Quality vs Quantity?

When I read Alicia's blog post, all I could think about is that I wanted to share it. Her post is a great read for anyone currently battling breast cancer as well as for the newly diagnosed.  In my blog I strive to empower women with the information and strength to have a more successful cancer journey.  Alli adds intense incite into the process, so I hope you will benefit from her experiences and candidness.  Thank you Alli for sharing your post.  To read more from Alli’s blog, please visit: http://alli-lifeintransition.blogspot.com/2011/07/quality-vs-quantity.html

Quality vs Quantity?

The day you receive the diagnosis , you have Breast Cancer life after that is never the same. Everyone takes the news differently. Some fall apart, others will claim the news was a wake up call inspiring them to change their lives.  Others like my self pure fear at the unknown outcome, never being certain how things will be in our futures, how long that future will be and if we even have one! You read everything you can get your hands on your particular cancer. You want to know statistics cure rates how long will I live, what the different stages signify..Your mind gets overloaded on Breast Cancer information, and it still isn't enough. If it were possible you would read every single detailed  paper written on your type.

You begin your roller coaster ride of treatments beginning with surgery, you have your breasts removed told that there was no other option especially if there is lymph node involvement.

Chemo is definitely not fun in fact it is the worst shock your body endures. Having poison pumped through your veins. You hope that the cancer is destroyed, in the process the treatment doesn't kill you first. You still do it because Chemo is the only "REAL" hope that will keep the cancer from spreading. Or so you are led to believe. Of course there is radiation but many times radiation is over used and not enough clarity is given before you begin treatment . How it will burn your skin leaving blisters as though you sat out far too long in the burning sun. Of course we are told repeatedly to avoid the sun because it can cause Cancer well so can being over radiated. One of my dearest friends is proof positive having developed a Secondary Cancer on her Clavical a direct cause from over radiation. I decided to pass on that one!

You do what you are told for these months of treatments. You are told you will be fine,  you expect to bounce back almost immediately. Ok you lose your hair, but no one mentioned your fingernails coming off or the other side effects like Neuropathy that may become a permanent condition of Nerve damage from Chemo.. You will pick everything up from the point you stopped.  It doesn't quite work that way. In fact you are lucky if you are able to do a small amount of what you used to do...You are not told of the  amount of fatigue you experience.The ups and downs....

We are told if we are Estrogen positive there are "Wonder" drugs that will help in the prevention of a recurrence.  We take them . Then it starts, the side effects kick in. You are going to be Superwoman, you can take a little pain but the little pain turns into a bigger pain  until it becomes so debilitating you can barely stand. Climbing out of bed putting pressure on your ankles, trying to stand up and walk expends so much energy because all you can feel at that moment is  intense pain shooting through your bones...  You tell your Oncologist he looks at you as though you are the only one having issues.that it is uncommon, you almost believe him .. You try a second drug  a third. One has different side effects that affects you differently from the others. You try another one it is in the same family as the first, you are told in advance you may have the same side effects. OK so why prescribe it? Essentially all these drugs and treatments are to buy you more time. Once you have gone through treatments  you  come to the realization there is no cure for Cancer. It is still there dormant somewhere in your body..

Your thoughts turn to a different place. One that you would not even consider had you not had cancer.  It's a question a cancer patient will ask himself over and over again. We don't dare tell our loved ones - at least not yet. Is it the Quantity of your life that counts Or is it the Quality?

When you know your options are limited.   Your bones and joints are so painful. The base of your spine feels like someone dropped kicked you.  Your knees ache so badly you feel like a ninety year old.You even wonder in some circumstances if death would be kinder option  than going through endless days of hurting.

Of course we want to live!!! This is such a complicated situation..  However if the quality of your life is reduced to living in constant pain, do you continue with the drug therapy or do you stop consider the QUALITY of your life? Enjoy being pain free for what ever time?

Right now it is still merely speculative  that without these drugs  we are leaving ourselves wide open to something worse.  This is only because we are told this by our Oncologist. They themselves don't know. I have asked my Oncologist several times each visit can you guarantee that I will not get a secondary cancer by taking these drugs??  Response:: "There are no guarantees"! Then why are you scaring women to death?? We are terrified if we don't take them fearing that ugly "C" word!

