My Dr. McCool

Last night the local television station obviously was in need of a health story to use for the holiday weekend.  And while I’m out of town and missed it, several friends sent me a message that KTHV used a story from last year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month package, an interview with my Dr. McCool – or as they spell it at UAMS, Dr. Issam Makhoul. 

Here's the link.  It’s actually an interview with both of us.  And while the story gave too much credit to the spirit of the patient, I will always know that it was Dr. Makhoul who cured my cancer.  As I shared with friends this weekend, if I had chosen to receive cancer treatment from a dentist in Booger Hollow, I don’t think my spirit of resolve would have taken my cure very far.  While the spirit of the patient is important, it’s the brilliance of the doctor and the medical team and the clinic that delivers the cure. 

Watching the clip via the Internet reminded me about so many things about this wonderful physician of extraordinary ability, and I must share, wondering if you agree.

Today, there’s a real buzz about being an active or informed “health care consumer” with some going so far as to mention “consumer-directed health care.”  While I agree that being an informed patient is a wise move, I own a B.A. degree in social science!  It would not be in my best interest to try to be the director of my cancer care.  What a disaster – which is why the credentials of the physician and the doctor-patient relationship are the crucibles of quality health care.  

In the eyes of UAMS and Dr. Makhoul, I have always been a patient in need of medical care – not a health care consumer.  And I never believed their patient care and treatment services to be a commodity.  Far from it! 

I’ve always been amazed at how much time Dr. Makhoul spends with each patient, never rushed, always explaining in detail the science of the disease, the pros and cons of treatment options, side-effects and obstacles.  I could read all day about Inflammatory Breast Cancer and never be a step ahead of this man. It would not be long before I began to ask him one question:  “If I was your sister, what would you recommend for me?”  He would then share his suggested course of treatment, and that was ALWAYS the choice I made. 

(A note of humor:  For those of you who know Tim, you won’t be surprised that one day we were leaving UAMS and he said to me, “I sure hope Dr. Makhoul likes his sister.”  It would be Tim’s humor that surely got me through some tough times.) 

Dr. Makhoul and Nurse B and Nurse Michelle – they will forever be my medical caretakers (along with Drs. Klimberg and Yuen) and I will always be their patient.  And that’s the kind of relationship I want with my health care provider.

Thank you Dr. Makhoul.  It’s now May 30, 2011.  It’s been 468 days since I’ve been in your care.  One year, three months and 14 days later, I still feel an incredible sense of faith in your abilities, and UAMS too.  And for that, I am very grateful.  

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Other than a few car trips to Missouri to see Allyson graduate or visit her in St. Louis, the last real vacation I had was in June 2009, a wonderful trip we took to Springfield, IL, and then several days in Chicago.  Before that, Tim and I took my parents and their friends John & Nancy Anthony on a Blue & BBQ road trip through the Mississippi Delta.  But it’s been over two years since I’ve been on a plane trip.

Today I feel like a kid in a candy store, as in a few hours I’m boarding a flight to Washington, DC – my very favorite place in America!  I’ll attend a conference on America’s competitive workforce Wednesday through Friday.  But between now and then, I’m looking forward to several days of rest and great fun with longtime friends from college. 

Used to for me, living meant traveling.  I’m kind of like George Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life when he said that the three most exciting sounds in the world are anchor chains, plane motors and train whistles.  But travel hasn’t been in the cards for me in quite a while.  So I’m very excited about getting on a plane and taking off for a new adventure. 

Traveling in my new normal world is quite different.  Anytime I get on a plane, it now requires wearing a lymphedema sleeve on my right arm.  The sleeve reminds me of a wet suit for the arm – a very tight compression garment to prevent the onset of lymphedema. 

Most people don’t know what lymphedema is until they have it.  For me, it's something I'll hope to prevent the rest of my life.  Lymphedema is caused when there is trauma caused to the lymphatic system – in my case, cancer in the lymphatic system that required surgically removing 17 lymph nodes.  Lymphedema, or lymphatic obstruction occurs when there is blockage of the lymph vessels that drain fluid from tissues throughout the body and allow immune cells to travel where they are needed.  Cancer patients who develop lymphedema do so usually in the first four years after surgery.  It's another post-cancer complication I certainly hope to avoid. 

The physical discomfort is usually fluid retention and swelling in the arm, and sometimes the swelling is constant and horrific.  But the really bad news is this . . . Once you have lymphedema, it’s very difficult to get rid of it.  So, the secret here is PREVENTION. 

