Why Do You Have Prescription For Hormone Therapy?

Breast cancer is one ailment common to most women. Never get the impression that being one from the male specie, you are exempted and free from this. In the most recent 2012 study conducted by the American Cancer Society, more than 2,000 men can be diagnosed with this illness which is usually associated to women. The good thing however with breast cancer is the prognosis that when diagnosed and treated early, the afflicted person's survival rate is high.

There are several ways to treat cancer, with mastectomy as the most invasive. Surgery is followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Further treatment after chemotherapy and radio therapy is hormone therapy. The last treatment method however is not prescribed to every breast cancer patient. You need to be tested positive with estrogen and progesterone receptors.

Your oncologist will order for a test of your hormone receptors. If your tumor is found to be estrogen positive (ER positive, ER+) or progesterone positive (progesterone positive, progesterone+), you can be placed under hormone therapy. ER/PR positive tumors are influenced by the levels of such hormones in the body. This can be good news to cancer patients because turning positive can make you more protected from recurrence of breast cancer. You will be prescribed with drugs that will block the estrogen and progesterone receptors on your breast cells.

The usual drug for ER+ and PR+ breast cancer is tamoxifen, the generic name. Many brands of tamoxifen are in the market today. The drugs come in 10 and 20-milligram tablets and had to be taken, once or twice a day, for 5 years. Tamoxifen is the most common hormone therapy treatment but a newer drug - Aromatase inhibitor is also prescribed, usually after the third year of taking tamoxifen. When Aromatase inhibitor is ingested, the use of tamoxifen is stopped.

Why do I have to take tamoxifen? This can be a usual query of patients. For breast cancer patients who had been tested positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors, the drug lowers the risk of recurrence of this cancer. The drug had been used for several decades in treating cancer of the breast and can be safety used by women of all ages, even those who are already in the menopausal stage. Used for 5 years, this drug can effectively lower the risk of breast cancer recurrence. If one of your breasts had been affected by the big C, the risk of the spread of cancer cells in the other breast is lower.

Just line most drugs, tamoxifen is not free from any side effects, most of which are not serious. Among these abnormal and annoying feelings that you can experience are vaginal dryness, hot flashes, thickening of the uterus, vaginal discharge and irritation. There are some more severe effects such as risks involving blood clot, stroke, cataract and ovarian cysts.

Despite the risks, it had been believed that the advantages in the use of tamoxifen outweigh the negatives. Thus, women with ER+ and PR+ hormone receptors are best advised to take the drug as a great solution in the prevention or recurrence of the dreaded Big "C" of the breast.

Felicitas Ramos is a cancer survivor. She has undergone mastectomy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. She is now in the best of health.

Original article

Breast Cancer Diagnosis Methods

Doctors use many tests to diagnose cancer and find out if it has spread as well as decide the most effective treatments. Even though imaging tests like the mammogram and breast ultrasound can find a suspicious area, they cannot tell whether the area is cancer. For most types of cancer, a biopsy (the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope) is the only way to make a definitive breast cancer diagnosis.

Breast cancer diagnosis cannot be done without a biopsy. The procedure of biopsy includes removing some cells from the suspicious area, either by a needle or via surgery, to observe them under a microscope. The type of biopsy depends on the size and location of the lump. If a biopsy is not possible, the doctor may suggest other tests that will help make a diagnosis.

Some of the tests done to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer are:

• Diagnostic mammograms include taking x-rays are of the breast which are interpreted by a radiologist. Extra pictures focused on the suspicious area are also taken. Mammograms are usually a black-and-white picture of the breast tissue on a large sheet of film, but digital mammograms are another option which produces computer images instead of film. The images can be looked at from different angles, and the radiologist can enlarge and zoom in to look at any suspicious areas.

• Women who are known to be at high risk opt for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for breast cancer in. It may also be used for a closer look after breast cancer has been found. An MRI can show if your lymph nodes are enlarged, which may be a sign that they contain cancer. This can help detect the cancer's stage even before surgery. MRI is sometimes used to look for breast tumors that did not show up on the mammograms.

