In 2015, malignant pleural mesothelioma interrupted the 57-year Thanksgiving Day family tradition that Marian Levin loved so much. It broke her heart, but it didn’t break her. Instead, it sparked a passion to resume hosting the annual feast that always includes a table filled with delectable dishes she personally makes from scratch. “I was really crushed the year I couldn’t host Thanksgiving. It was one of the most traumatic things,” she said. “It was always my way of showing love for my family. Instead, I was stuck in the hospital that day with a feeding tube, sucking on a sponge.” Levin had undergone pleurectomy and decortication surgery — one of the most aggressive mesothelioma treatments — a few days before Thanksgiving. She had to leave the meal prep work, with specific instructions, to other family members. “One of the grandkids told me later, ‘Granny, please don’t get sick again. Dinner was all screwed up without you. It was so bad. We couldn’t even eat the stuffing,’” Levin said with a laugh. “I knew then, I had to get well.” A Menu That Makes You HungryLevin, a retired school teacher in suburban Philadelphia, resumed hosting again in 2016, rekindling a lifetime of Thanksgiving Day memories. The tradition began when she was a newlywed just learning where the kitchen was. Now it includes a grandchild ready to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy, who remembers what he once ate from the highchair. The chocolate mousse cake, the pumpkin cheese pie, the Liam French-style peas, the cranberry sauce, the potato/cheese/mushroom casserole and her famous turkey stuffing are just a few of the homemade delights Levin has made for decades. “I can’t do the cooking all at once anymore. I don’t have the strength now. I have to do it in stages, but I still get it all done,” she said. “And it has to be homemade. Years ago, I fudged a little and bought one pie from a store, and my daughter from California says, ‘Mom, I didn’t travel 3,000 miles to eat an apple pie from Costco.’” Family Support So ImportantSurviving mesothelioma hasn’t been easy. But with help from husband, Max, days like Thanksgiving have made it well worth the fight. So have days like her 80th birthday party, when her four children and four grandchildren all attended, traveling from around the country to celebrate the occasion. “To have them all here at a party that I never thought I’d be at, showed me how lucky and fortunate I’ve been,” she said. “I wake up every morning now and say, ‘Hey, I’m still here and still functioning. That’s a pretty good place to be.’” The initial complications of her surgery in 2015 were awful. Chemotherapy after surgery was dreadful, an experience she has vowed never to repeat. Catching her breath today can be challenging, even after a leisurely stroll. Lingering nerve damage from the surgery has made pain a constant companion. Yet, she sees only positives. Her follow-up CT scans are still coming back clean. She is grateful for living just 30-minutes away from the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. There, her surgery was performed by Dr. Sunil Singhal, and her care has continued under oncologist Dr. Evan Alley. “Most everything physical is gone for me, but I’ve never felt sorry for myself, never had that ‘why me?’ attitude,” she said. “I do other things now. What was, was. And this is now. I go day by day. Some days are better than others, but they’re all good because I’m still here.” A Life Full of TravelHer days as an always-on-the-go dynamo are over, but she still smiles at those memories. With her summers free as a school teacher, she traveled the world — sometimes with her husband, sometimes with a daughter, and sometimes by herself. Her pace rarely slowed. Her stories span the globe. She’s been to China, India and Morocco. She’s been through Japan, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia. She has visited Germany, Greece, England, Spain and Belgium. Uruguay and Argentina were nice, too. “It was so much fun, so educational, meeting real people from all over the world,” she said. “What I learned is that people everywhere are basically the same. Everybody, everywhere, just wants what’s best for their children. You smile, show friendliness, and people everywhere respond.” The travel bug started in college with a study-abroad program. It never ended. She didn’t go on scheduled tours, either. She often went on foot, hiking and biking her way across cities and countryside. She loved the experience of different cultures. She retired early to travel more. “It’s been an eventful life I’ve lived,” she said. “No regrets.” Living at a Slower PaceMuch of her time now is spent reading. She still exercises in the pool. She walks to the post office, almost a mile away. She loves to play Mahjongg, and she still loves engaging others. “You can make yourself miserable with this disease, but if you do, it just makes those around you miserable,” she said. “That’s not me. Surrounding yourself with positive people really helps.” Her last extended trip, to Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria early in 2015, was when she realized something was seriously wrong. The