Today I have my house sitter well supplied, the dogs fed, bags packed, my ticket in hand, and I’m wearing my very important lymphedema arm sleeve that will be my new companion every time I board a plane. I sure hope this thing works. 

After landing, I’m ripping this sleeve off to enjoy several days in my safe place –  with very best friends who allow you to share your most personal self and not feel afraid.  Our plans are simple – good food and wine, updates on our lives, and mentally traveling on our time machine to recall special days gone by. 

As Thoreau said, true friends cherish one another’s hopes and are kind to one another’s dreams. 

I’m very excited about boarding this plane, but even happier about spending the days ahead with cherished friends.  

I hope you enjoy a very memorable holiday weekend too.  

Cooking Kale – A Super Food (Can I post twice in one day?)

Keeping with my new venture for eating most things local, this morning was another day at the Farmers Market.  I attended two – the new Hillcrest Farmers Market and the Certified Arkansas Farmer’s Market.  Both of these markets only include local farmers with local meats and produce - fresh, clean food from small family farms.  Last spring and summer I was only able to get to the market one time.  But this year is different.  Saturday mornings have become my time to shop each market for the foods I want for the meals I’ll prepare throughout the week. 

Today I bought some lovely chickens from Cove Creek Acres, a local poultry and pork farm located in Clarksville, AR.  And the pork chops we cooked this week from Farm Girl Natural Foods – well, it was simply the best pork I’ve ever tasted.  So, I bought more chops, a pork loin and some sausage.  I also bought sweet onions, kale, mushrooms, more English peas, fresh lettuce, green onions and Arkansas strawberries.  In the meantime, I’ll have to buy out-of-state but organically grown tomatoes at the market.  I sure will be happy when the Arkansas tomatoes are ready for harvest.  There’s nothing much better than Arkansas strawberries and tomatoes. 

  

Yesterday a good friend asked me about my new love for that leafy green vegetable known as kale.  I really didn’t know anything abut kale, never ate it until cancer.  My friend Leslie brought a big bunch of it to my house and showed me a very simple method for roasting it in the oven.  Since then, I’ve discovered it’s an uber-nutritious vegetable full of vitamins A, C and K, and the all important anti-oxidant vitamin E.  Kale is also a great source of manganese, calcium and iron, has no cholesterol, and offers a nice serving of fiber and protein.

I think the reason I never cooked with kale is that it’s much tougher than other leafy greens compared to turnip greens and spinach.  So you’ll seldom find anyone using it to make a salad or cream sauce, even though I’ve since found several recipes for kale used with soups and stir fries. 

But the recipe below is about as easy and good as you can get and only requires three ingredients.  I’m sharing it with you in hopes that you’ll also discover this fabulous vegetable continues to be listed as one of the Super Foods.  Super Foods are only good if you know what to do with them. 

Roasted Kale with Sea Salt

4 cups firmly-packed kale

1 to 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (I sometimes use Sesame Oil for a different flavor)

1 tsp. good-quality sea salt (I’ve been using lemon sea salt)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and trim the kale: Peel off the tough stems by folding the kale leaves in half like a book and stripping the stems off. Toss with extra virgin olive oil. Roast for five minutes. Turn kale over. Roast another 7 to 10 minutes until kale turns brown and becomes paper thin and brittle. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately.

I’ve seen a few other recipes that add some minced garlic, ground black pepper and toasted sesame seeds.  Everybody’s palate is different so do with it what you like.  But today I bought two sacks of kale and plan on enjoying its wonderful flavor throughout the week. 

If you want to buy local, the Farmers Market is where you want to be.  And if you can’t get there on Saturdays, then try shopping at local food markets such as Argenta Market in North Little Rock, or Terry’s or Hestand’s in the Heights.  All of these locally owned markets do a terrific job of buying from local farmers too.  

Eat healthy, and eat local when you can.  It's really not difficult, just requires changing a few old shopping habits.  

Single Parenting with Cancer takes a Legal Hit

A recently decided custody battle has been getting a lot of attention recently, especially inside the cancer community.

On the losing side: A North Carolina mother with stage 4 breast cancer whose two children, ages 5 and 11, were taken away because of her terminal illness. On the winning side, the healthy father who divorced his wife, Alaina Giordano, after her diagnosis. Several months ago he decided to move to Chicago, and now he wants his kids.  Essentially, the judge said, a healthy dad is better than a sick mom.  

