Do you have breast cancer but lack health insurance?

What do you do if you discover you have one of the six main symptoms of breast cancer; however, you do not have health insurance?

As you already learned in the article entitled “Breast Cancer: So you found a breast lump,” early detection is the key to potentially saving part or all of your breast, your lymph nodes, and potentially your life.  

What are the six main symptoms of breast cancer?

1. Lump in the breast

2. Dimple or indentation on the breast

3. Rash on the breast

4. Puckering of the breast-skin

5. Nipple discharge

6. Breast suddenly deflates (i.e., shrinks) or inflates (i.e., grows)

Oh, no! You don’t have health insurance

If you discover you may have breast cancer but do not have health insurance, this is potentially not an insurmountable obstacle.

To read the rest of the article, click BREAST CANCER.

Breast Cancer: So you found a breast lump

So, you found a lump. You rub your eyes and look again at your reflection in the mirror. “Perhaps my eyes are deceiving me” is your next hope-filled thought. After all, breast cancer does not run in your family. Even if it does, it still could feel unbelievable and shocking.

You stretch out a shaking hand and feel of it. It’s hard and unyielding.

Since the ‘denial game’ is so much fun, you comfort yourself with the idea that it’s just a cyst that needs to be drained. That is true for some breast lumps. In fact, eight out of every ten breast lumps are benign. But, …

What if the lump you see in the mirror and feel with your hand is one of the two out of every ten that is malignant? In that case, the ‘denial game’ could turn lethal. So, for peace of mind’s sake, you make an appointment to see your doctor.

To read the rest of the article, click BREAST CANCER.

Soy is an artificial estrogen

I called my oncologist today to get more details about the whole soy situation. I had forgotten to ask when I had my quarterly check-up. If you have not read this blog, then you may not know that I am a breast cancer survivor and cancer-free aka 'in remission'. I had already learned that I should not take 'One A Day' Menopause for hot flashes as it had soy in it. Soy, in the form they utilize it in those vitamins, contributes to cancer. That made me wonder about soy milk, etc. So today I called to request clarification. This is what I learned.

Soy is an artificial estrogen. In case you are not aware, estrogen feeds cancer. Therefore, they recommend that I do not drink soy milk or take soy in any form. I was not actually drinking soy milk, but I sometimes used it as a milk substitute in recipes. I will no longer do that.

Cut Down Cancer Recurrence Chances with Exercise by Guest Blogger Trevor Bradshaw

As any cancer survivor knows well, when you are undergoing treatment; oftentimes, the last thing you want to do is exercise.  And for quite a long time, most doctors agreed that patients being treated for cancer should rest and reduce their physical activities so as to preserve their energy.  

However, over the last several years, new research has begun to show how exercise is often not only safe and possible during cancer treatments but may also be an integral part of keeping cancer in remission for survivors. 

Exercise has been shown to have many benefits for cancer patients, including lowering fatigue, lessening nausea, and reducing  the risk of anxiety and depression.  According to Dr. Kerry Courneya, the Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity in Cancer and Cancer at the University of Alberta, in a study of 242 women with breast cancer, moderate exercise was shown to not only improve their strength, self-esteem, body mass, and fitness, it also increased their ability to finish chemotherapy on time. 

Furthermore, doctors now believe that women who exercise after completing breast cancer treatments have a significantly lower risk of cancer recurrence.  While it’s unknown exactly why exercise helps keep cancer survivors cancer free, it’s likely because of two factors. First, regular exercise may boost white blood cell count, helping combat the loss of white blood cells that occurs during chemotherapy.  Secondly, exercise is a key factor in maintaining a healthy body composition.  Increased body mass has been known to affect higher death rates for all cancers, but in particular it has been linked with increased risks in breast cancer and multiple myeloma.  Even cancers from environmental toxins like pleural mesothelioma have much higher survival rates when patients have regular exercise.  

Of course, it can be difficult for patients who have just received chemotherapy to begin exercising again as the treatments often leave patients exhausted. One key recommendation is to begin with very low intensity, moderate workouts.  A good example would be a daily brisk walk.

It’s extremely important that patients always follow their doctor’s recommendations regarding exercise, as those with severe anemia should delay any strenuous activity until their red blood cell count has increased and people receiving radiation therapy must avoid swimming pools as chlorine irritates the treated area.  But, in the end, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that exercise is important to maintaining a healthy and cancer-free life during and after cancer treatment.

From Debbie: Many thanks to Trevor for writing such a helpful article.

