Findings Along The Way Part III

We have been busy through the Easter Holiday Season and Happy Holidays to all of our friends.  If you are celebrating Shabbat I realize that you might not be reading this yet but hope that your Holiday is blessed.

Our blood work did not come back and actually had to be retaken.  They had not ran the actual test for the various types of cancer.

Ultimately, that meant another week of waiting.  Just as we were able to get the results back we were back to the surgeon the same day after a call from our doctor that morning to confirm that there was no Prostate, Pancreatic, liver or kidney either.  What puzzled both doctors what that if he had been diagnosed with stage 3 that it should have not been dormant and should have shown also in one of those tests.

The big day arrived and we went off to Vanderbilt to see the specialist there.  What a great place.
Talk about fast.  We were in to see the doctor before his son could park and catch up to us.
I had left instructions that his son would be joining us so that when he came in they sent him right in with us.

This doctor was thorough and checked the entire site.  She even marked him for surgery.
She listened to his concerns and questions and answered them as well as mine and his sons.
She announced that it was stage 1 and was just in the first layer of skin.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma, although more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma, is highly treatable. It accounts for about 20 percent of all skin cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma may appear as nodules or red, scaly patches of skin, and may be found on sun-exposed areas such as the face, ears, lips, and mouth. However, if left untreated, squamous cell carcinoma can spread to other parts of the body. This type of skin cancer is usually found in fair-skinned people.

– See more at: http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/includes/healthtopics/article.php?ContentTypeId=85&ContentId=P00724&Category=SearchAZ&SubtopicId=30914&lang=en&section=33113&term=s&searchType=az&fullText=#sthash.QagRMMAa.dpuf

It was not what we had dreaded and we will be going on April 30th to have it removed.

Some other great findings along the way:

Am I At Risk for Soft Tissue Sarcoma?

 

Being exposed to radiation, such as having it as part of treatment for breast or cervical cancer, can increase your risk for soft tissue sarcoma.

 

There is really no way to know for sure if you’re going to get soft tissue sarcoma. Most people who get this type of cancer have no risk factors. Remember, just because you have one or more risk factors doesn’t necessarily mean you will get soft tissue sarcoma. In fact, most people do not. You can have all the risk factors and still not get soft tissue sarcoma, or you can have no known risk factors and still get it.

While the majority of people who get soft tissue sarcomas have no known risk factors, certain things can make one person more likely to get a soft tissue sarcoma than another person. These are the known risk factors for soft tissue sarcoma.

People who have had high-dose radiation to treat other cancers, such as breast or cervical cancer, have a slightly higher risk of developing a soft tissue sarcoma. In general, routine X-rays and diagnostic tests do not put people at a higher risk of soft tissue sarcoma.

Chronic lymphedema (where fluid collects in the tissue and causes swelling) after radiation to lymph nodes, or surgical removal of lymph nodes is also a risk factor.

People who have worked with or have been around certain chemicals may be at greater risk of developing soft tissue sarcoma. It is not known for certain, but it is thought that high exposure to herbicides, as well as the chemical dioxin and chlorophenols, may increase the risk.

If someone in your family has certain diseases, you may be more at risk for developing a soft tissue sarcoma. If you have many family members who have had sarcoma or other cancers at a young age, ask your health care provider about genetic testing to see if you are at greater risk for developing a sarcoma. You may have inherited a gene that is defective if anyone in your family had one of these diseases:

• Neurofibromatosis. This disease runs in families. In this disease, noncancerous tumors form in the nerves under the skin and in other parts of the body. About 5% of people with these tumors get malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (cancer in nerve coverings).

• Li-Fraumeni syndrome. This disease runs in families. It increases a person’s chance of getting breast cancer, brain tumors, leukemias, and sarcomas.

• Retinoblastoma. This eye cancer, found in children, may run in families. Children who have been cured of this form of eye cancer may be at a slightly greater risk of developing soft tissue sarcomas later in life.

In the past, people believed that injuries to muscles or other tissues made a person more likely to get soft tissue sarcoma. This is not true. Injury is not a risk factor for soft tissue sarcoma.

– See more at: http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/includes/healthtopics/article.php?ContentTypeId=34&ContentId=17556-1&Category=SearchTitle&SubtopicId=30914&lang=en&section=30914&term=removal%20of%20skin%20tissue&searchType=title&fullText=removal%20of%20skin%20tissue&searchLoc=global#sthash.UFebc3LY.dpuf

Melanomas vary greatly in appearance. Some melanomas may show all of the ABCD characteristics, while others may show few or none. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

Skin cancer is more common in fair-skinned people, especially those with blond or red hair, who have light-colored eyes. Skin cancer is rare in children. However, no one is safe from skin cancer. Other risk factors include:

• Family history of melanoma
• Personal history of skin cancer
• Sun exposure. The amount of time spent unprotected in the sun directly affects your risk of skin cancer.
• Early childhood sunburns. Research has shown that sunburns early in life increase a person’s risk for skin cancer later in life.
• Many freckles
• Large or many ordinary moles
• Dysplastic nevi
• Male gender
• An immunosuppressive disorder or weakened immune system (such as in people who have had organ transplants)
• Exposure to certain chemicals, like arsenic
• Radiation exposure
• Smoking
• HPV (human papillomavirus)
• Certain rare inherited conditions, such as basal cell nevus syndrome (Gorlin syndrome), or xeroderma pigmentosum (XP)

