My thoughts are with my sister tonight more than ever after my mother passed on the news that Erin will start chemotherapy tomorrow. We knew it was coming, but now that it's start is imminent it feels even more frightening! I can only imagine all the extremes of emotion Erin is feeling right now.
I don't know the details of the medical side of her chemo yet. Whenever I find things out I will make sure to post them here.
I have had some more pledges from friends for my fundraiser, which is obviously great news for Cancer Research UK! And I visited my hairdresser, James at Hush Hair here in Birmingham, who did a fantastic job of shaping the mess of long hair I have. I'm trying to keep it healthy for ultimate donation next year, but I have to admit that having my hair shampooed by someone else and also having a head massage is one of my guilty pleasures!
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Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Monday, 29 November 2010
It's a Whole Family Thing
Cancer affects more than just the person who receives the diagnosis. Obviously that is the person who has to actually deal with it physically, mentally and emotionally but there are secondary "sufferers". (I hate the word victim for anyone dealing with cancer so I will try to avoid that term wherever possible!)
I am so pleased to report that Erin is dealing with her diagnosis positively. She took part in Black Friday shopping in Texas. I think getting up in the middle of the night to stand in a queue for shopping needs serious psychological evaluation, but I never said my family was "normal". Erin did it, and she managed to finish her Christmas shopping. Things will be as normal as possible for my nephew and nieces, and Erin's courage in doing what she can to achieve this doesn't surprise me, but it does inspire me. The kids will be suffering along with their mum, but her strength will rub off on them.
My brother-in-law is right there beside Erin, and I know he's having a rough time. He loves my sister, and I love him all the more for the support he is giving and will be giving her. My mum said she thinks he might be having panic attacks because of the stress and worry, and who can blame him? I suffer from serious panic attacks, for which I've had all sorts of treatment from medication to psychotherapy to aromatherapy and beyond, and I don't have nearly as good a reason as my brother-in-law does!
The rest of the family are suffering too, but we're a strong breed. After all, we're Texans! We will come out the other side of this a closer family, knowing together we can battle through anything. I might be 5,000 miles away from them but they know I'm right beside them.
So if you're reading this and are inspired to do so, please donate to Cancer Research UK! If you aren't comfortable clicking on the link from this page, Google "Just Giving" and from their page you can search for me (Melinda Rice Knowles). Like I've said before, I won't be offended!
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I am so pleased to report that Erin is dealing with her diagnosis positively. She took part in Black Friday shopping in Texas. I think getting up in the middle of the night to stand in a queue for shopping needs serious psychological evaluation, but I never said my family was "normal". Erin did it, and she managed to finish her Christmas shopping. Things will be as normal as possible for my nephew and nieces, and Erin's courage in doing what she can to achieve this doesn't surprise me, but it does inspire me. The kids will be suffering along with their mum, but her strength will rub off on them.
My brother-in-law is right there beside Erin, and I know he's having a rough time. He loves my sister, and I love him all the more for the support he is giving and will be giving her. My mum said she thinks he might be having panic attacks because of the stress and worry, and who can blame him? I suffer from serious panic attacks, for which I've had all sorts of treatment from medication to psychotherapy to aromatherapy and beyond, and I don't have nearly as good a reason as my brother-in-law does!
The rest of the family are suffering too, but we're a strong breed. After all, we're Texans! We will come out the other side of this a closer family, knowing together we can battle through anything. I might be 5,000 miles away from them but they know I'm right beside them.
So if you're reading this and are inspired to do so, please donate to Cancer Research UK! If you aren't comfortable clicking on the link from this page, Google "Just Giving" and from their page you can search for me (Melinda Rice Knowles). Like I've said before, I won't be offended!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Wow! What a Response!
Social networking with a social purpose. Who'd a thought it?
A few nights ago I had a go at seeing if I could get some celebrity support in passing the link on to my Just Giving page for my fundraising effort. Three celebrities here in the UK were brilliant and passed it on to their own followers, and this ended up generating £40 in donations for Cancer Research UK!
I have to give my thanks to three of my favourite television personalities: Amanda Mealing from Holby City (who is also a Leicester Tigers and F1 fan, and who I first saw in one of my all time favourite films, "Four Weddings and a Funeral"), Shobna Gulati (the lovely Sunita in Coronation Street), and Rob Brydon (one of my top three favourite comedians along with Rhod Gilbert and Frankie Boyle and star of the fabulous series Gavin & Stacey).
