Grams of my youth was vibrant and energetic, spending many summers with my younger sister and I shopping or playing miniature golf. But that cold day in April of 1997 I saw a sad hunched over figure in a wheelchair being wheeled off the airplane. I almost did not recognize her.

Grams settled into our home, spending many hours with my young daughter, Emily, looking at the stars and discussing what to wish for. Over the course of the next 7 months her divorce was finalized and we moved from Ohio to Texas closer to my mother. By this point I was beginning to see shimmers of happiness and energy from Grams, but on occasion she would fall back into the depths of depression. She struggled with being dependent on us for everything and pushed away opportunities of socializing with others outside the family.

By 2001 I had begun my third year of medical school and my grandmother watched the youngest of my 3 children, Gabriel. In October she called to tell me that her mammogram had showed an irregularity and she was told by her doctor that it would need further evaluation. My heart sank as I had a gut feeling that it was going to be bad news. I spoke to many physicians asking which surgeon they would take their mother to and Dr. Ronaghan’s name came up more than once. We had her referred and Dr. Ronaghan gave us the grave news. She indeed had what looked like breast cancer and biopsy would be the only positive answer. Grams took the news as if you told her that she had a simple cold. My assumption was either she was in denial, had completely lost her mind, or extremely stoic. I, on the other hand, was falling to pieces inside. The thought of losing my grandmother made me nauseous, but I knew she was counting on me to be there for her. Little did I know that I was going to be leaning more on my grandmother during this process than she on me.
A few days later she had a lumpectomy which revealed lobular carcinoma and would need further surgery. Grams remained enthusiastic and positive about her outcome, she almost seemed happier than I had seen her in 4 years. I didn’t know what to make of it, but then again things flew by so fast that I didn’t have time to process it.

She went on to have a bilateral mastectomy with positive lymph nodes on the right side. So, we weren’t out of the woods yet, she would require chemotherapy and radiation. Chemo would begin in December, 2-3 times per week for several weeks. By the tenth day her hair began to fall out in clumps and we began looking for wigs. One night she asked me to shave her head so she would not have to deal with her hair falling out anymore. I had cut hair many times, even Grams’, but this request made me anxious and hesitant, almost to the verge of tears. It made me feel as though the cancer was winning, she was losing herself to the enemy. It was taking her beautiful thick white mane that made her my Grams. Well, we went to the kitchen and I plugged in the electric razor. I stared at her for a long time until she prodded me saying, “Laurie, it will be alright, don’t worry. Anyway, I am hoping that it will come back curly!” At that moment I began to realize that the cancer was not going to win, because my Grams was strong and positive in heart and mind. I was looking at the Grams of many years ago, vivacious and alive! Yes, alive…she hadn’t died yet. Wake up Laurie and join the fight! I went on to shave her head of course after we entertained the idea of a mohawk.

She continued with the chemotherapy and had good and bad days of vomiting and fatigue but her optimistic attitude never wavered. The children had adjusted to having a Grams without hair, the boys, Jonathan and Gabriel, loved to run around in her wigs. In preschool Jonathan was asked to draw a picture of his family. He drew his mom, dad, brother, sister, and Grams. We all had hair except one figure had no hair and was holding something in her hand. When asked who this was and what were they were holding, Jonathan promptly replied, “That is Grams holding her wig.” As the story was relayed to her, Grams eyes twinkled as she replied, “Well, it’s too hot to wear a wig all the time.”
Grams went on to have six weeks of radiation therapy that resulted in severe burns across her chest. She was in pain most of the time and we did what we could to make her comfortable. She never cried or felt sorry for herself. She always asked me how my day went, always worrying that I wasn’t eating right, getting enough sleep, or working too many hours. All the meanwhile she was in the middle of a life and death battle with an ever imposing enemy. She prayed and read her Bible daily, always reassuring the rest of us that she would make it.

Indeed, 5 years later my Grams is still here without any signs of reoccurrence of the cancer. She taught me the power of positive thinking, humility, love of family and faith in God. I can only hope and pray to be a fraction of the woman that is my Grams. And yes, her hair came back curly.

Laurie Marbas, MD is a Family Medicine physician currently serving in the United States Air Force.
justaskdoc.com justaskdoc.com

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Tags: breast cancer, chemotherapy, mastectomy

From past scientific reports the Mediterranean dietary intake has been proven to offer protection against many diseases.