walks were getting more difficult. Her energy was down. She fell. She had been diagnosed with pleurisy, an inflammation of the tissue that lines the lungs, a few years before. The fluid around her lungs had been drained three times, and nothing more serious was uncovered. The fourth time led to an exploratory surgery, which led to her startling diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma. The rare cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos and has no definitive cure. “I worked in schools where there probably was asbestos, but I had no idea where. They say it can be up to 70 years after exposure before mesothelioma is diagnosed. I just wish it had been another 70 years for me.” She still expects to be in Colorado Springs for her grandson’s graduation ceremony. After all, she was there for his initial visit. She and Max have plans to reach Jamaica soon, spending time on a beach where she has never been. And of course, she has every intention of hosting Thanksgiving dinner again in November. “It’s always been my favorite holiday. Seeing everyone enjoy what I make is wonderful,” she said. “I’m not ready to give that up yet.” The post Mesothelioma Survivor Relishes Hosting Family Gatherings appeared first on Mesothelioma Center – Vital Services for Cancer Patients & Families. from https://healthyfamilyfuture.com/2019/01/29/mesothelioma-survivor-relishes-hosting-family-gatherings/
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What is Stage 4 Mesothelioma? Stage 4 Mesothelioma is the final stage of mesothelioma. There are four stages of Pleural Mesothelioma. The fourth stage is the most severe because there are not many treatments to help. The treatments that are used can only help decrease some pain and help with a situation like breathing difficulties. The ultimate goal for a patient with stage 4 is to improve their contentment; since the mesothelioma has typically progressed through the body at this stage. Stage 4 Pleural Mesothelioma InfoThe advancement of cancer is determined by how much it has spread throughout the body. This cancer has spread through many parts of the body in stage four. Mesothelioma in Stage 4 can spread to many areas, the common ones include:
Stage 4 Mesothelioma SymptomsSymptoms, such as tumors and metastasis, for this cancer are most prominent in stage four. Tumors growing in the chest can cause severe pain and difficulty breathing. New symptoms will develop as this cancer spreads to more parts of the body. Palliative treatments to help ease the pain of these symptoms are available. Medication for nausea and fatigue is the most common palliative treatment. For severe symptoms regarding the chest, a doctor can reduce chest pain by draining fluid out of the chest area or use radiation to shrink tumors. The common symptoms of stage 4 include:
Stage 4 Mesothelioma DiagnosisOut of all the mesothelioma patients, 30% are diagnosed in stage four. The patient can develop tumors that will spread through their blood and into the lymph system. To help find the areas where cancer has spread too, doctors will use MRI, CT, and PET scans. Radioactive glucose is used in PET scans to find areas that contain high glucose metabolism. On a PET scan, highlighted areas indicate where cancer cells are absorbing the glucose more than the normal cells are. Stage 4 Mesothelioma TreatmentAt this stage of cancer, some individuals are not able to have surgery due to the fact that the cancer is found in places that cannot be operated on. However, one option at this stage if palliative surgery. Common palliative treatments include:
Is Curative Surgery an Option at Stage 4 Mesothelioma?Comforting treatments are still an option at this stage, but doctors looking for more radical methods. Being a part of clinical trials, doctors have suggested radical surgery for patients at this stage, which resulted in some living months or years longer than expected. SMART Stands for “Surgery for Mesothelioma After Radiation Therapy”Attacking and shrinking the tumors using radiation is the goal doctors have before they perform surgery. Doctors have also used higher doses of radiation on tumors in more extreme cases. After radiation, EPP surgery is done to completely remove the infected lung. Surgeons remove the exposed tumors and lungs before the radiation can jeopardize the patient. Twenty- four patients had this procedure with stage three and four stages of mesothelioma, one in an earlier stage. The treatment was completed on all patients with very minor symptoms. Twenty-one out of the twenty- four lived at least 3 years after the procedure, making the survival rate 84%. Patients were carefully chosen based on overall health and tumors to partake in the SMART study. Aggressive surgery is not typically an option with patients with stage four mesothelioma. Radiation and chemotherapy are the only treatments that attempt to control the spreading of this disease. The average rate of survival of a patient with stage four is less than a year. Next Step for Stage 4 Patients Regardless if the patient is at stage four, or at a lesser stage and is getting worse, they have options to take action.