I have been doing a considerable amount of reading various  reputable  web sites where women have stopped taking Arimidex, Femara, Tamoxifen, several have surpassed living past the time  key they were given.They are living a life without pain..

Could it be with a change in diet, habit include  peaceful thinking, low impact exercising meditation could be an answer for some of us?

Of course you will have those opposed simply on religious grounds that it is not our choice to make.  They will oppose you every step of the way. Quantifying your life,  only GOD has the right to decide how long we live. What if you are an Atheist?

 Before being diagnosed, before all your treatments, this question would never even come up in a conversation or  in your own thoughts.....

Cancer patients are always going through insurmountable guilt. You feel guilty for becoming ill. You feel guilty because you can not maintain the way you were before Cancer picked you as  a home.  You feel guilty because you feel that you failed the expectations of others, you should be positive, positivity will  give you a new lease on life. As long as you keep smiling......You feel guilty because sometimes  that's impossible....

 We are facing the biggest dilemma of our lives .It will directly impact  everyone within our close circle of family and friends.  Is it selfish to stop taking something that causes a body so much discomfort?  Is it  wrong to want to enjoy our lives relatively pain free even though we know our time may be limited?
Enjoy a quality of life you may not have otherwise?


Someone went so far in saying stopping your meds  is a form of self-induced Euthanasia..Again we do not have scientific proof or otherwise taking them or not will make any difference No Guarantees remember!!

It is so difficult to try and come to terms with. Along with being complicated. You have the tendency to flip flop back and forth..
In as much as we might not want to admit it, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought about this.

Funny thing is, there are hundreds of us if not thousands  on these drugs who are suffering  from severe pain.

I can't understand how Oncologists can be so ignorant en mass....dismissing their patients nearly accusing them of be hyperchondriac yet have no qualms prescribing narcotics to suppress the very pain many claim  is non existent.

Again I am going to harp on the millions of dollars that are collected through Fundraising  . Why are  some of these funds not directed towards finding a  way to alleviate the  side effects?

Or are we as women that expendable?

Elyn Jacobs

elyn@elynjacobs.com

elynjacobs.blogspot.com
**********************************************************
Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She empowers women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Hypotheses for Natural Cancer Remission

Today I am excited to share a guest blog by Kelly Turner. Kelly is a researcher, lecturer, and consultant in the field of integrative oncology. She assists cancer patients who are interested in integrating complementary medicine approaches with their Western oncology treatment. Her interest in complementary medicine began when she received her B.A. from Harvard University, and it later became the sole focus of her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley.

Kelly’s dissertation research included a year-long trip around the world, for which she and her husband, Aaron Teich, L.Ac., traveled to ten different countries to interview 50 holistic healers and 20 “spontaneous” remission cancer survivors about their healing practices and techniques. She is currently working on a book for cancer patients that summarizes her research findings. I hope you will find her research helpful.

Hypotheses for Natural Cancer Remission – Part 1
By Kelly A. Turner, Ph.D.

My name is Kelly Turner, PhD, and I’m a cancer consultant and researcher who studies people who heal from cancer without Western medicine, or after Western medicine has failed to remit their cancer. While personally I believe in combining the best of Western (allopathic) and Complementary medicine, as a researcher I study anomalous cases.

For my dissertation research at UC Berkeley, I traveled around the world for a year asking 50 non-allopathic healers from 12 different countries about how they treat cancer. Afterward, I asked 20 cancer survivors who had healed without Western medicine why they thought they healed. After scouring the 70, hour-long interview transcripts for common themes, what emerged were 3 underlying beliefs about cancer, and more than 75 cancer “treatments.”

In this guest blog, I will be discussing the three underlying beliefs about cancer. I will be describing the Top 6 cancer “treatments” used by my interviewees in another guest blog soon at http://www.tamiboehmer.com.
You may also read my full dissertation here: http://www.shuniyahealing.com/offer/research.html

(Note: This study was designed to collect hypotheses. Therefore, please remember that the following “findings” are opinions only).

