Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
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Hello Kath,
There is nothing to be afraid of concerning your visit to your breast cancer surgeon in two weeks time. Remember that he is there ot help you.
I would have thought that after treatment you would have had some scans to make sure all is clear, but every country seems to be different. Here in the UK, I remember that soon after treatment, I had an appointment with the breast cancer surgeon and the oncologist together. I was called into their office and they told me with a beaming smile, that I had an excellent pathology report and that I was no evidence of disease (NED). After that I still had two scans, a CT scan and a bone nuclide scan. These were clear. After all that I started on a check up every three months (for two years), alternating between the breast cancer surgeon and the oncologist. Do not be afraid of these visits. They are there to keep a check on everything.
If that were me, I would also ask for a DEXA scan to see if you have developed osteopenia or osteoporosis as a result of your cancer treatment.
If that were me I would also have an appointment with a podiatrist, get my hands and feet checked for neuropathy to make it an official diagnosis if that is the case.
You should start looking forward and help yourself to keep healthy any way you can. Have a good mixed diet, do some leisurely walking and, above all, do everything you can to relax and keep stress out of your life. Give yourself plenty of time to recover from all the toxic treatment and do all you can to boost your immune system. I took astragalus and pycnogenol, two immune boosters, before, during and after treatment. I also had Iscador prescribed orally before, during and after my cancer journey.
Sending you my very best wishes and please RELAX!
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Mary,
Squirrels are very fond of eating bulbs. They are always after the bulbs in the grounds where I live. I have noticed that slugs are very fond of hostas. They make big holes in the leaves. I usually sprinkle anti-slug pellets around the area. What kind of animals do you have roaming around near you?
Here we have plenty of grey squirrels that have invaded the country from North America. They are seeing off the red squirrel population here and are considered a pest. We also have foxes and badgers, which are quite nuisance.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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HI, Sylvia,
Our farm is where I took the aforementioned forsythia pic, it is also where I planted tulips, and have my (new) hosta bed, and where I planted a vegetable garden until 2014, when I was diagnosed with cancer and injured my shoulder.
It is rather isolated, and there are many critters. There are raccoons, oppossums, squirrels, voles, mice, armadillos, and groundhogs. Between all of them, it is very difficult to keep anything in the ground! Even the rabbits and deer would eat off my young rosebushes that I was trying to get through the winter. I have given up on roses there and only have one rosebush here where I live. After a while I only planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash in my garden; because everything else would disappear overnight. I think I agree about the squirrels digging up the tulip bulbs, still haven't figured out the entire hosta bed! The hostas are perennial, and also have a bulb-like structure underground; something dug in from underneath and ate them. I am optimistically trying to start another hosta bed. I am not bothered too badly by slugs. Other than that, I am back to the tried-and-true old standbys, forsythia, wild tiger lilies, wild phlox, coneflowers, peonies, sedum and a very large asparagus bed. So far these plants have withstood attack, apparently they are not tasty to the animals!
That is my garden report for now, will be back later to answer to your other message.
Love, Mary
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Hi Mary,
Where Are you located?
Rhonda
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thanks Slyvia
Not sure what they will do . I have heard that scans aren't done unless symptomatic. I still have peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet and feet as well as numbness in spots in my shoulders and back feet and cheeks which are a bit scary. I have to try and remember that I am only 7 weeks post chemo and it will
Take a while and stop think the worst
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Mary,
You know so much about plants! Wow! Gardening is a nice hobby and useful too if you plant veggies and medicinal plants.
If I were you I would plant a couple of Moringa trees whose leaves and long fruits are believed by many to cure/prevent many diseases including cancer. I think it can survive harsh weather without much maintenance and can grow very tall and sturdy.
You can also try growing Guyabano trees if the soil is suited for it. Dwarf varieties of coconut trees only about five feet tall and prolific fruit-bearers are good too. You can plant these trees on the perimeter of you farm as landscape ornaments.
