12 Inspiring Quotes From Men Who Care For Women With Breast Cancer – or Who Have Survived Breast Cancer Themselves – BREAST CANCER WISDOM 11:

From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started this blog…

“For people who don't know me, I practiced medicine in Casper, Wyoming for 25 years as an orthopedic surgeon, taking care of families in Wyoming. I've been chief of staff of the largest hospital in our state. My wife is a breast cancer survivor.” – John Barrasso (US Senator, Wyoming)

“Men are incredible caregivers when given the opportunity. But they are underserved in education about support,” – Marc Heyison (Author, Founder – Men Against Breast Cancer)

“At the clinic she went to, they said, ‘Here is some information,’ and it was a tri-fold paper that said what to expect, and to be supportive, he recalled. Well that’s not really enough. You need more than that. I tried to get help, but there was nothing there to go to.” – Chris Wrobel (Husband and caregiver of a breast cancer survivor)

“All of the reality TV I've done has usually been simultaneously an opportunity to create awareness or raise funds for my mom's breast cancer organization.” – Stephen Baldwin (American actor, director, producer and author)

“One of the things we've always tried to do is help others with our story. Whether it's with the infertility issues, whether it's with the breast cancer, we said we're gonna turn these negatives into positives. And if we can help others by sharing our story, then it's worth it.” – Bill Rancic (Husband and caregiver of Giuliana Rancic, Italian American television personality and journalist)

“I have experienced firsthand the tremendous impact breast cancer has on the women who fight it and the loved ones who support them. This is a disease that catches you unaware and, without the right resources, leaves you feeling frightened and alone.”

– Ricardo Antonio Chavira (American actor, Desperate Housewives, and son of a breast cancer victim)

“Men get it. I think us men need you women to help us survive.” – Peter Criss (Drummer from the heavy metal band KISS)

“I learned that it is better to tell people what they mean to us now, rather than to save it for a eulogy at a funeral service.” – David (breast cancer survivor)

“We all know people – mothers, sisters, daughters, neighbors – who have dealt with breast cancer, and it’s wonderful when we know people who are really surviving.” – G Roy Duhé (PhD, breast cancer researcher)

“When we embrace uncertainty, it can be very liberating. If you can accept the uncertainty, it allows you to live life every day.” – Victor Gospodinoff (Caregiver and husband of breast cancer survivor)

And lastly, something I said that resonated…with me…

“From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started this blog…” – Guy Stewart

Resource: http://www.menagainstbreastcancer.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/bookComplete-1.pdf

Image: http://www.thebreastcaresite.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/coworker_support.jpg

GUY’S GOTTA TALK ABOUT 4…

From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started this blog…

If I were to sum up this whole breast cancer experience, as viewed from the outside, into a single word, I’d pick COMPLICATIONS.

From the beginning, there are not many things that can complicate a Human life as much as cancer. Routine’s become more complicated. Diet becomes more complicated. Relationships become more complicated. Work becomes more complicated.

People involved with cancer talk about “The New Normal”. (I did here: http://breastcancerreaper.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-have-to-keep-telling-myself-that-new.html)

Even years after the initial diagnosis, life is complicated. For example, my wife got a new compression garment – and it’s the first day of summer. Two events that seemingly have nothing to do with each other. But breast cancer complicates everything!

In brief: “people with lymphedema follow a daily regimen of treatment as suggested by their physician or certified lymphedema therapist...a combination of direct lymphatic massage, lymphatic exercise, daytime and nighttime compression garments or compression bandaging...” As well: “Elastic compression garments are worn by a person with lymphedema on the affected limb...to maintain edema reduction and to compress the arm or leg and encourage the flow of lymph fluid out of the affected limb...a compression garment may be custom-fit or purchased in over-the-counter, standard sizes...to be worn twenty four hours a day, every day to maintain edema reduction and must be replaced on a regular basis”

She has to wear the new compression garment forever – that’s a given – but with the warmer weather and variable air conditioning in places have presented a NEW complication.

