Halloween on cancer

I spent about a year inside. Spending holidays inside sucks. The cold weather was easier to bare inside then the summertime- But being sick and stuck alone really, for lack of a better word, BLOWS! I wanted to write about some ideas I had for spending

halloween on cancer.

Cooking. Only attempt if you're not on the chemo. If you're stomach doesn't mind.. Theres alot of yummy affordable treats you can whip up while home.

Red Candied Apples

8 Firm red apples

8 wooden sticks (washed popsicle sticks work great!)

3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water

1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. red food coloring

1. After washing remove all stems and insert popsicle stick. (you can also use kabob sticks, or smore sticks whatever is easier for you to find or cheaper)
2. Grease cookie sheet that you're going to place dipped apples on
3. Mix sugar, syrup and water in pot and heat to 300F (150C) on candy thermometer. (You can find candy thermometers at your local arts and crafts store or without using your candy thermometer you can tell by taking a drop of syrup and putting it in a cup of cold water. If the boil is at the right temperature- the drop will separate into brittle strands.)
4. Mix in cinnamon and food coloring.
5. Dip apples and set on cookie sheet. Wait until fully dry and ENJOY! mmm!

Caramel Apples

8 firm apples

8 wooden sticks

1 1/3 cups evaporated milk

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbs.. butter or margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

1. After washing remove stems and insert popsicle stick.
2. Mix together milk, syrup and sugar in pot and heat. Stir together until fully dissolved.
3. Bring to a BOIL- Soft Ball Stage 240F (150C) (soft ball stage is when a drop in cold water forms a soft ball) remove from heat.
4. Add butter and vanilla and DIP!
Let cool before eating and YUMMM!

My 'Grammy Grams' Pie

She taught me how to make it- nd Im going to share it with you!!
I don't know measuring or how many apples- I kind of just go with looks and taste, so I will try!

Usually about 6-8 Macintosh apples
*the kind of apples are very important for the taste of the pie
1. Wash and peel all apples and cut into tiny cubes
then place in large bowl.
2. then take about 2 handfuls of brown sugar
and mix together into apples.
3. Then you want to take about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon,
maybe more you have to taste test- if theres too much cinnamon
you have to peel another apple or two and put in more brown sugar
4. Put a good 3 teaspoons of lemon juice into the mix and let sit for about a half hour
*this gives apples time to excrete their own juices into lemon sugar juice.
5. At this time you want to remove frozen pie shells from freezer
and let sit out for the half hour you are waiting for apples.
(I get frozen pillsbury shells.. It doesnt matter about the crust-
its all about the apples-
thats why just get them frozen it saves you money and time)
6. Heat oven to 350F
7. fill shells with apple goodness
8. One pie shell will have to cover apple goodness and
then take one beaten egg and slater top of pie with it
(it will make crust extra crunchy and yummy)
9. Bake for about 20 minutes
10. Check crust- if it isn't brown enough for you-
leave for another 10 minutes
11. take out of oven and immediately throw into fridge.
(If you take pie out and leave out- it will continue to cook apples
leaving them mushy, if thats how you like it more power to you-
but I like my apples a little undercooke- it gives the pie a better taste)

Now onto the stuff for the chemo-ers!

Arts and Crafts!!!

This time of year has tons of craft stores overloaded with craft kits for kids and yourself to do. Edible haunted houses, foam kits, pumpkin carving sets- etc etc. Here are some 'homemade' ideas if you're tight on the dolllaaaasss!

Leaves Collage

This is my favorite time of year! I love all of the colors of the leaves and when I was little I used to collect leaves and elmers glue them to come cardboard. It always turned out beautifully- so Im putting this on here as a great CHEAP 'arts and crafts' thing to do at home. And all it costs you is the glue and cardboard paper. Heck!- You can really glue the leaves to anything- if you're feeling green, and want to recycle some bill or doctors note =) But you can add anything to these.. and if you have kids they love the time you spend with them creating these little leave collages! Add pictures, beads, feathers, rocks etc- or anything else you find outside. And because we chemo-ers dont get a chance to go outside alot- this can all be collected during a brief brisk walk- just bundle up!!

APPLE WITCH!