Belief #1: Change the Conditions under which Cancer Thrives
The majority of my interviewees believed that cancer thrives under certain, sub-optimal conditions in the body. Therefore, to remove cancer, they recommended changing the underlying conditions in the body, at which point the cancer cells would theoretically die off naturally. This is quite different from the Western (allopathic) medicine view that sees cancer cells as “invaders” in an otherwise healthy body. An integrative oncologist from Japan describes his theory as follows:

HEALER (from Japan): Cancer substance is not made by cancer cells, but by human beings. And the cancer substance to change is not cancer cells, but human beings. Bad circulation and low [body] temperature – cancer cells never created [those] conditions. Human beings themselves created [those] bad circumstances.

KELLY: So it’s the bad circumstances that human beings create in their body that allow the cancer cells to grow?

HEALER (from Japan): Yes. So, my understanding is cancer cell is not malignant cell, but sacrificed/delinquent cell…adapted to the wrong circumstances…In our body, cancer cells never arise up in a heart or small intestine, because these heart and small intestine are warm and high [in] blood and high content of oxygen. Small intestine and heart is good circumstance, so [they have a] small percentage [of cancer] – [it is] very unusual for cancer [to appear in those organs].

Belief #2: Illness = Blockage/Slowness, Health = Movement
The majority of my 70 interviewees also believed that any illness – including cancer – represents a blockage or slowness in the system, while health is characterized by unhindered movement and flow. The theory is that when everything is flowing smoothly – your breath, blood, food, waste, emotions, and even your energy – then your body will be healthy and able to remove any bacteria, virus, etc. that enters your body. One woman who healed herself of metastatic pancreatic cancer said it this way:

“I think the etheric body – the energy body – organizes the physical body based on thoughts or emotions that are either flowing or blocked. So as long as emotions and thoughts are positive and flowing…then the physical body is holding a state of greater balance. As soon as the thoughts become low frequency thoughts, or our emotions become low frequency emotions, then the energy tends to jam up or get blocked in the auric field. And when it blocks up enough, it first creates discomfort…When nothing is done to release those emotions or thoughts, or to change them, eventually it moves into the etheric field and sometimes even into the physical body, and that’s what causes what I call ‘dis-ease.’ And again, it’s still just energy that’s stuck.”

Belief #3: A Body-Mind-Spirit Interaction Exists, and “Energy” Permeates All Three
The third and final underlying belief that the majority of my interviewees discussed was the idea that a body-mind-spirit interaction exists, and that energy (also called “chi” or “prana”) permeates all three of these levels. A chi-gong healer from New Zealand, who is also a colon cancer survivor, said it this way:

“They say a person is made up of your physical body and your ‘shen’ – which [in Traditional Chinese Medicine] is your consciousness or spirit – and then ‘chi’ is the thing that connects the ‘shen’ and your physical body. So those three will work together and are one, really, but the key thing to remember is that the ‘shen’ leads the ‘chi,’ so your consciousness, or where the mind is going, is where your chi is going, and that begets your physical body. So if your ‘shen’ is really busy and very emotional, you know going up and down, that really depletes your chi, and that leads to disease or breakdown.”

From the Author:
I am always looking for more cancer survivors to interview for my research. If you know of any that fit my research criteria, please invite them to email me at kellyturner@ShuniyaHealing.com. To learn more about the benefits of complementary therapies, please visit: http://www.ShuniyaHealing.com.

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com
elynjacobs.blogspot.com
**********************************************************
Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She empowers women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Tamoxifen, Friend or Foe?

I follow many, many blogs and cancer-related online chat forums. One I saw today really stung. A woman asked if anyone taking Tamoxifen had ever experienced debilitating bilateral posterior leg pain and the inability to walk or sit without intense pain. She mentioned that she had done all the tests, MRIs, x-rays, etc. with no resulting explanation for her pain. She added that her doctor took her off the Tam and her symptoms subsided significantly. Another woman mentioned that issue plus a host of others, including a persistent and unexplained cough.