In US studies researchers have found out in what way the Mediterranean food diet that contained a high portion of olive oil can protect against breast cancer. A component of the olive oil could even find itself in the close future used in cancer therapy.

Investigations conducted on the population of south Europe pointed out that a Mediterranean diet with a lot of fish, fruit, vegetables and olive oil protects against a row of diseases, among them are some kinds of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

In particular an illness-preventing effect is associated with olive oil and the unique oleic acid contained within it. The researchers around Javier Menendez before that Northwestern University Fine Mountain School OF Medicine in Chicago examined it at a cellular level to see the effects of the cell in contact with the acid.

Gene activity braked

The tests showed that oleic acid decreases the activity of a gene, that with the emergence by breast cancer in connection with the gene–
Her-2/neu-Gen. Within approximately 20 per cent of all breast cancer patients this gene is overactive.

It comes on with an aggressive tumor growth and female patients connected with it have a smaller chance of survival. In the cell tests oleic acid lowered the genes activity by 46 per cent, reports the scientists in the “Annals OF Oncology”.

Beyond that oleic acid increased the effectiveness of the cancer means “Herceptin”. This affected likewise the Her-2/neu-Gen and can extend the life expectancy of the female patients.

Possibly oleic acid can emerge as one of the solutions to become another resistance for use by medicine to help prevent or at last stop, this aggressive cancer reports Menendez.

Because it affects a protein, which plays a role in the emergence of Herceptin.

It still remains to be seen whether the results of the cell attempts can be transferred to humans, their investigation however supports the epidemiological studies, which showed a Mediterranean Diet offered a protecting effect.

Riz Stone writes exclusively for

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient

I know it from experience. Bruises on my hands do not heal. They have not for the last 13 years and no matter what, they will stay. I look like an alien at times with my broken skin. You think putting on a rubber glove is helpful? Well, no.

The condition of my skin got worse after sweating in the glove. Rubber and heat are a killer combination for sensitive skin.

What is there to be done? Once you have missed the great chance of your life of keeping a housemaid, or simply build a self-cleaning house, you are at risk of allergenic materials getting in touch with your body’s primary and largest protective system, your skin.

One could write a whole encyclopedia on the causes of skin cancer. It varies from individual to individual as to which chemical, or substance causes allergic reactions. It is malignant, and rapidly leads to death. This cancer normally develops in the outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. Therefore, the tumor is clearly visible, making diagnosis slightly easier than in other cases of cancer.

The skin has numerous kinds of cells and two significant layers. The epidermis is the top layer of skin containing flat, scaly, cells, which are called squamous cells. They are located on the surface. The epidermis also contain basal cells, which are round cell that give color to your skin, these are the melanocytes.

Mainly, there are three types of skin cancer each of them named after the cell affected.

The most common type of skin cancer called Basal cell carcinoma, is destructive and disfiguring. People highly exposed to UV light and with a history of the disease within the family are at most risk. This disease can be treated with surgery, or chemotherapy, x-ray. Rarely, is it life threatening.

Squamous cell carcinoma can occur in many organs, including the skin, mouth, prostate, lungs, and cervix. The skin becomes red, scaly, and open, and is rather painful. It can either grow in its original place, which is called in situ, or spread around, which is called invasive. Smoking can be a significant risk factor for this type of skin cancer. After organ transplantation, the immune system becomes weakened by the anti-rejection drugs which may lead to this type of skin cancer.

The most dangerous of the three is malignant melanoma, which can cause death, however, it is the least common among skin cancers. The only effective cure is resection of the primary tumor via surgical intervention. According to the surveys, it is mostly dangerous to the white population living in sunny areas. Diagnosing melanoma takes an experienced eye as in the early stage they look like moles. There are various options for treatment varying from surgical intervention to chemotherapy.

How can people prevent skin cancer in general? One serious sun burn increases the risk of developing skin cancer with 50%. Whether you are sunburn, or you are apt to develop cancer, depends on your genetics as well. However, in every case, sensitive areas like lips, nose, and palms, and the back of your hand should be sufficiently protected while exposure to sun.