She may be allergic to the fabric that the sleeve is made of. It’s one of these types: “...produced by flat-knit machines...knit row by row, following a knitting pattern...can be produced in almost unlimited shapes and sizes in accordance with the presented anatomical shape...Because of their perfect fit, the[y] deliver a precise level of compression, as well as a pressure gradient...”

She went to see the cancer specialist yesterday and that’s where the person told her she was probably allergic to it. So...now what? For the present, we will live in air-conditioned luxury all the time as she waits for the reaction to subside. Also, she got a mosquito bite (a REAL shocker here in Minnesota in the summer time!) on her elbow. She’s treating as we reviewed here: http://breastcancerreaper.blogspot.com/2012/07/lymph-node-excision-mosquito-bites-and.html).

COMPLICATIONS. Always complications. Next up? A bone density scan as one of the meds she takes (anastrazole) can cause bone density to drop. More about that next time, on GUY’S GOTTA TALK ABOUT...

Resource: http://www.absolutemedical.com/treating-lymphedema.html

Image: http://wrex.images.worldnow.com/images/23784252_SA.jpg

The Reconstruction Era – History and Future! Part 13

From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started this blog…

“It appears that the next event is breast reconstruction!”

Today will be a bit of history regarding breast reconstruction and a glimpse into the future.

“Documented cases of breast cancer date back to 6000 BC...George Washington’s mother, Queen Mary, and Nabby Adams (daughter of John (second president of the US) and Abigail Adams) succumbed to breast cancer...Breast cancer surgery was revolutionized by Dr. William Halsted, who popularized the radical mastectomy as the treatment of choice for any woman with breast cancer...the latter half of the 20th century [saw] the modified radical mastectomy...breast conservation therapy...sentinel lymph node biopsy and radiation was developed...[and] the emergence of breast cancer reconstruction.”

Initial attempts at reconstruction were crude, though as the years passed, certain of those techniques finally met adequate technology. For example, in the 1800’s, there were attempts to transplant a lipoma (fat slice) to a mastectomy site. This lead to techniques that were largely unsatisfactory, but were clear precursors to the current successful practice of the microsurgery that allows for TRAM flap reconstruction. As well, initial use of silicone breast implants, the subsequent frenzy that toppled the Dow Corning corporate giant, and the FDA’s recanting of its 24-year ban on the same implants; has led to the use of both saline and silicone implants preceded by insertion of expandable “bubbles” to stretch tissue in preparation for the implant, and cadaver-harvested, cell-free matrix that holds the expander in place.

What exactly does the future hold?

Some possibilities:

“Adipose derived stem cell breast reconstruction...is still considered experimental...” and involves the removal of fat tissue. One half remains as it is, but the other half undergoes a process that concentrates stem cells. This “concentrate” is then mixed with the original fat tissue and injected into the breast. The stem cells take on the characteristics of the fat and grow into fat cells. There is however, good evidence that this procedure is becoming more generally accepted. (http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/17460751.4.1.109)

“skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy” in which the surgeon removes cancerous breast tissue through a small incision usually around the areola area of the nipple.

In New Zealand, “[A new] tissue expansion...technique allows soft tissue [to be made into a] meshed matrix of connective tissue [where] small amounts of fat can be injected into separate small tunnels.” The method has been in use for 30 years, but this is a new and exciting possibility for reconstructing human breast tissue – with even less invasion of the body than ever before.

The future is not only on its way – it may actually be here!

Resources: http://www.breastreconstruction.org/ReconstructionOverview/breast_cancer_reconstruction_history.html, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2884724/, http://www.medpagetoday.com/Blogs/CelebrityDiagnosis/31043, http://www.breastpreservationfoundation.org/skin-sparing-mastectomy/, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11219885&ref=rss

Image: http://thedemarcationproblem.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/surg2.jpg

A Fantastic Cancer Voyage Chapter 2 VIII

From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started this blog…

One of my fondest memories as a kid is watching the movie FANTASTIC VOYAGE. In it, a group of scientists and their ultra-futuristic laser-packing “submarine” are reduced to cell size and injected into the blood vessels of a world diplomat in order to destroy a blood clot in his brain.