• Breast ultrasound uses sound waves to make a computer picture of the inside of the breast and is used to target a certain area of concern that was found on the mammogram or physical exam. Ultrasound is useful for looking at some breast changes and also helps tell the difference between fluid-filled cysts and solid masses. There is no risk of exposure to radiation during this test.

• Ductograms are sometimes used to find the cause of nipple discharge. A ductogram is also called a galactogram. In this test, a small amount of dye is put into one of the ducts in the nipple through a tiny plastic tube which can be seen on an x-ray, which can show if there is a mass inside the duct.

Through his articles, Youngrin wishes to inform and educate the readers about breast cancer treatments which will benefit those who are looking for useful information, For treatment log on to breast cancer diagnosis

Original article

Can Vitamin D Really Help Prevent Breast Cancer?

As time goes on, research is showing that vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) can be very influential towards helping prevent and treat certain types of cancer, and breast cancer is one on the list. What exactly does this all mean? Read on to find get the facts surrounding the latest research about the benefits of vitamin D in relationship to fighting breast cancer.

Studies show that vitamin D can help prevent cancers by approximately 77%, according to past research. Now, it is said to be able to help prevent breast cancer, and even aid in the reversal of breast cancer in the body. Knowing this, why does the cancer industry refuse to tell people about this?

If you live in an area where it is possible to get vitamin D from sunlight, it would be wise to spend the necessary time to soak up the benefits from nature's "miracle medicine". When sunlight hits the skin it will trigger the formation of vitamin D. It then activates cellular differentiation in the kidneys and liver, which is basically the opposite of what cancer does. Evidence is indicating that vitamin D DOES have a protective role in the fight against breast cancer.

How Much Time in The Sun in Necessary

If you can manage to soak up around 15 minutes of sunlight every day during the months when it is possible would likely give you a nice healthy dose of vitamin D. Remember, you don't need to walk around in a bikini or Speedo, but the more exposure to your skin the better. And sun block can prevent vitamin D from entering the body by blocking the necessary UV rays.

Studies have also shown that older women that do not get as much vitamin D as possible from foods are more likely to acquire breast cancer. So be sure to load up on foods high in vitamin D, like fatty fish, and sardines.

Being vitamin D deficient has many other health consequences. It is tied to so many other health ailments, and it makes sense to try and do whatever is possible to get the necessary amount so you can avoid many of the problems that arise from being deficient.

In summer months, you can get appropriate levels of vitamin D from the sun, but in those months when you can't it would be wise to supplement your vitamin D. The good news is that you can do that for a low cost.

For more great information about the vast health benefits of vitamin D, and to take a Vitamin D Quiz that can help you determine where you stand visit http://vitamindstrong.com/ right now.

Vitamin D has a wide array of benefits, and it is not something you want to become deficient of. The effects vitamin D has on breast cancer are undeniable, so be sure to take the time to educate yourself on the subject as much as possible.

Original article

Symptom - Painful Lump in the Breast

What to do?

One of the scariest things that can happen to a woman. Normally one will call their regular doctor, a mammogram will be ordered, if there is any suspicion of malignancy then a fine needle biopsy will be performed...then many decisions will have to be a made.

But some people handle it differently...they first go to their nutritionist/alternative practitioner and begin a regime of supplementation for breast health and blood tests for cancer markers, most likely 19-9 and 27.29 and perhaps CA125. They should then be referred to someone who can perform a thermo-graphic image of the area and go over it with the specialist...likely it will show increased heat in the area and maybe in adjacent lymph nodes and a visit to the oncologist is recommended.