Photo is of Trevor Bradshaw sent to me to be included with the article.

Poem: A very grateful Breast Cancer Survivor

Visit this page to read my poem about being a grateful breast cancer survivor.

Click BREAST CANCER to read my hub on Hubpages.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Debbie Dunn Moore

Debbie Dunn Moore (my married name) was one of three women featured in the October 4, 2011 Greeneville Sun newspaper in Greeneville, TN. Why? It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here is part of the article posted.

P.S. Looks like there is a typo. It should have been "grateful" rather than the other spelling. Oops to whoever did the type-setting.

Necessity of breast cancer awareness plus what I’ve learned

Debbie Dunn Moore is very grateful to add her name to the ranks of the thousands of breast cancer survivors. Her breast cancer journey began just before Christmas of 2009 when she discovered a 3- by 5-inch tumor in the left side of her left breast. Under the wonderful care of Dr. Dharmen Patel, Dr. John Boys, Dr. Mark Patterson, and Dr. Joe Austin, she went through 8 rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy, and 35 days of radiation. As of November of 2010, she has been “in remission” or “cancer-free.” Here are the main lessons that she has learned:

(1) Be aware of what your breast already looks and feels like so that if it changes, you are alert enough to catch any signs of breast cancer early – before it has time to spread to other parts of your body. Other than a lump, please be aware that other potential signs of severe breast cancer include a dimple or indentation on your breast (don’t just think it is gravity kicking in because you are getting older as Debbie did), a rash on the breast, puckering of the breast, nipple discharge, and noticeable breast shrinkage. Visit a doctor as soon as possible. If you don’t have insurance, visit the Health Department to see if they might be of assistance.

(2) Joining a cancer support group such as the one held at Laughlin Hospital in Greeneville, Tennessee, can be extremely helpful.

(3) Maintaining a positive attitude and a sense of humor (even if it only be gallows humor) can make a world of difference in your recovery potential.

(4) Having a good support system of family and friends is extremely helpful.

(5) The power of prayer can truly work miracles.

If you would like to know more about Debbie’s breast cancer journey, feel free to read this blog at http://healingseeker.wordpress.com/. She is also writing a book on the topic that is coming out in 2012. When the book becomes available, she will post details on her website at http://askdjlyons.com/ and on this blog.

A great resource for women of Greene County, TN who are in need of a free mammogram. Click on FREE MAMMOGRAM SCREENINGS. If you are not from Greene County, TN, check with your local hospital. They may very well provide that same service as well.

Here is my breast cancer journey in a nutshell

1. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 1 by Healing Seeker
2. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 2 by Healing Seeker
3. Best Review - Top 7 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 3 by Healing Seeker
4. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 4 by Healing Seeker
5. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 5 By Healing Seeker
6. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 6 by Healing Seeker
7. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 7 by Healing Seeker
8. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 8 by Healing Seeker
9. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 9 by Healing Seeker
10. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 10 by Healing Seeker
11. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 11 by Healing Seeker
12. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 12 by Healing Seeker
13. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 13 by Healing Seeker
14. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 14 by Healing Seeker
15. Best Review - Top 6 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 15 by Healing Seeker
16. Best Review - Top 5 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 16 by Healing Seeker
17. Best Review - Top 6 Breast Cancer Journey Tales Part 17 by Healing Seeker

Thankfully, I have been cancer-free for several months.

Cancer Survivor Networks by guest blogger David Haas

This was written by guest blogger David Haas. Thanks, David!

For those who have battled cancer, finding a cancer survivor program is often one of the most beneficial steps towards healthy living and sustained recovery. With over 12 million cancer survivors living in the United States, cancer survivor programs allow patients to partner with the people and organizations that can best understand and serve them. These programs are designed to help patients assess risk and develop a plan for healthy living in order to properly handle the long-term effects of cancer treatment and diagnosis .

Typically, cancer survivor programs conduct a thorough evaluation of a patient, including diagnosis and medical history. After the consultation, a treatment plan is recommended that includes an assessment of physical and emotional risks as well as a suggested plan to manage long-term effects and potentially extend a life expectancy if the prognosis is bad. Additional referrals are sometimes made for supplementary treatments such as nutrition guides, acupuncture, counseling or therapeutic massages.