What would a FANTASTIC VOYAGE: Breast Cancer look like? I’m going to write a novel here, short chapter by short chapter and I’m going to include the latest research and I’m going to imagine the entire story here for your delectation. If you want to start at the beginning, look left. Scroll down to LABELS. The first one is “A Fantastic Cancer Voyage”. Click on it. Scroll to the bottom and you will find episode one. Let me know what you think after you’ve read the whole thing!

Ohloo – Dr. Olubunmi Nwagbara – Ohloo to her friends, if not her family – held up her hands in surrender, “I’m not Mother Teresa. I’m just a surgeon…”

“…who has the opportunity to free women everywhere! How can you not see that?” Machig Rabten was a long-time colleague and had once been a patient. She was older than she looked. Approaching seventy, and a physician’s assistant, she’d refused several attempts by friends and family to push her into med school. She’d wanted to work among people, not wrestle with bureaucracy. She’d served in Calcutta, Beijing, Lost Angeles, Mexico City and finally in the Mayo as Ohloo’s confidante and right-hand-woman.

Ohloo shook her head, saying, “I see Kim Lin Ghandi laying in her bed while cancer eats her body up unchecked. I need the absolute best team with me while I dive into her bloodstream and operate. That’s all I see. The rest of the details I’ll leave up to you.”

Machi’s lips twitched then she nodded. “All right. Leave it to me, Doc. I’ll shoot you a the team list with bios attached with an analysis of how the skills will interact.” She spun to leave and Ohloo stared after her a long time before she tapped her computer to life and set into answering her emails and queries.

It was long dark outside the windows of her seventeenth story office when she shut off her computer.

The override – possessed by one person – turned it back on and a simple word document popped up in characteristic Georgia 12 point font. Ohloo smiled. Machi’s work. There was no intro, no explanation, no frame.

There didn’t need to be.

Subject: Kim Lin Ghandi, world-renowned philosopher and The Last Hope For World Peace, Catholic-Buddhist-Hindu-Daoist

Dr. Olubunmi Nwagbara

Dr. Isamar Noor, Official clergy and observer

Chief Right Honorable Mister Nnamdi Oko Nwagbara, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of West Africa

Dr. Mackenzie Phan, expert in breast cancer theory (a BC survivor)

Machig Rabten, P.A., breast cancer expert in application of theory

Dr. Yameri Niazi, specialist in metastatic breast cancer (a BC survivor)

Alex Benton, chief administrator of Mayo Medical Center

She leaned back in her chair and said out loud, “You want Benton to be part of the team? What for?” Her earphone blipped. Scowling, she tapped it and said, “You have my office bugged?”

“Why would I need to do that?” Machi said.

“Because I just asked a question and you called a millisecond later to tell me the answer.”

“What question did you ask?” Ohloo didn’t say a word. She’d learned the art of waiting at her father’s knee during his gradual rise from Paramount Ruler, to Chief, to Ambassador, to African Congress Senator, to the place he now sat. Eventually Machi, an often-times fiery woman with a passionate Israeli heritage said, “Fine. Yes. You need Alex. He’s the ‘every man’.”

“The what?”

“You ever read his bio?”

“No. Should I have?”

“Starts with a public high school, community college, four-year state university, and then skips to Harvard business management, and ends as the director of the most recognizable hospital on Earth. He’s what every man or woman can be if they work hard and have a clear, high goal. That’s why he’s there. To connect you to the common man. His wife will stand beside him to connect the world to her common womanhood, and his kids will make their appearance. You’ll have to world eating out of your hand when you pull this off.”

“If. There’s a big ‘if’ there. Cancer surgery – cancer treatment – even in the late 21^st Century, is still far from an exact science. We could still lose her to her cancer,” Ohloo hated the faint whine that’d edged into her voice.

There was a long pause, then Machi said softly, “If that’s the case, then you can kiss your career – and quite possibly life on Earth – good-bye. Have a nice night, dear.” The line went dead.

Ohloo spent the next hour staring into the frozen darkness beyond her windows.

Image: http://medgadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/Fantastic-Voyage-200x290.jpg