Follow me to learn more about life before, during and Beyond a cancer diagnosis

Follow me to  learn more about life before, during and Beyond a cancer diagnosis
PEG Tube... not so scary ;)

Monday, June 28, 2010

Picking, Plucking, Perspiring and Praying

Well I doggedly continue on here, going about my daily routines. The heat and lack of rain have been oppressive.  I feed the animals, water the garden beds and harvest my herbs as they reach the correct stage. Persimmon leaf plucking has come to an end just in time for serious mint harvesting. The lemon balm and St. John's are an ongoing gathering process, like the chamomile. The only difference is I like to catch the lemon and St. John's just as they are coming into bloom, and the chamomile I am waiting for maximum bloom. The stevia has had a first cutting. Just enough to trim the plants back to ensure air flow among the leaves and branches so they stay nice and healthy and do not become an attractive overly moist habitat for snails. This years bunch is exceptionally sweet. I have gathered approximately 2 1/2 lbs of prime clover heads. It has been so hot and dry now I will have to wait until we get a good rain to gather more. Currently the clovers,  struggling with these drought conditions are not up to my standards at this time. Most are very undersized, and tend to dry out before they develop all the way. Glad I was a busy beaver or ant, and gathered a lot already. Through the spring season is clover and honeysuckle picking time. To everything turn turn turn there is a season turn turn.... I hope that Kev and I can come out on the other side of this whole cancer trip and get a turn to recover financially

It is sad that there are so many of us that have to stress over meeting our financial obligations. The thought of losing your home in the near future is a heavy, constant fear beyond words to describe. We have worked so hard here, and it is heartbreaking to allow myself to face the very real prospect that unless we can get back to a two income household we can not make it. Our savings have carried us as far as they can, it now time to sink or swim.

Love of money is said to be the root of all evil, I personally have reached a point in my life that I hate money. If it were not for money concerns I could be the happiest person in the world.  I don't go out to eat, or spend money on clothes, jewelry or shoes and travel, we have ALWAYS lived simply, we do not go out, we have been happy homebodies, and HOME means a lot to us.

In closing I would just like to say, if you are an herbal tea drinker please do stop by Deb's Loose Leaf Herbal Teas. I just received my first bulk order of size 1 tea filters for the single serve Better Body Blend and Pure Persimmon Leaf Herbal Tea, so now I Hope and Pray that the orders follow close behind.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Deb's Loose Leaf Herbals Now Has Single serve prefilled teabags of Better Body Blend and Pure Persimmon Leaf Tea

Yes I forgot to mention the other big news besides seeing my brother. Friday also saw the addition of two new loose leaf herbal tea products at Deb's Made In The USA Loose Leaf Herbal Teas . I have received so many emails from people interested in my loose leaf herbal green tea blends that say they are big herbal tea drinkers, but really like the convenience of ready to go teabags, with the same high quality ingredients inside as you see when you buy bulk loose. Often prefilled tea filters are dust and powder and leftovers, like ground stems etc... Not Deb's teabags though. Break one of these babies open and it is as pretty and green, and only crumbled just enough to get it into the filter.

I am now offering 30 packs of pure persimmon leaf teabags for a very reasonable price. I personally need to gain weight, as we all know from my blog, so I stick with the Better Body Blend, which has only a percentage of the blend as persimmon. Persimmon leaf has many many good aspects to it. For example lots of antioxidents, flavenoids and vitamin C. Another reason I persimmon leaf in my loose leaf herbal tea blend, that I started drinking during my cancer treatments, and it is believed to be one of the reasons it helps weight loss efforts, is that it promotes more and more regular bowel movements with a very mild laxative effect. This is important because people dealing with the pain of cancer often take narcotic pain relievers, which are constipating. So yes Persimmon leaf is an important loose leaf herbal tea ingredients in my humble opinion.  As far as pure persimmon leaf tea to support a weight loss regimen, and speed results without the jittery burn outs of diet pills many people do claim the studies are correct, that persimmon leaf tea can aid weight loss efforts.

The Better Body Blend comes in packs of 24, and they are loaded with the freshest of ingredients that are good for you. Mint and lemon balm to aid digestion and create a fresh citrus base that combines with the robust persimmon leaves which are tempered by the natural no calorie sweetness of stevia, crowned with a dash of honeysuckle and rose petals.

Stop on by, we are just a regular American couple, working hard to launch our site that is promoting a product we personally believe in to hold on to our now empty nest. It is so special when the children flock back home with the next generations, my precious grandchildren in tow, to ride the horses at gramma and grampa's, feed the chickens, go swimming, pick stuff from the garden...

