All posts tagged: cancer breast

Cancer Club thoughts-helping

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Cancer victims have concrete problems.  Cancer makes a person face his mortality.  Suddenly life is no longer taken for granted.  Survival becomes an issue.  Add to that the  scary thought of the big C spreading throughout the body.  There is a feeling of loss of control. Unnerving!  Life becomes uncertain forever. Still, many cancer worries are  about everyday issues. Am I going to be able to function independently during treatment?  Where do I turn for help? How do I get to the pharmacy for prescriptions?  How to I make meals when I feel so sick?  What if I become very sick during the night, will I die alone?  How will I pay for my treatment?  Are my friends avoiding me because I have cancer? Cancer can be fatal. Some cancers can be cured. Cancer can also be a chronic condition. There are many cancers that cannot be cured but can be managed. These cancers require careful monitoring and intermittent treatment.  Cancer can recur. It can recur any time after treatment. It can recur after years of …

Little Indulgences

Little Pick Me Ups-Flowers

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A $3.99 weekly bouquet from Trader Joe is one of my little pleasures. I love strong vibrant color, textures, fragrances. My bouquet shares its beauty from a unique table in front of my morning journaling chair. Being strongly visual I easily take pleasure in my bouquet as I sip my morning coffee. I started to go to Trader Joe on a regular basis when I was having daily radiation treatments. I continued my new stop after attending a support group nearby. Although my last radiation treatment was in March, I am still reeling from the whirlwind surgeries, radiation and medications. I don’t have the energy I would like to have. Progress is slow. However, little things in life are great pick me ups. What are yours?

Cancer Club thoughts for the day

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It’s your fault that you have cancer. Wow! I started listening to a meditation tape on cancer given by a dear friend. The first thing this woman says on tape is it that it’s your fault you have cancer. I was shocked. Fortunately, I don’t believe it. It was still unnerving. Cancer starts with the change of one single cell in your body. If you caused cancer by being stressed, by being too fat, by not eating the right things, by not exercising enough, we would all have cancer, most of us anyway. It makes the assumption that we have more control than we do. Some people we encounter would love to think we did something wrong to get cancer. Then, the theory goes,  if they avoid that something, they will not get cancer. The randomness of cancer is all too scary. Cancer happens. The question is not what we did wrong. The question is how do we deal with it.  

Cancer support now

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Cancer Support Now Inc.                                                                                                                              “We are a community of survivors reaching out, supporting, informing and advocating for survivors, their loved ones and caregivers.” One resource for addressing life after cancer in a community of people who have been there. PO Box 37338   Albuquerque, NM 87176 http://www.cancersupportnow.org info@cancersupportnow.org Helpline:   505-255-0405    855-955-3500  Offers immediate support Matches you with one on one trained volunteers Refers you to support groups  A few support groups The Women’s North Valley Cancer Support Now Group. This support group has been active for years. Meets every other Thursday night 6:30 to 8:30pm in the North Valley for caregivers and those with a diagnosis of cancer. Call Cancer Support Now, Inc for location 255-0405 Survivors Writing Together Writing support group every Monday 3 to 4:30pm at UNM Cancer Center. Call 255-0405 Fourth Saturday Cancer Support Now Survivors Group For those with a diagnosis of cancer, men and women, meets the 4th Saturday of each month from 10:30 to noon. At Adelante on  Osuna west of Jefferson. Young breast cancer survivor facilitator available to …

Cancer club thoughts for today

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It is amazing how the little things in our lives determine just our our day is going to be. I’ll admit to cheap thrills. I am easy to keep happy. I love my first cup of coffee. I write in my journal and sip coffee while glancing at the colorful flower bouquet on my table. Feels good and is always a reason to jump out of bed. A good start to the day. Some  little things that I can do for myself include having my favorite coffee; journaling daily in long hand  ( Julia Cameron’s THE ARTIST WAY); buying a $4 bouquet of flowers weekly at Trader Joe’s. Small things for a woman of little energy. I seem to have too many days where I have too little energy. I have always  been actively engaged. Feel good. Life is grand. Coping with fatigue, pain and fuzzy brain started with the sudden onset of rheumatoid arthritis and was completely foreign to me. Well, It is not a stranger anymore. My cancers seem to leave me the …

CA Attitude: Survive and Thrive

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My goal for this web page is to show others fighting the good cancer fight that there are wonderful resources to help you to  survive and to thrive. This site is new and I have a lot to add. A person with cancer does not have to be alone. There are endless individuals, organizations and also professional who would love to help you on your journey. My plan is to introduce you to many in Albuquerque. We have much more than Breaking Bad. If you are looking for something now. Email me at:   marymann@comcast.net and maybe I can point you in the right direction. You do have to do the work to survive and you are surviving by being here. Thriving is a challenge too. A little more fun than surviving but both are equally important.

Support Group: People Living Through Cancer

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I happened to find this support group posted on the bulletin board at the Health Plex. This was my first support group. This was the first one I was able to locate. It is sponsored by one of the older support group organizations: People Living Through Cancer. Visit their site for all the good things they do:   http://pltc.org/ You will feel like you are among old friends with this group and  Julie Turkel Hughes, LMSW. There is usually only four people and occasionally you might have Julie all to yourself. It is a wonderful place to test the waters with support groups. The Group meets at the Presbyterian Health Plex at 6301 Forest Hills Drive NE. Monday                     12:30-2:00pm Call 242-3263 for questions. You may just show up and it is free. Lots of value in making the effort to go.

Look Good Feel Better: A Delightful Program For Cancer Girls

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 In February 2014, between radiation treatments, I knew I needed a  morale boost. I needed help. I needed a lot of help.  I had reached the point of no makeup, my appearance was in the C- range and I was dropping slowly to the bottom of fatigue and discouragement. I made the call to Jamie McDonald at 291-2006 and signed up for the Look Good Feel Better Program.  This program was started in 1987  when it was learned that makeovers really did help the morale and attitude of cancer patients. Three groups work together to make it happen. The Personal Care Products Council member companies provide funding and the excellent cosmetics. The American Cancer Society provided a national network to assist women with information and access to the program. The Professional Beauty Association/National Cosmetology Association provides expert volunteers to teach the program. Each year 50,000 cancer girls are given a huge bag of cosmetics in their individual skin tones and taught how to apply them. Visit their web site: http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/  This wonderful program  boosts  morale …

Yoga for cancer patients at High Desert Yoga

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HIGH DESERT YOGA is a highly respected yoga studio in the Albuquerque community. There are classes for everyone.  There are many seminars available, too. My favorite is a Tuesday cancer class given by the wonderful Patti Lentz at 11:15. Just show up. Mats and other tools of the trade are available for use. It is free. It is restorative yoga. While I have been ill, Patti’s class has been a life savor for me. Check it out. You will be glad you did. “High Desert Yoga opened its doors in 1995 with the goal of graciously welcoming everyone to the study and practice of yoga. We seek to make the healing benefits of yoga available to all ages and abilities from youngsters to elders, from novice to advanced practitioners, including people with therapeutic needs.” 4600 Copper Ave NE http://www.highdesertyoga.com yogainfo@highdesertyoga.com 505-232-9642