Make no mistake – this divorce was replete with accusations of physical and mental abuse, extra-marital affairs and mental illness.  But it was the father who chose to leave North Carolina to pursue a job in Chicago, and it was the judge cited breast cancer as the deciding factor. Custody agreements, in theory, are based on what's in a child's best interest, but moving the children away from their friends, their schools and their mother at a time when her life expectancy is uncertain is incomprehensible. 

In her ruling, Judge Nancy Gordon cited forensic psychologist Dr. Helen Brantley: "The more contact [the children] have with the non-ill parent, the better they do. Children want a normal childhood, and it is not normal with an ill parent."

This issue isn’t over and will long be debated in the court of law and the court of public opinion.  In the meantime, Alaina has started a blog and well-meaning friends have begun a Facebook page: Alaina Giordano Should Not Lose Her Kids Because She Has Breast Cancer. 

On her blog, Alaina writes this:

I AM NOT CANCER.

I am Alaina. I was diagnosed with cancer in December 2007. I am not cancer.

I am a mother of two remarkable children. I am not cancer.

I am a daughter to loving parents. I am not cancer.

I am a sister to two amazing women. I am not cancer.

I am a friend to so many wonderful people. I am not cancer.

I AM NOT CANCER

I plan on staying on top of this issue.  It’s difficult to imagine that this kind of child custody ruling could become the norm, that we could begin to see laws passed that suggest effective parenting is contingent on being in optimal health. 

Medical update:

Last week I went to see my oncologist Dr. Makhoul for some blood work and my regular checkup – and the news is good. 

First, my vitamin D levels are finally normal and I’ll soon begin the Reclast treatment to increase my bone density levels.  This is good news, especially since I had an accident last Friday with my toe and a big piece of furniture in the den.  I went online to find out what can be done with a broken toe, and most articles said there’s not much you can do.  So, I did nothing, until yesterday.  With pain and swelling moving into my foot, I got worried – this wasn’t getting any better, only worse.  Sure enough, I went to see my neighbor/friend and local podiatrist Dr. Richard Bronfman, and I have a nice clean break across my toe.  Eeeeks – no wonder it hurts.  I’m now wearing a beautiful black boot, my toe wrapped up in gauze and tape.  I need to get my bones back to where they need to be.  They are as frail as paper right now. 

Second, my tumor markers came back negative.  I have long heard the phrase “tumor marker” but had no idea what that meant until last week. This will be a test I’ll have every three months for who knows how long.  Tumor markers are substances that can be found in the body (in my case, the blood) when cancer is present. Tumor markers can be used to identify hormones, proteins or parts of proteins to determine if cancer is present.  My tumor markers should always remain below a 31.  Last week my tumor marker test – 16!  What a fabulous kind of test to see if cancer is trying to stir itself back up in your body.  While there still is no cure, there are some remarkable tests and procedures that continue to amaze me. 

I continue to move along and feel better all the time.  Yes, my resistance is down and I seem to pick up all kinds of infections that used to not be an issue.  Ear infections, a fever virus – you name it, I can pick it up right now.  But I’m not going to let this get me down.  Life’s been fun – an evening cruise down the Arkansas River, a French dinner party where Tim and I were the “celebrity chefs,” floating the Buffalo National River, a day at the horse races, a reunion celebration with Hendrix College friends, a decadent dinner and beautiful evening at P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home, and now regular visits to the Farmer’s Market to keep my 80% plant diet on track.  Life is good and I’m enjoying every day. 

I hope you’re enjoying the spring weather as much as me.  

Damn it! I Hate Cancer!

For me, it seems like cancer has become epidemic.  Or maybe I’m just more sensitive to the stories about each new diagnosis.  I’m not sure.  But it seems like the nasty cancer keeps finding a way to invade the lives of people I love.  

About a month ago, some longtime family friends shared with me that their daughter has been diagnosed with breast cancer – and the really evil stuff, Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  I knew her when she was a little girl.  Today she's a young woman, married with small children, and now she carries the burden of IBC.  Just terrible news.  

Last week, another friend called to give me an update on his sister, also battling Inflammatory Cancer.  Her battle has been tough, treatment hard to handle, treatment now put on hold, and she’s not doing so well.  