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends the following steps to help reduce your risk of skin cancer:

• Wear protective clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, when possible.
• Seek the shade when appropriate, especially when the sun’s rays are the strongest, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Regularly use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or higher on all exposed skin, even on cloudy days. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours and after swimming or sweating.
• Protect children from the sun by using shade, protective clothing, and applying sunscreen.
• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand, which can reflect the sun’s rays and increase the chances of sunburn.
• Avoid tanning beds. The UV (ultraviolet) light from tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling.
• Check your birthday suit on your birthday. Look at your skin carefully and if you see anything changing, growing, or bleeding on your skin, see your doctor.
• Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet (which may include vitamin supplements.) Don’t seek out the sun.

The American Academy of Pediatrics approves of the use of sunscreen on infants younger than 6 months old only if adequate clothing and shade are not available. Parents should still try to avoid sun exposure and dress the infant in lightweight clothing that covers most surface areas of skin. However, parents also may apply a minimal amount of sunscreen to the infant’s face and back of the hands.

Remember, sand and pavement reflect UV rays even under an umbrella. Snow is a particularly good reflector of UV rays.

Finding suspicious moles or skin cancer early is the key to treating skin cancer successfully. A skin self-exam is usually the first step in detecting skin cancer. The following suggested method of self-examination comes from the AAD:

(You will need a full-length mirror, a hand mirror, and a brightly lit room.)

• Examine your body front and back in mirror, then the right and left sides, with your arms raised. Women should look under their breasts.
• Bend your elbows, look carefully at your forearms, the back of your upper arms, and the palms of your hands. Check between your fingers and look at your nail beds.
• Look at backs of your legs and feet, spaces between your toes, your toenail beds, and the soles of your feet.
• Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror.
• Check your back, buttocks, and genital area with a hand mirror.
• Become familiar with your skin and the pattern of your moles, freckles, and other marks.
• Be alert to changes in the number, size, shape, and color of pigmented areas.
• Follow the ABCD Chart when examining moles of other pigmented areas and consult your doctor promptly if you notice any changes.

Specific treatment for skin cancer will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• Type of skin cancer
• Extent and location of the disease
• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the disease
• Your opinion or preference

There are several kinds of treatments for skin cancer, including the following:

• Surgery. Surgery is a common treatment for skin cancer. It is used in most treated cases. Some types of skin cancer growths can be removed very easily and require only very minor surgery, while others may require a more extensive surgical procedure. Surgery may include the following procedures:
  • Cryosurgery. Using liquid nitrogen, cryosurgery uses an instrument that sprays the liquid onto the skin, freezing and destroying the tissue.
  • Curettage and electrodesiccation. This common type of surgery involves scraping away skin tissue with a curette (a sharp surgical instrument), followed by cauterizing the wound with an electrosurgical unit.
  • Excision. A scalpel (sharp surgical instrument) may be used to excise (cut away) and remove the growth. The wound is usually stitched or held closed with skin clips.
  • Mohs’ microscopically controlled surgery. This type of surgery involves excising a lesion, layer by layer. Each piece of removed tissue is examined under a microscope. Tissue is progressively removed until no tumor cells are seen. The goal of this type of surgery is to remove all of the malignant cells and as little normal tissue as possible. It is often used with recurring tumors (those that come back after treatment).
• Laser therapy. Laser surgery uses a narrow beam of light to destroy cancer cells, and is sometimes used with tumors located on the outer layer of skin.
• Radiation therapy. X-rays are used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
• Photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy uses a certain type of light and a special chemical to kill cancer cells.
• Other types of treatment include the following:
  • Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
    • Topical chemotherapy. Chemotherapy given as a cream or lotion placed on the skin to kill cancer cells.
    • Systemic chemotherapy. Chemotherapy administered orally or intravenously (IV) for more advanced cancers.
  • Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves various approaches to boost the body’s own immune system, helping it to attack the cancer. Some types of treatment can be applied on tumors or injected directly into them. Other types are used for more advanced cancers and are given as an injection into the vein (IV). 
  • Targeted therapy. Some medicines used to treat advanced skin cancers work by targeting specific parts of the cancer cells. These medicines can often be taken as a pill.

– See more at: http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/includes/healthtopics/article.php?ContentTypeId=85&ContentId=P00724&Category=SearchAZ&SubtopicId=30914&lang=en&section=33113&term=s&searchType=az&fullText=#sthash.QagRMMAa.dpuf

Hope this helps anyone who has been following this blog.

I would love to hear your ideas and findings as well.

Tammye Honey

Findings Along The Way Part II

It is been a week and still no word on the bloodwork.  It is back, it just has not been read yet.
The test we are specifically waiting for is a PSA test.  http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psa-test/basics/definition/prc-20013324

The PSA test is used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. A PSA test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced in the prostate, a small gland that sits below a man’s bladder. PSA is mostly found in semen, which also is produced in the prostate. Small amounts of PSA ordinarily circulate in the blood.

