…The large cancer organizations emphasize detection and treatment (many are funded by corporations that make money from the machines and medicines), however less emphasis is put on prevention which would require changes in how we do business…

As a breast cancer survivor of 3 years I am angry to see so many new members of our special sisterhood. I second the call to get mammograms and take care of ourselves individually but also think we need to start asking why there are so many of us getting sick.

Amen, LL. Your pointed question ties right into Jane’s whole passion with regard to this FDL blog, to boot. Being afraid to “change how we do business” also applies to so much of what’s wrong with Congress and the actions it does and doesn’t take, on so many fronts and in so many battles.

This particular battle happens to be as personal as it gets for Jane and Christy both.

Pulling for you, Jane.

As I said — no studies of the links with long term use of antiperspirants and cancer have been commissioned. And since antiperspirants are a billion dollar industry, don’t expect good controlled research soon. But we live in a culture where fear of BO has been on offer at least since the 1920’s, (can you sing a Lifeboy advertising song?) and yes indeed the incidence of Breast Cancer climbs as the adoption of the antiperspirant mode of preventing one sort of BO also climbs. Male antiperspirants were introduced much later than female ones — and the incidence of male breast cancer seems to track the wide adoption of the product. The point is pretty simple, you can avoid BO and do so without using these products. They may be harmless — but they may not be.

And yes, I understand the argument about putting anti-bacterial soap into wastewater — but I suspect by the time the sewage reaches the processing plant, de little bugs are pretty well worn out dealing with the city sewer system. Someday we will understand the balance between proper exposure to bugs so as to enhance immune protection, and when to protect against odd bugs given weakened immune systems. As a Cancer survivor who messed with my immune system with 4 courses of Chemotherapy, anti-bacterial soap makes sense. If I had a healthy small child, I think I might weigh in on the side of some exposure so as to enhance natural lifetime immunity to this and that. People who are doing, or have done Chemotherapy need to avoid odd sinks of strange bacteria and other bugs. For instance, one wants to avoid spending time with small children who go to nursery school who have the sniffles or some other minor and unremarkable illness. You should also avoid hospitals and nursing homes.

My Chemotherapy had a very strange side-effect. From the time I was a kid up till when I was diagnosed with cancer at age 31, I had at least one strep infection every winter. Sometimes two. I had another between surgery and the beginning of Chemotherapy. Since March 17th of 1970 when my chemo began, I have not had a Strep infection. 37 years without a Strep Throat!!! I do not recommend this method of avoiding the infection. About ten years after the chemo treatment, I remarked on this odd fact to my chemotherapist’s lab and research assistant, and we actually did a culture, and I am apparently immune to strep.

These are just basic comprehensions that many who take this trip come to deal with and understand — all this “new medicine” and the science it is based in are experimental, and the researchers and the doc’s can only do and know so much — the variables that might be really important in preventing re-occurance or even prevention in the first instance are so numerous that only the most obvious can be studied. My Chemotherapy, for instance, was a product of Nixon’s War on Cancer, and I am in the second phase study, just after the first screening phase on stage 4 and 5 patients — the drug was dropped after four years because more effective Melanoma ones came along, In fact after ten years I was the only survivor in my test group, thus really no way to consider whether immunity to strep might be more than just a single case phenonema or what it might mean. Believe me, this is a hell of a life trip.

What we know about Melanoma — it is probably genetic and enhanced by the sun. If you are Scots, Irish, Bylorussian, Welch, Austrian or French Celtic, you probably have a genetic predisposition to it. If you are blond, red haired, or blue-green eyed, you may be predisposed. If so, you should totally distain the sun, particularly the culture of the sun-deck and the swimming pool, the beach or even the ski culture unless you protect yourself. (one of the most horrible evenings I had on Cancer Ward was with a friend who had to have his eyes removed the next day because the melanoma was in his eyes.) So polarized sun glasses from an early age, of course high numbered sun block, but also long sleeves even in the summer, and rather than shorts, light weight cotton long slacks. Swim, of course, but use sun block, and sit in the shade and put on a light cotton wrap. The one advantage of a fashion Burka is that it is the right idea to avoid Melanoma. But then the genetic predisposition to Melanoma is not common in the Arab or South Asian world. Remember that water reflects the sun — so even if you are in the shade at the shore, the reflection can get you. Melanoma is not the result of one bad sunburn — it is totally cumulative. The small sunburn at age three or four counts and adds to another one at age 14. We really need a culture that does not value the suntan. We need attractive vacations that do not involve laying out in the sun. These days in Minnesota every 15 minutes the TV ads are about a vacation someplace on a sunny beach or cruise. I would find attractive Northern Norway right now if I wanted to travel. I may have done 37 years, but sunny beaches are still ugly. Greenland in Winter (on SAS flights they call it Northern Denmark). We need more “real” multi-culturalism.

As I said earlier, I’ve spent years looking at the lists of which medical groups have the best outcomes. Jane has one of the very best in the US. For the next months she needs a total partnership with the crew in which she has put her trust — and I know how hard that is — but the next months of healing, and treatment and all — that is what may give her decades more of life. And that is what we are after, isn’t it.

AH-OOOO

I second that howl

I have a PBGV and they are HOUNDS… they Aroo not Ah-oooo.

Listen to this. I know you’ll love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb2WL2oOaS8

My dog does it better because he’s got a deeper voice!

Anyway Jane, that’s it!

Aroo for you too

Vicki and DC!

I was born and raised Catholic but so many hard doctrines never fit the more universal acceptance of an interconnected bond with all living things….even nonCatholic :-)

Life is the energy of thought,
Those healing powers drawn
from each when shared

Up and down with cautiously optimistic alternated with ‘we’ve had a minor setback’ zaps all your energy that you may need for more important things that could happen. “Hoping for the best, while preparing for the worst” will leave you better prepared if things don’t go as well as hoped.
.

Ya know, Rumi, since your pseud is that of the great Sufi mystic poet, we’re all better for being here. Go Jane, Sing Levon!

Crazy Horse @
136
Ahhh, eureka springs, how can it be that so many here are so busy deconstructing Tucker fickin Carlsen, who has choked on my bow tie, and they won’t take an hour off to listen to The Band.

tell us about the real amurka, Levon.

Eureka Springs, AR says:

Just thinking along the same line, Crazy Horse. Speaking for myself I just want to war to end, civil liberties restored, and a few adults in the big office so I can get back to the garden, spend my time and energy with the Levons and Janes…

I read the two comments above and it reminded me of why we need a few adults in charge,…just a few, really.

angie says:
yeppers!

…that says it all.

I came here on a paper chase of sorts but the people I’ve met inspire me to make a difference in other ways. Knowing the folks here at the lake has already made me a better person…thanks.