Cancer, heart problems and kidney issues: Balancing my mom's treatments
The doctors at MD Anderson not only diagnosed my mother's stage III breast cancer. They also diagnosed a heart condition that may have become quite serious had it not been found early.
How swelling legs and feet helped identify a heart problemIn a previous Cancerwise post, I mentioned that my mom developed edema, a condition that caused her lower legs and feet to swell after her first Taxol chemotherapy treatment. This did subside...
Chemotherapy side effects: Helping my mom cope
It was scary when my mom started Taxol chemotherapy treatment. We'd heard horror stories about the possible side effects of chemotherapy...
Meeting the geriatrician: A cancer diagnosis' silver lining
I know it sounds really odd to say I'm glad my mom found out she has cancer, but in a strange kind of way I am. If my mother wasn't diagnosed...
Losing my father to cancer: Angels watching over us
March 28 is my father's birthday. He would have been 84 today. We lost him 18 years ago to colon cancer.
Cancer is no stranger to my family. Almost all of my relatives have had cancer and usually died from it. So when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer 19 years ago, she thought that was the end.
She was the first in our family to conquer this disease, and my father assumed he would be just as lucky.
He...
From employee to caregiver: My new perspective on MD Anderson
I've worked for MD Anderson for over six years now.