Sunlamps and tanning parlors are also dangerous, yet people still visit them especially during winter time. It proves a high risk and you will not look younger or smoother after a fake sun tanning.

Natural skin color is nowadays fashionable, and looking as if you had just arrived from the Bahamas won’t give your children their mother back. Take precautions when you enjoy the sun.

For more information on cancer try visiting cancercondition.com cancercondition.com - a website that specializes in providing cancer related information and resources including information on cancercondition.com/skincancer.html skin cancer.

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Tags: chemotherapy, melanoma, skin cancer

Johnny (not real name) is a 46-yar-old male. He was diagnosed with a Stage B 2 colon cancer and underwent a surgery which turned out to have gone wrong. A second corrective surgery had to be performed. Later Johnny was asked to undergo chemotherapy which he declined. Johnny related in great detail his observation while waiting to see his oncologist. The following is the transcript of our video-taped conversation.

The Waiting Room

J: My appointment was at 2 o’clock. I reached the hospital at 1.45 pm. After handing over the x-ray, letter — I waited. My number was 2007. The nurse told me that there were still other patients, so I would have to be patient and wait.

Q: So, when did you get to see the doctor?

J: At 4.45 pm. Okay, while sitting down there for a few hours, I observed many things.

1. Before me, there were 10 other patients who came since morning, and there were 6 afternoon patients ahead of me. So, altogether 16 patients were ahead of me.

2. I saw patients going into the doctor’s office — their faces looked cheerful and they were smiling. But when they all came out, their faces were “down cast” (Johnny demonstrated what such faces look like). The nurse told them: “Check your blood pressure, next week, come back for chemo.”

3. Out of the 10 patients who went into the oncologist’s room, all 10 were going for chemotherapy.

4. I was the seventh, among the afternoon group. In my heart, I said to myself: “Let’s see what the other 6 before me are going to get.”

5. I sat beside the nurse’s counter. Number 2001, 2002 and 2003 came out — all of them had to go for chemotherapy — they were admitted into the hospital immediately.

6. Well, I asked myself: “I would be asked to go for chemo too?”

7. Number 4 and 5 ahead of me went into the room and came out very quickly — they were also going for chemotherapy next week.

8. Patient No. 6 was accompanied by another female companion. They went into the oncologist’s office. When she came out, I learned that she too was asked to go for chemotherapy.

It was then my turn! I too was asked for chemotherapy! I declined.

Q: What made you decide not to like chemotherapy?

J: Because through my experiences seeing other people — my friends A, B, C, D — they all died after chemotherapy. My sister-in-law underwent chemotherapy and she died after one year and two months.

The Nurse Called Again

J: After I came home from the cancer hospital, the Oncology Nurse called my home again and again. She talked to my wife. She wanted to know why I did not go for chemotherapy. She told my wife that my cancer was very dangerous and I must do chemotherapy. My wife told her that I was taking herbs and would not do chemotherapy anymore.

Nurse to my wife: Oh, if you take medicine from outside, it is going to be dangerous. It is not effective and this will make the cancer grow faster and spread more.

My wife to nurse: No, my husband would not go for chemotherapy any more. He had made up his mind on this.

There are many reasons why Johnny decided not to undergo chemotherapy after his colon surgery.

One, as you can gather from the above conversation, Johnny is an observant person with a great deal of common sense. He is wise in his own ways even though he knows nothing much about cancer. Sitting down in the waiting room, Johnny counted the number of patients who came to see the oncologists. ALL of them ended up having to undergo chemotherapy — no exception. Could this be right?

Two, Johnny recalled the fate of many of his friends, including his boss in the office, who had cancer and many of them died after undergoing chemotherapy! He was not quiet ready yet to accept the fate that is to be dealt out by the oncologist.

Three, the consultation with the oncologist turned out to be an illogical confrontation and this had made him even more skeptical about what the oncologist has in store for him. To him, the oncologist was more after his money than after his cancer. An account of Johnny’s encounter with the oncologist is presented in a separate article.

To a hammer everything else in the world appears like a nail!

For more information on complmentary cancer therapy visit: cacare.com cacare.com, NaturalHealingForYou.com NaturalHealingForYou.com, BookOnCancer.com BookOnCancer.com

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Tags: chemotherapy, colon cancer, healing