On Saturday, my darling cousin in Texas lost her mother-in-law to colon cancer.  Her mother-in-law lost her own husband just a few short years ago to pancreatic cancer.  It hardly seems fair for my cousin’s husband – to lose both of his parents in only a few short years, both of them taken by the ravages of cancer. 

Yesterday I found out that another longtime friend, who has been in remission for about two years – well, he got the bad news call.  The cancer is back. 

Last night I received a late-night email from another dear friend, a kindred spirit whose sister died many years ago from Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  My friend found a lump, had an appointment with the radiologist, and has now been told she too has breast cancer. 

And just today at UAMS, I ran into one of my cancer soul sisters.  Throughout my own journey, she helped keep my spirits high, served as a gracious role model for how to have cancer with great dignity.  She’s a classy and tough as grizzle woman who has fought the good fight and made it to the other side.  That is, until today. Her breast cancer has returned, even though she went ahead with the double mastectomy.  WHAT?  Breast cancer without breasts?  Unbelievable.  What will it take to stop this monster from continuing this ravage on our bodies?

Tonight I’m mad as hell, and yes, I'm scared too.  I hate cancer and it feels like it’s closing in! 

HELP - Somebody!  Make it go away! 

Did I mention that I'm scared?  

Encouragement from Survivors & Research

 Breast cancer, no matter the circumstances, is terrible.  Make no mistake – all cancers are bad.  It’s a disease that once diagnosed haunts the body and stalks the mind forever.  There are no good cancers.  Period.

Having said that, there are some diagnosed with breast cancer who are able to battle the disease without having a to surgically remove the breast.  And then there are others, like me, where a mastectomy is mandatory, not an option.  The issue can then become a decision about prevention --  “Do I remove the one breast, or both?”   Called a prophylactic or risk-reducing mastectomy, it’s a procedure to eliminate the chance of developing cancer in a second breast,.  It’s often recommended when a woman exhibits risk factors for the cancer to move to the other breast - age, family history, and the presence of invasive or high-risk cancer cells

The benefits of a preventive mastectomy are simple – removing the second breast significantly reduces the chance of developing cancer in the other breast.  Real simple.  I

The risks associated with removing both breasts are twofold:  (1) The normal risks associated with any kind of surgery, and (2) Because a preventive mastectomy is irreversible, the psychological effects on a woman’s body image of loss of normal breast function must be considered.  

And let me tell you, the psychological effects can be real. 

During my own breast cancer battle, it would be almost ten days before the mastectomy surgery that I would have my first real emotional meltdown.  From February through June, I surprised myself by staying emotionally stable, my head in the game of cancer treatment.  However, as the July date for the mastectomy approached, I became terrified, worried about so drastically altering my body.  While I’d never had a love affair with my breasts, they were mine and I really didn’t want to lose them.  It was a tough time of great anxiety, and sometimes a river of tears.  However, though the help of survivor friends and a little therapy, the logical mind would take over, and I successfully made the mental adjustment a few days before surgery.   

At Friday’s annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons in Washington, D.C., there was good news for those of us who've been faced with the "one or two" mastectomy decision.  

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., questioned hundreds of women who sacrificed a healthy breast in the hope of avoiding another cancer. Twenty years after their surgery, 97 percent said they would make the same decision again.  Details about the research can be found by clicking here.

Throughout this cancer journey, I’ve been blessed by amazing women who have openly shared with me their pain and fears, and their stories of conquering the beast.  These champion women remained by my side to calm my fears and hug my soul. Their stories gave me the hope I needed to fight strong, a much better strategy than traveling the journey alone. 

And now we have encouraging news from almost 300 women who 20-years ago were faced with some of these same tough decisions – one breast or two?  It’s nice to know that looking back, they would do it all over again. 

Thank goodness for survivors who share their stories, and for research that calms our hearts.  I am thankful. 

Cooking Cancer

As one oncologist said to me, “Once cancer has invaded your body, the potential for recurrence is always present.  Stay emotionally calm and healthy.  Remember, stress cooks cancer.” 

And he was right. 

For those of us in the cancer survivors club, we are all too familiar with regular references to relieving stress during and after treatment.  And while a little bit of stress can do us good from time to time, chronic stress can define our overall health and is a widely known to adversely effect the immune system, increasing the risk of heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and depression. 

For a number of years, almost 30 to be exact, researchers have also tried to determine the impact of stress on cancer.  Now comes research released only a few short weeks ago from M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute. 

