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TBP Blog

The Realities of Cancer and Covid During The Holidays

12/18/2020

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The 2020 holidays have been and will continue to be difficult for all of us. Not being able to travel, see our loved ones, or do many of our favorite traditions is going to be strange. While it might be hard, it might be incredibly beneficial for everyone going through and living with a cancer diagnosis.

Hello, warriors, friends, and dear readers! We know the holiday season can be incredibly difficult for you and for many reasons. While going through your cancer treatments you begin to ask those dark lurking questions; how will this affect my family? How long do I have left? Am I going to beat this? When the holidays come around, these questions tend to get a little darker; what will the holidays be like after I'm gone? Is this my last Christmas? How many more holidays do I have left? While we will try to do everything we can to help comfort and support you on this difficult journey, we also know that sometimes even the most comforting words and actions can't touch those dark places and dark thoughts. However, that doesn't mean we are going to stop our positivity and hope that we want to share with you anytime soon. This blog is going to be a few different things; something to help cheer you up, give you some hope, provide some insight to your loved ones and our readers, and to give everyone a little perspective. We've now all heard it one too many times, that this year is going to be different from all the rest. Through all the difficulties this year has given us, and the fact that this will be hard to spend the holidays apart, this might be something good for all of our warriors going through their treatments, diagnosis, and those living in their survivorship. 

The holidays without cancer are already hard difficult; you're constantly running around, shopping, worrying about seeing everyone, making plans, cooking, attending all the holiday events, and trying to make everyone happy. The holidays with cancer are even more difficult. Its all of your normal holiday stress combined with always being tired, feeling sick, having to say no to things and dealing with the guilt that comes with that, being sick, not being able to taste or eat your favorite foods, not being able to participate in your favorite activities, and more. It's a lot, and when your family and friends outside of your close and supportive care group and team don't quite understand this, it makes it even more difficult. We don't need to go into any more detail, because you already understand this. You're living this right now and you've been going through it ever since you were diagnosed. However, this year might be a little different

A Holiday To Pause

For the past nine months our lives, what's safe, and how we are living has all changed. For our warriors and those in survivorship and remission, you've had to be extra safe, as have your immediate members of your bubble and everyone who lives with you. You are making even fewer trips outside of your house, you could be working from home, seeing a very limited amount of people, you may have been going into doctors appointments and treatments alone, faced canceled and rescheduled doctors appointments, spent a lot of time on Zoom, and more. Now that the holidays are here and the pandemic numbers haven't improved but have instead continued to grow, everyone is starting to see changes. Our favorite Christmas gatherings have been canceled or made virtual, large gatherings are still not recommended, traveling is still not recommended, and it is still recommended that you limit your exposure and stay home as much as possible. While this is devastating for so many, this is something that needs to be observed by our warriors and their families.

While choosing to be healthy and staying healthy, you are also protecting others by limiting your exposure. You can take the opportunity of not being able to gather and travel this year to rest and enjoy the holidays how you choose instead of stressing yourself out. You can slow down and create new traditions with your loved ones inside your bubble and create unique ones with all the family you'll be seeing virtually this year. If your treatments are difficult over the holidays and you're sick, feeling ill, or are exhausted you don't have to make up any excuses or feel bad about not being able to attend a holiday function. As difficult as the holidays are, as difficult as this year has been, take this time to rest, recover, fight, heal, and keep yourself safe while the world is on pause. We do urge you to remember this: please understand to be even more conscious for our warriors who don't have the immune system or strength to battle off what we are all trying to fight off and avoid. Remember, they are already fighting a battle. Don't give them another one to fight. 

