The Lymphatic System Your lymphatic system is part of your circulatory system AND your immune system. It’s a network of vessels and lymph nodes that make up your body’s drainage system. These vessels move excess fluid that’s been collected from all over the body back into your blood stream. Once the fluid enters the lymphatic vessels, it is known as “lymph.” The word Lymph comes from the Latin word lympha, meaning, water. As these fluids move through the tiny lymph nodes, Harmful organisms and cancer cells are trapped and destroyed by the lymphocytes. Those lymphocytes are then added to the lymph which Read more…
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What is your immune system? The immune system is your first line of defense against infections, both viral and bacterial, as well as other diseases. The immune system, which is made up of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs. How does it work? Your immune system works through a series of actions known as the immune response. This response attacks invaders including organisms and substances that attack and your body’s systems and cause illness and disease. Three Types of Immunity Adaptive Immunity This type of immunity is very active, developing throughout our lives as we are exposed to various germs Read more…
One of the things we learned early on in Dan’s cancer journey was that even if a treatment worked, eventually, it wouldn’t. Cancer cells become drug resistant. Our Story When doctors first diagnosed Dan with stage IV lung cancer in 2012, they perscribed a targeted treatment called, Tarceva. The treatment worked well for 18 months before the cancer in his body became drug resistant and again progressed. After that, he volleyed back and forth between targeted treatments, immunotherapy, and traditional chemotherapies. He would take each treatment until the cancer again became drug resistant.Then, the doctors would put him on a new drug. This is Read more…
I recently went to the dermatologist for a full exam. As a bonus, she removed a small lump that I’ve had for years. She numbed the area and in 2 seconds (maybe even less) removed the pea-sized lump, putting in a couple of stitches and a Band-Aid. Then, she labeled the sample and sent it off to the lab. She assured me that it looked normal, so I shouldn’t worry, but that it was very important to make sure that I get the results. Then she gave me written post-biopsy care instructions. Other biopsies I thought about other times in Read more…
The earlier cancer is detected, the more easily and effectively it can be treated. Asymptomatic, or “quiet” cancer often spreads, unchecked to other locations (i.e. metastatic). This is why some forms of cancer have a reputation for being especially deadly. Some cancers make themselves known early on because of a side effect that sends a patient to the doctor. An example would be esophageal cancer. Because of a tumor on the esophagus, swallowing would become difficult and cause a patient to go to the doctor. Some cancers that have few or no symptoms until the cancer is already advanced. Because Read more…
This is the 2nd post in a series on having a family care conference. See part 1, “Family Care Conference: Getting on the Same Page,” HERE More Meetings? Your first family care conference might have felt overwhelming. No doubt, there were a lot of strong emotions. It may have been the first time you met as a family to talk about the cancer you or a loved one is facing. You may feel like you never want to do that again, So why more meetings? The first family care conference got all of the facts out there. Some people may Read more…
An illness like cancer affects not only the patient but also their spouse/caregiver, children, family members and close friends. Everyone has questions, concerns, and fears. A family care conference is an ideal way to help everyone learn exactly what the patient’s health status is, what the patient needs from family and friends. Often, the desire to get the patient and their support team on the same page prompts a patient or caregiver to call a family meeting, or family care conference. It’s a great way to lay out all of the facts as well as their goals. Goals When you have Read more…
Each day, I read about the latest changes in cancer treatments. New advances are announced on a regular basis made in the war against this terrible disease. This research will get a boost from the 21st Century Cures Act, a bipartisan bill which was passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama on Dec. 13. The act will provide $6 billion for biomedical research, with nearly $2 billion for cancer research alone. The National Institutes of Health will disperse the money to researchers at universities all over the country, Read more here. Changes in Cancer Treatments are Happening at breakneck speed* Liquid Biopsies Read more…
This week, I wanted to share a couple of ideas that can help you to increase your gratitude this Christmas—and all year long. Let’s start with an easy way to get your family focused on their blessings. Make a Memory Ornament for your Christmas tree. We’ve done this for several years. Sometimes, I forget about it until the last minute and grab an ornament off of the tree and a Sharpie Marker. That’s one of the things I love about this activity. Rather than needing to do a lot of preparation, the activity itself is preparing your heart. You need Read more…
