The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen –Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery

california_artist

A cookbook and beyond.

There is one section devoted to side effects of chemo and radiation with a list that includes first a reference to what you may be experiencing, such as anemia, fatigue, neutropenia, sore mouth and difficulty swallowing, weight loss, followed by a category, say soups, protein building foods, veggies, etc. That category is followed by a recipe name and page number. So, let’s say you say to your helper, whomever they are, that you are feeling really nauseous, they can grab the book, flip to this section, find a recipe and feel, well I would feel really useful being able to do something to help.

The author’s name’s are Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson.

Hope you find an opportunity to give it a quick glance anyway.

In love and caring,

Claudia

Rewriter

Thank you, Claudia
As always, you've shared very helpful information.

I love the new photo. Is that your father or brother? It's hard to tell the possible age difference.


Jill

california_artist

Rewriter said:

Thank you, Claudia
As always, you've shared very helpful information.

I love the new photo. Is that your father or brother? It's hard to tell the possible age difference.


Jill

Jill
Regarding the photo, I am seven and have just cut my bangs, hence the little upside down triangle in them, my dad, my best friend, is 34 in that photo. When he was in his seventies, people thought he was in his late fifties. I miss him terribly. He died of cancer years before I ever had a clue about anything in regards to cancer.

Some days, I dream I can go back and help him with the things I know now. One of the few regretable "shoulda's" in my life. But it's just so huge.

Think your thread on food in a marvelous idea. I put this here because it will be quick to see by those newly sturggling with treatment issues.

Love,

Claudia

Fayard

As long as the recipes do
As long as the recipes do not include sugary and meaty recipes, I'll go for it!

Gracias!

txtrisha55

Cook book
Thanks for the cook book information. I have just ordered it from Books-a-Million along with their other cookbook One Bite at a Time : Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends. So I will see what type of recipes it has.

I am currently through with treatments and the last CT scan 12 Sep, I was NED. I go back in Dec for another CT scan. I had MMMT stage 3c1 as it had gone into 1 lymph node. So hopefully with the 6 rounds of carbo/taxol it took care of it.

Looking for recipes that will help with a healthier life style.

Thanks, Trish

jazzy1

txtrisha55 said:

Cook book
Thanks for the cook book information. I have just ordered it from Books-a-Million along with their other cookbook One Bite at a Time : Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends. So I will see what type of recipes it has.

I am currently through with treatments and the last CT scan 12 Sep, I was NED. I go back in Dec for another CT scan. I had MMMT stage 3c1 as it had gone into 1 lymph node. So hopefully with the 6 rounds of carbo/taxol it took care of it.

Looking for recipes that will help with a healthier life style.

Thanks, Trish

Trish
Welcome and congrats on completing treatments. When I read about your MMMMT cancer I had to chime in right away. I'm NED since July '09 post treatments, diagnosed with MMMT, stage 3C with cancer found in 1 pelvic lymph node. I had 6 rounds of chemo (carpo/taxol) and 33 sessions of external pelvic radiation. You have any radiation?

Know there's hope for us all and keep plugging along! Keep in touch as nice to see someone who was where I was a few years ago. Might I ask where you live....I'm in St Louis?

Hugs,
Jan

txtrisha55

jazzy1 said:

Trish
Welcome and congrats on completing treatments. When I read about your MMMMT cancer I had to chime in right away. I'm NED since July '09 post treatments, diagnosed with MMMT, stage 3C with cancer found in 1 pelvic lymph node. I had 6 rounds of chemo (carpo/taxol) and 33 sessions of external pelvic radiation. You have any radiation?

Know there's hope for us all and keep plugging along! Keep in touch as nice to see someone who was where I was a few years ago. Might I ask where you live....I'm in St Louis?

Hugs,
Jan

No radiation
My Dr at UT Southwestern (Dallas, TX) said they would not do any radiation that they did not want to radiate the whole pelvic area. Dr Lea did do a complete hysterectomy but explored inside the abdominal and pelvic area during surgery. It was first thought that the tumor was contained to just the uterus but after surgery it was discovered by the pathology report that one Left obturator lymph node had two microscopic cells in it. When given the report results, Dr stated that it was OK because they were microscopic. Because everything that had a cancer cell was removed the radiation for the whole area would possibly do more damage than good. My family asked which chemo she would suggest knowing what she knew about my cancer and she said she would go with the Carbo/Taxol. She gave me all the information about one treatment clinical trial that UT was doing on different chemo treatments (Ifosfamide?/Taxol and Carbo/Taxol after I read and researched, I decided that I would not do the clinical trial and just go with the Carbo/Taxol. Ifosfamide sounded to serious and scary to me and my family so I did not want to go that route. I had 6 rounds every 21 days. I had my last chemo on 22 Aug and last CT scan on 12 Sep showed no evidence of the disease so NED. I do go back in Dec for another CT Scan.

After reading everything I read on the Internet, which my Dr told me not to do, I was worried about not getting radiation. Dr told me each case is different and each treatment is different. But I know what others went through with radiation and it has not been good, so I really did not want to go through that.