Cancer has worn me down, but I am getting back up, and I really really would like to keep our little place. Kev and I have worked so hard here for over a decade, cleared the land, built the barn with our own two hands, set in the raised garden beds, built the chicken coop, planted the apples and peach trees and herb beds, and have our memories of the kids, and now grandkids. We are supposed to be the stable ones that everyone can come home to darn it. It is in God's hands, because I am trying as hard as I can.

Have a good day readers, and hope to see you over at Deb's Loose Leaf Herbal Tea.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

What Have I Been Doing

The days keep getting away from me, rolling past in a blur of business before I realize I have not updated here.

I need to let out a silent scream.

Here it goes S  -  C   -  R     -   E   -   A   -     M !!!!!!
Whew okay that's better.

I am living in a state of being on the verge of giving in to panic. I am trying hard to launch my Herbal Tea line, as well as going through some problems with my throat. It has been very painful since just after Memorial Day.  A new set of scans, as I mentioned earlier is set up for next week, but general consensus is the problem is tissue damage from the radiation treatments. The scans are on the 1st, and then I see Dr. B, my radiation oncologist, and Dr. W on the 2nd. I guess surgery for some kind of esophageal stretching is quite common, and we will be discussing this further, after all of the doctors have gotten together. I feel so special when they all meet just for me  lol.

Seriously though the finances are really getting to me. It has been a very expensive past year being in treatment. Between gas to travel to ATL. every day, parking fees, co pays, medicines, etc... etc... we have gone through all of our savings, and as it stands right now I don't want to tell my husband and panic him too, but we are only going to get by at most the next two months. In the south here the electricity jumps in the summer, so now that bill is doubled.The payment for the little economical car we bought just before I got sick, when gas was pushing $4.00 a gallon,  which seemed like such a good idea at the time with both of us working  (truth be told we couldn't have gotten by w/out it going to Atlanta everyday for treatments),  is like an albatros. It is time to fill the barn with hay for the horses, and these doctors appts with their $35 dollar co pays are killing me with appointments almost everyday with one doctor or another. Sometimes more than one doctor in a day. Food prices have skyrocketed, and I can only dream of ever having enough money to visit My daughters and grandchildren. Being military families they are always so far away.  The house needs to be painted,  sigh, the list goes on and on with seemingly no end in sight. I know the Lord can work miracles, I have no doubts what the Lord can do, my doubts center more around being deserving. I mean there are so many other people worse off than Kev and I. I am no better than anyone else, and there are many nice people in even bigger trouble.

On a good note, yesterday I got to give my brother Sgt. Ted Sweet a big hug:) His unit just came off a 14 day leave, and when they return they always come through Atlanta. I was so excited when he called. We always get to see him off when he deploys because they come through Hartsfield. I was too sick and in the hospital when he deployed this last time in January, so it was extra special for me to get the opportunity to see him, and hug him. He only had 4 hours this time, so we just hung out and talked. His hair has turned completely silver. But he is a tough guy, and was in good spirits. He was so glad I came and picked him up. He said on the way home for leave the whole unit was all happy, joking and cutting up, but yesterday he said the wait room was the saddest room in the world, everyone was bummed leaving loved ones behind. Oh it was so good to see him though, it really made my day:)

Okay, I will try to get some more on here later, I have rambled on so long that I need to get off of here and get some work done.
Peace Out                                       

Friday, June 18, 2010

Wow Can't Believe I let so Many Days Pass Without A Post

Seriously here it is Friday, and late at that, and I have not posted here since last weekend. Shame on me. I have been quite busy though, between doctors appointments and I am always doing something here.

I must admit this new pain in my throat has really been a cramp in the butt, and of course the latest problem meant a rash of trips to Atlanta to see my oncology docs. They have put me on a round of antibiotics " just in case", since I insist on kissing my parrot goodnight and the horses good morning, and clean cat boxes and horse stalls, etc.... They have also scheduled another set of scans to include neck, head and chest. He said I was due for the scans anyway. While they do the scans they said they are also going to be looking for evidence of circulatory issues due to tissue damage from radiation treatments. All in all I hope they figure this one out soon. I really think going to be a circulatory issue though, using muscles, especially arms, aggravates. Tipping my head back, like when I am star gazing at night, I can feel the stretch pulling the skin and muscles really tight all the way down to my ribs. So I think It is going to be resolved through more therapy. Keep moving and using it.