Making memories as a family Every family makes memories, either intentionally or unintentionally as they move though life together. When someone in the family is diagnosed with cancer, it’s especially important to become intentional in this memory making process. Your life as a family is much like an orchestra. You all have a part to play. As parents, you conduct, moving your family through the music, through the high notes, the low notes, and the rests. All too often, families put their lives on hold, with the intention of resuming once the cancer is under control or out of the Read more…
Caregiving can really tear you apart at the seams. It’s hard enough being a caregiver for one family member or friend, but when there are others who are depending on you, caregiving can feel like an impossible task. There’s something called the sandwich generation. I’m in it, and maybe you are too. It’s when you’re caring for a parent (or in my case, a spouse) and you have children that need your attention as well. You can feel like there isn’t enough of you to go around, and that someone is getting the short straw. The fact, is that it’s Read more…
The Memory Maker’s Journal is available in 5 different covers! The Memory Maker’s Journal- Ruby Edition The Memory Maker’s Journal- Turquoise, Red, and Orange Edition The Memory Maker’s Journal- Navy and Violet Edition The Memory Maker’s Journal- Pink Edition The Memory Maker’s Journal- Turquoise Edition Why a Memory Maker’s Journal? When my husband, Dan was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2012, one of the things we soon realized was that our time on earth was finite. Would our children and grandchildren know our stories and what made us who we are? Read more…
Do you like a good thriller? A book that takes you by surprise, grabs you and doesn’t let go? Then Jacqui Murray has a book for you! Check out To Hunt a Sub! Jacqui Murray is the author of one of my favorite blogs, WordDreams. She is the author and editor of over 100 books on integrating tech into education. She shares “must-know” tech advice for anyone who likes to use a computer. This, along with her popular thesaurus style posts which offer a ton of different ways to describe things in your writing, is why her blog is so Read more…
As part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, we write a blog post the first Wednesday of every month on a particular topic. The goal is to encourage and support one another. This month’s question is, “What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?” It’s a great opportunity to answer a question I frequently get, “Did you ever publish your novel?” I finished the rough draft of a mystery about a year ago. It’s sitting in my scrivener files. A printed copy that I began Read more…
Our family is in that difficult time that all cancer patients and their loved ones get to experience–the waiting. We are grateful that at least Dan is feeling good right now. But, the waiting is hard. As a cancer patient or loved one, you spend a lot of time waiting. It starts when you suspect something is wrong and you have to wait to get into the doctor. Then you wait for test results, (and there are a lot of test results). You have to wait for an appointment to see a specialist, such as a surgeon or an oncologist. Read more…
I’m part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. it’s a fun group of writers and bloggers who share how things are going with their writing and encourage one another. You can find out more about these awesome (and sometimes insecure) writers, HERE. One of the things we do on the 1st Wednesday of each month is to write on a specific topic or question. July’s question is: “What’s the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?” I only had to look back a couple of weeks in my memory… I recently published a book called, Facing Cancer as Read more…
In case you haven’t heard, Facing Cancer as a Friend: How to Support Someone who has Cancer, is now available in both Kindle and paperback formats! This morning, Dan and I were having coffee and a bagel, on Panera’s patio, when I overheard a conversation that stopped me dead. I wasn’t trying to be nosy. It’s just that when I hear the words “cancer,” and “lymph nodes,” my ears perk up. I looked over to see 4 couples sitting around a table, all the ladies on one end, and the men on the other. They were all retirement age. I Read more…
When I first heard about the game, That Dragon, Cancer from my children, I couldn’t understand what the appeal would be. It is a “game” about a child having and dying from cancer. But, they kept asking for it, so when it went on sale, I bought it. I decided I would check it out before letting them “play” the game. That Dragon, Cancer, is an immersive experience, more than a game. It is so real and raw. It’s like going through Eli’s cancer along with his parents. I cried through the whole thing. Using Your gifts to Cope with That Read more…
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