Remember, Please

To our dear care teams and family members who make up the family bubbles for all of our warriors, we know this time of year is difficult for you as well, and that 2020 has not made that any easier. Please continue to be safe and to practice all of your safety measures because this isn't just for you. You're doing all of this and being safe for them and everyone else you see this holiday season. Even if it is difficult to say no and you choose to celebrate safely this year, that is the best gift you can give to everyone. With that on your mind, we also wanted to share a few more ideas on how to help your loved ones going through this holiday. We also wanted to share some ideas and tips for our warriors to remember, too! 
  • Remember to set goals that are realistic for you and your loved ones to reach and for this current situation. The holidays won't be perfect, but you still have a holiday to share. 
  • Finances have already been difficult this year. Set an actual and reasonable budget and stick to it. Taking financial stress off of your loved ones right now is very important and needed. Minimize what they have to worry about right now. 
  • Instead of buying a bunch of expensive gifts, change it up this year. Do a secret Santa, do homemade gifts, donate to a cancer organization or food bank, be honest with your loved ones about what you financially need, and let them help you. Don't stress about giving, stress about being there, and loving one another. 
  • Without big gatherings and parties to worry about, create holiday menus full of food that your loved ones going through treatment can eat and enjoy without any difficulties. 
  • Don't be afraid to ask for help. Make sure that if you need anything, that you ask for it. 
  • Find creative ways together to create special moments and a creative new fun and meaningful traditions. 
  • Continue to be open with one another about what you need mentally and physically. 
  • Continue to celebrate every triumph together big and small, and to cheer one another on through the hard days. 
  • With the ongoing and unknown future of cold weather and how that will affect cases, be prepared for your appointments to be changed and moved around for your safety. 
  • Be prepared. Avoid going out as much as possible. Have enough over the counter and prescription medications to last a month just in case, and stock up on all supplies and food in your home as well. 
  • Medications might be prescribed to help in between treatment appointments, as they might be spread out even more than they have been. 
  • Create a backup emergency contact list just in case. Include a few more names in different circles than you normally would. 

Recap
We know this time of year is difficult. We know this blog might come off a little strangely, but we are searching for and highlighting all the silver linings that we can find. We are here for you, fighting for you, and very much in this boat with you this holiday season. If anything, please remember these things when walking away from the blog today: 
  • Know and understand your risk
  • Choosing to stay apart is choosing to be safe and choosing your loved one's safety
  • Keep in communication with your loved ones. A virtual relationship might be strange, but they need it as much as they need you. 
  • If you are celebrating the holidays together this year, wear masks, keep your visits short, maintain social distance, and consider bringing your own food to avoid contact with others. 
  • Don't try to make the holidays any more than what they need to be for your family or children. They are just happy to have you during the holidays. 

Through the difficulties of this year, your battle with breast cancer and remission, the holidays, the pandemic, and everything in between, we are here. We are here to help comfort, help with your healing, and help you feel better in as many ways as possible. Keep searing for your silver linings and let's carry them into the new year! 

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What Breast Cancer Awareness Means To Us (Part One)

10/19/2020

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Every day is breast cancer awareness month, but October is when we all turn pink. During this month, we celebrate those who have fought, those who have lost, and those who stand beside us. One day at a time, we are trying to save as many lives as possible! 

Hello, warriors! As you know, October has dawned and brought in Breast Cancer Awareness month. We know this is a daily fight and battle for you and your loved ones, but October brings your reality into the light of the rest of the world. You finally get the attention you deserve, and you really get to share the truth about breast cancer and how truly devastating it is right in front of the eyes of the public. We wish breast cancer, the need for a cure, and the battle you all fight could get this kind of attention every day and every month. Since we only have one month, we are going to make the most of it. It's time to educate, spread the world, and share your truth. Remember that we see you, we support you, we hear you, and we will be here for you every step of your battle! 

According to the Susan G. Komen foundation, every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, 115 lives are lost to metastatic breast cancer every day, and 2 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. What's even more shocking than those numbers is the fact that each of these statistics is still a surprise to millions of people every day. It's still a shock that it is more common to be diagnosed with cancer before you turn 40 than most people realize, and it is still possible to be diagnosed with cancer during your pregnancy. While these are all topics we have touched on many times in our blogs, across our social media, and as much as we possibly can in our offices, it's still not enough. That is why we must continue to raise awareness every day. 