The PSA test can detect high levels of PSA that may indicate the presence of prostate cancer. However, many other conditions, such as an enlarged or inflamed prostate, can also increase PSA levels.

There is a lot of conflicting advice about PSA testing. Ultimately, whether you have a PSA test is something you should decide after discussing it with your doctor, considering your risk factors and weighing your personal preferences.

Results of PSA tests are reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter of blood (ng/mL). There’s no specific cutoff point between a normal and abnormal PSA level. Your doctor might recommend a prostate biopsy based on results of your PSA test and digital rectal exam, along with other factors.

Variations of the PSA test

Your doctor may use other ways of interpreting PSA results before making decisions about ordering a biopsy to test for cancerous tissue. These other methods are intended to improve the accuracy of the PSA test as a screening tool.

Researchers continue to investigate variations of the PSA test to determine whether they provide a measurable benefit. Variations of the PSA test include:

• PSA velocity. PSA velocity is the change in PSA levels over time. A rapid rise in PSA may indicate the presence of cancer or an aggressive form of cancer.
• Percentage of free PSA. PSA circulates in the blood in two forms — either attached to certain blood proteins or unattached (free). If you have a high PSA level but a low percentage of free PSA, it may be more likely that you have prostate cancer. This test is primarily used for men with a PSA level in the borderline range between 4 and 10. It is especially useful when determining the need for re-biopsy rather than in an initial screening state.

Talk to your doctor

Before getting a PSA test, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks. If you decide that a PSA test is right for you, ask your doctor:

• When you will discuss the results
• What kinds of recommendations he or she might make if the results are positive
• How often you should repeat the test if the results are negative

Discussing these issues beforehand may make it easier for you to learn the results of your test and make appropriate decisions afterward.

Prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer in men, and it’s the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men after lung cancer. Early detection may be an important tool in getting appropriate and timely treatment.

Men with prostate cancer may have elevated levels of PSA. Many noncancerous conditions also can increase a man’s PSA level. Although the PSA test can detect high levels of PSA in the blood, the test doesn’t provide precise diagnostic information about the condition of the prostate.

The PSA test is only one tool used to screen for early signs of prostate cancer. Another common screening test, usually done in addition to a PSA test, is a digital rectal exam. In this test, your doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum to reach the prostate. By feeling or pressing on the prostate, the doctor may be able to judge whether it has abnormal lumps or hard areas.

Neither the PSA test nor the digital rectal exam provides enough information for your doctor to diagnose prostate cancer. Abnormal results in these tests may lead your doctor to recommend a prostate biopsy. During this procedure, samples of tissue are removed for laboratory examination. A diagnosis of cancer is based on the biopsy results.

Other reasons for PSA tests

For men who have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the PSA test may be used to:

• Help decide if and when to begin treatment
• Judge the effectiveness of a treatment
• Check for recurring cancer

Benefits of the test

A PSA test may help detect prostate cancer at an early stage.  Cancer is easier to treat and is more likely to be cured if it’s diagnosed in its early stages.

But to judge the benefit of the test, it’s important to know if early detection and early treatment will improve treatment outcomes and decrease the number of deaths from prostate cancer.

A key issue is the typical course of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer usually progresses slowly over many years. Therefore, a man may have prostate cancer that never causes symptoms or becomes a medical problem during his lifetime.

Limitations of the test

The limitations of PSA testing include:

• PSA-raising factors. Besides cancer, other conditions that can raise PSA levels include an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) and an inflamed or infected prostate (prostatitis). Also, PSA levels normally increase with age.
• PSA-lowering factors. Certain drugs used to treat BPH or urinary conditions may lower PSA levels. Large doses of certain chemotherapy medications can also lower PSA levels.
• Misleading results. The test doesn’t always provide an accurate result. An elevated PSA level doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. And in some cases, a normal PSA level does not completely rule out prostate cancer.
• Overdiagnosis. Studies have estimated that between 17 and 50 percent of men with prostate cancer detected by PSA tests have tumors that wouldn’t result in symptoms during their lifetimes. These symptom-free tumors are considered overdiagnoses — identification of cancer not likely to cause poor health or to present a risk to the man’s life.

A number of major professional organizations and government agencies have weighed in on the benefits and risks of PSA testing. The American Cancer Society, the American Urological Association, the American College of Preventive Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force all recognize the controversy surrounding screening with the PSA test and the lack of firm evidence that screening can prevent deaths from prostate cancer. Other points of agreement include:

• Screening needs to be an individualized decision. All of the organizations recommend that doctors discuss the benefits and risks of PSA testing with men at a certain age or in high-risk groups. Doctors should help men make their own decisions about screening, based on age, risk factors, life expectancy and personal preferences.
• Older men may not need to be screened. Some organizations recommend that screening isn’t necessary for men age 75 and older or those who aren’t expected to live more than 10 years. The American Cancer Society advises that this decision should be made on an individual basis. It is very important, however, to keep in mind that decisions need to be individualized and not assume that all prostate cancer screening must stop once a man is in his 70s.
• Men at high risk should discuss screening at an earlier age. Some groups recommend earlier discussions for men in high-risk groups — those with a family history of prostate cancer and African-American men.

