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The best gift I got for Christmas was a famous chef’s secret recipe for crab cakes. Whenever I am in that part of the country I visit his restaurant and order crab cakes, and if he’s there, try every trick in the book to get him to share his recipe. Recently my friend Joan, who is a regular and has a lot more influence than I do, managed to get it for me.
The "secret" recipe was hand written on a small card and wrapped inside a dish towel with a run-of-the-mill crab cake recipe printed on the front. I was so excited you would have thought she had given me the secret to the universe or the cure for cancer. Funny how a small thing like a recipe can feel like such a big deal.
Joan's gift made me want to give a gift to each of you—the gift of survivorship—a recipe that helped me get through breast cancer treatment. It includes ingredients even the best doctors sometimes fail to mention to their patients. Label this Brenda’s recipe for “How to Survive Breast Cancer Treatment.” <PREVIEWEND>
• One heaping dose of faith
• Combine with a second opinion if desired.
• Look into getting BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic test. Add results to existing mix.
• Take written list of questions to every doctor’s appointment. Write/record all answers, or take someone who will do that for you. Keep asking until you understand. Allow to settle until more questions form. Repeat and repeat until treatment is over… and beyond.
• Fill all prescriptions with the same pharmacy. When ready to take medications, write down time taken and time next ones are due.
• Eat lightly after each chemo. Take anti-nausea meds even if not needed.
• Remove white flour, rice, pasta, sugar, soft drinks and alcohol. Replace with whole grains, fresh fruits, veges, 1000 IU Vitamin D and drink lots of water.
• Reduce fear and worry to manageable. Find a support group. Go often.
• Stop cutting cuticles, flossing teeth, brush teeth gently, and stay out of crowds until chemo is over. Add laxatives for 3 or 4 days immediately after each chemo. Add eye drops and moisturizer when needed. If skin or gums break, disinfect immediately.
• Check temperature often. If over 100.5 degrees, have problem breathing, frequency or burning when urinating, bleeding or bruising, call your doctor.
• Slather generously with paraben free sunblock, then sit in sun daily for 15 minutes.
• Add generous helping of sense of humor to chemo brain. Top with no energy.
• Listen to your “little voice.”
• Season liberally with meditation and/or hypnosis. Add a generous portion of daily exercise.
• Meanwhile, do not make major decisions until treatment is done.
• Give yourself enough time to recover, and do not overdo.
• Sprinkle with more faith and be grateful for the rest of your life.
Serve with love, courage, patience, determination and all God's blessings.
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Previous Comments
Anonymous commented on 28-Dec-2009 10:47 PM Thank you. No one puts all of this info in one place. Love your blog.
Kim Nelson commented on 29-Dec-2009 01:17 AM Thank you, Brenda. This recipe contains everything a person needs to know in order to survive the chemotherapy process. Thank you for your insight and encouragement.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer commented on 30-Dec-2009 04:50 PM What a wonderful, inspiring post! Faith is most important...and encouragement from others!
Texas breast reduction commented on 11-Jan-2010 01:39 AM Thank you so much for this inspirational post. The chemotherapy is really the most painful phase not physically, but emotionally. My sister-in-law underwent a breast removal surgery after being diagnosed stage 2 borderline 3. The following chemotherapy had serious side-effects. She lost all the hair and had to stay in home for months together.
Brenda Coffee commented on 24-Jan-2010 07:07 PM There's no doubt, going through breast cancer is really hard, but it gives you the knowledge that if you can get through breast cancer, you can do anything! How is your sister-in-law now?
Reverse Osmosis Water System commented on 13-Mar-2010 03:49 PM Brenda,
I really appreciate reading your blog posts, especially this one. Truly inspiring! I lost a good friend recently to breast cancer, and have another who is going through the chemo processes. I am going to give her your recipe, the gift of survivorship, I think it will be a huge help to her. Keep up the posts, thanks.
I really appreciate reading your blog posts, especially this one. Truly inspiring! I lost a good friend recently to breast cancer, and have another who is going through the chemo processes. I am going to give her your recipe, the gift of survivorship, I think it will be a huge help to her. Keep up the posts, thanks.
Kandarp commented on 21-May-2010 06:54 AM Brenda you did a awesome job. Thanks to aware me about breast cancer.
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