Who here has a pocket folder full of information and notes that you put together when you were first diagnosed with breast cancer? A 3-ring binder? A manilla folder hanging in a Pendaflex file?

Well, take a look at this …

A Survivor’s Guide for the Breast Cancer Journey, by Kim Regenhard, was released in April 2008.

The journal, from RiverStone Journals, and in collaboration with Day-Timer, is specifically intended to help women newly diagnosed with breast cancer understand, organize, plan and record their journey from diagnosis through recovery.

Kim herself was diagnosed in 1998, treated with a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Upon her recovery, she took it upon herself to develop a tool that will help others navigate the physical and emotional course of cancer.

“I felt compelled to create a handbook that would make the battle with cancer less burdensome for those diagnosed,” said Kim.

This beautiful hard cover (faux suede, by the way; feels awesome to someone who is tactile like myself), spiral bound book — 86 pages in total — also features beautifully photographed survivors. Kim worked with The Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation as well, to include information pertinent to survivors — including terminology and medical explanations of pathology and treatment options.

It’s available online for $39.95. (A portion of the proceeds from A Survivor’s Guide for the Breast Cancer Journey sales will be donated to breast cancer research, education and advocacy.) This would make a great gift for anyone newly diagnosed. Yup, wish I had one when I was first told I had cancer. Absolutely, indeed!

Here are a few of the journal’s special features:

• Calendar to plan and manage your schedule

• Directory to organize important contacts
• Compartments to collect critical information
• Questions to ask your medical providers
• Tips and advice from survivors
• Ample space to reflect on your experience
• Inspiring pictures and quotes
• Resources and breast cancer-related organizations
• Special section for caregivers

This journal is a gift from Kim to you … a gift from someone who has walked and survived to someone taking her first steps.

Literally, it’s a gift. I’m giving one Pink Ribbon Review reader a copy of A Survivor’s Guide for the Breast Cancer Journey.

All you have to do to qualify to win is leave a comment here explaining your diagnosis and including the date you were diagnosed — I’ll choose one commenter on Sunday, August 3rd, and post the winner for all to see and celebrate.

Thanks Kim, for bringing this journal to our attention.

(Image: RiverStone Journals)

Post from: Blisstree

Who Wouldn’t Want A Survivor’s Guide for the Breast Cancer Journey?

Ten Reasons Why Breast Cancer Survivors Like to Stay Up Late

10. The quiet of the night allows us to hear ourselves think, often for the first time all day, and for better or worse, we have to think about our lives.

9. Primetime television allows us to get sucked into other people’s dramas, and let us forget about our own.

8. Late night television offers even greater escape from painful thoughts we don’t want to ponder before bed.

7. The stars up above remind us of the greatness, the vastness, the enormity of the universe … and allows us cause to ponder how we fit into that realm.

6. Every passing hour gives us an opportunity to take another look at our children, sleeping peacefully in their beds. Peacefully.

5. The community at breastcancer.org doesn’t sleep at all and you can always find a post to respond to or a response to your own post in the wee hours.

4. Each night brings the opportunity for intimacy with our partner, and the cover of night allows us to be less inhibited by our scars.

3. We know that the most restful hours of sleep occur after midnight and figure, why bother going to bed before then? (Didn’t know that? Alright, here’s my source: Prevention).

2. We have friends in other time zones and since friendship matters greatly — it is worth sacrificing sleep time to connect with them when they’re awake!

1. You tell me … what’s the number one reason you like to stay up late?

P.S. Don’t forget the Autoglam Car Sticker Giveaway, going on now.

P.P.S. Check out the poll in the sidebar of this blog and let me know … at what stage were you diagnosed?

Post from: Blisstree

Ten Reasons Why Breast Cancer Survivors Like To Stay Up Late

Have you ever heard people tell you that you have everything within you that you need to heal yourself? Well, Angela Cambouris is a woman who believes it — she’s living proof. I’m honored to share her survivor story with you!

My story is rather long as it begins in 1989 when I knew that I had a lump that I did not address until 1990. I was never well endowed and you could actually see it. As I was always interested in vitamins and exercise and had never had any health issues, I assumed that it was simply a cyst and was really not worried about it.