Often this type of patient will refuse the oncologist's mammogram due to concerns over mutating already possibly mutated cells with x-rays and they will refuse the fine needle biopsy for fear that when these needles are retracted that the cells from the inside of the lump will be spread to the systemic circulation upon withdrawal from the body, as it passes through many layers of tissues, all with broken blood vessels, from the insertion of the needle, ready to spread any possible malignant cells. The oncologist will ask to see the blood tests and especially the cancer markers that the nutritionist/alternative practitioner already received. If the oncologist is sympathetic, he or she will recommend an ultrasound image.

Often the needle biopsy is recommended in order to find out if the lump/tumor is benign or malignant. After all, Mrs. Jones needs to know if there is a need for surgical removal. If it's benign then it can be left in place and monitored for growth, but if it's malignant it must be removed, radiated or the use of chemotherapy would be induced. But if it is malignant then a biopsy may spread the ailment to the entire body.

A June 2004 report from the John Wayne Cancer Institute in California has rekindled a long-standing debate over whether or not needle biopsies are safe. The paper set out to examine whether this technique, widely used to obtain specimens in cases of suspected cancer, might itself allow malignant cells to spread from an isolated tumor to nearby lymph nodes. The authors reluctantly conclude that a needle biopsy may indeed increase the spread of the disease by 50 percent compared to patients who receive the more traditional excisional biopsies (or "lumpectomies").

The fact that the tumor we are talking about here is painful is not a good sign. Also, malignant tumors tend to not move around as much upon palpation (breast exam). If the ultrasound, thermography and physical exam all pointed toward malignancy, I would have it removed without a biopsy...just be sure the surgeon does NOT puncture or cut into the capsule that surrounds the growth upon removal. If it looks like a 50/50 scenario and the patient has already made serious nutritional changes and is taking supplementation and the cancer blood markers are not too high, I would wait and see if the body could heal itself and read Diane Summers' book! It does happen that people do cure themselves.

Now let's talk really wholistically (yes, 'wholistic' spelled with a 'w'!)...cancer does not form haphazardly...it is the result of many suppressions of ailments and improper treatment of colds and flus in the past. If the body is not allowed to detox through colds and flu, and get fevers to perform its immunological action, then the body never gets a chance to clean house. Eventually other ailments show up such as urinary tract conditions (notice I did not say 'infections') and depression, endometriosis, thyroid issues etc. If all of these ailments are treated with suppressive pharmaceutical medicines then the person becomes a walking suppressed disease factory! They need to be unsuppressed, they need cold and flu symptoms, they need old ailments to resurface, to come up from the deep suppressed place where they were forced to submerge to long ago. They need to clean house. If this house cleaning never happens a person usually gets chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and then cancer. It is a natural progression.

By the time a person is forming cancerous tumors the body has already been through a lot and a something needs to be done to reverse the process. As a doctor of chiropractic, practicing a lot of nutritional medicine by lab analysis, I will do a complete blood test of some 52 elements for a patient with a lump in the breast. I will also do a hair analysis of 30 elements...all the heavy metals and blood minerals and well as naturally occurring metals in the body. This is combined with a urine analysis, cancer markers and maybe a stool sample analysis as well. The entire mass of information is compared to the test results of thousands of other people who have taken the nutritional medical route instead of the pharmaceutical route and a nutrient prescription for cure is made. This is performing wholistic medicine in a truly wholistic way.

So many have come to believe that nutrition is good but you need pharmaceuticals for really serious conditions. This is true if you are about to die and for this pharmacy is most appreciated. But for now, and probably never, will we have a cure for cancer. This is for the same reason that we will never have a cure for the common cold! Neither are really diseases...the cold is a cleansing process and the cancerous tumor is the bodies attempt to take retarded cells and keep them all in the same place. It's not a disease, it's a process of accommodating a system that is beginning to fail in how it replicates new cells...too many new ones are being formed without knowledge of what specialty they should perform...all cells need to know what their specific role is.

If you are worried terribly about a painful lump in the breast, act fast, but don't make decisions out of fear, make the decision out of knowledge about cancer, diagnostic safety issues and protocols that lead to cure.

Dr. Thomas has 33 years of experience treating chronic conditions.