For veggies, you can experiment on garlic, onions, turmeric and ginger. Those that have anti-cancer properties. Different varieties of parsley like cilantro or coriander which can be grown on garden beds and even indoor. These are good for cleansing the body of toxins.
As a hobby, my hubby dreams of putting up several movable small vertical gardens simply made with lead water pipes and cyclone wires, about 6 feet tall and a meter wide each with sturdy stands and then hang small color-coded plastic cups planted with all sorts of medicinal herbs. It would be fun and colorful to have such a hobby. It is also a space-saver. My hubby wants to study how to weld so that he could make the frames but he also thinks it can be done by just screwing the lead pipes together and using tie wires to attach the cyclone wires. Now, I told my hubby to find the land first... Lol!!!
As for the varmints, i dont know what to say except that protective chicken wire enclosures which are strong enough to withstand animal attacks. Maybe, moving scarecrows and intermittent high-frequency sounds designed to scare those pesky animals away. Dogs could also scare them but you always have to feed them.
How nice to have such a farm or garden. Especially when they have a small pond with edible fish species and all day we only have to harvest and fish. All organic, all safe to eat! Wow! Lol!
I got hungry! Talk again next time.
Gina
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Hi Kath,
So sorry to hear about your worries. I have mine too. On things we can't control, put God first and let Him take control. Meditation and prayers will help.
Take care always, i am praying for you.
Gina
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thanks Gina
U are a sweetheart! I need to start focusing on the positive stuff and stop stressing about aches and pains. I had a small lesion with no lymph involvement so I should be focussing on that. It's just so bloody hard to do
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Kath.
I live in Vancouver, Canada and there are no routine scans or tests done after treatment. I have asked several times and my oncologist always replies exactly the same - no tests unless there is something suspect or unusual - the only test is a mammogram once a year. I did see my oncologist every 3 months for the first 2 and a half years. At these visits she did a thorough physical exam and checked lymph nodes in my armpits, neck and shoulders. She also listened to my lungs and heart. She asked me how I was, and that was it. I now am scheduled to see her once per year until 2018, then she said that is it. It took me about 2 years to get my white cell count up to where it was before chemotherapy, and it took that long before I really began to feel well. Aches and pains are all part of the new normal in my opinion. Of course if the pain is new and lasts longer than 2 weeks, I am supposed tell my oncologist, but I have often found that the aches come and go which I consider a good thing. Hope you are still resting plenty and eating well.
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Hello everyone,
I have been looking through the thread to try to sum up where we are with the thread. It appears that the majority of people posting have now finished treatment or are near to finishing.
Those recently finished are Gina, Kath, Pam (but remember with Pam she is going to have reconstruction). Val, and 4everStrong have finished.
Rhonda is having some extra chemotherapy and Lamis (posting for her mother) is still going through Taxotere, and Marias was scheduled to have her fourth chemotherapy on February 27th.
We have not heard from Chris in a while, but she was going through radiotherapy. We have also not heard from Maggie in a while, so we do not know what further treatment she is having.
For the few of you still having treatment, please try to update us.
I hope the rest of you will try to put your cancer journey behind you and get on with a normal life.
To Mary, Hanieh, adagio and Amanda, thank you for your contribution to the thread and for staying on board several years after treatment.
Sending best wishes to everyone.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi, Sylvia,
Thanks for doing the update on everyone, you are so good at keeping up. Congratulations to all who have gotten through their treatment.. Remember that things do get better, also remember it does take time for that to happen.
Sounds like things in UK are very confusing right now, how many different parties are there? We have about 5 that show up on ballots, but only 2 that really have a good chance to win. It seems to be there as it has become here, with the people in the cities having different views than the people in the country. I guess that is to be expected. Everyone has an "I know what's best!" mentality too, the problem is, everyone who seems to think they know what's best wants to decide for everyone else. I guess that's where the strong leader comes in, to steer the ship of state in one direction or another. And that's why we have elections, of course, to try to divine in which direction the people want to go. Unity would be nice, but I don't think all the people can ever be convinced of the same thing at the same time.
