Source: Carolyn Messner, DSW, MSW (CancerCare), "Helping Patients Find Resources"
Presentation at the ASCO 2018 Cancer Survivorship Symposium
I recently joined a b&w photography group that has weekly challenges and have been having a blast. This is one of the shots I submitted for the challenge "Trees" earlier this month. I took this at a local park.
I've returned from two days in Orlando, FL, where I attended the third ASCO Survivorship Symposium. (The first two conferences had been held on the west coast). Had a wonderful time and have much information to process.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and all the best for 2018!
Full-sized image: https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4681/38540489145_77675e3985_o.jpg
"Meditations on Light Fixtures," done in ArtRage. Full-sized view at https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4581/24792568768_b61525c47e_o.jpg
I manipulated two photos that I took at a local department store. Original shots at https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4543/37777483855_0d23828a05_b.jpg and https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4531/24792684888_99fee0fbdd_b.jpg
On October 14, 2017, I participated in the "We Can" Weekend, held at our local college. "We Can" is a free, catered cancer educational event sponsored by local businesses, almost all of them oriented toward health and wellness. The event includes booths and displays. Speakers include medical and support service professionals. My radiation oncologist emceed. I'm on the left, standing beside Judy, the facilitator of our breast cancer support group.
Full video at:
https://twitter.com/AdamParkhomenko/status/877972190213292032
Reverend Janice Hill explains to Sen. Capito of WV how the AHCA would kill her daughter, currently undergoing cancer treatment.
People protesting ACA repeal and the secretive (and budget slashing) AHCA are being forcibly removed from their wheelchairs outside of Senator McConnell's office. You can view the video at
https://twitter.com/RanttNews/status/877916088662503424
I have been calling, repeatedly, (1) my Republican senator, to tell him to oppose AHCA and why (and what impact it would have on my household); (2) my Democratic senator, to thank him for fighting for us and to encourage him to keep fighting by all means necessary; and (3) the Senate Finance Committee, to demand open, public hearings on the AHCA. That number is
202..................
224.....................
4515
(broken into lines to try to avoid being redacted).
I have been calling my senators' health legislative staff. You can get that info at
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/senate-health-care-staffers/
If you have trouble reaching your senators in DC, you can get their full contact info, including their district offices, at
http://contactingcongress.org/
The Resistbot app will convert your texts into faxes to your elected representatives:
https://resistbot.io/
The Stance app will deliver your messages to your legislators' voicemails:
http://www.takeastance.us/
It is important to call ALL your senators, including those who are fighting to protect your health care. Here's why:
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/stop-trumpcare-june-action-plan/
Here are tools to contact your senators in especially crucial states:
https://trumpcaretoolkit.org/
Here is a way for you to submit an amendment (easy fill-in form), which will help Democratic senators hold the floor:
https://www.ouramendments.org/
Last month I participated in this rally at our congressman's office. Originally we focused only on health care, but the events of that week broadened our scope. The top shot is a still from a video taken of the event; I've added a red arrow pointing to me (I wear a purple "Finish the Fight" shirt from the American Cancer Society). The bottom shot is from a slideshow of the event and was taken after most of us had cleared out (I'm holding the sign with the skulls). The slideshow is slightly more than 2 minutes long and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/gxKrnT43DsM. The video is almost 12 minutes long and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/NJAmd-5ek7Y.
Except for the star field (which uses a stencil), this piece is a manipulation of one of my mammogram images. Created in ArtRage. Full size at https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4175/34645964255_6a912b18cc_b.jpg.
My CA 27-29 breast cancer marker had been trending upward for a year and had crossed into the High range on April 21. Cancer markers aren't that reliable, but that trend had my oncologist and me concerned. The marker remained high after follow-up testing a week later.
Our next step was to see if anything suspicious showed up on a PET/CT scan, which occurred yesterday (May 11). I got my results late this afternoon via patient portal. Everything looks normal. YAY! (WHEW!) I see my oncologist on Monday for the official word, but "No hypermetabolic malignancy/metastases." pretty much covers it. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes! <3 Larger size at https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4190/33776645394_4af0256f32_c.jpg.