Because the effects of cancer are far-reaching and often overwhelming, patients are frequently left with emotional and psychological distress as well. Cancer survivor programs are able to take a holistic approach to healing by focusing on all issues surrounding cancer. These personal issues can sometimes include increased levels of stress, grief and depression, and professional treatment is often necessary to ensure a healthy mind, body and soul. By providing counseling and additional resources, cancer survivor programs are able to comprehensively assist patients fighting cancer and remind them that they are not alone in their fight.

Perhaps one of the most notable cancer survivor resources is Livestrong.com. Founded by award-winning cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, LIVESTRONG provides cancer survivors with a wealth of knowledge and resources in order to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.

An additional resource for information on cancer survivor programs is http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/survivorship. This government site includes a variety of research including statistics, post-resource studies and interactive online information.

Cancer survivor programs help many people with many different types of cancer including breast cancer , bone cancer, and even rare and terminal cancers such as mesothelioma. None of these people are alone in their fight. Cancer survivor programs are available to help patients improve their quality of life and ensure that resources are available to those on the path towards health and wellness.

By: David Haas

Product Review: Stamina - 35-1655E – InTone Jogger with Handlebar & Tape

I am very pleased with my purchase of this in-home Trampoline also known as a Rebounder. I have owned it for about three months now and really enjoy using it.

I purchased it to give myself a fun way to exercise as I work to lose weight and stay in shape. Also, as a breast cancer survivor, this is a great way for me to maintain my current (and hopefully forever more) cancer-free status.

It came within two days of ordering it. That was very pleasing. Also, I was pleased with the very reasonable price.  .

On the negative side, it was a real challenge for my husband and I to assemble. Once we got it put together, I can easily see that I never wish to take it apart again. I also originally planned to keep it indoors. Due to the lack of sturdiness of our log cabin flooring in the den, I found that I shook all the contents in the room when I jumped on the trampoline. Also, it was larger than I had mentally pictured. Therefore, it took up more room than I would have wished in the den.

It has a 38 inch diameter. It is nine-inches off the ground. The site states it has a very “durable, polypropylene rebounding surface.” It also has a “rugged, all-steel frame construction.”  It is definitely very sturdy. I imagine that it will last for a very long time.

My husband and I came up with an ideal solution. We moved the rebounder out to the sidewalk in our covered carport. You can see the picture of how it looks and where I have it located. What’s great is that I can use this in rain, snow, or shine since the carport is covered. I have even purchased a tarp to cover it when I am not using it to keep the birds from doing their business upon it.

Other than those couple of negatives I mentioned earlier, it has been a very pleasing purchase.

It came with a work-out DVD that is easy to follow. Since I have a portable mini-DVD player and a long extension cord, I could easily watch this while using the trampoline outside. But I have had a lot of fun making up my own moves.

 I love the fact that it has a sturdy, adjustable handlebar. That makes me feel more secure when I am doing more challenging maneuvers.

The other fun thing is that I came up with some fun math lessons to do with this trampoline that are appropriate for kindergarten and first grade students. I made a bunch of YouTube videos surrounding these lessons. Since I am the K-8 Classroom Activities Examiner for Examiner.com, it was fun to post these unique lessons and videos on that site. Here are the links below:

Trampoline Math: Counting 1 to 10 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 1 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 2 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 3 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 4 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 5 (Grades K-1)   

Trampoline Math: Addend of 6 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 7 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 8 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 9 (Grades K-1)

Trampoline Math: Addend of 10 (Grades K-1)

I would highly recommend the purchase of this in-home trampoline / rebounder. I think you will be very glad you did.

Cozy Chemo Memories

You may find it odd to hear the word cozy and chemo used in the same sentence; nevertheless, thanks to the wonderful care of my oncologist, I am truthfully able to say that.

When I first found out that I had to go through chemo, I was terrified. I had watched the movies and seen the shows where people walked out of chemo rooms looking like death warmed over. Prior to that first day, where I had similar feelings to a kid attending their first day of kindergarten, I was relieved when I was shown the circle of recliner chairs. They weren't exactly like this beautiful lounge chair that you see in the picture as the leg rest was connected instead of being separate; however, they were just about as cozy-looking as that. Doesn't that picture just beg for you to hunker down in that chair with a comforter and a book? It looks so inviting! You should see some of the other chairs they have on that website. They all shout COMFORT to the nth degree. If you click on the above link, you will see what I mean.

Little did I know how very lucky I was. Apparently, there is another oncologist in our fair city whose chemo room contains stright-back chairs. I would not have enjoyed that at all.