The American Cancer Society recommends that doctors provide information about prostate cancer screening to men at average risk starting at age 50, while men at higher risk could benefit from this information at age 40 or 45. The American Urological Association recommends that men consider getting a baseline prostate cancer screening, including a PSA test and DRE, beginning at age 40.

The American Urological Association (AUA) recommends against PSA screening in men under age 40, and it doesn’t recommend screening between ages 40 and 54 for men at average risk. For men ages 55 to 69, the AUA recommends shared decision-making between men and their doctors about when to begin screening. The AUA guidelines state that the greatest benefit of screening appears to be in men ages 55 to 69, and it does not recommend routine screening beyond age 70.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against PSA-based screening for men who do not have symptoms that are highly suspicious for prostate cancer. The USPSTF states that PSA testing in healthy men, regardless of age, offers no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits. This has been a very controversial point of view, and many experts in the field of prostate cancer do not agree with the USPSTF recommendations.

http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/urology/42014

We went with just the blood work for the findings rather than the full biopsy.  While they were screening for this they also ran a screen for pancretic, liver and kidney.

By doing just the bloodwork first it is less evasive and the patient really does not have quite the anxiety that they do with the biopsy.

Hope this was informative.

Part three will be next week of the Melanoma treatment in Nashville and Vanderbilt Hospital. http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/main/maps

Till then eat healthy and appreciate your loved ones.

Tammye Honey

Findings along the Way Part I

Switch of medications today was quite interesting as taking off from minipress and seroquel combo with ambien to a half of zoloft.  The cocktail mixture did increase his appetite and make him fall to sleep right away but he only slept for a few hours.

Zoloft has kept the appetite which is great and he has gone to bed two hours later.  Time will tell how long he sleeps.  Hopefully all night with no problems or nightmares.   March 4th can’t get here soon enough for the consultation so we know what we are facing and can prepare an accurate plan of attack.

Must ask about H-86 as an alternative instead of chemo if it comes to that.  Although it is experimental could it possibly be less expensive than chemo?  I guess if they will only pay 80% of a mask that he has to have for his CPAP machine and the Machine then goodness knows they would not pay the full shot for anything to do with this either.

During a visit to the Surgeon it was recommended that he be tested for Prostate Cancer with a blood test called PSA.  It tests the area between the two testies since the physical tests that doctors do to the patient can not determine the findings in this area.  We are still waiting to hear the results on the findings.  It has been almost a week.

I have been praying that it will just be a simple procedure of laser and then a plastic surgeon to do corrective surgery following.

God please hear my prayer that the other tests come back good if it be your will.

Saturday Log – He was up early as usual.  Woke me looking for his aspirin and was a tad grouchy but then became very happy after the aspirin kicked in.  Has been in a good mood since.

Sunday Feb- 23 He has a vision (half dreaming) that there are clouds around him with children smiling and his father smiling and looking at him.  He asks me to take his temperature and it shows as a low grade temp.  I wait for an hour and take again.  The thermometer suddenly reads the minimum reading.  No matter what I do to it, I can’t get it to read.

He does not tell me about his dream.  I ask him two different times, trying to stay calm to let me take him to the emergency room and both times he said that he needs a nap.  He suddenly appears in my office with his coat on and states he is ready to go.

We spend from noon till 7PM with a heart monitor and two IV’s later, I get to bring him home.  When we had arrived, his blood pressure was 145/84.  That is really high for him.  His temp was low grade but not as low as my thermometer.  96.7 at the er.  We came home and I prepared Chicken with garlic, stewed tomatoes, spinach and bowtie macaroni so that I could pack a few more vitamins in him.  He did eat.

Monday-  Getting him to eat Special K breakfast bars has been wonderful.  (Great invention) He had the chicken dish for lunch.  Much better mood although he is still tired.  I am exhausted so I am sure he is.

Tuesday-  We have a few errands to run, he is craving Chinese food.  http://www1.beyondmenu.com/20518/clarksville/chopsticks-restaurant–first-order-15–off–clarksville-37042.aspx?r=20518
He does manage to eat a big plate of what I prepare for him and a bowl of wonton soup.  Around midnight he got up and had another plate of food.

Wednesday- He has managed to sleep a little longer than he usually does so this is good.  Quiet day today.  Lots of energy today and has a good appetite.  Spirits are up and down throught the day.  Not sleeping well at night.  He managed to polish off most of the left over Chinese food from Chopsticks.