This past week was also the last of persimmon leaf picking, and I am very happy with my stores I have set aside. Persimmon leaf is a very important ingredient in my teas. I will say this though, I have read that persimmon is useful to lose weight, which is the opposite of what I need. I need to gain weight. I continue to drop a pound a week, currently at 96. I think part of it though is that pain burns calories. I have a high pain threshold, so often I just keep doing what I am doing. The more I do the more it hurts, until it reaches a point I have to take a pill to get relief. Dr. Saba said I was right and it does, but just the same I am going to try a little experiment. I am going to cut back on my persimmon leaf in my tea, and add more to my husbands. He needs to lose a few pounds, it could be an interesting experiment. Although Kev certainly won't be dieting. It's hot summer and when he is off work, he likes to have a few beers while he works around here, lol. But we'll see, if he loses and I gain:)

Big day tomorrow, going riding again. We plan to be saddled up before it gets too hot tomorrow, and IF a certain someone who will remain nameless can manage to take a few pictures w/out banging the poop out of my poor old camera that would be very nice.

This is Earnie (Earnhardt's Proverbs) The one I rode last week, this week I want to get on Jake :)

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Another Busy Busy Hot Hot Day

So, my throat is still killing me from the scope that was done day after Memorial Day. Went to Atlanta yesterday because doc said come in and he would take a look. He didn't want to use scope, due to irritation, said he thinks there may be something viral going on, and that he does not see any indication cancer has returned. He wants me to give it a few more days to see if it runs its course and starts feeling better, so I am putting up with the pain, and trying to drink lots of water to keep throat wet. Also got the saline drops he told me to get, to try to get some moisture up higher near the back of my nose. LOL he told me I could try snorting water, then he said he was just teasing and told me about the nasal spray.  That's where it is hurting the most, up high behind my nose, it hurts just breathing air across, but I have to breathe in whether I like it or not:) No matter how much I drink, teas or water, it just hasn't been getting up that high, so doc said that could be that why it has begun hurting so bad, just too dry, too long, and I have been outside too much. It has been so hot here in Georgia. He also recommended going back to wearing a face mask when I know I am going to be out for extended periods.

We had a couple of horsey people come out this morning, friends of Kev's from work. They are in the horse trading business and came to check out our  pony Sammy, to see if he would be suitable for a young boy. Sammy was such a good boy going through his paces today:) I told them I may consider selling, but I need to meet the family, and see what kind of place they have.

I have just about finished with Persimmon leaf picking for this season, I think yesterdays pluckings should just about do it. I have also set in a good amount of the St. Johns, which is blooming like crazy currently. The chamomiles have proven to be awesome producers, each day there is a fresh group of sunny yellow faces to greet me. The new stevia bed has taken off great as well. It has been so hot I was worried about them, but I have been keeping them well watered and they have now gotten almost as tall as the rest of the plants that have been there for years. The mints and lemon balm are just beginning to form buds, so I will be gathering those in earnest soon as well.

Okay I came in to enjoy the AC and cool off a bit, I'm gonna have a root beer float and chill a bit:)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Sore Throat Finally Making me Go To Doctors

Okay well I have been trying really hard to ignore the pain that began in my throat last Tuesday after a follow up scope by the ENT/ONC specialist. I have to admit it, because it has  reached a point where even air coming across it hurts severely. Since I do have to breathe whether I like it or not needless to say, air is constantly aggravating the pain. This is especially so when I am outside. I think that's why I finally had to admit that I needed to see the doc, because I was outside yesterday for quite a few hours straight, and I am paying for it today.

I guess if I want to admit it I can here, yes I am a little worried. This pain is up higher than the original cancer site, and I have read that cancers developing from the radiation treatments are sometimes as high as 40%... That where Inspire .com omes in. When I need a lift I like to go there. There are quite a few people that are 5 + years cancer free after head and neck cancer treatments.
I was having no pain at all in my throat for quite some time now. As I have posted lately my biggest issues have been overcoming some tissue and muscle damage in my neck from the radiation, which does hurt sometimes (especially after therapy) and ringing in my ears, which docs say is from chemo, and may or may not go away, as well as issues with eating because of a lack of saliva and working taste buds... and those were enough problems to worry about, But there has been no pain in my  throat since like March.

I was hoping it was just from the doc scoping my throat. You know they go in through your nose with the flexible camera, and look down. I have had so many scopes through out treatment and after, and never had a problem with pain afterwards, not even a little pain, never mind this kind of pain. The scope was done the Tuesday after Memorial Day, so it has been a week and 2 days now, without improvement. I am still hopefull though he will find out he scraped something on the way down that will explain the pain.