I share your frustration with the process that happens when the people speak up for something, it is agreed upon in a fair vote, and then the losers just try to muddy up the works with lawsuits and appeals. Brexit could drag on for a long time in this way.
I think Donald Trump had a good speech last night, I didn't see it all, I was out late (late for me, that is!) I have been skimming over the transcript this morning and looking at videos. What I saw of it was good, calm and measured, no histronics. Just what we needed actually.
On a different note, I wonder how our gray squirrels got to England? Is that a recent occurrence or long ongoing? Here we have both too, the red fox squirrels seem to live here, and the grays travel, people say they pass through and keep moving. I will have to look that up, it is just something I have always heard. We also have foxes and badgers and minks and weasels, who will go after your chickens if you let them. There are muskrats and beavers who like to bother your pond banks, and all matter of activity goes on at night with coyotes howling in the background. The rabbits are also popular prey for a lot of these animals, good thing they are fast! When I was a child my brothers would trap for muskrats, minks and whatever else and sell the fur. It was a way for them to make some income, I went along a few times but didn't like to see the animals in the traps, and it was also so dark and cold early in the morning before school. People do still trap here, but not so much because the furs don't bring much these days. My husband liked to hunt squirrels in season, we would eat them often, they are very good, in my opinion
It is Ash Wednesday today, beginning of Lent. Spring is not far off!
Talk soon, love, Mary
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Hi, Kath,
My oncologist's check-ups sound like Adagio's. I am poked and prodded and checked for lumps, she asks some questions, she will have labs drawn and listen to my lungs. She ordered a couple of MRIs early on because of a spot on my spine, but she is no longer interested in it, and will not order any scans without symptoms. I had an MRI done initially because of back pain, thus the suspicious spot was seen. It was later determined to be a cyst. Doctors all seem to be different here, a friend who went through breast cancer treatment had a PET scan after finishing, I was told I would not get one. I will take it as a good sign. The neuropathy has an unknown path, sometimes it gets better and sometimes sticks with us. I hope yours gets better. I have a yearly mammogram, and for now I am seeing the oncologist every 6 months.
It's good that you know to be patient with your recovery, it takes time for our bodies to recover.
Congrats on finishing up, Kath, things will get better!
Talk again, Mary
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Hi, Rhonda,
I am in Missouri, in the northern part of the Ozarks. We have very changeable weather always, the southern air masses and the northern air always seem to meet over the top of us. We might be 70 degrees and just northwest of us could be 40. Yesterday was in high 70s, tonight will drop back to 20s. We have also been very dry, since late summer.
Is today your doctor visit? What went on there? I hope good news, and you will have your situation resolved, please let us know!
Talk soon, love, Mary
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Hi, Gina,
You roused my curiosity, I looked up the Moringa and Guyabano tree; they are both tropical plants and can only be grown here by putting them in a greenhouse in the winter, or growing them as annuals or the Moringa tree could be brought inside in the winter. They both are easily affected by frost so wouldn't survive our winter outside. Is the Guyabano the soursop that you speak of? Turmeric and ginger are plants that can be grown here but have to be partially inside, and babied a bit. The turmeric takes a long time before you can harvest it, so has to be brought in. I have planted onions and garlic, but don't eat enough onions to go to the bother. One onion lasts me a while! I like to plant herbs in pots, I do have a bed outside with lemon basil that comes back in the spring, love the smell. I planted oregano there too, but it died out. I tried picking the leaves and drying them for use, but didn't do something right, they were not aromatic and had no taste. I have one lavender plant, I just like to walk past it and break off a few leaves and inhale! We used to start plants in the basement and put a lot of work into our garden, I would can and preserve a lot of food. Now that I am alone and not quite as energetic as I used to be, I will not be doing all that. I did can some tomatoes from my brother's garden last year, I prepared and canned marinara sauce and salsa. I freeze blackberries when they become ripe in July, and good peaches if I can get them. I have planted peach trees but have had no luck with them. As you can tell, I have had a lot of failures, when something does well, it is exciting!
Your husband's herb-growing hobby he is dreaming of sounds great, you could probably grow about anything in your climate. Just not the things that need a freeze, and need a break from growing! And I imagine it's hard to find land to buy in an island nation.
We used to try lots of things in the garden to scare pests, we would put a radio for noise but animals soon get used to that. Also scarecrows and aluminum pans they get used to, the only thing that really worked was electric fence and lots of it. Dog wasn't an option since we didn't live there full-time, we would have to leave it tied and we would not do that.
I know, this conversation is making me hungry too, but it's Ash Wednesday and I already had my oatmeal. No snacking today, I read the rules handed out in church this morning.
Hope all is good, Gina! Will talk to you again soon, love, Mary
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Hi Mary,
I am rescheduled for treatment on Friday.I was supposed to see my doctor and have treatment on Wednesday but they are so overbooked I changed to Friday and am not seeing the doctor.I am going to try and see my surgeon since she is there on Fridays to find out if what's going on with scheduling surgery.Right now I am concerned with the pain and swellingI have I never the lymph node fine needle aspiration site.I am taking an antibiotic Just in
Case it's infected.It feels warm but I have no fever.
As far as scans go -I hate them.Too much anxiety-I don't see the benefit of all the radiation just to be sure when something could be growing that is undetectable.I have had 2 Pet scans so far.I asked for an ultrasound part way through my treatment and they said no-they would of seen the lymph node growing.I should of pushed harder.They won't do an ultrasound but Pet scan is okay.
Two more days and I will be done with chemo-I though t
Last week was the last!
Rhonda
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Hi, Ladies!
I have been lurking in this thread even before the confirmation of my biopsy. I learn a lot from here specially how to manage well and prevent my SE during chemo.
I already finished my dose dense AC which was 4X every 3 weeks. #3 & #4 wiped me out for a week each after every neulasta shots. I am now with weekly Taxol & Carboplatin. I just finished my #3/12 this morning. MO added Carboplatin because I am only 39 when diagnosed. During infusions for Taxol, I always felt cold after my pre-meds so my Onco Nurse told me that next infusion they will drip it slowly.
I am also from Philippines like Gina but I am based in Singapore. I am also doing my treatment here. BS was saying, my cancer could be pregnancy induced. I also had my first baby when I was 36. But then it's very difficult to pin point the exact reason why this happen.
Prior to my diagnosis I actually eat chicken meat only for 13 years. Never really liked red meat & fish. I do eat crab, squid & prawn occasionally. After diagnosis, I tried to increase fruits and vegetable intake. I juice Apple & Carrots once in a while. I also add beetroot sometimes if it's available. My green veggies are Moringa leaves & Moringa fruit, ladies finger, cabbage, broccoli, Phey Chay, Kailan, Kang Kong & Dao Miao. I cooked them blanched, fried or with coconut like curry inPhilippine or Indian style with turmeric powder.
I wanted to ask for all those NED for years, what are your daily diet like? Do you eat meat or totally stay out of it? What about dairy & soy productst do you still consume them? It is just very confusing when you search over the net. I think, it is better to get input from real life people who are undergoing it.
Best regards,
Lou
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Hello Lou,
I have just found your post and wanted to give you a very warm welcome to our TNBC thread. I was interested to know that you are from the Philippines but based in Singapore.
Thank you for all your details about the treatment you have been going through. It seems as though, like many women on the thread, you have had your ups and downs with the chemotherapy treatment, but you have coped well and are getting towards the end of that journey. How have you found the carboplatin? Have you found it more difficult than the other chemotherapy drugs?
I have read in the past of women developing breast cancer when pregnant and in the past we had two women who had babies during their chemotherapy treatment. They were MaryMargaretHope and Mumtobe. They stopped their treatment to have the babies and then went back on the treatment. They both went on to live normal lives. Having a first baby late in life (over 30) is considered a rusk factor for developing breast cancer, but this does not mean that it did cause the cancer. There are many risk factors for developing breast cancer but none of them means it actually caused it. Not having children is another risk factor, and I have not had any children.