This is the perfect time to use your voice and your story to educate others in realizing their chances of getting breast cancer and what signs they need to be looking for. Use your survivorship to spread the word about early education and to promote self-breast exams from a young age. While this is a battle that you wage every day, when October rolls around, it's time to turn that fight in a new direction. The world needs to hear your stories and your truth, and you deserve to be heard. October goes beyond wearing pink. We are finally getting the opportunity to fight publicly and with the public's attention. To all of our warriors, we are so sorry that you don't get this kind of support and attention every day, and every month, you deserve it. Your fight and the struggles your family goes through every day deserves to be more than a trending hashtag for 31 days that casually gets overlooked by Halloween. Let us join together to change this and continue to spread information out into the world together, and to finally cure this horrible and devastating disease! 

While we are standing strong together spreading awareness and teaching about the importance of early detection, what else can we do this month and beyond to make the most out of breast cancer awareness month, outside of wearing our pink tags? Obviously, because of the current pandemic, this year might look a little different. We might not be able to gather like we have been used to. We might not be able to cheer each other on or walk for our loved ones in person or in big crowds, but that doesn't mean you can't make the most of this month and still support the future of the breast cancer cure. We have been doing our research and listening to all of you on how we can continue to support one another. One of the first resources we stumbled upon was Breast Cancer Now. This incredible foundation, set in the UK, will give you an incredible outside look at what the world is doing to help all of us achieve our common goal of curing breast cancer. They have an incredible social media presence and an incredible website. In years past, we might not have been able to attend some of their events, but the silver lining is that thanks to the wonders of the internet and needing to stay home for our safety - we can join together and be a stronger community than ever before. Make sure to visit their website by following the link below! 

https://breastcancernow.org/breast-cancer-research

They also have two very important and inspiring ways of getting involved in your community that were so inspiring to us that we had to share. These fantastic ideas are all things that you can do right now here in the US and that will both be a wonderful addition to our fight this month and beyond. These events are all inspired by their "press play" platform, and we just think it's outstanding. So let's sit back and press play together! 
  • Idea One. You can hold your own charity event! You don't have to wait for others to hold a huge event to participate in this year, or any year. As long as you are participating safely, every little bit counts. Everything you do brings cancer research one step closer to finding a cure. Wear pink, and spread the message every time you do get the chance to (safely) go outside. A pink mask, a pink shirt, and any clothing item that could strike up a conversation. This is a great opportunity to talk about awareness and early examination, plus you will look fabulous. You can also fundraise from your home! There are hundreds of ways to do it thanks to social media, money-raising campaigns, apps, and more! This even promotes safety during our current pandemic while still raising money and awareness. There is also no wrong way of doing your own fundraising. Contact your local breast cancer organizations like the American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen foundation, and others for tips and suggestions on how to fundraise your own way this year, and as safely as possible. 
  • Idea Two. Picking up the phone. While we are fighting to stay healthy and safe from the coronavirus, it has also gotten in the way of vital research, has delayed diagnosis, put screenings on hold, and it has also resulted in a huge loss in cancer referrals. This means that unless we do something right now, this could become a huge stall in the hope of a cure. You can help make a difference by picking up your phone and campaign with your local and federal legislation to change this. Call your representatives and work hard to commit funding for breast cancer and breast cancer research. Push them to find the safest way possible for breast cancer research to return as quickly as possible, and to help get treatment and care for breast cancer patients back to its normal capacity. This can all be done from the safety of your home and it only takes a few minutes. This is something you can do every day of October and beyond to make a continued fight, effort, and difference. 

Have you been feeling like you're not giving back enough, doing enough, or that you haven't found the right voice of action for your personal path? That's okay! This month we are going to continue to share more ideas on how all of our warriors and their loved ones can give back, keep fighting, and how to bring awareness into everyday life - and not just in October! Be well out there, we know that you're fighting hard. You are not alone in this, and you never will be!
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What Does Survivorship Look Like?

6/16/2020

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Life after treatment looks different for everyone, but what could it look like for you? 

