Get your blood flowing with instructor Chris Remick for 45 minutes of Qigong, an ancient Chinese exercise that combines slow movements, mental concentration and breathing. Classes are open to all abilities Mondays at 9 and 10 a.m. at the Anchorage Radiation Therapy Center at Alaska Regional Hospital. RSVP by calling 276-2400.
Policies that reduce drinking may lower rates of alcohol-related cancers, researchers say.
For all cancers combined, more restrictive alcohol policies were associated with a reduced risk of cancer death. A 10% increase in the strength of alcohol policies was associated with an 8.5% decrease in cancer deaths, the findings showed. Read more
In a study conducted in Japan, even light to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with elevated cancer risks. In the study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the overall cancer risk appeared to be the lowest at zero alcohol consumption. Read more
There were 5 women and myself (Muff). Some of the issues discussed:
1. Getting a PET scan when your Blood sugar is over 200.Is the PET results reliable? (After the meeting we learned that the PET is still reliable with that high of a BS)
2. Treatments for neuropathy – CBD topical oil from Southside Garden Supply was recommended by one woman. May want to see a naturopath. Oral CBD may interact with drugs you are taking, so be sure to discuss with your MD or pharmacist or naturopath.
3. As far as we know tumor markers are still not good indicators of tumor growth for most people.
4. Traveling to SCCA for treatment – One woman will try to keep good notes so we can further expand on recommendations for people traveling to Seattle for treatment. We discussed entertainment resources that we might want to add to our website. Included would be Libby app for e books and audiobooks and Anchorage Library website. We will continue to add ideas for providing entertainment during chemotherapy and/or travel Outside for treatment
5. Comfort keepers (885-0186) might have PCA (personal care attendants) that Medicaid would pay
Please let us know if you have any ideas to add to our Entertainment resources and Traveling to Seattle for treatment information as well as, great personal care attendants! Come join us next Friday!
Muff
From the Anchorage Young Cancer Coalition comes an invitation:
Show up to this event if you have some aggression to take out and want to throw axes at cancer cells (or a bullseye that you can imagine looks like cancer cells). We have two lanes reserved for up to 8 people and can reserve more if there is more interested participants. Please be sure to check the address and go to the right one, because, believe it or not, there are TWO axe throwing companies in Anchorage!
Sunday, January 26th from 4-5pm
Alaska Axe Co (2520 E 68th Ave)
Topics Covered
Cancers vary widely. As a cancer survivor listening to “cancer advice,” it is important to consider the sources of our information. Often, we are not comparing apples to apples when it comes to the specific type, stage, and grade of the cancer being discused, as well as the health issues, ages, and genetic or familial histories of fellow cancer patients who may be providing the advice. I have said it before and I will say it again, when it comes to advice: be careful out there.
That said, I am fortunate and grateful to be here after my first diagnosis nine years ago, and I want to pass on what I have learned.Read more
Arts of Healing GYN CANCER Awareness Festival:
Lights Up Anchorage Winter for the 8th Year Running!
Let Every Woman Know-Alaska invites you to join us for the 2020 Awareness and Arts of Healing Weekend January 31st- February 2nd.
Weekend Features include:
Additional details can be found on our Facebook page @LetEveryWomanKnowAlaska or visit our website: www.leteverywomanknow.org
The comments I get are insensitive at times. When we were reviewing the paperwork for my retirement, one family member said to me, “Why are you doing this? You need to get back to normal for your kids.” I’m trying so hard.
They don’t see me with a cane or in a wheelchair. It’s an invisible illness. They can’t contemplate what that’s like. I look healthy and many don’t understand the lifelong implications of treatment. At times, I am forced to hide the pain. Read more
This Friday’s support group was attended by five women with very different histories and cancer types who all had interesting and useful things to share.
One woman has pushed through the confusion of trying to get services around the delays posed by Medicaid coverage and the delays of trying to get test results from her doctors and now has a plan, if not yet a schedule, for moving into treatment. We discussed her travel to Seattle for part of her treatment and she was encouraged to ask for assignment of a navigator or some other person to help liaise with the system there and her accessibility needs. This was part of a general discussion about cancer navigators as a treatment team asset despite them being phased out by most treatment centers.
Another woman is facing the difficult choice between going with a referral to a local oncologist by the treatment center she attended Outside, who has refused to work with any other doctors she might have, versus her desire to put together a more collaborative local treatment team. This was made more urgent this week when her oncologist refused to prescribe her anti-anxiety medication for a scan, which resulted in her scan being rescheduled due to effects of the anxiety. The group helped her think through her options, including other physicians familiar with her history who might help her with the needed scan support.
The group also collaborated on sources for supplements prescribed by local oncological naturopaths as well as an electrolyte replacement that can be more palatable than Pedialyte or sports drinks. Book recommendations were shared, including several titles that Women LISTEN plans to review here in our news feed.