Treating chronic disease is a complicated and tedious work. Most physicians can only spend a few minutes with each patient as their clinic owners and hospital management force them to keep on the move. Dr. Thomas spends half an hour just explaining what tests will be done...then he spends an hour going over the test results with you and discussing nutrient cures. He also requests that you check in with him once a month for at least a half hour to go over your symptoms and to discuss your nutrients.

33 years experience has taught Dr. Thomas the value of quality care, personal patient/doctor interaction and just what is required to obtain lasting results.

Refer to my website for more information on this topic and to watch videos from the television show I do on Nutritional Medicines by Lab Analysis.

Painful Lump in Breast

Original article

Breast Augmentation and Breast Cancer

At age 49 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, which is obviously a complete shock to any woman. We are a family full of women who, until now, had no family history of the disease.

According to the CDC, aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, cancer of the breast is the most common cancer among women in the United States. Statistics say that about 1 in 8 American women will develop invasive breast cancer within her lifetime. There were approximately 230,500 new cases diagnosed in 2011 within the U.S. On a positive note, from 1999 to 2005 these diagnosis rates have decreased by almost 2% each year. Sadly, medical statistics expected nearly 40,000 U.S. women to die in 2011 from breast cancer; however, this number is down in recent years due to advanced treatment options, earlier detection and increased awareness.

My mother, a registered nurse, took matters into her own hands. She was dedicated to monthly self-breast exams and found her own lump. After consulting 3 doctors, my mother finally found a physician willing to listen to her concerns, perform a biopsy and diagnose her cancer. The cancerous cells were only found in one breast; against the doctor's wishes, Mom selected a double mastectomy. I admire her strength and now think that because of her confidence and positive attitude through it all, I would choose the same.

In August 2005 Mom underwent a double mastectomy to remove both of her breasts. The surgeon then pulled the skin from above and below her breasts to cover her chest area. I will be honest that her recovery from this surgery was very difficult and incredibly painful. She had drains placed underneath her skin that had to be changed regularly. Finally after recovery she opted to meet with a plastic surgeon who specialized in breast augmentation post mastectomy surgery.

Breast augmentation surgery uses implants to restore breast volume or fullness. This is a common practice after a lumpectomy or mastectomy. For a woman, it's a way to feel normal again after such a devastating loss. For my mom, it allowed her to feel like she had a womanly shape and body again. Now as a 50 year-old woman she still feels confident enough to wear a swimsuit. Cosmetic surgery can sometimes be associated with vanity, but in the case of woman who has lost one or both breasts due to cancer, I believe this is a fair reason to undergo augmentation.

There were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. last year, my own mother being one of them. She is now 6 years cancer-free, a huge advocate for the cause and willing to share her story every day.

Original article

Antioxidant Supplement to Treat Breast Cancer Patients

The use of an antioxidant supplement by most breast cancer patients has proved beneficial. According to research, these natural remedies improve the body's condition. It boosts the immune response to help fight cancer during treatment.

The findings show that there is a need to investigate how an antioxidant supplement can help. Most women using it during their treatment claim that their condition has improved. So far, it has been discovered that they are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C. These affect the outcome of breast cancer treatment, according to scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Therefore, it is only recommended that more research should be carried out. Studies about the influence of antioxidants on the outcome should be carried out. This will help one to understand what helps patients recover from cancer while they use antioxidants.

It seems that the composition of any antioxidant supplement comprises of essential vitamins like; vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene and selenium. However, taking them in specific doses also plays an important role in treatment. This is not only applicable in cancer cases. It is also important for patients using antioxidant supplements to treat other ailments.

In the case of cancer patients, there are three classes of dosage; high, low and none. Some researchers insist that high does interfere with radiation treatment and chemotherapy. That's because the supplements may cleanup the particles (produced by the treatment) that target cancer cells.