Instead, I was able to walk into that chemo room with a laptop DVD player, my comforter, a book, my prayer shawl, and my comfy slippers. I was able to sit in one of those cozy recliners to receive my chemo treatments. My husband brought me food after I got settled. And thanks to modern medicine and the anti-nausea medicine, I was able to eat and enjoy what he brought.

So although I am very grateful that I no longer have any necessity of having to receive chemo treatments or any other kind of cancer treatments other than my low-dosage chemo tablet I take daily for five years, I do have pleasant memories associated  with chemo thanks to those very cozy recliner chairs.

Home Office Renovations Day 3

My home office in our log cabin is being completely re-done. On day 3 of the renovations, the two handymen tore out the rest of the floorboards. It had rained in the night; therefore, there was a lot of damness in the room. Before they headed off to their other job, they indicated they would purchase some heavy plastic to line the room with before laying down the new floor. They also found a pipe that leads to the outside that needs to be closed off. Additionally, they found some problems with some of the logs. This may prove to be a much bigger job than any of us originally anticipated. I think we are going to look like that Hoarders Show for a couple of weeks. The end result will be both beautiful and functional. It will be so worth it!

Click HOME OFFICE RENOVATIONS to visit.

Home Office Renovations Day 2

My home office in our log cabin is being completely re-done. On day 2 of the renovations, the two handymen started to tear out the floor boards. They quickly discovered why the room bowed toward the center. Several of the logs holding up the floor were broken. They also realized that this job was going to take them longer than they originally expected. Sigh! In any case, I am so grateful and excited that I am going to get my dream home office.

Click HOME OFFICE RENOVATIONS to visit.

Office Renovations Day 1

Check out the home office renovations going on. I am so excited to get my office re-done. This is day 1 of the renovations. This is just one of the pictures from this day.

To see the rest of the pictures and read all the descriptions, please visit my hub on Hubpages.com called Ask DJ Lyons: Office Renovations Day 1.

Click HOME OFFICE RENOVATIONS to visit.

Office Renovations Before Look

Check out the home office renovations going on. I am so excited to get my office re-done.

To see the pictures and read the descriptions, please visit my hub on Hubpages.com called Ask DJ Lyons: Office Renovations Before Look.

Click HOME OFFICE RENOVATIONS to visit.

Product Review: Breville Juice Fountain Plus JE98XL

I feel positively healthy. About an hour ago, I drank my first veggie fruit drink made with my just-out-of-the-box (as of yesterday) Breville Juice Fountain Plus JE98XL. My drink was made with a few handfuls of Spinach leaves, a few handfuls of shredded carrots, and two Gala Apples. You can see the photo to see what my drink and the juicer look like.

Initial Cleaning

The juicer was very well packed. I removed all parts from the box and washed and dried all parts.

Putting the Juicer together

To remind myself how to put the juicer together, I re-watched the following YouTube video.

Out of the Box: Breville Juice Fountain Plus JE95XL 

Then I got in a bit of a panic as I didn’t see a froth catcher. I’m thinking, “Great! I am missing an essential part and can’t use the juicer.” So I called the Breville Customer Service line once they opened up at 8 am Pacific Standard Time. The guy was really nice who I talked with. When I told him that my froth catcher was missing, he explained that since that YouTube video was made, they had made improvements to the product. The froth catcher was now part of the pitcher cover. Sure enough, when I looked close, I saw he was correct. Phew!

The manual and one video I watched suggested you line the pulp catcher with a plastic bag for easy clean-up. I double-lined it with two plastic grocery bags since each of them had a small hole. It worked beautifully. When I removed the bags after making my drink, the pulp catcher was perfectly clean and did not require washing. Woo-hoo!

As for the pulp, it was nicely dry. This shows me that most of the juice was extracted from the food I added. Since I don’t have a compost heap and there was no recipe I was making that I thought would benefit from this particular mixture, I simply threw the bags containing the pulp away.

Making first Veggie-Fruit Drink

For my first veggie-fruit drink, I decided to use three things I had on hand: spinach leaves, shredded carrots, and Gala apples. In the directions, it was suggested that I do not place the spinach leaves in alone as they needed some other veggie to help get the juice extracted from it better. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything that I thought would work. I decided to go ahead and use it anyway.

I turned the motor on to the low setting and added several handfuls of spinach leaves. I did not get a huge amount of juice. Next time, I will find something to add with it.

At one point, the motor got extra loud and I panicked and thought I had overheated the unit. But when I realized that the overheating light had not come on, I realized that perhaps it gets loud on its own. So warning: Don’t make this drink if somebody in your house is trying to sleep.