Thursday – We are up super early to fit our showers in before we head to see the Lung Specialist.  Hubby seems to like this doctor a lot.  He has a very heavy European accent and yet his bed side manner is such that you feel right at home and comfortable with him right away.  It helps that he can tell hubby that he also sleeps with a C-Pac machine and the setting is almost the same as his.
Interesting discussion while in the office today.  Melanoma is the only cancer that can not be traced back to tobacco or it’s use.
We grabbed an open hot roast beef sandwich with veggie at https://www.facebook.com/mosssoutherncooking.  Have never had anything but that sandwich there.  Why change a great thing…
Tonight I made him Shrimp Scampi since that is what he began to think about on the way home from the doctor.  All I could think about was how full I was from lunch.
Tomorrow he was supposed to travel to Nashville for the VA for an appointment but today has really tired him and we will reschedule that appointment since it was not related to the illness to a later date when we are finished with all of the doctor appointments.

We only know it is sun exposure or radiation exposure. We only know that it is stage III but not which stage III.

According to http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-staging here is a brief breakdown on the findings:

Stage IIIA

T1a to T4a, N1a or N2a, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness, but it is not ulcerated. It has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the affected skin area, but the nodes are not enlarged and the melanoma is found only when they are viewed under the microscope. There is no distant spread.

Stage IIIB

One of the following applies:

T1b to T4b, N1a or N2a, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness and is ulcerated. It has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the affected skin area, but the nodes are not enlarged and the melanoma is found only when they are viewed under the microscope. There is no distant spread.

T1a to T4a, N1b or N2b, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness, but it is not ulcerated. It has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the affected skin area. The nodes are enlarged because of the melanoma. There is no distant spread.

T1a to T4a, N2c, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness, but it is not ulcerated. It has spread to small areas of nearby skin or lymphatic channels around the original tumor, but the nodes do not contain melanoma. There is no distant spread.

Stage IIIC

One of the following applies:

T1b to T4b, N1b or N2b, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness and is ulcerated. It has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the affected skin area. The nodes are enlarged because of the melanoma. There is no distant spread.

T1b to T4b, N2c, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness and is ulcerated. It has spread to small areas of nearby skin or lymphatic channels around the original tumor, but the nodes do not contain melanoma. There is no distant spread.

Any T, N3, M0: The melanoma can be of any thickness and may or may not be ulcerated. It has spread to 4 or more nearby lymph nodes, OR to nearby lymph nodes that are clumped together, OR it has spread to nearby skin or lymphatic channels around the original tumor and to nearby lymph nodes. The nodes are enlarged because of the melanoma. There is no distant spread.

Our next step is to find out which category that he fits into:

• T stands for tumor (how far it has grown within the skin and other factors). The T category is assigned a number (from 0 to 4) based on the tumor’s thickness (how far down it has grown). It may also be assigned a small letter a or b based on ulceration and mitotic rate, which are explained below.
• N stands for spread to nearby lymph nodes (bean-sized collections of immune system cells, to which cancers often spread first). The N category is assigned a number (from 0 to 3) based on whether the melanoma cells have spread to lymph nodes or are found in the lymphatic channels connecting the lymph nodes. It may also be assigned a small letter a, b, or c, as described below.
• The M category is based on whether the melanoma has metastasized (spread) to distant organs, which organs it has reached, and on blood levels of a substance called LDH.

There are 2 types of staging for melanoma:

• Clinical staging is based on what is found on physical exam, biopsy/removal of the main melanoma, and any imaging tests that are done.
• Pathologic staging uses all of this information, plus what is found during biopsies of lymph nodes or other organs if they are done.

The pathologic stage (determined after the lymph node biopsy) may actually be higher than the clinical stage (determined before the lymph node biopsy) if the biopsy finds cancer in new areas. Doctors use the pathologic stage if it is available, as it gives a more accurate picture of the extent of the cancer, but in many cases lymph node biopsies are not needed.

They have come a long way with modern medicine and laser sugeries have made a huge difference in the various techniques that are used today.

This we will find out after the March 4th Visit.  

Next week I will start Part II of the findings.

Till then eat healthy, be loving and be kind to those around you.

Tammye Honey

 

 

While Waiting at the Doctor’s Appointments

I am not a person who can just sit idle in a doctor’s office without getting antsy.
I love to take my crocheting with me so that I have something to keep me busy and keep my mind off of why we are there.
I have found that it keeps me focused and makes the time go by so much faster.

We had several weeks of  back to back appointments so here is my creations.

My inspiration was the scarf that Mikey had as a challenge at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crochet-Crowd/116482731742088  The Crochet Crowd.

 

A hat to keep my head warm.  Fingerless Gloves with a hat of their own lol.  The shimmering heart scarf.

Some of my projects that I am working on are just too large to transport so I have to find little things to fill the void.

With my Kindle Fire I can download my pattern and take it with me.
I have also picked up many new prospective students too, who want to learn to do what I am making.

Let me know how I am doing so far…would love to hear from you.

What is your latest project?  Share it with me please.

Tammye Honey

Daily Prompt: Life Is Intense

 

Daily Prompt: Intense!

 

by michelle w. on November 5, 2013

Describe the last time you were surprised by the intensity of a feeling you had about something,
or were surprised at how strongly you reacted to something you thought wouldn’t be a big deal.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us INTENSE.

When I broke my two fingers on my left hand in June, at first I thought it was not going to be a big deal since I write with my right hand.

As the time progressed, I found myself unable to do so many things that I was not aware that I had performed with my left hand,
until I actually went to do them.

