T ea Leaf Tales

Past Tea Leaf
Tales

Good Friends for Many Years
By Randi Kirshner-Katz and Brenda Cook

Randi Kirshner-Katz and Brenda Cook share of their personal experiences with ovarian cancer and breast cancer and how they fought their battles. Today, they both are fine and remain cancer-free.

Randi

When I learned I had ovarian cancer at age 47 my first words were “OH SHIT!” And from there I decided to fight all the way. I didn't want it to control me/my life.

Before the diagnosis, my stomach didn't feel "right" in January 2003. After my first visit to my primary doctor he believed I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) so he prescribed meds. No improvement. He then sent me to a gastro enteric doctor.

After about 4 months of numerous tests, he decided that my gall bladder was the problem so he referred me to a surgeon. After going over my file, my surgeon refused to do anything and advised me to see my gynecologist and that I would get an answer to whatever the problem was.

Sure enough, a sonogram and CA125 test (blood test to detect ovarian cancer) showed growth on my right ovary. The normal range for CA125 is 0-35. Mine was skyrocket high 1570!!

Randi and Alice

So I underwent a total hysterectomy which the doctor also found another mass on my left ovary. I had chemotherapy treatments every three weeks for 18 weeks. Side effects were not pleasant. Usually, two days after each chemo treatment, there were pains all over my body even my eyeballs! Other side effects were loss of appetite, inability to sleep, constipation, tingling in feet and hands, and, of course, loss of hair all over.

After the treatments were over, most of the side effects went away. The common complaint among cancer survivors is “chemo brain.” It goes away after a year or as long as 5 years or never in some cases. We make jokes about our forgetfulness!

I celebrate 3 years of being cancer free now. I still go in for periodic check-ups.

What symptoms you should watch out for? Symptoms in early stages usually are not felt or noticed. Symptoms in later stages may include cramps or pain in your stomach or lower back, loss of appetite, decreased energy level, change in your bowel or bladder habits, pain or bleeding during sex, ongoing bloating or intestinal gas, and a lump that can be felt in your stomach. In my opinion, every woman should insist on having a yearly pelvic exam. PAP tests WON’T detect ovarian cancer.

If ovarian cancer runs in your family, then it is a good idea to ask for CA125 test once in a while. Be persistent!

Brenda

I was in shock when my general surgeon told me I had cancer in my left breast. Many doubts ran through my head like “I don’t drink or smoke”, “No family history of breast cancer”, “I’m only 39 years old!” and “I walk almost daily for exercise.”

So, how is that possible? It’s like a bad dream. At age 39, I felt sharp and shooting pains along with a lump in my left breast again which reminded me of similar symptoms I had six years earlier. When I was 33 years old, I had a mammogram and ultrasound but the results were normal. I was told to come back at age 40.

I didn’t want to take chances so I saw my family doctor sooner. My family doctor felt the lump and referred me for a mammogram. The results showed calcifications in both of my breasts but my right one was fine. The look of concern on my radiologist’s face alarmed me, and he told me to see my family doctor soon which I did the next day. My worst fears were confirmed when she handed me the report indicating “highly suggestive of malignancy in left breast.” She hugged me and made an appointment for me to see a general surgeon right away.

The surgeon looked over my past reports and asked how come I didn’t have a biopsy before. I didn’t know why either as I assumed everything was fine. He was concerned because of my age, and he recommended surgical biopsy to remove the small lump.

The biopsy results showed cancer still present in my left breast after the lump was removed. My younger sister Lana, who is hard of hearing, interpreted for us since no interpreter was available on short notice. He sat close to me with his knees touching mine with a look of concern on his face and delivered the bad news. Then, everything was a blur. So Lana asked him to repeat everything once more and he obliged. He discussed options including breast reconstruction which he said could be done on the same day of surgery. I wasted no time in telling him I wanted double mastectomy as I didn’t want to have the risk of cancer coming back to my right breast someday. He reluctantly agreed to it after urging me to think it over a few days.