At least sipping my tea soothes it for a little while. Not sure if my teas are going to protect me from growth of any post radiation treatment crazy cells, guess I will be finding out:)

At least I have finally made the appointment, so maybe I can get some answers tomorrow. I don't know why I hate going back to see the docs and nurses I got to know so well during treatment, but I do. Just the drive up, and the smells and being there brings everything back too fresh I guess. I don't want to go to docs and hospitals, I don't want to be sick. That was why I insisted on pulling the PEG tube, it made me feel like a patient, a sick person. I think I need to just realize like it or not, I am probably going to be in close contact with doctors and hospitals for the rest of my life.

Hey, whatever, life goes on, and so will I.
Hehe I have already been considering canceling the appointment. I am bad, why do I hate going to the doctors so bad? Trying to convince myself it feels a little better right now.
Lol I bet when I get to docs tomorrow morning it will feel all better, and I will be mad at myself for making the appointment and wasting a day.

I have to leave for physical therapy in a bit, so I probably will not post further until after tomorrows appointment si I have a better idea what's up.
Peace Out

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

What Happened to the American Dream

I wrote this back in 2002, and every so often I tweak a few lines and toss it back out for viewing. So many worries in the world, such a shame we can't agree to get together and solve a few.


I ask you now for the words I need
To plant a seed of hope
So we may all 

have the strength 
to hold on tight
to the end 

of the dangling 
rope.

I've asked for wisdom, and wondered who's to blame,
The answer brought misery, sorrow and shame.
Twist me and turn me, instead of an elf
when I looked in the mirror I saw myself.

We don't know how it started, or who began it when it did,
We never saw it coming,
because those with the power and money
kept it very well hid.

Today the poor keep getting poorer
While select corporations amass wealth,
the world's become their guinea pigs
they have no regard for life or health.

Did we really need to reach the stars?
Was it that important? Why?
God would have provided wings for us
If he meant for man to fly.

Scientists claimed they would save the planet,
All would starve without their aid...
Now forty years later
world wide
we're dealing with the messes they've made.

The earth beneath our very feet
struggles for her next breath
we've allowed science, knowledge and greed
to push to the edge of death.

Rockets carry man, dare he knock on heaven's door?
Remember the ending Icarus suffered in that fabled lore?


We've come so far beyond wings of wax, 

can we right the wrongs?
Is it too late to turn back?

Scientific research
Top Secret for decades past
Hush Hush don't Tell,
It's fruition approaches
Far too fast.

Moving faster than a speeding bullet
and far stronger than a locomotive,
will there be no safe healthy places 
Left for us to go live?

Of course if you are counted
among the super elite
There are well stocked secret bunker towns
Hundreds of feet deep.

But what about the rest of us that will be left here up above
While famine, disasters and rioters
destroy the land we love?

Home of the brave, land of the free
This land belongs to you and me.

What can the average American do
in preparation for such a future?
Is the outlook total chaos, desperation and starving looters?

No I say, no I pray, The Lord did not intend this to be so,
and it could all be avoided, 

or at the very least postponed...

If only the people
knew the dangers that are out there,
read on and learn
there's a few of them right here.

Many of the foods
that we eat everyday
contain altered or corrupted,
foreign DNA.

But if you really want to know
what's up with America's food today
Don't ask the government office
known as the FDA
There's is no difference 

to be scientifically found
is what they claim and say.

GM, GE, Check it out and you will see
there's not much left alter free
from sea to shining sea.

BSE, BVL there are so many more
they know but don't tell.
Eat lean cuts and cook them well,
start a garden
you never can tell.

Find good seeds now
while there is still a slim chance
to save one of God's Blessings
Naturally 

healthy
reproducing Plants.

Do you need that dose of pesticide
everytime you eat a fruit?
Or that herbicide 

that's built inside 
that limp and rubbery cuke?

Are the altered products
fed to foodchain livestock 

really no harm to you?
The cows are so sick from human growth hormones
who knows what they're doing to you.

Hormones, antibiotics, altered DNA
Do any of us really know what went in to our bodies today?

When it all comes to a head
be prepared to hunker down
because affordable food and water
may not always be around.

Forced diversity has been cultivated
we are always made to choose a side
but who is it that's been choreographing
this roller coaster ride?

They learned that our passions, 

our faith and beliefs
could be forced to erupt
whenever they pleased.

While civil rights strife
was tearing at our nation
our government was funding
secret agricultural stations.