This fact began to terrify me.  I was not used to dropping items.  To have to stop from doing things that I love such as type (blog) or even to crochet.

To do the dishes was a total nightmare.  It is a good thing that we had a steady stream of Tupperware and Corelle Ware dishes.
If I had a quarter for every one that I dropped then I could take a nice vacation in Costa Rica.

The pain was incredible and it still is.  The therapy was intense and really helped until I reached a point that the therapy came to a dead halt.
This is as good as it gets.
With my hubby coming upon his surgery and my recent problems with my thyroid having a growth I am a little overwhelmed at times.

I just take a deep breath, say a little prayer and put on my big girl panties to start my day.

 

It is called living my life.  I am not any different than most people.
I look around me and I am thanking God several times a day for having most of my body parts which are functioning.

That I have a warm home, a loving hubby, loving pets, warm food on my table and love of several friends.

My family and grand children are all wonderful, beautiful (or handsome) and healthy.

I am able to start to blog again and share my thoughts about life.

 

What are your thoughts on life and do you live a quite life or is it also intense for you.
Do you have special items that you feel blessed about?  Please share them in the comments.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a wonderful day,

Tammye Honey

Daily Prompt: Dear John Letter

Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out

by michelle w. on June 17, 2013

Write a letter to the personality trait you like least, convincing it to shape up or ship out.
Be as threatening, theatrical, or thoroughly charming as is necessary to get the job done.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us UGLY.

Dear Introverted Self:

Since your arrival in Tennessee almost four years ago, it has come to the worlds attention that you have become a home body.
We do agree that your 7 1/2 acres is a beautiful place to live.
The magnolia tree in the back is just now starting to bloom with the magnificent blossoms that smell so wonderful.

The humming birds are just returning so the feeders must be prepared for their return.
The herb flower pots are ready to start to be planted. The front of the store will soon look like a small green house.
The apple trees have just bean to bloom and their fragrance can be smelled across the yard the entire summer.

We understand that it is difficult to drive with the sciatic nerve condition in your left leg trying to use the clutch.
A slight complication of the two fractured fingers on the left hand does give you a legitimate argument of safety while driving.

You win for now.  There will come a time when this dear john letter will be sent again.
There is an entire side of the city that you have never seen.
If something were to happen to your hubby I shiver to think what would happen if you could not purchase online, on base or at Walmart or Kroger.
You have a break till you heal.  Oh and another break till hubby’s surgery is over.
Then it is time to explore.  There is life after Dollar General.  Just because that is so close does not mean that you can’t find some adventure in life.
Till then, here are what other Daily Prompt Writers had to say:

1. Everyone Shape Up or Ship Out | Geek Ergo Sum
2. Dear Insecurity | Taking time, making time
3. To the Unknown Cheerleader | Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | likereadingontrains
4. Daily Prompt: Ugly | Postcards from
5. Everything is going to be okay… | Hope* the happy hugger
6. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out – show us UGLY. | masadiso79’s Blog
7. Shape up or ship out sugar cravings | Now Have At It!
8. Dear Mr. Fearful [Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out] | unknowinglee
9. Who’s In Charge Here??? | Spirit Lights The Way
10. A Letter To An Indecisive Employee | The Jittery Goat
11. These Words for YOU | floatingsheep
12. The Toothpaste Again | Lewis Cave
13. Daily Prompt: Shape Up Or Ship Out, Mr. Anger | Creative Mysteries
14. Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you | I Didn’t Just Wake Up This Morning with a Craving
15. Daily Prompt; Shape Up or Ship Out | terry1954
16. Daily Prompt: Ugly | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
17. Shape Up or Ship Out | The Nameless One
18. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out « Mama Bear Musings
19. Daily Prompt: There’s the door, now leave! | Thriving Pessimist…
20. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Musings&Rants
21. Daily Prompt: Just Ship Out! | Musings&Rants
22. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | writinglikeastoner
23. Dear Depression | Random Obsession
24. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Exploring Utah with MS and Apples

 Respectfully Submitted,

Self Conscious

Thank you for reading.  What is your characteristic that needs a talking to?
Do you need a change in your life?
Would love to hear.

Tammye Honey

 

Daily Prompt: Taking Care Of Business

Daily Prompt: Take Care

by michelle w. on June 11, 2013

When you’re unwell, do you allow others to take care of you, or do you prefer to soldier on alone?
What does it take for you to ask for help?

Photographers, artists, poets: show us HELP.

When I had my gallbladder out, my hubby went into the hospital right about the same time.
I broke two fingers on Saturday, (which is gong to make this blog shorter than normal).
My hubby is in bed sick and I have to drag him to the emergency room while I am getting a mammogram done today.

I am now driving myself to the dr. office for my blood work (Fasting) prior to my test today.