Next step, I added several handfuls of shredded carrots.

Last, I added two Gala apples that were washed but still had a stem, core, skin, etc.

My juice mixture was green – as you can see in the photo.

I placed some ice cubes in a glass and poured the juice in the glass. I smelled it. It smelled like apple juice. I must admit that I was a bit nervous to try it at first. Of course for me, the litmus test is the smell factor. If I don’t like the smell of something, I refuse to put it in my mouth. Since the smell was good, I was willing to take the risk. I actually took several sips before snapping the photo as this drink was tasty. Yum!

I enjoyed drinking the entire glassful. I would definitely make this combination of fruit and veggies again.

Final Clean-Up

Clean-up was a cinch. I took the juicer apart and rinsed off all parts. Then I used the special hard-bristle brush that comes with the juicer to wash the filter. Then I washed all parts with warm, soapy water. It took very little time to clean-up. That is another litmus test of mine.

Final Conclusion

I think this juicer was a real bargain. I can easily visualize myself using it every day.

Since I am now cancer-free aka in remission from breast cancer, I am extra motivated to make certain I stay that way. So making healthy drinks that actually taste good is going to be part of my strategy to look and feel healthy.

My final litmus test is aftertaste. That juice drink has left a very nice aftertaste in my mouth. I actually look forward to being able to partake of this drink again.

I'm excited about a juicer I've ordered for health reasons

Now that I am in full remission from breast cancer aka cancer-free, I am very involved in taking active steps to keep it that way permanently. I am working out some; however, I could and should do a lot more of that. I am also finding more and more ways to eat healthy-type foods.

I bought one juicer from Wal-Mart that worked fairly well. It was called a Ninja Master Prep. You can watch these two Associated Content.com videos watching how to make snow and how to make one particular juice drink I like.

How to Make Snow Using Ninja Master Prep 
Mixed Berry Slush Drink Using Ninja Master Prep 

The juicer works fairly well; however, it does not make the juice as fine as I would like. I end up almost eating my drink rather than drinking to some extent. So I made up my mind that I would like to order a juicer that has more bells and whistles.

After doing a lot of research, I decided to order a Breville Juicer Fountain Plus. It has an 850 watts motor. The juicer sells for $149.95. My husband isn't totally thrilled that I bought one that is rather on the expensive side; however, when you take into account what I have been through and never wish to go through again, than the price is much more worth it.

Out of the Box: Breville Juice Fountain Plus JE95XL 

I found this YouTube video that describes how you put the juicer together. It looks relatively easy to do. Ease-of-use was one of my considerations. I also read a lot of reviews on-line of this juicer and several others. This one seemed to have the most positive reviews. That was really important to me as well. It also sounds like clean-up won't be too bad.

I found this video to be helpful as well:

Breville - Juice Fountain Plus Electric Juicer - Silver 

One site suggested that I put a plastic produce bag inside the pulp catcher. That sounds like a great idea.

My current thoughts is that I may use the Ninja to make the snow. I use the Breville Juicer Fountain Plus to make the juice. Then I pour the juice over the slush and have a really healthy slushy to drink. I may find, however, that I enjoy the juice without having to have a bunch of ice mixed in. I will have to wait and see.

Now the countdown begins. I ordered the juicer the evening of December 6th. The expected arrival date is either December 13 or 14. I am hoping, of course, that it will arrive sooner than that. I will keep you posted.

I wish all of you good health and a very happy day!

With love,
Healing Seeker aka Debbie

A Dancing Bear for a Dancing Niece

I just saw the cutest set of kids backpacks. The one I pictured is the cutest one of them all. As a woman who had breast cancer – notice the past tense – woohoo! – I was looking through pink totes. For one thing, I was kind of contemplating buying some kind of tote bag for when I work out at the YMCA. After having a double mastectomy plus ten lymph nodes removed, I need to regain full strength. Additionally, I wish to lose sixty pounds before getting reconstruction surgery the late fall of 2011.

So as I was looking through pink totes in honor of breast cancer, I saw this adorable backpack. My second to youngest niece took ballet for a while. Now she has started gymnastics. She is in kindergarten, by the way. She already has a Tinker Bell backpack that she really likes; however, her little sister is aching to take either a dance class or gymnastics class just like her big sister. So when she finally comes of age, she is not quite 2 ½ currently, perhaps this will be a backpack that I will purchase for her. For one thing, it has wheels. That means the backpack will not strain her back. For another thing, it is absolutely adorable. For a third thing, she loves pink.