M.D. Anderson has been examining how stress might promote cancer in order to better understand the role of stress in cancer patients to reduce its negative influence.  And here is what they've discovered:

• Stress is a normal function of life.  In fact, occasional stress can actually be good in terms of improving cognitive function and the body's immune system.  However, chronic stress can and does negatively impact every system in the body. 
• While stress has not been proven to initiate cancer, there is ample evidence suggesting that chronic stress can promote tumor growth, progression, and metastasis.

You can read more about the details of the study by clicking here.

Future research by M.D. Anderson will delve into a stress ranking system; in other words, how to rank what are called “stressors” based on how individuals respond psychologically, physiologically and behaviorally to various challenging events.  And that’s what makes it complicated.  We all have our different stress thresholds, similar to our pain thresholds.  So each of us has a different “breaking point” in terms of stress.  What may feel like stress for one woman could likely feel energizing for another. 

Hans Selye (the father of stress studies) once wrote of the rabbit and the turtle. Some of us approach life more like a rabbit, running from place to place, nibbling when we can, shooting off in all directions. Others approach life more like a turtle, proceeding methodically from point to point with careful attention to detail, taking things one at a time. Both extremes are healthy. What is unhealthy, or stressful, is trying to be different from our nature. For example, the rabbit says to his or her turtle spouse, "You never want to go anywhere or do anything." The turtle, feeling guilty, decides to become a rabbit for the night and go barhopping with the rabbit spouse. That, Selye says, is what causes stress- being untrue to our nature.

I admit - I’m the rabbit.  Competition, multi-tasking and risk-taking have long been a big part of my normal day.  The constant life of a turtle would be very difficult for me.  Take for example my job – public relations.  Just last week my daughter sent me a CNN article that names PR as the second highest stressful job, a career she is now pursuing.  Really?  For me, the world of public relations feels like healthy competition, the challenge of deadlines, and the ability to conquer tough assignments.  I just really like what I do, but I'm also wondering if maybe I’ve just become accustomed to a stressful lifestyle.  Yes, I’m a risk taker, never been accused of avoiding harm if the stakes are high.  But is this good for me long-term? 

With all of that said, I’m working to eliminate stress from my life, and it seems to be agreeing with me.  

• I’m finding Saturdays and Sundays to sometimes be good “turtle days” – never leaving the house, piddling with projects here at home, enjoying the peace and quiet and solitude.  
• I'm getting better at saying "no" - not to my children or my clients, but to all the worthy community projects that call my heard.  If not "no", at least I'm getting better at explaining my limitations
• I'm settling in to the best use of me and my talents at CJRW.  I've long enjoyed strategic planning with clients, and PR writing too.  So, I'm spending more time with these client projects, and it's suiting my lifestyle very well.    
• And just today, I’ve decided to join a course long overdue – yoga.  Years ago my meditation training introduced the practice of yoga.  But not wanting to take on too much at one time, I just stayed focused on the meditation.  But more and more research continues to show that yoga provides both physical and psychological support for breast cancer survivors, and other cancers too – creating a calmer existence, relieving anxiety, reducing depression and strengthening the body from the side effects of treatment.  So, I’ve signed up and looking forward to a 6 week introductory class at Barefoot Studio.  And what a lovely place – they give breast cancer survivors a discount.  Wahoo!

If you have OR have had cancer, what’s your plan?  Don’t waste a minute - put STRESS RELIEF on the top of your pile.  Do it today!   Stop cooking cancer.  

Cancer Repellent: Good Meds, Healthy Foods & Exercising with Friends

Some random thoughts on a beautiful Sunday afternoon . . .

My physical condition remains the same – feeling better each day with a slow but steady increase in energy.  I’m not where I used to be, and probably never will, especially due to the side effects of daily medications required for the next several years – specifically bone and joint pain, weakness and fatigue.  But I’m sold on Arimidex, (versus Tamoxifen) and here’s why: 

Studies show that 5 years of Arimidex is better than 5 years of tamoxifen for two main reasons:  (1) Arimidex increases the time before the cancer comes back for those who experience recurrence, and (2) Arimidex reduces the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body. 

For me, dealing with bone and joint pain is a far better alternative than dealing with cancer.  I think anybody would agree with that. 