On the other hand, some research suggest that cancer cells prosper in the presence of antioxidants. Therefore, patients using any antioxidant supplement are only making things worse. The American Cancer Society is against the use of antioxidants during cancer treatment. Despite this information, approximately 50% of the American population takes antioxidant supplements.

However, there is no evidence to support this and not much can be said for now. Additionally, some doctors and scientists suggest that antioxidant compounds do not worsen cancer. In fact, there seems to be visible evidence of improvement in most cases.

Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center involved 32 breast cancer patients. They were treated and observed between 1999 and 2006. The patients were prescribed doses of antioxidants during the course of treatment. About 68% to 81% were reported to have survived treatment and recovered. Over the past few years, most breast cancer patients have been recommended to use antioxidants frequently.
While the debate is still on and more research is underway, there seems to be more proof that using an antioxidant supplement helps fight cancer.

Nature's Daily Defense offers the best and high quality supplements to treat cancer and other ailments. Our products look to combine the best antioxidants for our body to receive the best nutrition. Max Antioxidant Supplement from our stores combines the goodness of 19 most popular antioxidants. However, there is no evidence to support this and not much can be said for now. Additionally, some doctors and scientists suggest that antioxidant compounds do not worsen cancer. In fact, there seems to be visible evidence of improvement in most cases. The use of an antioxidant supplement by most breast cancer patients has proved beneficial. According to research, these natural remedies improve the body's condition. It boosts the immune response to help fight cancer during treatment. These affect the outcome of breast cancer treatment, according to scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Therefore, it is only recommended that more research should be carried out. Studies about the influence of antioxidants on the outcome should be carried out. This will help one to understand what helps patients recover from cancer while they use antioxidants.

Original article

One Woman's Journey Through DCIS Breast Cancer

The phone rings. Please come back to Breastscreen Australia. You have calcification and we need to re-check it. Don't feel for lumps. You don't have any. Oh yeah! I think. They're just over-cautious.

No! I was wrong. I had DCIS. So I am very quickly put on the Breast Cancer roller coaster designed to nip it in the bud and save me.

I read recently that 14,000 Australian women were diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2010. Of those, 1200 were diagnosed with DCIS. The proportions are similar around the world.

DCIS flies under the radar. What is it? It is Ductal Carcinoma In Situ ie calcification in the milk ducts of the breast. Like me, those 1200 Australian women only find out that they have it after their regular mammogram check-up. It is non-invasive which means it has not got into the body. No one dies from it. It may be how Breast Cancer starts but the researchers are not 100% sure. You are more at risk of a recurrence later or even full-blown Breast Cancer but with surgery and radiation therapy, this risk is reduced to less than 10%. Finally, you can keep your breast and your hair.

There is a lot of breast cancer literature available. Here are some of my personal experiences that might help you or someone you know get through it a little easier.

With a left breast that needed a lot of loving thoughts and tender care, she needed a name. (I adapted this idea from a wonderful speaker, Marie Farrugia, on one of my Business Swap CDs.) Annie it was and I still talk gently to her as she continues to heal. Not to be left out, my right breast is Mitzi because they are a team who need to support each other.

I found that one of my slightly flattened, soft square cushions kept my hand and lower arm comfortable as I could only sleep on one side of my body. This suited my situation better than the free Breast cushion from Zonta. Wish I'd had that square cushion the first night after the operation.

Short spiky hair and sleeping on one side only don't mix; so I had to adopt a slightly longer softer hairstyle.

A very soft, real Australian lambswool seatbelt protector has made driving more comfortable for my swollen, tender Annie after surgery, during radiation therapy and still as she continues to heal.

Finding a Blog that related to my love of laughing at life's idiosyncrasies was daily medicine for my soul.

Also on the funny side, receiving hugs from others became an occupational hazard as I protected Annie from harm. She even demanded that I change my handbag to the other shoulder and this made supermarket shopping sometimes quite funny as Annie and I shared our little problems.