I do hope all goes well with your pregnancy and that you will continue to cope with your chemotherapy treatment.
I do not have the time today but I shall post again tomorrow or Friday and we can have a good discussion about nutrition. We have had lots of discussions about it on this thread, but ultimately we have to make our own choices.
That is all for now.
Sending you very best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Maryna - I hope you don't mind me asking - but I was curious to hear about your no snacking rule - is that because it is Ash Wednesday or is that an ongoing commitment during lent? I attend an Anglican church, and I will be going later today for the imposition of ashes at the Ash Wednesday service - we do not get a list of rules - so if you could share a few of them with me I would be most interested. I do observe lent and find it to be a meaningful journey. I generally "give something up" (usually wine or chocolate), but in the last few years I have also taken something on - this is usually a more practical thing like leaving time in a parking meter for the next person, making a meal for a friend, tidying up after a housemate, letting someone go ahead of me in the grocery store - hope you get the jist. I have a friend whose discipline during lent this year is to go through her clothes and to fill a bag for each of the 40 days - I don't think I could be that disciplined.
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Hi Lou2016!
Welcome to this thread and Mabuhey!!! Lol! It is always a nice feeling to see a kababayan. You will find this thread very informative, supportive and entertaining. All the people here are super friendly!
Are you staying in Singapore permanently or just working? I read from yout profile that you were diagnosed during pregnancy. That must have been stressful for you. Please tell us more of how you started chemo. From your profile, it looks as if you started chemo right after giving birth to your 2nd child, am i correct? I think your chemo regimen is excellent especially with Carboplatin, as long as your body can tolerate it. What SE's did you experience? My main problem was keeping my bloodcounts stable before my next infusion but I always manage to recover in time except for my second FEC infusion which was delayed for 5 days due to low white blood count. That was when I still didn't know much about what food and meds to take to stabilize my blood. Filgrastim (which is similar to Neupogen or Neulasta) kept my white blood up and Moringa was recommended by my MO to raise my red blood count. I added more green veggies like saluyot, alugbati, chili leaves and sweet potato tops which you know are abundant here. Cabbage, pechay, brocolli, carrots, lady fingers, eggplant, swamp cabbage, squash, string beans, with fresh matured coconut milk and a dash of ginger and turmeric usually make up my daily diet. I eat Saltwater fish species too and stay away from Tilapia and milkfish eversince my diagnosis because they are fed with chemically formulated fish pellets that may contain carcinogens.
I used to eat lots of chicken too and occassional beef and pork, you know, our favorite adobo and sinigang. Lol! I limited my intake from all of them but when my blood counts started dropping and my weight went below the ideal normal level, and also based from what my BS previously suggested, I was forced to eat them again, together with eggs, for more protein and carbs from rice too, to regain what i lost. It worked for me. The difference however was i bought only those items labelled Australian grass-fed and cage-free. Whether they are authentic or not, there's no way of finding out. They are the only ones available in the supermarkets. Also, I read somewhere on the Net that garlic may also raise white blood count so i used our native organic garlic to be included in my food, not the ones imported from China which flood our wet markets now.
As for juicing, before my chemo started, i combine apple, carrots, sugar beet, cucumber and celery for antioxidants and alkaline. I intend to continue this again and add moringa and other green veggies on a separate concoction as an alternate to the first one. There is also another smoothie recipe using turmeric, black pepper, ginger, cucumber, cinammon, and a choice of papaya, pineapple, banana as the fruit content. Wild honey may be added but i prefer not to. Another smoothie with turmeric uses green tea and other ingredients that i forgot.
Ok, my post is very long already. Hope to see you more on this thread. Good luck with your remaining chemo treatments and God bless.
Gina
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Hi Mary and adagio,
It is good to know that you both observe the Lenten season starting with Ash Wednesday. Here in the Philippines, the Lenten tradition is very much alive, being a predominantly Catholic country. Of course other religions have the freedom to celebrate their own important days. It is always a democracy here, in fact I think, too much for many things.
Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, my family went to church to hear mass and have our foreheads annointed with ashes after which we take our own traditional family selfie picture. We looked silly with all three of us having ashes in the foreheads but it is a lot of fun for us and this has been going on for three years now. My son seems to remember the past two years and is so eager to pause for the camera, giggling all the way as amused people looked at us. Lol!
The Lenten season is always celebrated here with much enthusiasm starting with the Pabasa or traditional singing of Bible passages on many homes. Palm Sunday is always fully pack with many people and the ensuing Lenten week is always busy with so many activities.
Fasting and abstinence usually start on Ash Wednesday but only on a voluntary basis. Anyone can have their own way of fasting but usually we abstain from eating meat and refrain from noisy celebrations. Old people and children are exempted from fasting. We should keep these days solemn and reflect on the holy words thru masses and recollections. Doing good deeds are most encouraged. These fasting and abstinence are continued during the whole Lenten season especially on Fridays.
Many go on group trips very early in the morning and try to do the Visita Iglesias usually on Holy Thursdays and Good Fridays but sometimes until Black Saturdays. It requires visiting or going to at least 7 churches, sometimes, others make it 12, reciting the Way of the Cross booklet in each church. The travelling is tiring but fun and fulfilling especially when they go to far away provinces where historic Centuries-old churches are located.
Many repentants do penance work in many ways but the most popular ones are usually performed on Good Friday by flagellants self-inflicting pain and wounds on their backs by constant beating using shattered sharp bamboo poles or improvised whips while carrying wooden Crosses. Some go to the extreme of permitting themselves to be actually nailed on the Cross believing their sins will be forgiven and attain their personal wishes. They say it is their lifetime promise. These activities usually attractlots of local and foreign tourists annually.
Of course there are still the non-observers who looked at the Lenten Holidays starting on Holy Thursday up to Easter Sundays as a time for long vacations going to beaches and tourist spots to beat the summer heat. Some do both, observing Lent in those provinces which have their unique Lent festivities and then going to the beach. There are many nice white sand beaches here like those in Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu and Puerto Galera.
That's our fun, colorful, meaningful and sometimes crazy Lenten celebrations.
Talk to you again.
Gina
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Hi, Adagio, and Gina,
I went to a 6 AM Mass on Ash Wednesday, and received my smudge of ashes. I was also handed a piece of paper by an usher, and read it later.
It was titled 2017 Lenten Regulations and Admonitions
1. Abstinence: All persons who have already celebrated their 14th birthday are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays of Lent and Good Friday.
2. Fasting: Everyone, from the celebration of their 18th birthday to their 59th birthday, is bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting is generally understood to mean eating only one full meal each day. Two other partial meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken; but tohether they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids are allowed. If health or the ability to work would be seriously affected, neither the law of fasting nor the law of abstinence obliges. These are minimal penitential practices and should not be lightly excused.
Other recommended forms of fasting, as regards alcoholic drink, needless television, video games, internet use, and social entertainment, are of true spiritual value and strongly encouraged.
3. Almsgiving: The act of giving to the poor, in the most ancient tradition of the Church, is an expression of penance, a witness of fraternal charity, and an expression of Lenten conversion, and is highly encouraged.
4. Prayer: We are urged to participate in the Sacraments during Lent by attending daily Mass.
The rest of the rules are information on the proper way and times to conduct events during Lent, such as Baptisms, weddings, and funerals and the importance of Reconciliation before the Easter Vigil.
We also received a paper on the times of Lenten Masses, Stations of the Cross, and Penance Services.
I have not received anything like this before on Ash Wednesday, some friends from a neighboring parish visited me last night and they didn't get this paper. Perhaps it was thought we needed a refresher course on procedure! I found it helpful as far as the dietary restrictions go, although Gina's description of her family's Lenten observance sounds much more entertaining!