This week I will complete my regime of 100,000 units of Vitamin D each week.  Hopefully I will soon begin Reclast, an infusion treatment for women like me who are experiencing thin, weak bones due to the absence of estrogen and chemo-induced osteoporosis.   Oncologists are finding great success with Reclast as cancer survivors on this treatment, for some unknown reason, are experiencing a reduced rate of recurrence.  Woohoo!  Another notch in my insurance belt – and I’ll take it!  And I’ll also participate in one of many cancer studies conducted at the Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute. 

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I’m looking forward to the leg pain hopefully going away soon as exercise has been somewhat tough for me.  Heck, just walking across the parking lot or down stairs can be a real stretch most days. 

Some very dear friends gave me a bike last week, a very good and cool bike, too.  These folks are huge bike enthusiasts, and I mean the serious kind, complete with bike racks, the proper clothes and hours long bike trips.  As my friend upgraded to a better bike, I got her leftover.  But let me put this in perspective.  It’s like if your friend bought a Mercedes Benz G-Class SUV and gave you her Lexus sedan.  It’s real nice!  I’ve ridden it a few times in the neighborhood and look forward to more bike excursions after my legs get stronger.  What great friends.  And speaking of good friends, I did enjoy a walk over the Big Dam Bridge this week with a new cancer survivor friend, a very special lady indeed.  We’re both young widowed breast cancer survivors – what a combination.  But we’re strong as steel survivors on both fronts. 

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About food – I’ve gotten myself on a new food regime, and it seems to suit me well.  I’ve lot 8 pounds, very slowly, but it will take time to shed this unwanted weight from a year of steroids and a sedentary lifestyle.  No diets for me!  When you love to cook and eat, diets are like living in prison.  But I have made several switches to my food habits 

§  More of a plant-based diet, hoping to ultimately get to an 80-20 combination . . . . 80% plant-based food, 20% meat.  Some of the best anti-cancer vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale (try a little roasted kale in the oven – delicious!), peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, red onions, squash, carrots, cauliflower and green beans. 

§  Less red meat, more seafood.  And I’m only buying certified humane meats, which has limited my meat suppliers but it’s worth the trip.  Healthier meat, better tasting and I know that these animals, from birth through slaughter, have been raised humanely. 

§  Lots more fruits.  I’m especially grown fond of having a sweet piece of fruit each night before bed. Some of the best anti-cancer fruits include blueberries, strawberries, oranges, peaches, apricots, grapes and tangerines. 

§  I’ve added a consistent increase of fiber to my diet with a helping of granola (stay away from the sweet kind) that tops a bowl of yogurt every morning.  Yogurt is a new power food added to my diet at least once each day.  It’s one of the very best sources of calcium, and has proven to slow tumor growth by 75% when tested with animals. 

§  Green tea has been added to my diet.  I have to say it’s still taking me some time to get used to the “green thing” – especially switching from the standard Chai Tea Lattes to Green Tea Chai Latte.  It’s very green!

§  In addition, I’ve added a daily intake of fish oil. Click here for an new development about fish oil possibly helping breast cancer survivors successfully battle the loss of muscle tissue.  As clinical trials will begin soon, I'm all about going ahead with a fish oil supplement as it's rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and can be attributed to aiding in the treatment of many diseases - heart disease, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, low immunity, arthritis, diabetes and more.  Here's a good web site for a high quality fish oil product that is without contaminants.  

§  I'm trying hard to add lots of 64 ounces water to my diet, but it's been a struggle.  I so enjoy coffee all morning, iced tea in the afternoon, lemonade and pomegranate juice in the evening and a hot chamomile tea before bed.  I'm a creature of habit and it's difficult to change.  But I'll keep trying.  

 Does all this healthy food living mean I can no longer be a gourmet food gal?  No way!  I’m simply learning to prepare foods differently, using alternative ingredients, to make the final dish a bit healthier. Though occasional, there will still be the traditional favorites still prepared for my family and friends.  No kitchen of mine will go without the lovely smell of braised short ribs on top of a dollop of rustic mashed potatoes, shrimp & cheese grits, and Spanish Paella.  But tonight we’ll be cooking braised chicken with creamy leeks. 

I’m almost certain I’ve never purchased magazines like Weight Watcher’s or Cooking Light.  For a cook and gourmand like me, the recipes just don’t cut it in the tasty category.  But I have found a new magazine that I’m quite fond of . . . Eating Well.  The subtitle says it all:  Where Good Taste Meets Good Health.  I highly recommend it for all you cooks who want great flavor along with good nutrition. 