When I went to school, using a backpack was not in vogue until I got to college. My college backpack was green and rather plain and unexciting. It is so fun to see what fun options there are for young people today. It almost makes you wish you could be extra young again. Almost! Though actually, you couldn’t pay me to wish to repeat high school or junior high again.

But for those of you with young people in your life, it’s nice to know that you can bring color and pleasure to their lives with some really fun gifts.

In any case, have a wonderful holiday season with the people you love. I am more grateful than ever to have my newly acquired good health – I am now cancer-free – so that I can spend this Christmas and many holidays to come with my beloved husband and my other family members who  I love so very much. Happy holidays and a very happy new year!

I love the message in Super Chick singing "We Live"

I love the message in Super Chick singing "We Live"

Seeking the best way to pray for a friend with terminal cancer

Introduction: You learn that someone you love is in the hospital. You are told that he or she is not going home. What is the best way to pray for someone with terminal cancer? How do you make your peace should you have to say that final good-bye?

I am seeking the best way to pray for a friend with terminal cancer.

I met this dear woman and her husband at the monthly cancer support group I attend. She was one of the ones who made me feel so welcome when I first walked through those doors in February of 2010. It was clear that she and her husband shared a very strong and supportive bond. She had such vitality, a very strong and loving spirit, and a great sense of humor.

She cheered me on as I went through chemo, a double mastectomy, and radiation. She was so happy for me when I went into remission from breast cancer. In other words, there is no more cancer in my body.
   
 She has traveled one cancer journey and then was in remission for 40 years. Then she got another type of cancer and went in remission from that. After more than three years, that cancer re-surfaced. So once again, she started going through chemo treatments.

Suddenly, she started getting ailments that the doctors could not get a handle on or diagnose. They ran test after test after test. In a matter of weeks, she seemed to get worse. Finally, it was discovered that the cancer has spread to her liver.

Her husband came in halfway through our most recent cancer support group the first Monday of November 2010. He told us her room number. He told us more about what she was going through. He had rushed home to pick up a few more things. He asked for our prayers. Then he rushed off to be with her again.

So the question is, how do we best pray for someone with terminal cancer? It is a dilemma.

I went to visit her in the hospital two days ago and again yesterday. I will go back today. Her husband took me out into the corridor and stated that unless there was a miracle, she was not going home. The doctors were not even venturing a guess how long she has left. He stated, “She is my whole life.” He was only getting three and a half hours of sleep a night. He remains strong while sitting with her. When he gets home, he cries.  I cannot even imagine what he is going through.

The good news is that she is not in pain. She has trouble catching her breath and she coughs some. She is praying for a healing.

I had recently completed a prayer shawl and prayer square using some very soft and fluffy yarn. I asked God to place his healing energy in both. I gave her the shawl and her husband the 4 inch by 4 inch square to keep in his pocket. It made me feel a sense of relief to be able to offer some tangible form of comfort.

But still, my dilemma is, how do I best pray for someone who has touched my heart so dearly?

I finally settled on the following philosophy: I know that we are all God’s children and God loves all his beloved children equally. God loves this woman, his daughter, as much as He loves me and all his other daughters. He loves her husband, His son, as much as He loves all his other sons.

I guess we pray that if it is in the highest order of things for her to return to the home she shares with her husband, then that is what I want to see happen. If it is in the highest order of things for her to go home to live with God, then please do it in such a way that she is pain-free and having lovely quality moments with her husband and the other people she loves in the meantime.

I ask for this dear woman to be healed. I know what outcome I most want to see happen. I want her to be healthy and whole where I can see her and share a hug. God knows the actual outcome. It is truly in His hands.

Healing can come in many forms. Healing can come from a reversal of cancer where it is no longer metastasizing in the body. Healing can come in the spirit, where the person can feel a strong sense of peace and comfort that it is time to go home to God. Healing can come is so many other ways. In whatever way it is possible and in whatever way it is for her highest good, the highest good of her husband, and the highest good of all, I ask that healing come to her.

I also ask that healing comes to her husband and all the people who love her when and if we truly do have to say that final good-bye. May God comfort us and bring us a strong sense of peace.

So what about you, if you have ever had to face saying good-bye to someone you love, whether he or she be a family member or a friend, how did you pray? Plus, how did you make your peace with having to say that final good-bye? I am open to ideas.