I did ask the former Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, for a retweet, and while she didn't, she did send me a very kind message wishing me luck but explaining that she does not retweet individual fundraising efforts. That was fair enough. People in the political limelight have to be careful, and I totally understand. It just hadn't occurred to me before. At least she had the good manners to let me know instead of just ignoring me!
I don't just have celebrities to thank for their help. Thank you so much to the people who I have never met who donated to Cancer Research UK out of the goodness of their hearts. You are the ones who are going to make this a success and help us find the ways to not only cure but also prevent breast cancer for future generations and hopefully the generations with us now as well!
A few nights ago I had a go at seeing if I could get some celebrity support in passing the link on to my Just Giving page for my fundraising effort. Three celebrities here in the UK were brilliant and passed it on to their own followers, and this ended up generating £40 in donations for Cancer Research UK!
I have to give my thanks to three of my favourite television personalities: Amanda Mealing from Holby City (who is also a Leicester Tigers and F1 fan, and who I first saw in one of my all time favourite films, "Four Weddings and a Funeral"), Shobna Gulati (the lovely Sunita in Coronation Street), and Rob Brydon (one of my top three favourite comedians along with Rhod Gilbert and Frankie Boyle and star of the fabulous series Gavin & Stacey).
I did ask the former Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, for a retweet, and while she didn't, she did send me a very kind message wishing me luck but explaining that she does not retweet individual fundraising efforts. That was fair enough. People in the political limelight have to be careful, and I totally understand. It just hadn't occurred to me before. At least she had the good manners to let me know instead of just ignoring me!
I don't just have celebrities to thank for their help. Thank you so much to the people who I have never met who donated to Cancer Research UK out of the goodness of their hearts. You are the ones who are going to make this a success and help us find the ways to not only cure but also prevent breast cancer for future generations and hopefully the generations with us now as well!
Monday, 22 November 2010
Too Many Women
I can remember when my great grandmother had her mastectomy. I was probably nine or ten years old, if that. I can remember all the bandages across her chest.
She survived cancer and was with us until 27 June 1989 and lived long enough to see my daughter, her first great great grandchild.
All these years later so many women are travelling the same road. The procedures are better. The drugs are better. Our knowledge is better. But there are still too many women with breast cancer.
My sister is one of three women I know of with breast cancer. She was due to start chemotherapy today but it has been delayed while the doctors wait for more test results. The waiting to start treatment is agonising enough for an older sister 5,000 miles away! For Erin I'm sure it's hell.
Today one of my classmates from North Garland High School is waiting while his wife is in surgery. She has been on this road longer than Erin, but all my best wishes and positive thoughts are with Kelley, Deryl and their family. They have been actively raising funds in support of breast cancer charities in the US.
The third woman is my ex-mother-in-law, Elaine. Her prognosis is good, and she has been thoughtful enough to send her best wishes to Erin and my family from her family.
My two youngest sons are watching their grandmother and their aunt through their diagnoses and treatments, albeit their communication with Erin is through Facebook. My ex-husband is watching his mother go through it. My parents are watching their daughter. Deryl is watching his wife.
There are just too many women.
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She survived cancer and was with us until 27 June 1989 and lived long enough to see my daughter, her first great great grandchild.
All these years later so many women are travelling the same road. The procedures are better. The drugs are better. Our knowledge is better. But there are still too many women with breast cancer.
My sister is one of three women I know of with breast cancer. She was due to start chemotherapy today but it has been delayed while the doctors wait for more test results. The waiting to start treatment is agonising enough for an older sister 5,000 miles away! For Erin I'm sure it's hell.
Today one of my classmates from North Garland High School is waiting while his wife is in surgery. She has been on this road longer than Erin, but all my best wishes and positive thoughts are with Kelley, Deryl and their family. They have been actively raising funds in support of breast cancer charities in the US.
The third woman is my ex-mother-in-law, Elaine. Her prognosis is good, and she has been thoughtful enough to send her best wishes to Erin and my family from her family.
My two youngest sons are watching their grandmother and their aunt through their diagnoses and treatments, albeit their communication with Erin is through Facebook. My ex-husband is watching his mother go through it. My parents are watching their daughter. Deryl is watching his wife.
There are just too many women.