  

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We are enjoying beautiful days in Arkansas.  Friday at Oaklawn was a little piece of heaven – corned beef sandwiches and all.  And the Farmer’s markets will soon open over the next several weeks.  That means lots of opportunities for fresh produce and cooking on the grill.  I love spring with all the signs of new beginnings, and this one seems to be even more special.   Both of my girls will be home this weekend for Easter so I’m anxiously getting ready for their arrival, and anticipating some good “girl time” together. 

I hope the spring season is off to a good start for you, as well. 

Embracing Gratitude

IF THE ONLY PRAYER YOU SAID IN YOUR LIFE WAS "THANK YOU", THAT WOULD SUFFICE.   ~ Meister Eckhart

I’ve begun a new habit – a good habit this time. 

While doing some spring-cleaning, I found several journals purchased that have never had the stroke of a pen touch the paper.  A stack of three beautiful journals sat on top of the bookcase for several days until the idea came to me as clear as day. 

While this blog has been my journey of cancer and my personal experience of getting to the other side, I have now begun to write each night before sleep my list of what I’m grateful for.  Naturally the list is ever changing based on the events of the day.  But it’s a habit that I hope to keep doing for all the days ahead, to maintain my attitude of gratitude for all of my blessings.  As one friend shared with me recently, feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. 

So, while I will continue to periodically write in this blog, I wanted to pass along this new habit, maybe something you might consider doing yourself.  Honestly, it's an uplifting way to end the day, and the entry need not be laborious.  

After this long year of fighting cancer, and now fighting the after-effects of cancer treatment, I’ve come to believe that attitude is actually a form of medicine too.  When trying to define it, I think attitude is simply your approach to life, your general demeanor or disposition, your overall life mood, your response inclination to daily life events.  

What is your thought life?  And if it’s not what you want it to be, how can you change it? 

There are so many things that can influence our life thoughts. 

• Spiritual life, such as the belief in and worship for a higher power, spiritual practices like prayer and meditation, a feeling of heart and soul. 
• Connections to the human community, such a family, friends and even strangers who we encounter each day.
• A sense of purpose or a life mission that allows us to give back, make the world a better place.    
• An overwhelming body blanket of peace, calm and comfort with the world.  

 But there is one thing I know to be true.  We are in control of how we view the world and our lives, how we react and respond to life happenings.  Positive life circumstances do not come from negative thoughts or action.  I’ve often told my girls to remember that nobody makes you happy or sad or angry.  These are choices that we make ourselves.  By taking control of our own emotions, by pursuing a path of emotional health and abundant joy, the quality of life improves tenfold. 

Last night I wrote into my gratitude journal five things I’m happy about, five huge things that I was especially grateful for yesterday. 

1. After an evening at Moss Mountain Farm, my college friend P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home, I am grateful to live in Arkansas, among such natural beauty and splendor only minutes from my urban dwelling.  
2. I am grateful for longtime friends who have been in my world, as Dickens said, through the best and worst of times, friends like Dennie who's come back home to Arkansas, which has made life even more of an adventure. 
3. I’m grateful for puppies that lick you in the face each morning, their kind and gentle way of asking for breakfast. 
4. I feel blessed that my life has allowed me to know and spend time with philanthropic and community giants like my friend Mr. Maurice Mitchell, who passed away yesterday.  His was a life that was a sermon unto itself.  
5. I’m grateful to be healthy again this spring, especially after planting my herb garden yesterday.  Last year’s herb garden didn’t happen and the anticipation of abundant basil and mint and cilantro and the rest . . . well, it's kept a smile on my face all weekend. 

The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased by nearly 2 million from 2001 to 2007.  There were 11.7 million survivors in 2007, up from 9.8 million in 2001.  If attitude is truly a powerful medicine for mind and body, we’re all going to need new habits to keep our spirits high, and our days filled with gratitude. 

“In daily life, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, 

but gratefulness that makes us happy.” 

The Medicine of Mind & Body

A longtime friend battling another disease, not cancer, called this past week.  She asked, “how did you keep a positive attitude during the worst days of cancer?”  I’ve spent the past several days thinking about that, reflecting and trying to put it all in perspective, and in writing.  So, for the next several days, I’ve decided to write about the mental state of battling disease.  I’m not a psychologist, nor a student of this topic.  Everything I write is based on my own personal experience this past year, and in years past. 