Clinical trials have helped many victims that were in stage four, live longer. With a diagnosis, patients will face a choice they have to make, but they may be eligible for a clinical trial. There is also a treatment that is available to help with symptoms. We are here to help regardless of your decision. We can help you understand the mesothelioma claim time limit or how to file a mesothelioma claim. A West Virginia mesothelioma lawyer can help victims of asbestos exposure in West Virginia. Information on Stage 3 mesothelioma can be found here. The post What is Stage 4 Mesothelioma? appeared first on Goldberg, Persky & White P.C.. from https://healthyfamilyfuture.com/2019/01/25/what-is-stage-4-mesothelioma/ Tips on Journey After LASIK The therapeutic interval after LASIK surgical procedure on the Yaldo Eye Heart is normally very fast. Nevertheless, sufferers usually have doubts about how quickly they will resume journey actions. On this article, we’ll cowl all of the dos and don’ts of journey after Lasik. Driving after LASIK Eye Surgical procedureDriving after lasik eye surgical procedure is just not beneficial. You should keep in mind that after present process LASIK surgical procedure you won’t be able to drive again house, that’s the reason it is suggested that the affected person goes to the surgical procedure with a companion. Typically eye surgeons prescribe a gentle sedative, similar to Valium, which ought to be taken earlier than surgical procedure to assist sufferers keep relaxed throughout the process. The impact of the medicine takes a number of hours to vanish, due to this fact the notion and response of sufferers might be affected throughout that point. As well as, after the surgical procedure, the affected person’s imaginative and prescient might be blurred as a result of lubricating drops utilized instantly after the process. Due to these two components, it is vital for sufferers to rearrange for somebody to drive them house following the process. After the LASIK process, sufferers might expertise dry eye signs throughout the therapeutic and restoration course of. The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center studies that the attention is extra susceptible to drying environments within the six months after LASIK surgical procedure. Dry eyes could make imaginative and prescient blurry throughout the first days of the therapeutic course of. The usage of synthetic tears could be very helpful to alleviate the signs of dry eye. Some sufferers, significantly these in dry climates and air-conditioned environments, might select to use drops each few hours for per week or two after Michigan laser eye surgery. It isn’t beneficial to drive after lasik eye surgical procedure. Within the first 24 hours after your surgical procedure, most sufferers expertise a major enchancment of their imaginative and prescient, roughly 20/40 or higher. The imaginative and prescient then continues to enhance steadily over the subsequent few weeks. Normally, the surgeon schedules a postoperative checkup the day after LASIK surgical procedure. Most sufferers really feel snug sufficient with their imaginative and prescient to go to their appointment. Some sufferers might expertise sensitivity to mild and select to delay driving for a day or two. The usage of sun shades is beneficial to attenuate publicity to intense daylight, particularly the week after surgical procedure. Flying after LASIK Eye Surgical procedureFlying after lasik eye surgical procedure is quite common. Most sufferers with LASIK are allowed to fly throughout their next-day follow-up appointment. That is excellent news for sufferers who traveled exterior their metropolis to carry out this process, in addition to for individuals who journey regularly for work or pleasure causes. The attention is just not affected by the pressurization of the altitude within the cockpit of an airplane in another way after laser eye surgical procedure. Nevertheless, as a result of the cabins of the plane have low humidity, the affected person is normally extra liable to endure signs of dry eye throughout the flight. Due to this fact, when touring on an airplane, use lubricant drops extra regularly to fight the dryness brought on by air-con. Additionally, if in case you have dry eyes whereas on an airplane, closing your eyes throughout the flight and limiting participation in actions that contain staring (engaged on a pc or studying) will help you scale back signs. You will need to keep away from rubbing the eyes or having mud within the eyes. Good hydration is at all times vital, drink further water when your flies will be very useful. This will help once you get Detroit lasik eye surgery at our clinic. Sufferers ought to keep away from any type of trauma to the attention after present process LASIK. It is for that reason that ophthalmologists suggest avoiding the follow of contact sports activities for a month and swimming pools and scorching tubs for 2 months after laser eye surgical procedure. In case you are touring to a trip vacation spot that entails excessive ranges of athletic exercise or swimming, plan the time of surgical procedure and holidays accordingly. Sports activities eye safety and using sun shades whatever the season are important. These causes make it okay for flying after lasik eye surgical procedure. Touring for