Our priest is funny, he told a story on Sunday of his childhood about his own father's observation of Lent. His father would give up smoking for penance, but he became so bad-tempered that the whole family was very glad when he started up again after Lent! So, our priest advised us not to give up anything that made us impossible for others to be around!
Adagio, it sounds like you are already in the Lenten spirit, I like your description of kind deeds done, that's a great idea, it's also a great way to make ourselves more mindful of our surroundings. I had a hard time making it through yesterday without snacking, and had a small slip-up in the late afternoon.
Gina, your area's observance sounds enjoyable, leave it to you to make this time of introspection and penance fun! I think that's awesome! I remember as a child Lent was very somber, more than today, the church was draped in black and purple and services were stripped down with less music and joy and no alleluias or gloria. And then Easter was an explosion of white and gold and flowers everywhere, and lots of song, with the ladies and girls wearing their Easter hats and shivering in their new Easter dresses.
I will talk to you all later, Mary
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Hi, Rhonda,
I see your surgeon visit will be on Friday, and you will not be seeing the doctor as you had planned. I hope you get some answers. I'm surprised they would give you a PET scan before and not an ultrasound, since the ultrasound is the least harmful to us. I have been told the CT scans are the worst, as far as radiation goes. I have had CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasound but never a PET scan. My onco says it is not helpful if there is nothing in particular they are looking for, what was your result?
I am hoping for you a good visit tomorrow, and that you can get the lymph node removed if necessary. It sounds like it has been painful for a while, I am curious too why that is happening.
One more chemo for you, I know you thought it would be over by now, but your doc thinks this additional one will be helpful. We all hope so too, and then you can put it behind you for good!
Will be thinking of you tomorrow, Mary
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Hi Mary,
Thank you very much for enumerating the Lenten regulations and admonitions in your parish. It is exactly the same as ours. Some priests here still remind the people of these rules a week before Ash Wednedays and try to urge the people to comply. Lent has always been somber for me too as a child but i noticed that thru the years, people's attitude toward it have changed. The reason may be due to a more difficult economic situation now where people work so hard and forego short holidays just to earn a little bit more and when chances for long vacations like the Lenten season comes only once a year, they take the opportunity to unwind instead of going to church or doing some reflections.
I've also heard many times of priests telling the people to put on happy faces and participate in church activities rather than be gloomy and serious during Lent because it is suppose to be a celebration of our Lord's triumph over evil. The most important thing is to repent all their sins and have that resolve to change for the better.
The Catholic church here discourage penitents and flagellants who inflict injuries upon themselves but many still do it for personal reasons. They say that it is their devotion and that it does miraculous things for them. Some Senaculo plays about the Passion of Christ are turning more realistic and bloody. For me this is stupid. Still, many people come and watch them.
We are always happy to observe Lent especially during the Visita Iglesias when the whole family travels from one church to another, choosing mostly those churches that we have never been to before. It is one of our bonding times and as you may know, Filipinos are closely-knit. Of course we still observe the Lenten rules and not overdo things.
In advance, I wish for you and all of our Christian and Catholic friends to have a very meaningful Lenten season and a Happy Easter!
Love,
Gina
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Hi Rhonda,
I am offering a prayer for you. Hang in there. I am one of the many inside your pocket.
Take care,
Gina
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Hi All,
I hope you all are keeping well. I thought will update you all about my headache. I managed to see MO , however not mine as mine was on holiday so saw his colleagues.
I discussed my headache with her seems not at all concerned thought it could be neurogenic due to stress and prescribed amitryptiline. I took the prescription but did not take the medicine. Apparently my headache has subsided now. So feeling much better. Though I am still off tamoxifen so on the flip side now I can relate headache to tamoxifen.
Today is a big day for me as last year on this day i got the diagnosis and changed my life forever.
My yoga is going great as well as mindfulness course. Has anyone done this course? What is the experience?
I read about turmeric in few messages, how do you take? Had any doctor advised? Please advise.
Sylvia I have been thinking about iscador however not sure who to contact and is it still usefully.