My 30 radiation sessions were re-named Radiation Therapy Healing Sessions and going to them became a blessing not a chore. Annie and I needed to be reminded of that often. When the hospital green radiation gown got to me, I bought brighter material, copied the design and sewed my own version. All these little things were my way of being an active participant in my healing rather than a passive observer.

On the down side because DCIS is not life threatening, I had days when I felt a Breast Cancer fraud, especially when people called me brave. I was in no danger of dying. So I did not feel brave. It was then I learnt to remind myself that all illnesses require courage and everyday courage is as important as big inspiring acts of courage.

With my strong colouring, pink is something I choose to take in very small doses. Everywhere I turned there was a mountain of pink. At times I found that to be emotionally over-whelming. Even going overseas I couldn't escape Breast Cancer pink. It was just something I had to experience and let it show me my pink lesson.

I am blessed to have had wonderful medical care, a loving husband and supportive family, friends and business associates. DCIS changed me physically. Now it is important for me to decide how I am going to live the rest of my life.

DCIS - what's that? On behalf of Annie, Mitzi and me, I hope this may help you or someone you know who finds it unexpectedly in her life.

Margaret Sims is an Image Consultant and Fashion Translator who was diagnosed with DCIS in June 2009. Read another of Margaret's personal thoughts on DCIS at http://margaretsims.wordpress.com/. Margaret helps women discover their true personality and how to shine as a modern woman over 40 with or without breast cancer. If this interests you, visit http://thefashiontranslator.wordpress.com/ Blog for more fashion tips. Go to the Signup page where you can sign up to get the free twice-monthly newsletter on fashion and life lessons and receive your free eBook and Audio - 'Look Fabulous, Feel Confident Every Day'.

Original article

Common Signs of Breast Cancer

The lack of knowledge makes cancer treatments difficult because the disease goes undetected till it reaches an advanced stage. If breast cancer treatments are done at early stages of the cancer, the chances of complete cure are much higher. Here are some of the signs that one must be aware of:

Lumps - Breast cancer doctors say that even though lumps are the most common and known signs of breast cancer, women often fail to recognize them. A lump is a kind of thickening one may feel near the breast or even in the armpit. They are very small, pea-sized and are generally painless. But one may feel some tenderness or irritation. Such lumps can be easily spotted through a mammogram.
Change in breast size- Changes in breast size is another symptom of cancer. Whether the breast size will increase or decrease will vary from women to women. Some women experience an increase in their breast size and some others find their breast size decreasing. This change is usually not noticeable until the size has changed a lot.
Change in color and texture- Breast cancer may also cause a change in color and texture of the breast. One may notice a marble-like area under the skin. Some areas of the breast may even differ greatly from other areas of the breast. The skin of the breast may also turn pink or red in color. In case of scarring, the skin may also even turn orange. Some tumors can't be seen or felt. In such cases, indentation or flattening of breast is a sure symptom.
Changes in nipple- One of the earliest signs of breast cancer is that one may notice some changes in their nipples. The nipple may get pushed inward and there may be a dimpled look. There may also be irritation and slight pain along with redness of the nipple. Paget's disease, a localized can be recognized by symptoms like itching, scaling of the nipple and ulceration. Discharge of clear fluid or blood is also a common sign of breast cancer.

Cancer doctors say the reasons for this disease are many and varied. Lifestyle and environmental factors are two main factors that play a huge role. Heavy intake of alcohol and red meat, dense breasts and obesity combined with pollution, and food contamination increases the risk of cancer. Apart from these, family history is also important.

It is important that women check themselves for any of the above mentioned signs periodically. If any of the symptoms are observed, a trip to a cancer specialist is mandatory.

Through his articles, youngrin wishes to inform and educate the readers about breast cancer treatments which will benefit those who are looking for useful information, For treatment log on to breast cancer treatments

Original article

Myriad Emotions: Breast Cancer Ordeal

My article relating to breast cancer is one of self-indulgence. I found the writing of it cathartic in that it helped me to come to terms with my illness. It is my heartfelt hope that this article will afford any fellow sufferers some measure of comfort or support. This period was an intensely emotional time for loved ones, close friends, and myself. If you have been affected in, anyway by this health issue I hope that my article can help to bring a degree of solace.

