Karen Lynch a two time breast cancer survivor and freelance writer has started a new blog called The Pink Ribbon Review It is a must see for those of you who have been touched by breast cancer or are a fellow survivor like me. It is intended to raise awareness and is full of great info to help you along the journey.
So be sure to stop by and check out what Karen has to say! I can assure you it will be worth the cyber trip!
Be on the lookout for my story over at Pink Ribbon Review!
One cause I am very passionate about is support for young adult cancer suvivors. You know…the step children of cancer. The ones that are always forgotten about. And it is killing them! Literally!
So if you want to support a great organization that as the sign says… takes care of its own, hop on over to this link and donate to The Stupid Cancer Fund and support i[2]y!!
Don’t forget to send an email blast to all your friends and spread the word like an untreated cancer!
70,000 people ages 15-39 will be diagnosed with cancer this year. There has been little or no improvement in survival rates for young adults over the past 20 years. What the hell is that about?!! This bill would be established as a standard of care to meet the needs of this underserved population. It needs your support!
Please head on over to Seventyk.org for more info and to sign the petition. Oh yeah, don’t for get to send out an email blast to all your friends so they can do the same!
I was always a big fan of Patrick Swayze. Dirty Dancing was one of my fav movies. I even had a poster of him on the wall of my college dorm room. Can you say “crush”?! Anyway, when the news broke that he was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer I was stunned as I am sure most people were. I have put off writing this post because the news hit home for me and it is something I haven’t really written much about.
Last April my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Even as I write the words they still don’t seem real. This type of cancer is one of the most deadly types mostly because it is found at later stages of the disease. It is difficult to diagnose and there is really no screening test. My dad ended up going to the ER with vomiting and stomach pain. It had been difficult for him to keep any food in his stomach. Tests revealed a blockage at the place where the stomach connects to the intestines. Possibly a tumor. Further tests revealed that it was a tumor attached to his pancreas. He underwent a Whipple Procedure which surgery specific to removing tumors of the pancreas. The surgery was successful however the tumor was cancer and there is lymph node involvement.
I wondered how it could be possible that cancer was hitting my family again only 6 years after my breast cancer diagnosis. But you see cancer does not discriminate. I was only 31 when I heard the words “you have cancer” and my dad is only 59 years old. Still a youngin in my book. Pancreatic cancer affects males more often and in my dad’s age group. My father is a heavy smoker and an alcoholic. I was stunned in my frantic google search after hearing the news to find that both smoking and alcohol abuse are linked to this type of cancer. My dad amazingly hasn’t had a drink in over 20 years but still smokes like a fiend. With the amount that he drank when I was growing up it is amazing he still has a functioning liver but what kind of damage did it reek on his good ‘ol pancreas? Then again, I had breast cancer with no significant family history at a very young age. Go figure! Thats the scary thing with the big “C”…..there doesn’t seem to be a cookbook answer or rather a textbook case that everyone will fall into. I think it is the same with survival. If you have been diagnosed with cancer your first question may have been “Am I going to die?” I know mine was! And depending on the answer to that one you may wonder “When”. All questions the docs don’t really have answers to. My dad posed that question to his doc and was told he has 8-12 months to live if he didn’t do chemo which he opted not to do. Having gone through treatment myself I respect his decision to not do chemo as I know it has to be his decision and nobody else’s. But here we are coming up on the 1 year anniversary of his diagnosis and he is still kickin around! Not well, but still…
Now after struggling most of my life, oh…who am I kidding…. my whole life, in my relationship with my dad, I have a unique understanding of what he is going through more than anyone in my family. I know what it is like to be a cancer patient and I know what it feels like to be scared you will die. I can also see more clearly what he went through with me when I was sick. I don’t like being on the other side of things. But here I am. Trying to figure it all out. An impossible puzzle to solve……
Well guys and gals I have exciting news to share! I have blogged before about Kris Carr author of Crazy, Sexy Cancer Tips which is a kick ass book that came out back in the fall chock full of great info for young cancer survivors. Her documentary that started it all will be out on DVD this week! It is called Crazy, Sexy Cancer.
I frequent her blog and have met some really cool peeps and not just cancer survivors. There are great people there that want to learn how to better their lives in many ways….both spiritually and physically.
Over the weekend Kris stepped it up a notch and unveiled her new forum
My Crazy Sexy Life.com. I am already addicted! It is so great, and fun! All you have to do is hop on over and sign up, you get your own page, can upload photos, and info about yourself, begin a group, or just hang and chat it up with others. There are cancer guys and gals but also people who just want to learn how to make their life better.
So if you want to improve your mind, body and spirit take a peek and see what its all about! I can assure you, once you step into the crazy, sexy life you won’t want to leave!
Oh, and don’t forget to tell a friend!
Stop back here and be sure to tell me what you think about it!
I’ll see ya there!
My new friend Sherry over at Sage and Thyme posted a meme she was tagged for where she had to tell 6 non-important things/habits/quirks about herself. Although she didn’t technically “tag” me she did invite others to participate. So I am going to accept the informal invite! 
Now, I don’t like to admit that I may be quirky but some of these things probably fit that term! We all have weird habits though don’t we? I am secretly hoping I am not alone here!!
Here goes…..
- I won’t sit in the grass, I don’t even like it to touch my legs when I walk through it
- When I shop for groceries I won’t take the first or last item on the shelf, only from the middle
- I don’t like to drink cold water, only room temperature
- I am afraid to try new foods due to anticipated potential allergic reaction
- I get sea sick
- I have dental phobia (thats a topic for its own special blog! -yikes!)
I am not going to tag anyone mostly because I don’t know many bloggers! But I will invite you guys to participate if the mood strikes you.
Here are the rules:
link to the person who tagged you
share 6 non-important/habits/quirky things about yourself
tag 6 random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
let each person know you tagged them by leaving a comment on their blog
Check out this great video starring my new friend and founder of The I’m Too Young For This Cancer Foundation For Young Adults (i2Y), Matthew Zachary. The Understanding Cancer Network profiled i2y in a recent segment posted on their website.
i[2]y continues to spread its wings and is getting the well deserved recognition for all the wonderful things they are doing to provide support for young adults with stupid cancer! It is an organization that I am very passionate about and wish was around when I was diagnosed with cancer at 31.
Be sure to check them out! And if you already know about this cool resource for young adults with cancer then stop by and let me know what your experience has been!
Posts
All Comments