Soldier up is the way it goes…

Here are what other early morning Daily Prompt Writers had to say:

1. Listen to Your Own Body | Daily Prompt: Take Care | likereadingontrains
2. Depression | From Five to Fifty
3. Sick day | Geek Ergo Sum
4. That Time I Got Hit By a Car in Bangkok | Paths Unwritten
5. Take Care | Musings from a practical mystic
6. Take My Hand | It’s a wonderful F’N life
7. Loads of tea | Spunky Wayfarer
8. S.O.S. | Misifusa’s Blog
9. Get up, get dressed and go in. And if you still feel unwell later, call me. | thoughtsofrkh
10. Take Care: Unwell but not Undefeated | Mary Angelini Photography
11. Daily Prompt: Take Care | iChristian

Hopefully this place that I am going to have the mammogram has the new technology so I won’t be hurting in two places.

So my question to my readers is do you get pampered when you are sick or do you carry on…

Tammye Honey

Sharing PTSD Thoughts

 

About PTSD

http://comfortablynumb7.wordpress.com/more-about-ptsd/

English: signs and symptoms ptsd (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.

The type of events that can cause PTSD include:
military combat
serious road accidents
terrorist attacks
natural disasters, such as severe floods, earthquakes or tsunamis
being held hostage
witnessing violent deaths
violent personal assaults, such as sexual assault, mugging or robbery

PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event or it can occur weeks, months or even years later. It can develop in any situation where a person feels extreme fear, horror or helplessness. However, it doesn’t usually develop after situations that are simply upsetting, such as divorce, job loss or failing exams.

Signs & Symptoms of PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be difficult to diagnose because people who experience traumatic events often don’t want to talk about their feelings. Also, people with PTSD may not seek treatment for many months or years after their symptoms appear.

The symptoms of PTSD usually develop during the first month after a person witnesses a traumatic event. However, in a minority of cases (less than 15%), there may be a delay of months or even years before symptoms start to appear. Some people experience long periods when their symptoms are less noticeable. This is known as symptom remission. These periods are often followed by an increase in symptoms. Other people with PTSD have severe symptoms that are constant.

Someone with PTSD will often relive the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and they may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia, and find concentrating difficult. These symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have asignificant impact on the person’s day-to-day life

Up to 30% of people who witness a traumatic event then go on to experience some of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These symptoms can vary widely between individuals.
Re-experiencing- Re-experiencing is the most typical symptom of PTSD: A person will involuntarily and vividly relive the traumatic event in the form of flashbacks, nightmares or repetitive and distressing images or sensations. Being reminded of the traumatic event can evoke distressing memories and cause considerable anguish.

Avoidance: Trying to avoid being reminded of the traumatic event is another key symptom of PTSD. Reminders can take the form of people, situations or circumstances that resemble or are associated with the event. Many people with PTSD will try to push memories of the event out of their mind. They do not like thinking or talking about the event in detail. Some people repeatedly ask themselves questions that prevent them from coming to terms with the event. For example, they may wonder why the event happened to them and whether it could have been prevented.

Hyperarousal (feeling ‘on edge’): Someone with PTSD may be very anxious and find it difficult to relax. They may be constantly aware of threats and easily startled. This state of mind is known as hyperarousal. Irritability, angry outbursts, sleeping problems and difficulty concentrating are also common.

Emotional numbing: Some people with PTSD deal with their feelings by trying not to feel anything at all. This is known as emotional numbing. They may feel detached or isolated from others, or guilty. Someone with PTSD can often seem deep in thought and withdrawn. They may also give up pursuing the activities that they used to enjoy.

Other possible signs & symptoms of PTSD include:
depression, anxiety and phobias
drug misuse or alcohol misuse
sweating, shaking, headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach upsets
having vivid memories, flashbacks or nightmares about the event
trying to avoid things that remind you of the event
sometimes feeling emotionally numb
often feeling irritable and anxious for no apparent reason
eating more than usual, or drinking alcohol or using drugs more than usual
an inability to control your mood
finding it increasingly difficult to get on with others
having to keep yourself very busy to cope
feeling depressed or exhausted

PTSD sometimes leads to the breakdown of relationships and causes work-related problems.
Treating PTSD
PTSD can be successfully treated, even when it develops many years after a traumatic event.
Any treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and how soon they occur after the traumatic event. The following treatment options may be recommended:
watchful waiting: waiting to see whether the symptoms improve or get worse without treatment
psychological treatment: such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EDMR)
medication: such as paroxetine or mirtazapine

***For the record my husband has not been officially diagnosed with PTSD but with the many signs and symptoms he is showing (in bold italics) along with an abusive past, we (him,our initial counsellor and myself) feel that this what he is going through and the route we are exploring with deeper therapy at this time***

I have discovered there is also a link between PTSD and addiction – drink/drugs/gambling/porn etc, 2 of which are relevant to my husband.

Related Articles

• What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anyway? (hollykaufman.com)
• How Trauma Leads to Depression (everydayhealth.com)
• PTSD and Suicide Risk (everydayhealth.com)
• Help for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (everydayhealth.com)
• Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome and Rape Trauma Syndrome: the Symptoms(asurvivorsworld.wordpress.com)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) At A Glance (paulamorical.com)
• PTSD: Post traumatic stress disorder. (blogactwell.com)

This is real and a part of just about every Veteran who has served in a few tours overseas.  The problem is that the medication only treats part of the problem.  The remainder of the problem is still there and still very real.  It is something that each Veteran lives with and their families every day.