I like many women, and men before me have had a health scare; I was diagnosed as having "Breast Cancer." It is no respecter of gender. I was one of the lucky ones; it could have been a lot worse than it was. I am not after sympathy here - that is the last thing I need. What is required on my part, and that of any other sufferer, is to accomplish something that at the time seems practically impossible; that of positive thinking.

If one dwells too much on this issue, your morale sinks even lower, and the healing process takes longer. So how does one deal with this profound happening? Positive thinking has to be one of the hardest things to achieve. We can all present a brave face when we are required too; but maintaining that "up-beat," when your cosy little world has been shattered into a thousand pieces is one of the hardest things to deal with.

I have found the best thing to do is to talk about it. Unfortunately, some people put up barriers, and treat the topic of cancer as "taboo," and one not to be faced. Some women quickly change the subject, while others talk about it - maybe they have had a similar experience. Alternatively, they may know someone who has been affected by it. Surprisingly enough, I found men could talk relatively easily about the subject, and without embarrassment.

Their interest stems from the concern that it could happen to their wives, loved ones, or someone of their own gender and they feel a need to understand all the facts. I have read books, and gathered information from the Internet, so I feel pretty much informed on the subject. All this information can be somewhat daunting you read about long-term prospects and wonder: "What If?" As always on any health issue, you can read about the good, and the bad.

I have learned to challenge everything that goes on regarding my body. I have had my bad days; however, in the main they are good. You learn to play harder, and laugh more; in fact, you simply get on with living. One of the hardest things is observing the pain on loved ones faces when the topic is approached. Nevertheless, things have to be faced, and each family member or friend copes differently.

Some people cannot come to terms with the situation. I have lost touch with people whom I had termed close friends, and people I thought of as just being acquaintances; have in turn been supportive of me. I have been one of the fortunate ones, with the dedicated guidance and support from a truly loving family. Indeed, they have helped to pull me through this ordeal.

So how do you face these "myriad of emotions" you are going through? You need to take stock. How are you are feeling, not the physical pain, but the emotional. It is difficult to come to terms with - believe me I know. People cannot fully comprehend how you feel, unless they have been through it themselves. I can remember the first time I looked in the mirror thinking I was incomplete. How could my husband still want me - or my children not turn away in disgust at the sight of my body?

It is difficult to remain untouched by it all but remember you are still the selfsame person. Perhaps you are a wife, and a mother. If so, you are loved and needed. If you are single, it is to be hoped that you have loved ones' that understand how you are feeling; besides giving you all the moral support that you need at this trying time.

Initially my feelings where that of self-pity: I could not think clearly or face my future. Talking to fellow sufferers this is something they had all experienced. Yet a few months down the line, I had managed to develop my positive thinking to the full. In truth, I had finally stopped feeling sorry for myself.

I have to admit this was the hardest emotion of all to cope with. The "Why Me" feeling was especially strong. I have wept myself to sleep many a night. However, I quickly began to realize that this kind of behaviour was not being fair on my loved ones, and I had to fight so very hard against it.

I soon realised that you really must make the best of whatever fate throws at you. Live for every moment, and appreciate your life to the full. Try to stop thinking of what has happened to you, "I know it's not easy." Start to think of what you can do with your life. I certainly look at life differently enjoying it for what it is, and what it has to offer me for now, and the future.

It is an appalling thing that has happened to you. However, if you fill your time feeling sorry for yourself you will not only destroy your life: but the lives of those who love, and care for you. My only hope is that if you are troubled with the demons, which this illness brings; my words can be of some comfort to you knowing that you are not alone.

There is always help and support available to you. So please, make use of these organizations. They really can help you in providing strength, and comfort, in your hours of need and support.

Take care of you...Pammie

http://www.pammies.com/

Original article