Healing, as we mentioned in our last blog, comes in may waves. Survivorship becomes a way of life, and it looks a little different for everyone. It's a daily battle to deal with but you are strong enough, wise enough, and worthy enough to live with it and through it. You are allowed to claim how you want to live your life. We do offer several services to help your survivorship feel a little easier. After life-changing events, we offer total wellness through IV therapy to help with energy, laser scar revision following surgery, skin resurfacing and rejuvenation using the latest laser technology, dermal fillers for fine lines and wrinkles, body contouring to address unwanted areas of fat with noninvasive treatment, and more. We are here for you in many ways, please never hesitate to reach out. 

What else can survivorship look like? For some, it begins when you've finished treatment, and there are no signs of cancer left. For others, it begins with their diagnosis and continues through a long term treatment that helps manage their illness or helps reduce the risk of it returning. It is a different process, because how you physically and mentally respond is not the same for everyone, and that's ok. Here are some tips and suggestions on how to handle what you might be feeling and going through to provide some peace and guidance. 
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  • Continued Care
For some, continued medical care is needed. Medical checkups, tests, and other health care monitoring recommended and prescribed by your doctor and medical care team needs to be taken seriously and followed. This can range from emotional counseling to physical therapy and all forms of continued care are important to your healing and survivorship journey. These appointments can cause some anxiety and worry. Continued care after your cancer has been beaten into remission can still bring on the worry that it could come back. It can be hard to change care teams and doctors for this continued care when you're already so used to the one you've had this whole time. If you are feeling this way, feeling anxious, or feeling worried, it is important to talk about these concerns with your current care team, family members, and potential new care team. Putting continued care first and making it a priority in your life allows you to stay ahead of what could become. It can also help you remain productive and independent in your life and with your health. Just like chemo and radiation, continued care is focused on keeping you healthy and happy for as long as possible. 

  • Giving To Your Body
Health and wellness have been a part of your battle since your diagnosis, and taking care of your body might move to a whole new level through your survivorship. This might mean embarking on a whole new workout regime with your partner, a trainer, or on your own. This can help build your strength back up after treatment, increase your energy, and make you feel better overall. It can help manage stress and anger, too. Changing your eating habits, eating healthier, quitting smoking, and limiting your alcohol intake can also improve your daily and long term health. It can also continue to make you feel better. Making room and time for your emotional and mental health is very important too. Make sure you have a good support system in your caregivers and with medical professionals if and when it is needed. 

  • Your Loved Ones
As your journey changes, it also changes for your loved ones and caregivers. Survivorship means something different for them, and it evolves as it does for you. They are impacted daily from the moment you are diagnosed and beyond. As you go through and finish treatment, their roles as caregivers change from being involved in every step to being needed less and less. This adjustment can be a hard one for them, as they figure out how and how much they are needed in the next steps of your life. 

  • The Next Challenge
As we've talked about in our last blog, your body may experience long term or permanent changes from treatment. These changes are had to adapt to and to live with. But, knowing what challenges you're facing, knowing how to face them, how to live with them, and how to treat them can empower you and ease your burden. Having the care you need physically, emotionally, and professionally is also very important in making this step successful. You may also be experiencing financial issues, changes in your career, and changes in your day to day living. Talking with your insurance companies, your financial planner, and a career counselor can help you manage these next steps as well. Your body might also take you down a different path than you expected. For younger patients now living with survivorship, infertility and early onset menopause could be something you're now facing. If you are wanting to conceive after treatment, discuss this with your doctor. There are new options that are now available to help with these struggles. 

  • Your Voice Matters
Your journey, your survivorship, and what you want to share about it with others to help comfort them through their journey is valid, worthy, and empowering. Join the movement and help educate others. Share the importance of early detection, share your story, and support when and where you can. A blog, meeting with support groups, becoming a mentor, and sharing what you've been through can make all the difference. It can empower those you meet and it can also empower you. The pen and paper are very mighty, as is the social media world. 

It is common for the first year after your treatment has finished to be the hardest of all the years to follow. Take these tips to heart, and know we're here to help you through your whole survivorship journey. If you are interested in any of our services, please contact us at your earliest convenience and visit our website to request a consultation. We are here when you need us. Your survivorship is as unique as you are, and that is ok. We can embrace it together and give you the best quality of life as possible. Continue to fight, be proud of the journey you're on, and be well. 

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