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Sunday, 21 November 2010
Small Towns Are Great
I'm a city girl. I grew up in a suburb of Dallas, Texas, and now I live in the second largest city in Britain. Small towns are okay for a while, but I couldn't live in one.
Then again, when you're as involved in your town as Erin and her family are, small towns pay you back for every little favour you've ever done one hundred times over. Today a fundraiser was held for my sister and her family. I don't have many details, though I'm hoping to get some pictures to put on here, but I did get the following from my mother via Twitter:
"Been to F'ville to the Family Benefit. Blubbered like a baby from the show of support for Erin and family. Lots of pink t'shirts with her name from all of her supporters. Her oldest daughter even spoke to the crowd. Her youngest daughter didn't want to let go of her mother. Her son sniffled a lot."
Thank you to those people I have never met who are helping my loved ones.
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Then again, when you're as involved in your town as Erin and her family are, small towns pay you back for every little favour you've ever done one hundred times over. Today a fundraiser was held for my sister and her family. I don't have many details, though I'm hoping to get some pictures to put on here, but I did get the following from my mother via Twitter:
"Been to F'ville to the Family Benefit. Blubbered like a baby from the show of support for Erin and family. Lots of pink t'shirts with her name from all of her supporters. Her oldest daughter even spoke to the crowd. Her youngest daughter didn't want to let go of her mother. Her son sniffled a lot."
Thank you to those people I have never met who are helping my loved ones.
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Saturday, 20 November 2010
The First Measurement
The family has taken the first measurement - the starting point for my challenge - of the length of my hair, and the verdict is:
21 inches!!!
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thank You @jordancrane86 and @george_chuter!
I have a lot of friends to thank for reposting my links to my fundraiser, and I hope to do a special thank you to them soon. For now I would like to add two more England and Leicester rugby players to the growing list of those who have been kind enough to share my link with their Twitter followers, Jordan Crane and George Chuter. Both are very funny, though I'm sure George must be only a step ahead of the men in white coats!
Friday, 19 November 2010
A Big Thank You: @lotetuqiri
I have to give a thank you to another rugby player who has kindly retweeted my link to this blog to help me raise money for Cancer Research UK. Lote Tuqiri is an Australian player who spent some time with my beloved Leicester Tigers last season before returning Down Under to join the rugby league ranks. He not only passed on my link but sent me a kind message wishing me luck with the fundraising. If you're on Twitter, especially if you like either code of rugby, give @lotetuqiri a follow. He's a true gentleman!
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Erin's Cancer
My sister's best friend Darla sent an email which reached me today. This is what we know about Erin's breast cancer:
"She found a lump in her right breast about a week ago. After 2 mammograms, an ultrasound and an MRI, she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. We don't know what "stage" it is just yet. Her oncologist is waiting on one more test result. Erin is 35 years old so you can image how surprising and disturbing this is.
She went to the oncologist today and this is what we learned. It is a fast-growing, aggressive cancer. Good news = fast-growing is fast-killed. Her breast cancer is classified as estrogren/progesterone receptor positive. This means that there is an receptor on the outside of the cancer cell that estrogen and progesterone bind to. Once it is bound to that receptor, a message is sent to the cancer cell nucleus to divide aka GROW. The oncologist recommends chemotherapy first then surgery followed by more chemo. They want to see how Erin's cancer responds to the chemo before doing surgery, which will give them an idea of how effective it is on Erin. The goal is to shrink the lump so that it is easier to remove. Erin's chemotherapy is tenatively scheduled to start next Monday, November 22nd (yes . . . a week from today). She is having surgery at Baylor Garland this Thursday to have a port placed in her subclavian vein, which is close to her collar bone. This will allow them to easily give her the chemo infusion without tearing up her veins. Normal chemo treatment is approx. 6 rounds, each 3 weeks apart. It is likely that she will experience the typical chemo side effects = nausea, low blood counts and hair loss. The oncologist was extremely nice, caring and will do what he can to minimize these side affects. The hair loss possibility is what prompted Erin to get her hair cut. She kept her cut-off hair and can have it made into a wig is she wishes. The chemo can also damage her heart so the oncologist had an echocardiogram done to get a "before" picture of Erin's heart. They will use this picture as a baseline to compare and watch out for any damage that may occur.
