Tuesday, April 22, 2008

9 cycles to go! (sigh)...


Well ladies and gents, I have 9 cycles of Chemo to go! I haven't even hit the 1/2 way mark yet! As you can see I have my Chemo pack strapped to me. I'll be featuring somewhere on my side bar how to wear and live with chemo pack...Some of it may be funny so don't be offended...it's how I get through it ...it's only when you have it you tend to joke about it. So anyway, I got my blood counts back yesterday and the Dr. said they were great! and my CEA ("cancer detector"/tumor marker) was 0.5 normal range, so that was great news to hear!...back in Nov'07 is was 68.0 ,elevated because I had cancer in my body! My fingertips are starting to turn brown again, I'll spared you the grossness of a picture...not so pretty! I get my chemo pump taken off tomorrow Yeah! This time they will give me nausea meds ...the last time it made me feel sick ,so hopefully that will do the trick! Feelin good guys! I always look forward to next week when I can guzzle cold liquids! (my chemo makes me REAL sensitive to cold! bizarre huh!)

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Do you drink SODA ?...maybe you should stop....



The Scoop on Soda


Children sip it, college students crave it, and adults gulp it to get through the workday. But according to a growing body of research, America’s favorite fizzy drink isn’t just a harmless vice—it’s a genuine health hazard that can cause obesity, bone loss, and tooth decay. Some studies even suggest that soda can increase your risk for diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Read on to get the real story behind these sparkling soft drinks.
Here, the top 10 reasons why you should put pop to a stop.
1. It makes you gain weight. According to a 2005 study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center, drinking one to two cans of soda a day increases a person’s risk of being overweight or obese by 32.8 percent. And if you think diet soda is a better option, think again: The researchers found that those who drank one to two cans of diet soda per day were at an even higher risk (54.5 percent) of being overweight or obese.

2. It increases your disease risk. A 2007 study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation found that people who drink soda every day, whether regular or diet, were 44 percent more likely to develop metabolic syndrome—a condition that greatly increases your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

3. It has no nutritional value. A 20-ounce bottle of cola contains nearly 250 calories, but take a look at the label, and you’ll see that it has virtually no vitamins or minerals. In fact, the only things soda is packed with are sugar and caffeine—two ingredients for which FDA has no recommended daily allowance.

4. It doesn’t satisfy your thirst. When it comes to quenching your thirst, water is the gold standard, but herbal tea and fruit juice are also good options. Soda, on the other hand, is likely to make you thirstier because caffeine is a diuretic and sugar interferes with the body’s absorption of fluids.

5. It’s bad for digestion. Soda’s effects on digestion are a source of ongoing debate, but some experts believe the phosphoric acid these beverages contain may disturb the acid-alkaline balance of the stomach. As a result, they believe, soda drinkers may develop digestional distress, acid reflux, stomach inflammation, and intestinal erosion.

6. It can be addictive. A 2000 study published in the Archives of Family Medicine revealed that soft-drink manufacturers add caffeine to soda for one reason only: to get consumers hooked. Although this type of addiction may seem benign, experts are quick to point out that caffeine is a stimulant, and once you’re addicted, going cold turkey can create withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, depression, irritability, tremors, sleep deprivation, and headaches.

7. It’s not eco-friendly. Believe it or not, many people still don’t recycle their bottles and cans. In fact, it’s estimated that some 50 billion aluminum cans and plastic bottles from soft drinks get thrown into landfills every year. Even if you recycle, the containers are still energy-intensive to mine, produce, and recycle.

8. It’s bad for your bones and teeth. According to a recent Tufts University study, women who drank three 12-ounce colas a day had 5 percent less bone density than women who drink less than a serving a day. As the researchers explained, the phosphoric acid in cola prevents calcium from being absorbed by the body. Not surprisingly, soda is also damaging for teeth: A 2006 study, published in General Dentistry, reported that the citric and/or phosphoric acid in soft drinks can be harmful and corrosive to a healthy smile.

9. It may cause cancer. Although still controversial, some scientists believe that soda can increase your cancer risk. A 2006 study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet supports the theory: Study subjects who drank high quantities of fizzy or syrup-based soft drinks twice a day or more ran a 90 percent higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those who never drank them.

10. It costs a lot of money. Compared to fruit juice or milk, soft drinks may seem inexpensive, but when you consider the lack of nutritional value, soda seems like a rip-off. And keep in mind that the costs of soda can quickly add up. The average 12-ounce can of soda costs about $1 from the vending machine, so if you drank two a day for a year, you’d spend a whopping $730 on pop every year.
**** Just to let you guys know, found this article somewhere,but can't remember where. I found it quite interesting. Back before my diagnosis of colon cancer, I stopped drinking soda and replaced it with water. Now being a woman in a situation w/out my female organs I run the risk of osteoporosis. So drinking soda prevents calcium absorption...and with that said WATER is truely your best choice:-)

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Wearing Gloves inside???

Last time I received my chemo cycle I didn't feel the effects as much. Last time I drank some ice tea...had to ask for another tea WITHOUT ICE ! People say that if you drink very cold liquids, or ice cream it can feel like you are swallowing glass. To me it felt like that candy "pop rocks" in the back of my throat without the popping sound though. This morning I was packing lunches for the boys and grabbed an ice coolie pack...ouch! I felt it alright and dropped it! Your fingers and toes become sensitive to cold also! It felt like pins and needles and took a minute or two to go away! So then I open the Fridge to get out meat,lettuce and mustard...didn't learn from the first incident and felt it again but this time everything made it to the counter :-) So I took the advice of the nurses and hung a sign and gloves! This sensation usually goes away by the weekend, at least for me it does:-)
We'll see and I also felt nauseated yesterday when I got home and very tired! Keep praying that God continues to protect my body during my treatment and heal me correctly so when my illeo. reversal takes place it will be not so bad.


Thursday, April 03, 2008

Raining today and eyes full of tears


So, today here it is 40 degrees ,rainy, gloomy, and I'm emotional. I have these days occasionally,especially when it's raining and there's no sun in sight! I'm a member of the Colon Club Forum where we talk about stuff regarding colon cancer and EVERYTHING associated with it. I really have to stop reading some of the posts and stories because some are just depressing, scary and even horrific! What I've gone though seem like a cakewalk compared to what some of these people have gone through! But today after reading about radiation prior to an illeotomy and then getting it reversed and things that can go wrong because of the affects of radiation in the rectum....uuuggg...I just lost it after I got out the shower today. I'm just "tapped out" sometimes...tired of trying to be"so strong" , sometimes I just don't want to smile, tired of this all sometimes. I'm so thankful for a husband like Chad. It's usually when one of us is weak the other is there to be strong. He reminded me when you just can't handle it anymore and what you're going through is much greater than you can handle to just TRUST God to Carry you when just can't walk through it anymore... So true Chad,so true.
Over the months I've receive lots of mail and well wishes and it's always so nice to hear from ones you haven't heard from in awhile. Well, A few weeks ago, Chad's Uncle felt that God put it on his heart to be praying for me( the week I started chemo, and he didn't know that either) and Chad's mom relayed the message to Chad and me. It was nice to know that someone else out there was praying for me...
So, today I received in the mail a Card from his Uncle Bob! Not just coincidence in my book...God's perfect timing and I felt it was God reassuring me that He's here, holding me and giving me peace,and joy and renewed strength. Thank you God.:-)