Could Declining Chemo Be Evidence-Based?

Could Declining Chemo Be Evidence-Based?

"When a patient chooses a form of therapy out of conviction, while accepting the fact that death is inevitable someday, that patient will never be a failure and never regret the decision." Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients by Dr. Bernie Siegel, MD

I often felt that when I told my doctors that I had decided to decline chemotherapy, they heard me say, "I'm going to do nothing to prevent cancer from coming back. Literally nothing." When quite the opposite was true...

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First, Do No Harm

First, Do No Harm

UGH. Why??? Why was I put through this pointless emotional down and up yet again yesterday? Why??? What purpose does it serve me or the medical establishment to make each step start with PANIC instead of PEACE?! Let's assume everything is healthy and benign until proven otherwise... not -- let's assume there is scary cancer everywhere all of the time and cross our fingers you luck out and we don't find anything.....

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A Song for Our Souls

A Song for Our Souls

There are lots and lots of things I love in this world, and one of the closest things to my heart that I love is the church that I go to. Highlands Church in Denver, Colorado is a place and a group of people that each and every time that I'm there shows me the love of God. In June 2015 we had my Surgery Blessingway Prayer Circle there and so many came to support me and pray for us before my mastectomy.

This summer we had the opportunity to have Heatherlyn be an "Artist in Residence" at our church. So... wherever you are at... whether you need this song sung over you... or you know of someone who needs this song sung over them... I encourage you to spend 4 minutes with this song and your soul... 

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How to Make Blood Draws Go Easier...

This morning I had my blood drawn. Prior to a mastectomy and removal of 5 lymph nodes after being given a diagnosis of cancer, I never had ANY problems with blood draws. Now... it's often a bit tricky.

Because the lymph nodes were removed from my right armpit, it's highly recommended that I never have a blood draw, IV, or even blood pressure taken on my right arm. There's other things too... 

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I'm back from my 2nd treatment in Germany...

I'm back from my 2nd treatment in Germany...

Wow. Where do I even begin? So much has happened in the 6 weeks since I last wrote an update; therefore, this will probably end up being a bit on the very long-ish side (…like almost 2,800 words on the long-ish side). The weeks I spent at Hufeland Klinik in Germany were just as magical as they were last year. Before I left I thought, “Am I hyping this place up too much? Am I going to be disappointed?” Not.In.The.Least! I flew back to Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 22, 2016 and... 

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