Hope Rhonda you will be in my prayers, I see you are seeing surgeon tomorrow.
What do you guys think about juicing and what do you include?
Please take good care of yourself
Lots of love
Nili
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Hi Sylvia,
All this while that I have been following this thread, I think you are very inspiring.
Singapore is my home for 13 years now. My husband is from here and will likely be staying here for good.
I have Carboplatin with Taxol every week and so far managing well. The nurses told me that side effects might start around #5. I still have 9 more weeks to go. I am going for #4 on Tuesday.
We were not able to keep the baby because she tested positive for down syndrome when I was 18 weeks pregnant.
Best regards,
Lou
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Hi, NIli,
Glad your headache is better, that is great, so the thought now is that it was caused by the tamoxifen? Good reason not to have to take it!
Congratulations on your one-year cancerversary! Wishing you many more!
I'm glad the yoga is working out well for you, I am also trying to get back into exercising, I go to a facility and work with a exercise therapist and once or twice a week I go a class called mind/body stretch. Some of the stretches are yoga poses, they all make me realize how stiff and tight I have become! Cardio is my challenge, because of my chemo-induced neuropathy I can't walk for very long, so haven't quite figured that out yet.
I take turmeric in capsule form, 625 mg. Thanks to Gina, I am thinking of attempting to grow some perhaps in a big pot.
I for one do not juice much, I have been advised to eat the whole plants instead of juicing them. I eat a lot of salads and raw, steamed and roasted veggies and fruits. From what I understand, juicing is great in many situations, especially when you can't take in enough nutrition from vegetables and fruits, so juicing concentrates them and gets it where it's needed quickly. I probably did need it early on in my treatment journey, but wasn't educated. I think Gina knows quite a bit about juicing.
Talk to you again soon, Mary
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Hi, Gina,
Interesting about the penitents and flagellants still inflicting pain upon themselves, sounds stupid to me too, but to each their own I guess. Long as they are not whipping anyone else!
For one thing, I am trying to give up using expletives for Lent, I am hoping if I can get in the habit of not using them, it will carry on after Lent too.
I like your custom of going to different churches with your family group, that sounds very interesting, and I'm sure you and family make it enjoyable.
Tonight begins the Stations of the Cross, it will be every Friday evening until Easter. All of the Catholic parishes begin having their Lenten fish dinners tonight too, every Friday until Easter. The bad thing is that everything is deep-fried. fish, potatoes, hush-puppies. Maybe once during Lent I will attend one of these.
Talk soon, Gina
Love, Mary
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Hello Nili,
I just wanted to say congratulations on being one year out since diagnosis.
I was glad to know that you are finding yoga and your Mindfulness course useful. I heard someone talking about mindfulness on the radio this morning. It seems to be all about living in the present.
You asked about turmeric. You can buy it as a ground spice and put it on your food. I buy fresh turmeric at a greengrocer's where I live. It is a strange looking thing, a bit like a miniature ginger root. I wash it and cut it up and cook it with vegetables. I buy the fresh because I have read that the powder turmeric is not easily absorbed by the body. It is quite nice mixed in with hummous and some black pepper and then used on vegetables cooked or raw.
As for Iscador, I was prescribed it orally by a reputable homoeopathic cancer consultant at the Royal Bristol Homoeopathic Hospital in England. I was referred to her by my breast cancer consultant when I was first diagnosed. The two worked together. I took it all through my treatment and for some years afterwards. I understand that Iscador is used with cancer treatment in Germany.
You asked about juicing, and, of course, we all have our own opinions about this. I do not juice anything and am not in favour of it, especially with fruit and high sugar carbohydrates, such as root vegetables. It makes them too concentrated and too high in sugar. I think it is much better to eat a mixture of plain, unadulterated, fruit and vegetables. When I was first diagnosed I consulted and worked with a reputable herbalist and he was dead against juicing.
I do not touch smoothies either. Again they are too concentrated.
By the way, I was wondering which country you come from.
Take care.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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