I remember this craft from 1st grade! This was some class mom's idea- and I guess it really stuck with me. What you do is you get an apple and peel it. Then you just carv out two eyes and a nose. If you leave it for about 2 weeks or so- the apple becomes dried up and as time rots the apple- the carving you made- starts to really form into an ugly old witch!!!! All you do is make a witchs hat with some black cardboard paper.. and bam.. Apple witch!!!

Well- really this is the best time of year to be outside... unless of course you're immune system can only stand short brief and brisk walks- but be sure to get outside when you can. Nutrtional hint; Do not have any fruit on the day that you're going to be going outside. Fruit lowers your body temperature.. and can potentially make you feel alot colder! Allot of doctors will say thats rubbish- and Im not saying not to listen to them- but its a tip provided from my holistic nutrionist friends.

Happy Halloween!

-Megan

Please stop sending money to AMERICAN CANCER SOCEITY!!!

I don't know how many times Im going to have to talk about The American Cancer Soceity. (ACS) Through almost a year of treatments and copays they were only able to give me money through their 'Mileage Reimbursement Program'. I received $50.00 - total. A check that came 4 weeks after submitting the forms. I have tried to speak to a bunch of people through their phone hotline and emails through their website. And thats the only program they could offer me... to receive money. I dont even care about the 50 bucks- But for a company.. yes COMPANY!!! NOT CHARITY!!! that makes over 800 BILLION dollars a year I just have to wonder where is it all going???

I was reading an article on http://www.preventcancer.com/ which has been written and reviewed by hundreds of pretigious scientists and experts in cancer prevention, policymakers and non governmental organizations- that have tried to trigger an investigation into 'the cancer industry' ie: ACS and NCI!!

::::Straight from the article::::

NCI's budget has increased 30 fold. From 150 million to 4.6 billion for 2003. And that the budgeted amount for 'prevention' is being overexaggerated- and how the budget is only parallelled by the escalating incidence of cancer. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a leading member of Congress, is calling for an investigation by the General Accounting Office.

NCI and ACS failed to develop meaningful strategies on a wide range of causes of cancers -- such as childhood, ovarian and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- from avoidable exposures to industrial carcinogens, prescription drugs and diagnostic radiation.
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the nation's leading charity watchdog, has charged that the ACS is "more interested in accumulating wealth than in saving lives."


"The decades-long silence of the cancer establishment on a wide range of avoidable causes of cancer, other than personal lifestyle, has tacitly encouraged powerful corporate polluters and industries to continue manufacturing carcinogenic products," warns Cancer Prevention Coalition Chairman, Dr. Samuel Epstein

"This silence also reflects an effective denial of citizens' fundamental Right-to-Know, compromises their empowerment, and results in serious environmental injustice by unnecessarily sacrificing their health and welfare," warns Dr. Nicholas Ashford, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology policy expert.

So people.. I really think its time to STOP donating your money to the AMERICAN CANCER SOCEITY! There are tons of other organizations who donate straight to cancer research and to most imporantly- THE PATIENT!

Im still reading and researching a bunch of things- While also trying to find a job- and put my life back together. So if you have any comments or concerns about this article or any others- Please email me at YoungandCancerous@yahoo.com

-Health and Love-

Megan

PUERTOOO RICOOOOO

I haven't written in awhile. I found myself in a funky place a few weeks back. Just the stress of bills piling up, doctors, medicaid.. even friends and family starting to tick timers on my return to the workforce. Which I have been anticipating, but anxious about as well. I just started to well, freak out. I would have figured being cancer free for about two months now, I would have started to feel better- But I just started to have mini panic attacks, insomnia, and my energy level sucks ass. Im always tired- or wear out easily.

My mother knew I needed a vacation. I didn't really leave my apartment from Nov 2007 and most of 2008. I couldn't really 'get color' or tan during the summer for obvious chemo reasons- So I was super excited when she told me about her little trip planned for both of us for PUERTO RICO. When we went I couldn't believe I was on vacation. My mom and I have rarely been on a real vacation. We've usually gone to Virginia Beach, North Carolina beaches.. Really places that were cheap and easy for a single mom of two. And for that same reason neither of us had a passport!! I am so glad we didn't though. Because where we stayed was AMAZING. The Intercontinental Resort of San Juan. Ugh- It was unbelievable. When we first arrived we upgraded our room to oceanview and waited for it to be ready outside in the poolbar. We had gotten such a great deal from priceline for airfare and hotel at 480 a person!!! for 5 days!!! I know... I know.. FABULOUS!!!