Well, I have been on Tam for four years, and three years ago I started experiencing intense pain while sitting, then found it very painful to walk. I saw one doc, told me pelvic misalignment was the issue, and after a few of his treatments, I got worse, I could only walk if I dragged one leg. So much for him. Saw another Doc, said it was two torn hamstring muscles, the left side being severe. I explained that this was unlikely as surely I would have known when this happened (something like a sudden sharp pain would be memorable). However, I was desperate to walk so I agreed to try his “treatment”, a painful and useless platelet procedure. No change. Saw another Doc, he viewed the same MRI results and said that it wasn’t a hamstring issue, it was a disc issue. He offered another painful procedure. This time I was not gullible and refused. He then suggested physical therapy. No change. Next I consulted an integrative chiropractor; he suggested misalignment and stress being the culprit. I will never know if he was right, but after a year of his treatments and the massage therapy he suggested, I am fine. Was it the Tam? Who knows, but I am starting to think so.

And then there’s the cough…..

In December 2010, I started coughing. Still coughing a few months later, I went to my Internist and since I felt otherwise fine, he suspected lung cancer. Thankfully the tests were negative, and he suggested it could be asthma and allergies. Okay, so that makes sense. I started to believe maybe he was right, and that perhaps my mother’s chronic cough could have been that too, undiagnosed. Now, I am not so sure…..was it, is it the Tam? I will have to take this up with my oncologists, but so far, NONE of my doctors suggested this could be the culprit. It’s well known that bone and joint pain can be common, but not the type of pain at issue here. I’d like to think that they are simply not aware of the connection as I happen to have much respect for my doctors…..at the moment.

Perhaps it is all coincidence. Perhaps not. However, one thing I do know is that before an oncologist so quickly orders Tam, AI’s or Chemo for that matter, more needs to be learned and side effects/symptoms taken seriously. I would hate to think that I spent thousands and thousands of dollars and endured years in pain dealing with problems that could have been eliminated by stopping the Tam. Are my symptoms a small price to pay for avoiding recurrence? Maybe, but again….quality of life doesn’t seem to concern most doctors….maybe it’s time they started teaching this in med school. One last note….did I mention that inflammation increases the risk for recurrence….humm….wonder how much of it I’m hosting in my chest, legs, and derriere. Prevention should not be part of the problem.

To read more the possible side effects of Tamoxifen, please view:
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/tamoxifen-side-effects.html

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com
elynjacobs.blogspot.com


**********************************************************
Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She empowers women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Mastectomy? Know Your Options

A woman came to me for help last week; a small breasted woman with early stage breast cancer. She wanted to discuss her options with me. Her preference would be to have a mastectomy, but she was afraid of the cosmetic outcome. She was embarrassed to admit this concern as her doctor had commented that her cancer should be her first priority. I assured her that cancer treatment with a good cosmetic result is possible. I asked her if a nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) with the incision through an inframammary fold (IMF) was offered. She just stared at me.

I explained that in some circumstances NSM was possible and that although there are no long-term studies, the five year studies show no increased risk for NSM over skin-sparing mastectomies. It was possible that she would not have to endure additional surgery to reconstruct her nipples and that the outcome would be more natural looking. I also explained that with an IMF (under the bra-line) incision, the scar can be hidden in a natural crease. The relief on her face was amazing.

Why, I ask myself, do more doctors not offer these procedures. Are these procedures more time consuming, more difficult or are some doctors simply not current on new developments in breast cancer treatments and surgical options? Have they lost sight that there is life after cancer? After all, isn’t life-after cancer the main reason for treating cancer? Perhaps the surgery takes longer or is more difficult? I consulted an expert on NSM, IMF MX, Dr Alex Swistel, of the Weill Cornell Breast Center, and his response was that this approach is more difficult and it requires specialized training as it requires instruments that can reach as far as that in a conventional mastectomy. Many experts that have tried it abandoned it for that reason; however, this procedure is best for keeping blood supply to the nipple without cutting around it and really hides the scar very well. This procedure certainly is not for everyone, but reports are now showing virtually no recurrence in the nipple even after 10 years. (Studies done in Italy seem to have the longest follow-up.)