I live in Dallas, Tx and it nice to read that someone else has been there and still alive. Horror stories on line said I would die in five years. I am praying that static is wrong I want to see my grandson grow up and hopefully graduate high school. That would be in 15 more years since he is only 3 now.

jazzy1

txtrisha55 said:

No radiation
My Dr at UT Southwestern (Dallas, TX) said they would not do any radiation that they did not want to radiate the whole pelvic area. Dr Lea did do a complete hysterectomy but explored inside the abdominal and pelvic area during surgery. It was first thought that the tumor was contained to just the uterus but after surgery it was discovered by the pathology report that one Left obturator lymph node had two microscopic cells in it. When given the report results, Dr stated that it was OK because they were microscopic. Because everything that had a cancer cell was removed the radiation for the whole area would possibly do more damage than good. My family asked which chemo she would suggest knowing what she knew about my cancer and she said she would go with the Carbo/Taxol. She gave me all the information about one treatment clinical trial that UT was doing on different chemo treatments (Ifosfamide?/Taxol and Carbo/Taxol after I read and researched, I decided that I would not do the clinical trial and just go with the Carbo/Taxol. Ifosfamide sounded to serious and scary to me and my family so I did not want to go that route. I had 6 rounds every 21 days. I had my last chemo on 22 Aug and last CT scan on 12 Sep showed no evidence of the disease so NED. I do go back in Dec for another CT Scan.

After reading everything I read on the Internet, which my Dr told me not to do, I was worried about not getting radiation. Dr told me each case is different and each treatment is different. But I know what others went through with radiation and it has not been good, so I really did not want to go through that.

I live in Dallas, Tx and it nice to read that someone else has been there and still alive. Horror stories on line said I would die in five years. I am praying that static is wrong I want to see my grandson grow up and hopefully graduate high school. That would be in 15 more years since he is only 3 now.

Trisha
I've heard both side of having or not having radiation and then there's external and internal as well. My doc told me this is the "standard" and when he does radiation it will zap where the cancer was found, pelvic lymph node. Chemo comes in and just kills all the microscopic cells they can't see. I was happy with whatever he suggested as he's very knowledgeable with MMMT as has had many patients over the years and have wonderful success records.

Radiation is difficult and has many long-term side affects. One I'm enduring now is sciatic pain. Finished treatments July '09 and by Dec '09 I was starting with lower back pain and now into sciatica pain. Radiation just dries up everything and I'm a rather small-sized person so surely it was more hard on my bones. I did have DEXA scan prior to treatments and my top of hip area saw thinning and this past month (2 yrs later) the DEXA was "normal". Thankfully per my personal trainer beating into my head about "weight-bearing" exercises importance, it worked. Just learn to live with some minor pain and truthfully, it's manageable.

I was told as well, don't look at the research on our cancer....very outdated!! Keep the faith and don't every give up, you'll see your grandson graduate in 15 years....believe it my friend~

Does your doc follow the CA125?

Best to you
Jan

txtrisha55

jazzy1 said:

Trisha
I've heard both side of having or not having radiation and then there's external and internal as well. My doc told me this is the "standard" and when he does radiation it will zap where the cancer was found, pelvic lymph node. Chemo comes in and just kills all the microscopic cells they can't see. I was happy with whatever he suggested as he's very knowledgeable with MMMT as has had many patients over the years and have wonderful success records.

Radiation is difficult and has many long-term side affects. One I'm enduring now is sciatic pain. Finished treatments July '09 and by Dec '09 I was starting with lower back pain and now into sciatica pain. Radiation just dries up everything and I'm a rather small-sized person so surely it was more hard on my bones. I did have DEXA scan prior to treatments and my top of hip area saw thinning and this past month (2 yrs later) the DEXA was "normal". Thankfully per my personal trainer beating into my head about "weight-bearing" exercises importance, it worked. Just learn to live with some minor pain and truthfully, it's manageable.

I was told as well, don't look at the research on our cancer....very outdated!! Keep the faith and don't every give up, you'll see your grandson graduate in 15 years....believe it my friend~

Does your doc follow the CA125?

Best to you
Jan

Last CA 125 was 19
Here are my CA 125 numbers. The 4/4 is before surgery and each number after is before my chemo treatment that day except for 9/12 which is 21 days after the last treatment.
4/4 5/6 5/27 6/20 7/11 8/1 8/22 9/12
15.5 169.2 73.7 39.9 38.7 23.1 22.9 19.5
But just as with all the Drs, CA125 is not a MMMT marker. A person can also have diarrhea, stomach flu, gastritis or any other problems in the abdominal area that will cause the CA125 marker to be elevated. It is a good sign something is going on in there and we will take a closer look.

I am a very laid back person anyway and usually just go with the flow of life. Don't sweat the small stuff and this too shall pass. what God bring to you He will also carry you through it.

People at my work see me as some great person having gone through this life challeging ordeal with grace and dignity and being so strong through it. I see myself as doing what the Drs told me to do and not being a Martyr. I did not let the lose of hair get me down, small stuff. As one person said I did not lose my girly cause I worn jewerly and dressed nice. My attitude was always upbeat except if I was home and with family. If I had a poor me moment I went to my room but they were far and few between.

That is just the way I am, I guess. Been this way for over 55 years now, to old to change now.

thanks, trish