work after LasikMost sufferers who bear LASIK Michigan can rejoin their work actions inside a day or two after their LASIK surgical procedure. Through the first few days, you might need to plan to take quick breaks to relaxation your eyes. In case your occupation makes scheduling breaks tougher, like truck drivers, firefighters, and pilots, speak to your physician about when to return to work. Pilots, for instance, might not plan to take breaks as a result of want for visible tips. In truth, the imaginative and prescient supplies pilots with roughly 80 p.c of all flight data, together with air site visitors, dangers and printed supplies, similar to flight paperwork and cockpit devices. LASIK eye surgery Michigan has little impression on journey plans, nevertheless, you must take sure precautions to keep away from the looks of bothersome signs after surgical procedure. After the process, sufferers can resume their regular actions in a brief time frame and, on the identical time, get pleasure from extra totally an energetic life-style. The submit Guidelines on Travel After LASIK appeared first on Top Michigan Lasik Eye Surgery | Yaldo Eye Center | (248) 553-9800. from https://healthyfamilyfuture.com/2019/01/25/tips-on-journey-after-lasik/ A team of Australian researchers have identified a new way to detect the presence of cancer in the body with a 10-minute blood test. The study was published Dec. 4, 2018, in Nature Communications. “Our approach also enabled noninvasive cancer detection [i.e., a blood test] in 10 [minutes] from plasma derived cfDNA samples,” the authors wrote. This may help patients with difficult-to-diagnose cancers such as mesothelioma get answers quicker. Symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to signs of less-serious diseases, and diagnosis of this asbestos-related cancer can be delayed for many months. This new, rapid cancer detection method may help doctors and their mesothelioma patients minimize the time required to diagnose the disease. How Cancer Reveals ItselfMany people with cancer are not aware they have it until symptoms appear. This can delay diagnosis and make effective treatment more difficult. In the worst-case scenario, cancer can spread beyond the original location, making it nearly impossible to cure. For some types of cancer, the tumor produces specific substances, called biomarkers, which can be tracked. However, most of these markers are specific only to one type of cancer. None of the biomarkers approved for clinical use can identify multiple types of cancer. A cancer test that detects many cancer types would be a much-needed addition to current screening options. This is especially true for mesothelioma, which currently has no screening options at all. Unique Pattern of DNA Tags Identify CancerThe Australian researchers looked for changes in DNA methyl group tagging patterns to identify a single method for detecting cancer. First, the investigators processed DNA from cancer cell lines and normal cells. Then samples were tested for physical, chemical and electrical properties. These key properties clearly differed between normal cells and cancer cells. The differences were determined by the methyl group patterns on the cells. Because these tags are known as methyl groups, the study authors referred to the DNA tagging patterns as the Methylscape. Identifying Cancer Patients Through Blood TestingIsolating whole cancer cells from a blood sample is very difficult. Free DNA from cancer cells, however, can be found this way. As with normal cells, cancer cells can die and their contents can spill into circulation. In this way, even if a tumor has not spread beyond its original location, DNA from that cancer may be present in blood. The study authors isolated free DNA from blood samples of 100 patients with breast or colon cancer and 45 people without cancer. From this tiny amount of free DNA, the researchers identified which patients had cancer and which were the healthy controls with a high degree of accuracy. By focusing on DNA tagging differences between normal and cancer cells rather than changes in the DNA itself, the researchers identified people with and without cancer. “We exploit these Methylscape differences to develop simple, highly sensitive and selective electrochemical or colorimetric one-step assays for the detection of cancer,” the authors wrote. “These assays are quick, i.e., analysis time ≤10 minutes, and require minimal sample preparation and small DNA input.” A Universal Cancer TestThe new research has uncovered the promise of a universal cancer test. The downside of the Methylscape method is that it may not have the ability to tell what type of cancer a person has. “Methylscape in its current form is only able to determine the presence of disease, and a detailed analysis is required to fully understand the type, stage and disease recurrence,” the authors wrote. Still, this method may have particular importance for people who are at high risk of developing mesothelioma. If a person has a history of asbestos exposure, this test may offer a way to screen for the disease without invasive biopsies or CT scans. Biopsies can be risky, putting a person at risk for infection or other complications. CT scans expose the body to high levels of radiation. They cannot be given routinely or frequently. Next Steps for the MethylscapeIn