Upon having my first mammogram, I was just 40 at the time, my radiologist told me that it was certainly a malignancy.(I doubt that it would be done like this today). My reaction was one of surprise rather than devastation – I just assumed that I would overcome it.

A biopsy confirmed that it was estrogen receptive and I would undergo surgery and radiation. Because the tumor was rather large, I was not sure until the operation was complete if it would be a lumpectomy or mastectomy. The drama really began as I discovered that the furniture store where I worked would be going out of business just as my radiation treatments were to begin and I would become self-employed.

I had started my own interior design business in 1986 and had worked part-time at the store. I was a single mother with a son who was 19 and I had to continue working. As I believe that everything happens for a reason, I acquired a wealthy client who never was aware that I was having the radiation while I completed his home.

I continued my regular visits to my surgeon after the lumpectomy and removal of the lympth nodes which were negative. When given the option, I decided against chemotherapy.

It was at the visit that would have me free and clear for 5 years, that it was discovered on a chest X-ray that I had a tumor the size of a walnut on my lung. Needless to say this time, I was not so certain that I would overcome it. I also had just learned that my mother had Alzheimer’s and as I was the only child, she would be needing me to care for her. The most difficult part was that my son was also an only child and he would be left without family.

The diagnosis was stage 4 breast cancer with removal of my lung as the first option. I have always been proactive and went to see the radiologist who had administered the radiation. He agreed with me that removing the lung was not the best choice as the cancer had already spread. The doctors were unsure what to make of my case as no lymph nodes had ever been positive. I might also add that no member of my extended family had ever had cancer of any kind.

My oncologist decided to start with Tamoxifen as my cancer was estrogen receptive. I began the prescription in February of 1995 with no real knowledge of what to expect so I went to the library and read.

The books cautioned that it might take a while to produce results. I knew that I needed to do more than wait for results. At the library, I also found “The Healing Force”, a film about the amazing Norman Cousins who was the first to use laughter to overcome a major disease. And finally a tape of visualization which I began practicing every day. I became obsessed with healing myself and took megadoses of vitamins and joined a Tai Chi class.

Well, all of this leads to a conclusion that you have already reached as this is 2008 and I am still here to write all of this. Within 1 month, I was in remission and my doctor was stunned. I am presently redecorating his reception room to make it more cheerful.

After the first few years, I stopped thinking about it coming back anymore. I have lost several friends to breast cancer. Ironically, the wonderful woman who taught the Tai Chi class was one of them. When I told her on the phone that she had everything she needed to heal herself, there was dead silence on the other side of the line. A month later she was gone. She had been my angel.

(Image: Angela Cambouris)

Post from: Blisstree

Survivor Story: Angela Cambouris

What was the worst part of your experience with breast cancer?

The worst part of my cancer diagnosis was knowing that I might not be alive to see my children through safe passage into adulthood; they were just 9 and 14 when I was diagnosed. But on a more personal level, I had a difficult time with all the choices: lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemo, radiation. I wanted someone to tell me what to do, but no one could help me with that part; I had to listen to my heart. The end of treatment was also difficult. After six weeks of radiation, I was told, to go and live the rest of my life. I had almost forgotten how, but cancer gave me the courage to realize I could survive anything; even the end of treatment!

What was the greatest lesson having breast cancer taught you?

I think the song, “To Live Like you Were Dying,” by Tim McGraw just about sums it up. Facing my own mortality was a gift; it allowed me to see life as not one day promised, but one day as a gift. I no longer had the luxury of thinking I had infinite tomorrows; I only had this present moment. I still cringe when I hear the words, I’ll do that when I retire. I made a passionate to-do list of 27 things I wanted to do before I died and I’ve accomplished every single one (except parachute out of an airplane!). Cancer was a second chance at life!

Looking back over your experience … is there anything you would have done differently? Anything you’re particularly proud you did “right”?