May this bring some attention to the problem and possibly help to stop cutting the benefits that they deserve to get the help they need.

Tammye Honey.

Daily Prompt: Idyllic Community

Daily Prompt: Idyllic

by michelle w. on March 25, 2013

What does your ideal community look like? How is it organized, and how is community life structured? What values does the community share?

I must sound like a broken record on this one.  Were we are located gives us a touch of the country while being right next to Clarksville, Tennessee and Ft. Campbell, Kentucky so we have the best of both worlds.  Till I woke up this morning.

We have snow…what is this?  It is New York State weather.  Not normal Tennessee weather.  I borrowed these pictures from a friend who took them last night and this morning.

 

We are not supposed to have hail dropping on our daffodils.

 

What is up with snow?  Yes I know we can still see the ground but the black ice is incredible.

 

http://www.cityofclarksville.com

http://www.campbell.army.mil/Pages/CampHome.aspx

While Clarksville and Woodlawn area offer all the schools, hospital and shopping that one needs, not to mention places to eat and visit…oops I just did lol.

Ft. Campbell is a city within itself.  It has it’s own schools, hospital, shopping, restaurants and things to do.

The community where we are is small and quiet.  When our dog Trina was frightened and ran away for a day, the community came out to help find her.  People actually stopped to ask if we were looking for a child.

She came home just as it got dark (she is afraid of the dark and was hungry.  First thing she did was check her New Box of Milkbones to make sure they were still there.

What is your perfect community?  Do you live in it now?  Would love to hear…

Here are what some other Daily Prompt Writers had to say:

1. The Ambiguity Of Fences | Philosophy & Photography
2. march 25 Daily Prompt: Idyllic | Family Photos Food & Craft
3. Daily Prompt: Idyllic « Mama Bear Musings
4. Mayberry Is Okay With Me | The Jittery Goat
5. Daily Prompt: The Ideal Community | Creative Mysteries
6. Daily Prompt: Idyllic | Of Glass & Paper
7. Daily Prompt – Idyllic | Joe’s Musings
8. Daily Prompts – Idyllic | Life With Pink Princesses

Thank you for reading Check back with Michelle to see who else has posted their article during the day.

Tammye Honey

Weekly Photo Challenge: Theme of the Week is Future Tense

Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense

by Michael Pick on March 22, 2013

For the past two days, Miss Shelby decided that she wanted to come into the world a week early.  Her grandmother is in Michigan and due out next week the day before she was due.    A baby comes when they want to.  Her wonderful parents, Amanda and Jeff asked me if I would like to join them in helping with the birth as a coach.  I was honored.

After an all night session of contractions between three to five minutes apart after my arriving at the hospital at 7PM, he water broke at 4AM.  They had been giving her Pitocin in her IV to help encourage the contractions and actually stopped it at one point during the night to try and slow them down.

Shelby had a tough time coming into this world as the umbilical cord was not only wrapped around her neck, it was wrapped several times around her body.  She obviously liked the comfort of the womb.  Being Joined by a wonderful RN friend of the group, Christy was a wonderful asset in the witnessing and assistance of this birth.  It was nice to have an extra RN in the room who was off duty.

Once out, she really made her voice of the future heard.  She is the future tense.  It was a pleasure to have been a part of this celebration.  To watch the proud father cutting the umbilical cord and be handed the baby with the mother was an absolute honor and a site that is not soon to be forgotten.  More photos will follow on my blog as they are processed.

If you would like to post a Weekly Photo Challenge, here is the scoop on what it is about:

From heartfelt hopes about exam results, or being noticed by that oblivious boy in your class, to wishes for a prosperous or healthy future, you can think of them as prayers and hopes  made manifest and left in public. In today’s challenge we want you to grab an image from your world that holds the promise or portent of the future. It could be:

• As everyday as the experience of waiting for a bus or train.
• As abstract as something that symbolizes  your ambitions or hopes for the future.
• A note, prayer or promise jotted on a napkin or cross-stitched with exquisite tenderness.
• The promise or portent of spring, sunrise, or storm in nature.
• A street candid of someone nervously waiting on their date to arrive.
• A piano falling from a third storey flat into the oncoming path of an adorable kitten. Or any other action about to take place.
• Anything that involves the present and a hint of the future all in one frame.

We spend so much of our lives thinking back, or looking ahead, and even though a photo captures only one moment in time, with a bit of thought it can freeze the process of moving forward, or the promise of things to come. Your challenge this week is to seal one such moment in amber.

In a new post created for this challenge, share a picture that says FUTURE TENSE.

I’m looking forward to seeing your visions of the future, daydreams, and wishes frozen in time.

New to The Daily Post? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in our Weekly Photo Challenge to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in Post a Day / Post a Week. Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, we’ll provide a theme for creative inspiration. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Friday when the next photo theme will be announced.

2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “Weekly Photo Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag. You can also link to this post to create a pingback here and to encourage more people to participate.

3. Subscribe to The Daily Post so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.

Thank you for reading,

Tammye Honey