The surgery went well; and my chest and arms hurt for a few weeks. While recovering from the surgery, I had 4 more tests, MUGA scan (heart), bone scan, PET scan and pelvic CT scan all of which came out fine. I felt a huge sense of relief after each report came out fine every time.

Then, I began aggressive chemotherapy treatments every 3 weeks for 18 weeks which included the immunity shot (Neulasta) to help boost my white blood cells the day after each treatment. The side effects from chemotherapy were similar to Randi’s.

Three weeks after the chemotherapy treatments were over, I began daily radiation treatments for 6 ½ weeks. The side effects were redness and skin sensitivity on my left side of chest which gradually went away.

During the long ordeal, the support I received from my family, friends and medical staff was incredible which helped brighten my days.

Currently, I take Tamoxifen to prevent recurrence of cancer. I’d suggest that women go in for mammogram earlier than age 40 and to report any changes in breasts right away.

Randi and I have been good friends for many years. Her ovarian cancer diagnosis helped me to be more aware of my health. Her article about her fight with ovarian cancer appeared in July/August 2004 MORE Magazine. Like Randi said, we’re true survivors!

RedHaired Dark Woman in Winter

COP THROWN WHEN DOG ATTACK HORSE
It happened on Dec 20th, Tuesday.

Mount suffers bites as animals run through city by William Kaempfler (Register Staff). A mounted police officer was thrown from her horse near Edgewood Park after an agitated dog broke free from its leash and attacked.

Officer Kim Roche was shaken up, but not seriously injured after the experience. Her horse, Marshmallow, suffered puncture wounds to the nose, legs and genital area and was going to be checked out by a veterinarian.

According to police, the attack happened Tuesday afternoon while Roche was on patrol in Edgewood Park and continued for blocks as the rider less horse ran.

A horse breeder said a dog-on-horse attack is almost as unusual as it must have been terrifying.

"All horse owners have dogs of all different breeds. Sometimes they get ticked off at a horse, but (never) actually go after a horse and attack it," said Martha Wetmore, who raises, trains and breeds horses at her Bittersweet Farm in Bethany. "I don't think I have ever seen a dog go after a horse.

She's been in the horse business since 1953. At times, while Wetmore is driving horses through residential areas, family pets come charging out but always stop short, apparently surmising discretion is the better part of valor," she said.

The encounter Tuesday started pleasantly enough. Roche was on patrol and stopped to chat with a woman walking two boxers according to police Sgt. Russell See Jr. They spoke for a time.

Roche started to ride off after noticing the dogs getting skittish, and they got more and more excited as she left.

"The woman was trying to hold the dogs back, and one of them broke the leash and went after the horse. The officer was thrown," said See.

The horse trotted off, with the dog tenaciously pursuing and biting it, and both took a varied route that ended up with police corralling them a block apart near the intersection of Elm Street and Sherman Avenue, some 10 blocks away, police said.

Along the way, motorists swerved to avoid the Wild West scene that played out pretty much down the middle of the streets, police said.

Police checked that the dog's license and vaccinations were up to date and released the animal to its owner, who was not charged.

Roche went back to the stable with Marshmallow and was examined by a doctor later, See said.

An experienced equestrian, Roche is the Police Department's former stable manager and became a police officer in 1997. She has been partnered with Marshmallow, a large Percheron-cross, since this summer.

Constantine "Gus" Marnel, a dog trainer and owner of K-9 Communications in Milford said it's impossible to say what triggered the attack.

"There could have been a million trigger responses, but bottom line is there was an inability on the part of the owner to control her dog," he said.

Marnel said it sounded like a "fear-biting scenario," although he couldn't be certain because he wasn't there. It's not uncommon for dogs to wait until a perceived threat is leaving to bite, he said. "With two dogs, they may have been thinking they're protecting their owner or each other and were waiting for the opportune time to bite the horse," he said.

THE END

Sent by Alice (excerpts from her local newspaper and it is small world, she knows the owner of two dogs)