In the beginning, right after treatment, I wondered if I could have done anything differently. I realized later — much later — that there are no wrong answers when it comes to cancer. I made the best possible choice for me. Because of a surgical error, I never knew the size of my tumor, but I was lymph node negative and estrogen receptor positive. Because of that, I chose to have an oophorectomy and take tamoxifen for five years. At the time, that was considered radical, to remove healthy ovaries in a 40-year-old woman. After the clinical trial was complete, it turns out that I made the right choice. I also changed surgeons and had my lumpectomy done by a breast cancer surgeon. Statistics reveal that women who have their surgery done by a “breast cancer surgeon,” have a 40 percent greater chance of survival. I learned the importance of being my own advocate and doing my own research. Since my background was in health information management, I had resources available to me that other women don’t have. However, I tell every woman to do her research, ask lots of questions, and if you don’t understand something, seek out someone who will explain it to you. When you’ve done all that you can do and made your decision, don’t second guess yourself, and never look back!

What was the best advice you received?

The best advice I received was from a nurse oncologist who said, “Cancer isn’t the end of life, but the beginning of a totally new life.” Before cancer and after cancer are totally separate lives, I never compare the two. In many ways cancer was a blessing; I learned to value what was important in my life. I know for sure I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today had it not been for March 21, 1996. Cancer was a hard teacher, but the lessons I learned were invaluable: living in the present moment and pursuing my passions!

How did you adjust to the ‘after-cancer life’?

It’s been 12 years since my diagnosis and it’s true that it does get easier with time. The first five years were definitely the most difficult. In the beginning I saw cancer as a huge boulder;so large that I couldn’t see past it. Later it became like a rock; I could finally see the other side. And then it became like a pebble in my shoe; I knew it was there, but I didn’t want to stop to take it out. Now it’s more like grains of sand in my shoe: a constant presence, a friendly reminder of the once huge boulder that stood in my way. Cancer survivors begin their survivorship the day they hear the word ‘cancer.’ We never stop looking over our shoulder, but we learn that uncertainty is part of our reality and trying to find serenity within that uncertainty is the key to truly living.

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Survivor Q&A: Connie Pombo

On any give day you might find yourself speaking to a survivor when things suddenly go sour. Especially if you are married to the guy or gal. Let me share with you what just happened to me.

Scene: I’m in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the kids before school. My husband calls from his hotel room in DC where he has been on business for the last three days. After the niceties (”Everyone say ‘Hi’ to Daddy!” and “How’d you sleep?” and “What’s on tap for today?”) here’s what basically transpired:

Me: “Is there an iPod around here that I can use on my drive up to Yale today?”

Him: “No, at the moment there’s not.”

Me: “Darn. I thought I’d listen to an audio book or something to pass the time on the ride.”

Him: “It’s not that far.”

Me: “IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW LONG OF A DRIVE IT IS YOU INSENSITIVE #$@#$%@#$%@”

Click.

Alright, you might say, that was an uncalled for attack. Or you might say, how come, after four years of listening to me say how depressing that drive to Yale is, he doesn’t understand how down I get on doctor days?

Because even though I’m a survivor, I had to go through something that some people don’t survive. Because even though I’m a survivor, there are days when I wonder if … or when … this disease will come back again to try my strength. Because even though I’m a survivor, I think about my mortality in a way that I never did before because I’ve heard the words ‘you have cancer’ and ‘your cancer is back’ and cancer kills. Because even though I’m a survivor … some days I wish I was anything but. Usually on days when I have follow up appointments.

Because on the drive to Yale to see my doctors for follow up care I often wonder … will today be the day I hear those words again?

So tell me … do you have days like this, too? Are they on doctor days? Rainy days? Days that end in ‘Y’?

P.S. End of day update: All went well at the doctor today — still cancer free as far as they can tell!

(Photo courtesy of D3 San Francisco on Flickr)

Post from: Blisstree

Why Conversations With Survivors Are Tough

In the series, Dr. Margaret Kemeny, a world-renowned oncologist in New York and one of America’s first female cancer surgeons, speaks from a clinical point of view along with a narrator and six survivors. Together, this team of people addresses issues throughout the series concerning: diagnosis, treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation … and life beyond breast cancer.

The primary purpose of the podcast is to let women dealing with a diagnosis learn that they are not alone — and to help make some sense of the clinical information that survivors are bombarded with from the beginning.

This morning I listened to the first episode. It starts out:

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I felt shocked, extremely shocked and I felt like I was hit by a mack truck.”

“I felt that I was invaded by a foreign object that had no business being in my body.”

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or download individual mp3 files. Here’s the link again.

Post from: Blisstree

Breast Cancer Podcast: Journey to Recovery