We drank so much rum. Everywhere you went there was RUM. We were Snorkeling and had pina coladas all day on the boat. We took a all day tour out of the hotel with 'Eco-Island' and they took us to La Culebra Island. We went snorkeling for about an hour and a half but mom and I were in the water for 45 minutes flat. There were jellyfish everywhere and this bod doesn't have energy like it used to. But after the snorkeling we went around the island to Flamenco Beach. It was out of a dream. If I were to imagine a heaven, this beach would be it. The water was teal, the beach was white. It was a partly cloudy day- and the clouds were bright white and shaped like swirls of whipped cream. A perfect day. We ended up floating in the water for about an hour before being provided more coladas and a picnic lunch. Ah. That day was great. My mom spent the night lathering in aloe as I complained about not getting enough color thanks to my SPF 80!!! I didn't burn- But my skin felt like it was burnt. I assumed it was sensitive from the radiation therapy I finished about a month and a half ago. I probably shouldnt have been out at all- But I don't know where my mind would be if I didnt go on this trip. Sometimes- You really just need breather. And boy did I.

We spent most of our vacation on the beach, at the hotel's pool, hottub, eating puerto rican dishes in old san juan & we reserved one dress up night for the infamous Ruth's Chris Steakhouse- which was delissshhh. We also visited the Bacardi Rum Distillery- which was fun- But I would skip it. Its a free tour but we had to take a bus from the hotel to Old San Juan. Which was an experience in itself. We learned NOT to take the A5 which was a 45 minute ride through really crummy parts of San Juan. After making that mistake once we learned to wait for the C53 which was 20 minutes and a brand new air conditioned bus- downside: crazy woman driver with very long nails who talks on her cellphone while chucking the bus almost sideways on turns. A ride, to say the least. After the bus we had to walk to the pier- take a ferry across the bay- then a taxi from the pier to the factory. A total back and forth of 24 dollars - which isnt much- But next time Im opting to stay at the hotel pool bar and get a couple drinks there. =)
I'll be writing again very soon. I have my oncologist apt tomorrow.

=) Megan

Breast Cancer 'Awareness' Month

Well its that time of year again. Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

First of all- I don't think we need to be 'aware' anymore. Almost everyone in the entire country has had a friend or family member taken or touched by this horrible monster. Forget awareness. I can't stand that term. It should be all about PREVENTION!!!

As many fellow women lymphomers- Im sure you all have sat down with your doctors like I have- and had the 'breast cancer' talk. Something they didn't talk about with you before treatment. Why worry you anymore? right? The fact that having radiation on your chest, or having any lymphs cancerous in your chest already has given us a higher risk for potentially 'contracting' breast cancer in the future. Fabulous news after having felt undefeated by this bastard. (I have my nicknames for cancer.. Monster, Bastard, Fucking Bully! All keeping cancer true to form) =)

So I, after having had already battled the bully- have a chance of dealing with this in the future?
Hah. No. I dont think so. Not ever again.

Awareness. Breast Cancer gets 1 in every 8 women. There.. You are AWARE. But do you know of all the things that cause it? I didnt think so. I didn't either.

Most people will say that we dont know what causes cancer- and that that is what research is for. Except the truth is that the research you are donating all of your hard earned dollars for is going to genetic research. Now this is great however, on breast cancer statistics on the American Cancer Soceity website- they say only 5-10% of all breast cancer patients got their disease genetically. THAT MEANS 90-95% OF WOMEN GET BREAST CANCER FROM OTHER FACTORS!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know what those factors are?

Did you know that eating milk and cheese puts you at risk?
Or that if you have taken 'The Pill' THAT has put you at a higher risk?

I will go on when I am finished reading this AMAZING book I HAD to mention.

Being that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month-
Lets make ourselves AWARE OF RISK FACTORS!!!!

Go out and buy: 'The Breast Cancer Prevention Program'
by: Samuel S. Epstein M.D. and David Steinman with Suzanne LeVert