order to be useful for finding and tracking cancer, a test needs to have good sensitivity and specificity. This refers to how well it minimizes false-positive and false-negative results. This new, rapid cancer detection method appears to meet these criteria. “We believe that this simple approach (i.e. Methylscape) with the excellent sensitivity and specificity would potentially be a better alternative to the current techniques for cancer detection,” the author wrote. However, this approach will need to be tested on larger samples and more cancer types before it’s ready for prime time. This will help researchers refine the procedure and ensure the method identifies cancer in blood samples with enough accuracy to be helpful. The post Australian Researchers Develop 10-Minute Cancer Test appeared first on Mesothelioma Center – Vital Services for Cancer Patients & Families. from https://healthyfamilyfuture.com/2019/01/25/australian-researchers-develop-10-minute-cancer-test/ Cancer-induced cognitive impairment, commonly called chemo brain, is a mysterious illness that has eluded successful therapy. But lately an internet brain-training agency named BrainHQ was known for receiving consequences for cancer survivors. Chemo brain could make it hard for mesothelioma survivors to recall things or focus on what they’re doing. While its nickname joins it into chemotherapy, physicians are not certain about its precise causes. Symptoms of chemo brain may arise prior to, during or after mesothelioma treatment. They could be temporary, lasting months or weeks, or else they might be permanent. Cognitive impairments may result from treatment side effects, cancer symptoms and psychological stress. BrainHQ was made to help anyone trying to find a way to sharpen their thoughts. Research studies have shown its advantages for elderly adults and cancer survivors experiencing chemo brain. When coupled with other lifestyle enhancements, brain-training exercises may boost quality of life to mesothelioma survivors. BrainHQ Additional to NCI Database of Research-Tested ProgramsBrainHQ is an internet brain-training program produced by Posit Science. In late 2018, the National Cancer Institute recognized BrainHQ within an evidence-based cancer intervention. The NCI database clarifies as an intervention designed to help breast cancer survivors troubled by chemo brain. However, BrainHQ can reap mesothelioma patients also since it aims cognitive deficits generally, instead of the effects of any specific cancer. Dozens of research studies have proven the advantages of BrainHQ for individuals, whether old or young, healthy or sick. BrainHQ exercises May Lead to developments in:
In 2017, a study of two,800 elderly adults printed its own 10-year benefits. Called the ACTIVE Study, it analyzed three kinds of brain-training apps and compared the results to a control group. The team that used the model of BrainHQ experienced over 29 percent fewer illness cases and nearly half of the range of at-fault car crashes. Due to its favorable study results, Posit Science has shaped significant business ventures. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Defense made BrainHQ accessible to all servicemen and servicewomen. The program also has gained endorsements from stars like soccer star Tom Brady. Leveraging Illness and Algorithmic StyleBrainHQ was created by a group of neuroscientists led by Dr. Michael Merzenich. Before his job at Posit Science, Merzenich already earned acclaim for a co-inventor of their cochlear implant, a device that restores hearing to deaf men and women. Cochlear implants and BrainHQ drills are based on the science of neuroplasticity — the capacity of the brain to rewire itself. BrainHQ exercises induce the mind to think quicker, very similar to how weightlifting compels the body to construct muscle. This strategy targets the inherent problems brought on by chemo brain. Obviously, video game designers are marketing products under the wide umbrella of”mind games” for several decades. In previous decades, brain games tended to overpromise and underdeliver in regard to their measurable cognitive advantages. Among those design components that sets BrainHQ aside, however, is its own algorithm for automatically adjusting the problem of an exercise in real time. The program monitors each user’s performance and makes the exercises more or less difficult to maintain the consumer near a 85 percent success rate. This guarantees that the exercises not become too hard or too simple. Nowadays’s brain games are based on a solid foundation of neuroscience. Pleural mesothelioma survivor Emily Ward attests to the worth of brain-training pursuits. “Since you begin to age, you do not know if your memory is moving due to aging, due to chemo, due to anesthesia from surgery,” she explained. “There is so many things that could kill brain cells and also alter cells. The simple fact which you are able to take puzzles, consider emotional challenges, and do them I think that it helps. So yes, I still really do mind games all of the time. I am a firm believer in mind games.” Additional Approaches to Handle Chemo BrainBrain instruction is only 1 strategy for handling chemo mind during and following mesothelioma therapy. Lifestyle choices play a big part in just how well cancer survivors deal with and recover from chemo brain.