I recently attended a conference on new developments in the treatment of breast cancer: “2011 Meet the Experts: Breast Cancer Education.” I had the opportunity to hear what is new, and also to ask questions of the panelists. Dr Eleni Tousimis, of the Weill Cornell Breast Center (see new link added below for updated information), spoke at length on the latest technological advances in the treatment of breast disease and on minimally invasive techniques, including the latest on NSM. Dr Joshua Levine, of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, spoke about the benefits of using one’s own tissue for reconstruction (autologous breast augmentation). Microsurgery has come a long way since its invention by vascular surgeons in the 1960s. The term refers to any surgery involving a surgical microscope. And it has found one of its best applications in breast reconstruction. Through microsurgery, surgeons are able to harvest healthy tissue from one part of a woman’s body and reattach it to the breast area. Through the careful process of attaching blood vessels, microsurgery allows patients to have natural looking breasts made from their own, living tissue. Another benefit is the minimized impact and injury to muscles, allowing patients to enjoy a faster, fuller recovery than with earlier flap reconstruction. For more information, please view the following link.
http://www.naturalbreastreconstruction.com/procedures.aspx

Many women choose implants over flap reconstruction methods. While breast reconstruction with implants may not always yield as realistic-looking results as tissue-based reconstruction methods, the procedure is less risky and requires less surgery. Generally, implant-based reconstruction results in less scarring and poses fewer risks to the patient than tissue-based reconstruction, making it an attractive option for women who prefer less invasive procedures. I am grateful for my wonderful team, Drs Alex Swistel and Mia Talmor. I chose silicone implants, have my very own nipples and I must say I don’t look as if I have had a mastectomy.

Exciting times in the world of breast cancer surgery. However, one thing I heard at the aforementioned conference was quite disturbing: 30% of all women treated for breast cancer do not choose reconstruction. It is one thing to choose not to have reconstruction; it is quite another to decline it because no one has either offered it or explained that insurance companies are required to cover the costs. Are doctors not discussing this with their patients? Are patients not aware this is an option? Clearly not all options are for everyone, but an informed patient is an empowered one.

I had the opportunity to discuss NSM and other reconstruction issues with Dr Paul Baron, co-founder of the Charleston Breast Center and expert on NSM. He was incredibly informative and I asked him if I could borrow both his knowledge as well as a blog he wrote for The Reconstruction Network: “Who Can Have a Skin-Sparing and Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy and Why”. I have attached the link below as I think you will find it most informative.
http://breastreconstructionnetwork.com/who-can-have-a-skin-sparing-and-nipple-sparing-mastectomy-and-why/

While we are still waiting for the cure, much progress has been made in surgical and reconstructive procedures for breast cancer. Oncoplastic surgical techniques can be used to remove the cancer while achieving excellent cosmetic outcomes. NSM and IMF are not an option for all women, and certainly women will have preferences on reconstruction options. However, women need to know that they have options. Information is power and it has never been more important to be informed and knowledgeable about your medical care. My goal is to get this information to women and to empower them to make choices that fit their own individual needs.

For more information on NSM and reconstructive options, please visit:
http://diepflap.com/nipple_sparing_mastectomy.html
http://diepflap.com/br_treatmentoptions.html
http://aes.sagepub.com/content/31/3/310.abstract
http://talkabouthealth.com/of-the-choices-of-lymph-node-procedures-how-do-you-decide-which-to-employ-and-which-have-you-found-to-give-the-most-reliable-results (this link added 10/29/11)


To locate doctors who perform NAM, IMF, and DIEP reconstruction, email me and I will assist you.

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com
http://elynjacobs.blogspot.com



**********************************************************
Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She empowers women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

A Cancer Spa?

You hear those dreaded words, “You have cancer.” Your life changes dramatically. You spend endless hours and days undergoing more tests, consulting surgeons, radiologists, and oncologists. Most clinical environments are truly depressing, and for some reason, many doctors, nurses and other medical staff do not realize that your time is precious. I remember taking a woman for a consultation. She commented to me that the office was cold (not temperature-wise, but the previous office we visited was freezing.) She told me this cold, barren office was scary and that she would not return, no matter how great the doctor was. Well, after she spoke with the doctor, she knew she wanted him to be her surgeon. But what if that office had been pleasant, or even spa-like? What if she were treated like a person instead of just a patient? Would that have been too much to ask? And wouldn’t it be wonderful if complementary therapies were given alongside conventional treatments? In the long-term, complementary therapies have the power to reduce chronic stress and depression, lessen the collateral damage done by chemotherapy, and may even improve the prognosis and extend the lives of cancer patients. In the short-term, complementary therapies can have a profound impact on the quality of life during treatment. Yet, too many conventional doctors do not support the use of complementary therapies, and of those who do, rarely are these treatments offered during treatment.