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I’ll always remember the first day I met Dr. Makhoul, my UAMS oncologist.  After the initial diagnosis, I spent almost ten days having a variety of tests to find out more about my particular cancer.  With a full report in hand, Dr. Makhoul spent almost two hours with me sharing the details of the results - Stage III-B Inflammatory Breast Cancer, which had also spread its nasty self into my lymph system.  He then walked me through his recommended treatment protocol and my likely medical schedule for the months to follow.  There was so much and it was difficult to remember it all.  But how Dr. Makhoul closed our initial meeting I will never forget. 

He said to me:  “I want you to trust me with your medical care, and know that I’m going to give you my very best to cure your cancer.  What I need from you is to work in partnership with me.  Your job is to focus on your mind, your attitude and your spiritual approach to the fight.  This cancer will require both of us doing our very best, giving 110%.” 

I left his office that day knowing what I was in charge of.  Dr. Makhoul would take charge of the conventional medicine for my body.  I would be in charge of my mental state, my attitude, and my outlook on life and the cancer.  Dr. Makhoul empowered me to own and perfect the “medicine” of my mind. 

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Some call it Mind-Body Medicine.  Others call it Psychoneuroimmunology.  Bottom line . . . it’s the study of how the mind, thoughts attitudes and beliefs affect the body and your physical well-being.

Do not be confused.  This is not alternative medicine.  Instead, it is often referred to as complementary medicine, or integrated medicine – techniques that are used WITH conventional medicine. 

The list of what has been referred to as mind-body medicine is endless – guided imagery, deep breathing exercises, relaxation therapy, acupuncture, yoga, biofeedback, tai chi, meditation, and much more.  All of these techniques are designed to help the body and mind relax, to enjoy times of inner calmness and freedom from obsessing thoughts.  They can also serve as a conscious commitment to direct your energies toward health and healing, rather than obsessing with the negative circumstances of life. 

My friend Laura, a cancer survivor, shared with me the great sense of power over disease she felt through guided imagery.  In her practice she would imagine a battle going on between her body and the cancer cells, and would picture Pac-Man characters chasing and eating and destroying the cancer.  For Laura, she believes this was a magical tool in her battle to defeat what was a very aggressive cancer that has now been in remission for several years. 

For me, I was trained in Mindfulness meditation in 2004.  Some have described it as the art of stillness, sitting quietly and observing without judgment or evaluation.  Since I began meditation, I’ve found it to be incredibly helpful in creating a sense of calm in my life, alleviating stress, reducing pain, accepting what cannot be changed (but still trying to change what is possible), giving up anger and frustration over inconveniences, appreciating solitude and quiet, and so much more.  I’m a believer in it, so glad that I was trained and practiced before cancer entered my life.  It’s mental mastery, freedom from restless and negative thinking. 

How do we make “mind-body focus” work for us?  It has to become a part of your daily life practice, a natural habit, not dependent on the day’s events.  No doubt, some days are easier than others to pay attention to the connection between mind and body, to carve out time to master the art of this connection.  But we have to remain loyal to the practice, during the good, the bad and the ugly.

Finding a daily exercise that creates a sense of peace and tranquility – you can’t go wrong.  Inner peace creates outer peace.  I’m a big fan, consider myself still in training, and highly recommend everyone find some avenue for relaxation, finding a place of calm, the complementary techniques of mind and body medicine.

The mind is everything. What you think you become.

Buddha

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A few books and DVDs that have been helpful to me:

Return to Wholeness: A Mind/Body Approach to Healing Cancer

Led by world-renowned wellness doctor Deepak Chopra, M.D. along with psychologist Stephanie Simonton Atchley, founder of the Behavioral Medicine Program at the UAMS Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

http://www.cancervisualization.com/

Jon Kabat-Zinn is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, and founder (in 1979) and former director of its world-renowned Stress Reduction Clinic. He is internationally known for his work as a scientist, writer, and meditation teacher engaged in bringing mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society.

In 2004 I studied his method of meditation at the UAMS Center on Aging.  To find out more about Jon Kabat-Zinn:  http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/author.html

Two books by Kabat-Zinn that are the core of his mindfulness meditation:

Full Catastrophe Living:  Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain & Illness

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

CDs by Jon Kabat-Zinn can be purchased form his web site: 

http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/index.html

His books can be purchased or ordered from your local bookstore.