The Article Everyone Sent Me....

I have been bombarded by links to this article in the NY, about a woman who has been living with cancer for 17 years.

It is so nice to know that so many friends saw this article and cared enough to send me the link. 

Thank you!

I know you meant to encourage me.

The article can be extremely encouraging, especially for women who have the "right" kind of cancer.

The article informs us:

"There’s a small subcategory of people with Stage 4 breast cancer... who live for years and years.... about 2 percent of all cases.... People in this group tend to have disease that has spread to the bone (as opposed to lung or liver, say) and feeds on estrogen...."

Though my cancer did spread to my bones (in addition to my lungs and liver), my cancer does not feed on estrogen. 

So, though the message of this article is that woman can live for twenty or thirty years with advanced cancer, the statistics are still not great (only 2%), and they are not so relevant for me, given my cancer type (ER-, PR-, HER2+).

Now, do not get me wrong.

I still have my 80-year plan! (ad meah v'esrim, plus...)

No one, not even the doctors, can predict who will be the lucky survivors; my plan is to be one of them!

But this article does not hold out that promise for me.

Knowing that you all are thinking of me, and praying for me... now, that gives me hope.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Blast Off!!

We have come, the darkness to expel

Fire and light, in our hands

Each of us, a tiny light

Together, we shine, mighty bright

(from a Hebrew folk song; my translation)

(traditionally sung on Hanukkah)

Whether it is one's focus, or just another one of life's challenges, cancer is discussed on-line in many different forums.

For me, the blogosphere best suits my needs.

When I was part of a group blog, I felt I had a powerful, virtual support group.

So, I decided to start a group blog that focuses on mothers living with cancer (as a chronic condition).

My goal: to gather at least ten bloggers to be part of our initial team. 

It turned out to be a bit more challenging than I expected.  But with patience, and a bit of perseverance, a new group slowly, and surely, began forming. 

My only requirement for joining the blog:  introduce yourself!

After that, the sky's the limit.

A few days ago, the tenth blogger joined our team.

We are ready to launch!

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We are quite an eclectic bunch! We are religious and secular, Jews and Christians, believers and non-believers, right wingers and left wingers, private and social, funny and serious. 

What do we have in common?

We are all young moms and we all have cancer that is not going to go away.

Oh, and one more thing:

We are all determined to live life to its fullest!!


http://motherslivingwithcancer.blogspot.com/


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

New Blog for Women/Mothers Living with Cancer

Way back when (about two months ago), when I got censored and forced out of the group blog for mothers with cancer, one of the women on that list suggested that I start my own group blog.

Well, I finally took her up on it and am starting a group blog, for mothers living with cancer.

All women facing cancer are welcome to join, but the blog will focus primarily on mothers who have advanced breast (or other) cancer -- i.e. we will be living with cancer for the rest of our lives or until there is a cure.

Anyone interested in joining, should contact me at:
coffeeandchemo@gmail.com

Anyone interested in reading the blog should visit us at:
http://motherslivingwithcancer.blogspot.com/

Hope to be up and running in a week or two!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA