In the fall of 2010, Fern Reiss was diagnosed with malignant invasive ductal carcinoma with lymph node metasteses, malignant invasive lobular carcinoma, both sides. While she underwent treatments — four rounds of adtriamycin/cyclophosphamide, 12 taxol treatments, five weeks of radiation, a year on herceptin — she couldn’t find the book she wanted to help her through it. So, she wrote it. Now on maintenance tamoxifen, she shares her extensive knowledge in “The Breast Cancer Checklist.”
Q. When you were diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, you couldn’t find the book that you wanted to help you get through it, so, you wrote it. What makes this book different from what you found on the bookshelves?
There are a lot of great books on breast cancer, but the book I couldn’t find (and ended up writing) was a book that would keep my life on track through treatment. I wanted something that would keep me organized; I wanted something that would keep me from missing something important that I should know (like, if I timed my surgery correctly, I might get a better outcome; or to make sure I got a dental appointment before I started chemo) and I wanted something that would just walk me through the whole treatment process so I’d feel in control.
Q. What is the single most important tip you can provide parents who have just been diagnosed with cancer?
Think about how you’re modeling behavior for your kids. Everyone has to face adversity at some time or other in their lives–for some it’s illness, for others it’s something like financial hardship–and if you view your cancer treatment as an opportunity to model how-to-behave-in-adversity behavior for your kids, it will help them through your treatment, (and it will also help you.)
Q. What was the hardest part about balancing cancer treatments and life?
“ If you view your cancer treatment as an opportunity to model how-to-behave-in-adversity behavior for your kids, it will help them through your treatment, (and it will also help you.)”
The hardest part is that you sometimes have so little energy, it’s impossible to do everything you’re used to doing. I kept up family time and work, but stopped entertaining. For me, that was a balance that worked.
Q. What are the top 5 things breast cancer patients need to ask their doctors when they are diagnosed?
There are many more than five things, but here’s where I’d start:
* What medical things do I need to take care of before I start treatment (dental work, flu shots, shingles vaccine, Tdap, Pneumovax)? (There’s a long list of things like this in my book.)
* Can I time my surgery for the second half of my menstrual cycle (which research has shown improves outcomes)?
* Should I cryo-preserve my tumor? (That way, you’ll have the cells if you ever need them for a personalized cancer vaccine, which is the way the research is moving)
* Can I schedule my surgeries simultaneously (ie, reconstruction and mastectomy, simultaneous port insertion, brachytherapy catheter, etc) to avoid more surgery?
* Should I consider egg-freezing (in case you should want to have more children post-treatment)?
Q. What can spouses, friends and family do to support the patient and their families during treatments?
* Suggest the patient do a guided visualization tape to lessen the pain of surgery and/or increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. If they don’t have time/energy, make one for them.
* Offer to help shop for a wig or headcovering (which can be an overwhelming and emotionally draining thing to do yourself) or buy them a comfy cap to sleep in.
* Cook for the patient and family, especially whole grain and vegetable-heavy dishes that are more time-consuming (but definitely healthier!) Better yet, organize your community to support them in a meal-sharing system such as CaringBridge.org or LotsaHelpingHands.com to organize the family’s food (and transportation and childcare) needs.
Q. What can you tell breast cancer patients about the post-treatment period?
Some women find post-treatment the most difficult part of the experience, because you’re ‘supposed to be’ done, but emotionally, it’s hard not to feel some sort of ‘what now?’ letdown. Marking milestones–taking the day off to go to a museum or cafe every week or two when you would otherwise have had a treatment; throwing a party or taking a vacation to mark the end of treatment; and making some life changes, whether that’s a resolution not to over-schedule yourself or a commitment to volunteer at a local cancer association, can be extremely helpful.
Q. Your book offers tips on where to find freebies, such as housecleaning services, that are available only to breast cancer patients. What can you tell patients about accepting help, even when it makes them feel weak or somehow less of a parent to do so?
Some parents feel guilty or insufficient when they need to ask for help, but keep in mind that you don’t need to always be superwoman, and that you’re making others happy by accepting their help. And once you’re back on your feet, you’ll be able to pass the help along to the next woman who needs it.
Wow! Fern Reiss you are amazing. Reading samples of “The Breast Cancer Checklist” provides a wealth of information that cancer patients and their families can relate to. You share the importance of knowing what to do during the stages of dealing with cancer.
I recently found out an aquaintance of mine has breast cancer. I will definately refer her to this book. I’m sure this will make her journey more bearable.
I’m near completion of a book regarding my daughter’s bout with cancer. She is a survivior of leukemia. I want to help the patients and families during this devastating times in their lives.
My prayers are with you. I will be in touch.
Special thanks go to God almighty for using dr. okorom in curing my Cancer disease, I was having a Breast Cancer and doctor told me that I have two years to live, that news brought sadness into my life, I was depressed, don’t know what to do. One faithful day I saw a testimony on how a spell caster cured a lady, who is called Rachael Mark, due to her testimony the man is a great man, quickly I copied his email, then I contacted him and he asked me not to bother myself that all my problems are over. I was happy to hear such words, he told me to buy some items, though I couldn’t find the items myself he asked me to send down the money to buy the items for me, faithfully I sent him the money he bought the items and prepared a cure for me. He told me that he is going to send the cure through courier delivery service, I paid to the courier delivery service, then, I got the cure, he instructed me on how I will take the cure. I took the cure and I was freed from the cancer, I went for scanning, the cancer was no longer there. I am very grateful for what he did for me. If you have any disease you can contact him via email on dr.okoromspellhome@live.com
HELLO, i want to share this wonderful testimony to the world as a whole in case there is some body in this same situation. i was diagnosed of HIV in the year 2009 until i meant testimony online by a woman with name Anita about a man called Dr Aluta , i was not too sure if it was real until i contacted him my self . I thought that there was never a cure for my deadly ailment but Dr Aluta told me that his herbs could cure me, and then i decided to give him a try, he then told me that once i start taking his herbs, that it will only take me some days to be cured, i believed him and took the herb with faith. after he gave me the medication, i took it and i was feeling some new signs in my body and i decided to go for a test and the result stated that i was HIV negative, i was very happy and even called my pastor and told him about it, i am very happy that i am now HIV negative and i am also happy that i will not be celebrating this Christmas as an HIV patient as i have did for the past 4 years, so help me say a very big thank you to Doctor Aluta for saving me from the hands of the deadly ailment. if you are also in this type of situation and you are seeking for solution, seek no more for you have received the right information you have been wanting for a very long time in this type of issues you are very free to contact Dr. Aluta today through his private email: alutaspelltemple@hotmail.com or call him on his mobile number : +2348077526430. i strongly believe that he will help you out just as he did mine, stay cool and God bless Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year in advance.
email: ALUTASPELLTEMPLE@HOTMAIL.COM.
I am Neil Daubbermann and am a North Carolinian. I have already made up my mind to die and set aside December 16 to commit suicide if my beloved wife didn’t come back to me for she just left me after a slight misunderstanding and quarrel over some issues and for my situation to be worse, i lost my job but luckily for me, i saw a woman who was advertising LORD ESIENDO that he was lord of spell casts and that if anyone had problems or challenges, that they should reach this great spell lord at HOODOOSPELLCASTS@OUTLOOK.COM and i willingly gave a try to it and i poured to him {LORD ESIENDO} my mind and that i will die if she didn’t come back to me and LO, he assured me that he will help me cast a love spell that will bring her back to me and that i will be call back at work but before he could do that that i need to erase my mind of dieing and he adviced me like though he was my dad and i heed to him and did that which he requested of me and a day to December 16th, my wife came to the house and we settled and forgave each other and till now, we are living happily and also my boss called me to resume my office on the 16th, the day i wished to leave this world. But what more can i say now and how much enough can i thank LORD ESIENDO who helped me out of my problems but i say Thank You LORD ESIENDO.
And to as many in problems, be it love/marital problems, Financial problems, health problems, problems with occupation or whatever, never fail to reach LORD ESIENDO on HOODOOSPELLCASTS@OUTLOOK.COM for he can help you out of that problem and not only help you but also will advice you for a better life.
And my prayer today is may nobody have problem at all but also if you feel you are going astray or you kinda need someone to advice you, don’t also fail to reach him because he is more than a helper.
My name is RUSTY KARE , I am from UK., I am here to give my testimony about a doctor who help me in my life. I was infected with HIV virus in the 2013, i went to many hospitals, churches for cure but there was no solution out, so I was thinking how can I get a solution out so that i cannot loose my life, I lost everything I have my husband run away from me and also took my children along because of my sickness. One day I was in the river side thinking the next step to take if it is to jump into the river so that I can loose my life totally or just think where I can go to get solution. so a lady walk to me telling me why am I so sad and i open up all to him telling her my stories, she told me that she can help me out that’s the reason she normally come here to help people so that they can be cured because she was into this problem before, she introduce me to a doctor how cast spells for people and gave me he number and email so i called him and also email him. He told me all the things I need to provide and also give me instructions to take, which I followed properly. Before I knew what is happening he called me and told me that i should go for an HIV test and which i did as he told me and the result was negative. so if you are also heart broken and also need a help you can also email him at;(drogudospelltemple@gmail.com)