Well, thankfully that is all beginning to change. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Eva Dubin, founder of the Dubin Breast Center at Mt Sinai in New York City. Dr. Dubin created the DBC to provide women with exactly this type of care. The center resembles a spa more than it does a cancer center. One can look out over Central Park through the huge windows, and the wood planked walls, pleasant music and relaxing environment are serene. It is a comprehensive facility; consultations, mammograms (including state-of- the- art Tomosynthesis), sonograms, biopsies, radiology and chemotherapy are all in the same place, no schlepping all over town. Additionally, they make every effort to respect the time of their patients. But what is really exciting is the holistic approach the center takes towards the treatment of cancer. The staff incorporates such modalities such as massage, yoga, and hypnosis, and offers healthy snacks to patients in the waiting areas as well as in the chemo suite. Cancer treatments are grueling, but wouldn’t it be more pleasant if you could receive a massage, hypnosis or do yoga during treatments? Thank you Dr. Dubin, for giving me a tour of the facility, for introducing me to some amazing doctors, and for sharing your vision of cancer care in the future, and for making it part of the present.

To learn more about the Dr. Dubin and the Dubin Breast Center, please visit: http://www.dubinbreastcenter.org

To learn more about DBC as well as another fabulous facility, the Jordan Valley Breast Care Center, please view the following blog written by my friend Tami Boehmer:
http://www.tamiboehmer.com/2011/06/tale-of-two-breast-centers-holistic-approach-started-with-doctors-dreams/

To learn about free or low cost Integrative and Nutritional Approaches to Cancer Care in the New York Area, please visit:
http://youcanthrive.org/breast_cancer_health.html

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com

**********************************************************
Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She empowers women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Cancer? Find the Right Team

Cancer treatment is not one-size-fits-all. You wouldn’t go to a community hospital for cancer surgery, nor would you go to a cancer center for hemorrhoid removal. Further, all cancer centers are not alike; each has a different philosophy, a different culture, a different specialty. It’s all about choosing the right facility and the right team for your cancer.

Sandy, a patient with stage III colon cancer, came to me a few months ago, wanted me to go with her to see her surgeon. The surgeon was very nice and she felt comfortable with him. However, it was very obvious that this doctor did not specialize in colon cancer. I begged her to let me take her to a specialist. After meeting the specialist, she immediately realized she had almost made a huge mistake, possibly the biggest mistake of her life.

Maggie, diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer, went to a prominent cancer facility for a lumpectomy. When she woke up, she had a wound from nipple to underarm. Such drastic surgery was completely unnecessary for her type of cancer. A small, discreet incision would have allowed for complete removal of the tumor and for clear margins. She came to me distraught. Why did this happen? She chose the wrong team. Her team focused on only one thing, removing the cancer; they overlooked the fact that she was a young woman with a long life to live. I wish she had come to me before she made that fateful decision. Some might say, but why do you care what you look like, you have cancer! Because there is life after cancer, that’s why, and it is most often completely unnecessary to come out of it looking like a train wreck.

When I was diagnosed, I went to two prominent cancer specialists. One was lovely, but I felt I would be getting “my mother’s mastectomy”. I wouldn’t buy an out-dated cell phone and I certainly wouldn’t accept outdated cancer surgery. The second asked me if I wear evening gowns or bathing suits. Why? It was possible to perform my bilateral mastectomy from underneath the breast instead of from the side or through the middle. I researched this doctor, found out he had performed more mastectomies than any other doctor in NYS. If you are lucky enough to see my breasts, you would challenge the fact that I had surgery! I wanted a doctor who uses cutting edge thinking, someone who continues to learn new ways to perform surgery. If your doctor is not open to such discussions or dismisses your questions as frivolous, find a new team. If you are diagnosed with cancer, you need to find the specialist who is best for your type of cancer and for your needs. You owe it to yourself to get it right the first time.

I am a cancer coach; I help women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and educate about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. I am passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com