The article Online Exercises Recognized as Intervention for Chemo Brain appeared initially on Mesothelioma Center – Vital Services for Cancer Patients & Families. from https://healthyfamilyfuture.com/2019/01/24/online-exercises-called-intervention-for-chemo-brain/ Eye irritation: what’s causing it? Definition Eye irritation is the response produced by the eyes when they are in contact with an irritant: the eyes become red and/or watery. Sometimes they also have a burning or stinging sensation. Symptoms People with ocular irritation complain of tiredness and ocular discomfort that manifests itself with conjunctival redness, lachrymation, blurred vision and stinging, which frequently generates the need to rub the eyes or blink frequently to relieve it. They perceive a sensation of supersaturation, tension or fatigue in the eyes that they tend to attribute, erroneously, to eyestrain or vision problems. In general, the people who most frequently suffer from it are housewives, students, drivers, computer specialists, etc. Cause Eye irritation usually occurs due to external aggressions produced by various agents (smoke, environmental chemicals, chlorinated water, snow) and other irritants, which can be physical (dust, wind, extreme cold). The most common symptoms are burning eyes and inflammatory discomfort, with the sensation of having a foreign body. Another frequent cause of irritation is ocular dryness, which occurs in environments with air conditioning or heating that cause the evaporation of tear secretion. In elderly people, there is often a decrease in the production of tears that causes dry eyes and predisposes to suffer eye irritation. Tobacco smoke, dust or long working hours in front of the computer, are situations of daily life that usually produce ocular irritation. The frequent contact of the eyes with the water of the sea and, above all, with the chlorine from the pools causes eye irritation on many occasions. If we bathe in water that is too chlorinated, the fine tissue that covers the back part of the eyelid (the conjunctiva) becomes irritated, causing reddening of the conjunctiva. Of course, it is also not convenient to submerge in waters that are not treated with the necessary levels of chlorine because, precisely, their purpose is to eliminate germs and bacteria that, if they come in contact with the eyes, could cause important infections. Some people predisposed to suffer from eye discomfort are those who undergo constant fixation efforts, for example, those who work in poor lighting conditions (or with artificial light), in contaminated environments or with smoke. Michigan laser eye surgery is one of the highest rated services provided by the Yaldo Eye center. Prevention If the ocular irritation persists for more than three days, it is recommended to go to an ophthalmologist to find out the cause and receive adequate treatment. However, in most cases, irritation can be prevented with proper hygiene and eye care. One of the leading providers of lasik Michigan is the Yaldo eye center, we can help guide you on any eye treatment you are looking for. Keep in mind the following tips:
Options For those experiencing any complications or irritations with their eye should seek a lasik eye surgeon Michigan. The Yaldo eye center is one of the best choices when it comes to Michigan eye surgery. With over 20 years of experience in helping thousands of patients in Michigan and other states, we are more than qualified to take care of your eyes. Trust your eyes with the Yaldo Eye Center and call us today! The post Diagnosing and treating irritation appeared first on Top Michigan Lasik Eye Surgery | Yaldo Eye Center | (248) 553-9800. from https://healthyfamilyfuture.com/2019/01/18/diagnosing-and-treating-irritation/ |
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