Abortions were around                                                                                                                

well before Roe V. Wade
But our soldiers and news from Nam
had our attention 

and 
we got played.

Abortion became big business,
a form of birth control today.
It was a move well planned by science
to harvest human DNA.

We must overcome the hurdles
to working 

closely 
together
We need to get organized  
beyond our well written letters,
demand peace and justice
start making things better.

The barriers that have been planted 
and carefully cultivated for years,
the ones that keep us from uniting,
are what we really need to fear.

The races, 

and classes,
different lifestyles 

and religions,
have all failed to realize
there's only one world
to live in.

While we argue amongst ourselves,
continue to hate and debate
big corporation  controls 
our food supplies, 

job markets and 
bank rates.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

No Pain No Gain

Okay been at it today, working out the kinks lol. Seriously I did gather some clovers this morning, and weeded out my tomatoes, and then swept the pool down. Pheww!

Too bad I finished with the pool just in time for a thunderstorm to move in. No going for a dip today. Boy it got so dark, so fast. Loud thunder boomers, and here comes Shugah Boy to try to climb up my butt for protection lol.
Okay, gonna go make a cup of tea and a mushroom and onions omelet. Starving.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Friday Is Here Again

Wow I am a hurting unit today. Got a double whammy this week with the ENT Oncologist scoping my throat day before, and the physical therapy team throwing me some new moves yesterday.

I tried to get him to scope my throat without the numzit stuff, I hate that stuff. I tried to tell them all the way through my chemo and radiation treatments that the stuff makes me sick. We all chalked up most of the adverse affects then to the chemo or rad, but this week I am am 3 months post treatment, and I was feeling good, definitely no throat pain, prior to scope. My throat has actually been feeling pretty darn good since March, but it is killing me now, and I can still barely talk.

I guess I will give it over the weekend and see what happens before I start panicking, and calling the doctor though. I always hated going to the doctors, and I still do.

Then, as if the throat wasn't bad enough, the physical therapist had me do this move where  laying on my back, holding arm straight up, she placed her palm against my fist and said punch upwards, which I did. This was accompanied by some horrendous snap, crackle pops and excruciating pain. Which has not calmed down yet. She believes there is some nerve damage, and I am waiting for the call for yet another doctor to add to the list. Poop.

Top off everything with the fact that for some reason my milk, with an expiration date of June 08, which has not passed yet, curdled in my coffee this morning.  

Anyway, on this note, another day well into progress, animals are fed, garden is watered (although it may rain), the ST. Johns, and mints I brought in yesterday are drying nicely, and I am off to the post office to mail a birthday box to my grandson, and a letter to my brother Ted in Afghanistan.

 Peace Out
L8er
Deb

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Holiday Weekend Is Over: Time to Catch Up

LOL well, you may have seen the article about my brother Ted in the previous Memorial Day Post, That was an added goody forwarded by my nephew. Memorial Day and the 4th of July carry a lot of weight around my household, because we are very much a military family, it is kind of a family tradition I guess you could say. So anyway yes long 3 day weekend and, and yesterday had to make a follow up appointment in Atlanta with my oncology surgeon, who by the way said still a lot of swelling, but Looking Good, so I really needed to get busy and catch up here today. Especially since tomorrow is a physical therapy day.

I am at this moment taking a break and enjoying some Air Conditioning because baby it is hot and muggy out today. I have been out to the garden and hoed a good size chunk today, to stay  (try to) ahead of the weeds. I watered the greenhouse, and transplanted a dozen pepper plants into large containers. I plan to keep these, along with a few tomatoes and garden green mix boxes,  in the greenhouse permanently.This will hopefully allow me to still be picking peppers with Peter Piper well into November:)

I also gave Shugah Ray a bath, and plan to get KO next. The fleas have been horrible this year! Well Not so much as quantity, but poor Shug has been having an allergic reaction, and his prednisone doesn't seem to be working.


Early this morning I added more content to my Deb's Loose Leaf Herbals page, and soon I will be checking in to google's webmaster tools to see if they have crawled and indexed my site yet. 6 weeks sure seems an awful long time to wait to get in the search engines. sigh.
patience is a virtue:)

Okay, off for now, if I have any energy to spare later I will pop back on:)
Peace Out

Loose Leaf Herbal Tea Drinking Stage IV Cancer Survivor: Memorial Day: Say Thank You and Hug A Soldier Today

Loose Leaf Herbal Tea Drinking Stage IV Cancer Survivor: Memorial Day: Say Thank You and Hug A Soldier Today