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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Connecting to another Adenoid Cystic Cancer person

Yeah, I know - we are so much more than our rare cancer - but how else do we call each other? I recently was introduced to Shalil's blog, and she agreed to let me post it so you can check out her story. She started writing her blog this past April when she was first diagnosed. Here it is: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/shalil

Monday, August 23, 2010

Undergone recent cancer treatment? Pay attention to the egg recall

If you or one of your loved ones has undergone recent cancer treatment, or are otherwise immunocompromised for any reason, please pay attention to the news about the egg recall. Here is a link to the FDA announcement:
To keep up with food recall announcements, here is a link to the FDA "What's New in Food" page:
There is a link to receive email updates. You can check with your local health department to see if they have notification services for you as well.

Friday, August 20, 2010

New TV show about cancer

Showtime calls this a comedy: The Big C. Here is a link to the first episode that should be good for 20 days:
Looking forward to your comments about it - please let me know what you think about this one, guys.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma fighters/survivors on the web

In the effort to corral ACC stories in one spot, I go out hunting for likely sites that I can link here (and also depend on the kindness of my readers to point me to new sources/sites). Here are some that I located recently:

The ACCOI has a Facebook page, which links many people's stories in one spot. The wall also gives a place for folks to enter upcoming get-togethers/fundraisers, so it is definitely worth more than one visit.

Through that page, I found Fred Marshall's journal site : http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/fredmarshall/journal

Kimberly Kuklinski's journal site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kimberlykuklinski

And a wonderful welcome from the ACCOI president, Dan Dube (accent over the e) - great to see you again, Dan!



Friday, August 13, 2010

Peter Tork is one of us "lucky ones"

Found this story about Peter Tork and his band, the Blue Suede Shoes, playing after Augusta Skyhawks game tomorrow: http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2010/08/13/new_jersey/arts_and_entertainment/4.txt

Now that's the type of news I like to link to! May all of us overcome ACC and its treatment, and keep on with what we enjoy. I wish him and his band every success.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma in the news

1. I saw this research on ACC of the breast announced - the link to the PubMed citation is included here so you can read the full article: Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast in the United States (1977-2006): a population-based cohort study. http://pubmed.gov/20653964
Click on the Breast Cancer Research button on the upper right of the page to get to the publisher's page - then click on the pdf link, again located on the right side of the page. Of note: in case anyone wondered how rare this disease is, only 338 women were diagnosed with ACC of the breast during those 29 years, according to SEER data.

2. "Cancer overcome, next hurdle is triathlon" - Harrie Bakst's story of how he has worked to overcome his 2007 diagnosis and treatment of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma by taking up marathons, and is now taking on the New York City triathlon is told in the Riverdale Press (a New York state paper, maybe in the Bronx - someday I will get on my librarian soapbox about online newspapers not saying where they are located): http://riverdalepress.com/stories/Cancer-overcome-next-hurdle-is-triathlon,37330. I look forward to hearing how he did during the race. The New York Triathlon organization has many more offerings in 2010 if you want to follow Mr. Bakst's example: http://www.nytri.org/calender.cfm

3. "Unlikely friends find bond in cancer battle, firefighting" - Dan O'Connell, a Massachusetts firefighter undergoing treatment for Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, and Marissa Fabiszewski, from Pennsylvania, got to know each other during their respective cancer treatment in Boston. The story of their friendship is told on the NBC Philadelphia website: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Unlikely-Friends-Find-Bond-In-Cancer-Battle-Firefighting-99442169.html.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Annual check up report


Well, it is official - I am now just a boring patient to my head/neck treatment team. Yep, no aliens in the brain pan or cheeks, no out-of-the-ordinary causes for the pain I experience (a small price to pay for them working so hard to save my life, as I see it). I don't see them again as a patient for a whole year - unless something out of the ordinary DOES raise its ugliness in the next 12 months. That is, of course, not allowed, nor is it included in my personal timeline. I have some bills to pay off, some money to save, lots more love to share with family, and maybe, just maybe, traveling farther than the Minnesota IKEA store in the next 12 months. Here's to all of us continuing to cast a shadow, and aiming for living the most out of the days we are given.
(Note: I took the photo at a visitor's center in Branson last month.)
 
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