After chemo, the surgeon will remove what's left of the lump (lumpectomy). Then she will undergo another type of chemo - a pill form - something like Tamoxofin for possibly several years. Tamoxofin is anti-estrogen chemo and is a more specific type of chemo. This means it will compete with estrogen and will bind to the estrogen receptor on the outside of the cancer cell and turn the cell "off" so it won't divide or grow anymore. Then Erin's immune system will destroy these cancer cells.
Today the oncologist also ordered a blood test to test for the breast cancer gene (BRAC). If it comes back positive, the oncologist may recommend a more aggressive treatment, such as a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy. They would also need to monitor for ovarian cancer, which can be associated with genetic breast cancer."
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"She found a lump in her right breast about a week ago. After 2 mammograms, an ultrasound and an MRI, she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. We don't know what "stage" it is just yet. Her oncologist is waiting on one more test result. Erin is 35 years old so you can image how surprising and disturbing this is.
She went to the oncologist today and this is what we learned. It is a fast-growing, aggressive cancer. Good news = fast-growing is fast-killed. Her breast cancer is classified as estrogren/progesterone receptor positive. This means that there is an receptor on the outside of the cancer cell that estrogen and progesterone bind to. Once it is bound to that receptor, a message is sent to the cancer cell nucleus to divide aka GROW. The oncologist recommends chemotherapy first then surgery followed by more chemo. They want to see how Erin's cancer responds to the chemo before doing surgery, which will give them an idea of how effective it is on Erin. The goal is to shrink the lump so that it is easier to remove. Erin's chemotherapy is tenatively scheduled to start next Monday, November 22nd (yes . . . a week from today). She is having surgery at Baylor Garland this Thursday to have a port placed in her subclavian vein, which is close to her collar bone. This will allow them to easily give her the chemo infusion without tearing up her veins. Normal chemo treatment is approx. 6 rounds, each 3 weeks apart. It is likely that she will experience the typical chemo side effects = nausea, low blood counts and hair loss. The oncologist was extremely nice, caring and will do what he can to minimize these side affects. The hair loss possibility is what prompted Erin to get her hair cut. She kept her cut-off hair and can have it made into a wig is she wishes. The chemo can also damage her heart so the oncologist had an echocardiogram done to get a "before" picture of Erin's heart. They will use this picture as a baseline to compare and watch out for any damage that may occur.
After chemo, the surgeon will remove what's left of the lump (lumpectomy). Then she will undergo another type of chemo - a pill form - something like Tamoxofin for possibly several years. Tamoxofin is anti-estrogen chemo and is a more specific type of chemo. This means it will compete with estrogen and will bind to the estrogen receptor on the outside of the cancer cell and turn the cell "off" so it won't divide or grow anymore. Then Erin's immune system will destroy these cancer cells.
Today the oncologist also ordered a blood test to test for the breast cancer gene (BRAC). If it comes back positive, the oncologist may recommend a more aggressive treatment, such as a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy. They would also need to monitor for ovarian cancer, which can be associated with genetic breast cancer."
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Day One
I've started promoting my fund raising efforts on Twitter, and I am overwhelmed by having my link to this blog retweeted by England rugby greats Lewis Moody, Ugo Monye and David Flatman. I also feel honoured that Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson has also retweeted it to her followers! The sporting community in the UK is wonderful!
I know a lot of people feel cautious about following a link from someone's personal blog. Please, if you have any concerns search the Internet for the Just Giving website and you can find my page there as "Melinda Rice Knowles". I promise I won't be offended!
Tonight I am hoping to get my fantastic partner David to take a picture of the length of my hair and measure it so we can gauge how much it grows in the next twelve months for those who would like to sponsor me per inch of newly grown hair. One off donations to Cancer Research UK are also extremely important!
For now here's a picture to give you a general idea of the starting point.
Not a supermodel I know but that's beside the point! It's a quick snap taken on my lunch in a Starbucks with me being model and photographer!
More from me later! And of course my updates will include news of my sister as and when I have news.
I know a lot of people feel cautious about following a link from someone's personal blog. Please, if you have any concerns search the Internet for the Just Giving website and you can find my page there as "Melinda Rice Knowles". I promise I won't be offended!
Tonight I am hoping to get my fantastic partner David to take a picture of the length of my hair and measure it so we can gauge how much it grows in the next twelve months for those who would like to sponsor me per inch of newly grown hair. One off donations to Cancer Research UK are also extremely important!
For now here's a picture to give you a general idea of the starting point.
Not a supermodel I know but that's beside the point! It's a quick snap taken on my lunch in a Starbucks with me being model and photographer!
More from me later! And of course my updates will include news of my sister as and when I have news.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Welcome to My New Blog! And This Time It's Personal!
There are some events that really knock the wind out of your sails. These are things you really don't expect to happen, and when they do, the whole world looks different.
Monday evening I had a message from my mum on Twitter saying she needed to speak to me and asked when I would be home from work. I didn't panic, but I was concerned that something had happened to one of my grandmothers or my dad. What I didn't expect was for her to tell me that my youngest sister has breast cancer.
I have three sisters, all of them as unusual and unique as I am. Erin is the youngest only by one minute, being a twin and being unlucky enough not to have been the first one grabbed by the doctor during the Caesarean. She is now 35 and happily married to Firefighter Kevin for fifteen years, and they have the honour of being the parents of my two nieces and one of my nephews. Both are active and very popular in their local community in rural Texas.
I know it was my choice to move 5,000 miles away from Texas, where I was born and raised, but at times like this it hits me hard that I'm not there when my family needs me. Of course I'm needed here too. I have two sons I'm raising with my ex-husband, a good career in law and a fantastic partner. But those things don't alleviate the feeling of helplessness, so today I came up with my "special project".
My mum commented that one of the things that Erin is worried about is losing her gorgeous long hair after she starts chemotherapy next Monday. She has already had her hair cut much shorter, but it's unfortunately one of those things that she has to come. I haven't told her that two of my work collegues have said they each had a friend who lost her hair during chemotherapy which grew back lovely and curly afterwards!
I have very long hair too. Very long, very very thick hair. Hair that grows unbelievably quickly. I decided to research and then carry out my "Hair Growth Challenge".
Over the next twelve months, I am going to let my hair grow and grow and grow, going to the hairdresser for conditioning and maintenance but no more chopping. I will publish pictures and see what other ideas I can come up with to publicise and raise money for Cancer Research UK, a charity which raises money for breast cancer research. We never know which loved one will be affected by breast cancer. It could be my friend, my mother, another sister or myself. It could be female or male. I want to do my part to make sure that no one has to go through what my sister is going through now.
Donations can be made via the link in the right hand column on this page. They can be a one-off donation or, as my partner David has done, an amount per inch that my hair grows in the next year.
But please keep checking back!
Monday evening I had a message from my mum on Twitter saying she needed to speak to me and asked when I would be home from work. I didn't panic, but I was concerned that something had happened to one of my grandmothers or my dad. What I didn't expect was for her to tell me that my youngest sister has breast cancer.
I have three sisters, all of them as unusual and unique as I am. Erin is the youngest only by one minute, being a twin and being unlucky enough not to have been the first one grabbed by the doctor during the Caesarean. She is now 35 and happily married to Firefighter Kevin for fifteen years, and they have the honour of being the parents of my two nieces and one of my nephews. Both are active and very popular in their local community in rural Texas.
I know it was my choice to move 5,000 miles away from Texas, where I was born and raised, but at times like this it hits me hard that I'm not there when my family needs me. Of course I'm needed here too. I have two sons I'm raising with my ex-husband, a good career in law and a fantastic partner. But those things don't alleviate the feeling of helplessness, so today I came up with my "special project".
My mum commented that one of the things that Erin is worried about is losing her gorgeous long hair after she starts chemotherapy next Monday. She has already had her hair cut much shorter, but it's unfortunately one of those things that she has to come. I haven't told her that two of my work collegues have said they each had a friend who lost her hair during chemotherapy which grew back lovely and curly afterwards!
I have very long hair too. Very long, very very thick hair. Hair that grows unbelievably quickly. I decided to research and then carry out my "Hair Growth Challenge".
Over the next twelve months, I am going to let my hair grow and grow and grow, going to the hairdresser for conditioning and maintenance but no more chopping. I will publish pictures and see what other ideas I can come up with to publicise and raise money for Cancer Research UK, a charity which raises money for breast cancer research. We never know which loved one will be affected by breast cancer. It could be my friend, my mother, another sister or myself. It could be female or male. I want to do my part to make sure that no one has to go through what my sister is going through now.
Donations can be made via the link in the right hand column on this page. They can be a one-off donation or, as my partner David has done, an amount per inch that my hair grows in the next year.
But please keep checking back!
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