Before You Donate
Think very seriously before donating to any breastcancer organization, or fundraising program until you read their Annual Report to see who their top contributors are, and if they have a product that appears frequently in the message the organization sends to the public. That would be unethical and its illegal. The same applies to a request that the public buys products, but does not receive a "donor receipt" for tax-deductible purpose. Read any and all food labels that breastcancer "non-profits" are promoting to raise money. Some organizations tell the public to help them raise money by asking you to visit their websites, but that only gives them "hits" to increase their sponsors.
Another tip, "signing" an online Petition is not acceptable, so don't fall for such antics. An ethical non-profit, or professional will not request your visit to their website, nor use "cookies" placed on your computer when you visit their site.
Purchase the Breastcancer Postage Stamp, the Post Office will always give you your charitable deduction receipt. Its a valid form of fund raising.
I felt like I was living in Sylvia Plath's Metaphors,"Boarded the train there’s no getting off."
Attitude
You are not going to change the course of the drugs if you are doubtful, or scared and you will not tolerate them any easier if you try to convince yourself this is going to be a whiz, regardless of what many authors have sold their books on--the power of positive thinking. These are normal reactions but you do have some power within you. I found mine many times by reaching out, or meditating, but right now, I have to share with you something a wise doctor told me only recently, during my many months of ongoing cancer surveillance, which any excellent oncologist will maintain with you.
I had Polio as a child, and in 2003 was referred to the Post-Polio Institute (formerly at Mount Sinai in NYC, now Englewood, NJ)—Newark is much easier to fly into if you have post-polio syndrome, believe me [its a neuro-muscular disorder affecting people who had Polio, like symptoms returning after many years without braces and crutches, etc.]). Dr. Bruno is the director, and a truly caring, competent, genius, who always cares about his patients (but he does not hesitate to stop any one of us from "falling off the wagon" meaning—overworking).
During a very tenuous time when I was worried about the possibility that breastcancer was back and had spread I was in over my head. I'd told my doctors, "I know breastcancer, but I don't know liver cancer." I e-mailed Dr. Bruno because stress has the same effect on our motor neurons as overwork does, "Now to just work on me, and stop the polarity of feelings and thoughts." His virtually immediate e-mail reply was, "Ask how you can tell your head to stop the polarity without turning off the reasonable concern?" Please, please remember his words. Print them out on a large sign across your mirror, or next to your bed, so you may reach for it when you are truly suffering with the polarity of feelings and thoughts you will experience.
You will affect your well-being if you do not tell your oncologist the truth. If s/he doesn't help you stop the show and get back to your breast surgeon to find another oncologist. You must feel confident about your oncologist. Again, I do not believe in the old adage: "horrible bedside manner, but great physician!" Sorry. I believe the former should stay in academic medicine because a seemingly uncaring individual may, indeed, cause more harm, especially in a medical milieu when one needs caring, reality, competence, and support. That just comes with the territory.
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