One of the side effects many women are unprepared for following abdominal surgery is swelling. The degree of swelling involved often depends on the type of surgery. Be sure to ask your doctor prior to surgery what you should expect in terms of incisions, swelling, and other possible side effects. Dress For Discharge Success: Prior… Read More »
Explaining hair loss to a young child can be a challenge. It is often hard for children to understand that even though you look different on the outside, you are still the same mother they know and love on the inside. The book, Nowhere Hair, by cancer survivor Sue Glader can help get that conversation… Read More »
Being a mom can be challenging at the best of times. Even more so when battling chemotherapy or radiation treatment side effects like extreme fatigue. During that time, it was important to me to keep cancer from consuming my family life and to continue to give my daughters the time and attention they deserved. In… Read More »
“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never cared for pie.” – Tenneva Jordan Generous. Kind. Patient. Loving. These are some of the attributes we think of when we hear the word mom. As a mother of two, I hope my children… Read More »
Spring is in the air and it will soon be time to pack-up your heavy coat and head outdoors in comfy yoga pants, a tee-shirt and hoodie and a mastectomy sports bra. Yes, I did say the word sports bra. Even though fatigue from chemotherapy and radiation can be overwhelming, an important part of recovery… Read More »
Hot-cold-hot-cold, the scourge of menopause (or as we say, chemo-pause) can turn your night into a nightmare. Trying to deal with your raging internal thermostat is exhausting. Here’s a fabric/clothing tip that will help you keep your cool. It’s called wicking wear. Clothes made with wicking wear fabrics draw moisture away from your skin and… Read More »
Robes are the unsung heros of our closets. From hard working terry cloth (post shower, bath or swim) to velour, flannel, cotton, fleece and even cashmere to keep us cozy, covered and warm. Today, the fabric and style options are endless. To “un” robe the mystery of finding the perfect robe following surgery or during… Read More »
If you are going to have breast surgery like a mastectomy, lumpectomy or reconstruction, or chest surgery, ask your doctor if you will require drains post surgery to remove excess fluid. Many women go home from the hospital with surgical drains which include tubes & bulbs. One of the trickiest parts of dealing with drains… Read More »
For most of us, exposure to the harmful rays of the sun is always a concern. But if you are going through radiation or chemotherapy, it is essential to treat your skin with special care. It is not always possible to stay out of the sun, (besides who wants too?!) Today, there are products, other… Read More »
My mother Gloria, who battled Lung Cancer, used to say, "Cancer is a thief. It robs you of so much. " Ten years later, I found myself voicing these same words as I dealt with the day-to-day reality of my own treatment for Breast Cancer. Shortly following my diagnosis, I underwent a double mastectomy and… Read More »
Everyone deals with a cancer diagnosis in their own way. One of the things I found very difficult was that once I had lost my hair from chemotherapy, my private cancer became very public. Holding onto my “sense of self” or self esteem during physically altering treatment was challenging. Determined not to slide further into… Read More »
Music is the perfect way to be transported to another world any time of the day or night. It can soothe, calm and even inspire you when you least expect it! One of my favorite gifts when I was going through treatment was 2 mix CD’s (ok, it was some time ago) that my best… Read More »
