Ebola Protocol Manual

chttp://www.voanews.com/content/ebola-september-3/2436904.html


If you are reading this post in real time you are probably aware that most hospitals in the United States are not prepared to properly treat patients with Ebola virus and congruently keep healthcare workers safe.

I cannot imagine why this is a problem.  We have had plenty of warning and there are links that provide detailed protocol on how to meticulously protect both the patient, other patients and anyone who comes into contact with the patient and patient fluids.

Here is a very detailed link that is designed for healthcare administrators to understand fully the scale of supplies, type of personal protective equipment and how to donn and doff the equipment.

Although this is written for field hospitals, our US based hospitals need to follow the core elements exaxtly as written.  It seems to me that training would be based on this kind of manual.  

That nurses and other employees at the hospital in Dallas did not have this information as part of a required training is criminal.

This link advises on two pairs of gloves!  Head to toe coverage and a separate changing area.  It is 209 pages.  There is no excuse for any hospital administrator's lack of preparedness.

We as individuals also need to take personal responsibility as well.  No matter what the situation, we must at all times be aware of personal risk and safety, either as a patient or caregiver.  We need to speak up right away and if nobody is listening, keep talking until someon does. It can literally be a matter of life or death.

People with cancer just need to be minful that it is beneficial to us to always keep protective gear on hand, especially when travelling.  Items such as masks and gloves are very important because we cannot predict when or where we will encounter a situation wherein someone else is sick.  Keep these supplies in a sealed bag, such as a ziplock bag, along with alcohol swabs and antibacterial gel.

CDC Manual     The Pdf link is at the bottom.

I hope someone finds this manual useful, as it is very thorough.

Peace and blessings,
Servivorgirl

The Male Side Of Breast Cancer

The colors on the wheel go round and round......round and round......round and round.

Before I begin my posts for October I want to thank "Curves" of Crown Hill, in Seattle Washington.  The owner of this franchise graciously allowed me to bring in gynecological awareness handouts created by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.  "Curves" was hosting an open house and I had some table time with many members while distributing valuable information about gynecological cancer awareness, and my story with ovarian cancer.

We utilized the information found on the CDC "Inside Knowledge" Campaign and I am pleased to report that many women stated that this information was very helpful.  This way they not only learned about ovarian cancer, but all the major potential symptoms of gynecological cancers.

I was pleased to do this and hopefullly a few more women will be able to work more effectively with their physicians, should they have a concern in the future.  It also brought to the surface an opportunity for several women to talk about either their own or another's battle with some form of cancer.  

Thank you "Curves".  I also decided to become a member.  The program is not hard on my smaller joints (currently in a bit of trouble due to RA) and I really need the extra support.  I am finding this program comfortable, adaptable and most of all, FUN!  I will post progress, if it's good.  Ha!

Now to Men's Breast Health:

To start October off I thought it would be important to incorporate some information about hereditary breast cancer, in men.  My search landed me on a very thorough and educational article written in Medical News Today. 

Men are not likely to see themselves as potential breast cancer patients.  They can and do get breast cancer.  We can see that men all over the country do support this cause. Most men probably never considered that wearing pink can help them too.  Please share......

Quote from Medical News Today....

'It is vital for everyone to be breast aware'

"Women are encouraged to frequently check their breasts for any abnormalities, such as lumps, discharge from the nipple or changes in appearance or texture. And although many men may not be aware of it, they should do the same.

The most common signs of breast cancer in men are lumps or swelling in the breast or lymph node areas, dimpling or puckering of the skin, nipple retraction, nipple discharge and scaling or redness of the nipple or surrounding skin."

Whiteman, H. (2014, October 1). "Breast cancer: are men the forgotten victims?." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283317.php.

Peace and blessings,

Servivorgirl

Gynonc Surgeons To Rock Our World In D.C. Oct 1, 2014

I have to say that I was elated and shining from within after attending a recent showing of N.E.D. The Movie  This uplifting documentary speaks so intimately and powerfully about the wrath of ovarian cancer, as voiced by the surgeons in NED The Band.  N.E.D. stands for "no evidence of disease".  That is our goal!

I had no idea what to expect, but what I felt was a sense of pure dedication and purpose.  These highly skilled and honorable gynecological oncologists are also gifted with musicality.  They use their events and cd inserts as a vehicle to start the conversation about ovarian cancer.  Their music though is for the masses.  They are a rock band through and through!

Please link to their homepage for more about their music, their movie and their mission.
N.E.D. The Band

I want to thank Deborah Binder for hosting the event in beautiful Edmonds, WA to raise funds for

Seattle F.O.R.C.E. Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered  and National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week

Here is a note from Deborah.... "I am so glad that you were able to attend the NED movie and that you enjoyed it.

Most gyn-oncs know N.E.D. because they have played many times at the national oncology conferences around the USA.  I first heard them one year in D.C. at the National Ovarian Cancer Alliance meeting.  I know that my doc.--Dr. Goff and Dr. Muntz know them.

Last October I traveled to Portland to see the movie--a fundraiser for the Southern Washington and Oregon Ovarian Cancer Alliance.  After I saw it I knew that I wanted to do a similar event for OVCA Awareness month in 2014.  I rented the Edmonds Theater (it's where I live and I wanted to use a small hometown theatre not a megaplex) and I rented the movie from Spark Media".

Hugs,

Deborah

....................................................................
if you live in the D.C. area........

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is hosting a movie event in D.C. on October 1, 2014.  Please spread the word so that more money can be allocated to fight these cancers.

Capitol Hill Screening

First Street Southeast
Washington

Website  LINK Description Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz & Renee Ellmers present a Congressional screening of No Evidence of Disease, featuring a live performance and panel discussion with members of N.E.D. This special event will take place on October 1st, 2014 at 6:15 PM.
Email info@sparkmedia.org


N.E.D. The Movie Screenings link


Peace and Blessings,

Servivorgirl

Fibronectin And Our Cancer

Ovarian Cancer Dream Team Call for Ideas Now Open

The American Association for Cancer Research is now accepting submissions of ideas for the new Stand Up To Cancer Ovarian Cancer Translational Research Dream Team Grant that will offer up to $6 million in research funding, which includes $3 million provided by the leading funder, OCRF.

The Stand Up To Cancer-Ovarian Cancer Research Fund-Ovarian Cancer National Alliance-National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Translational Research Dream Team grant provides three years of funding for research projects that must include therapeutic interventions for ovarian cancer and deliver near-term patient benefit through investigation by a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional Dream Team of experts. Proposals for the grant must describe plans indicating how the group will use a transformative and synergistic approach, and how the work will be translated into the clinic. To maximize creativity, innovation, and collaboration, the projects should span multiple disciplines and use modern scientific tools to attack research questions in a coordinated effort.

Letters of Intent for SU2C-OCRF-OCNA-NOCC Translational Research Dream Team Grant are due by noon ET, Nov. 7, 2014, via proposalCENTRAL.

Read the full press here.

FIBRONECTIN AND CANCER

Please take a moment to link to the article below, posted by the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.   As a non-scientist, I found it invaluable towards my understanding of how ovarian cancer cells proliferate, specifically in the omentum.  Learn about fibronectin and its role in the spreading of cancer.

http://www.ocrf.org/news/research/ocrf-research-finds-metastasis-promoted-by-mesothelial-cells

Peace and blessings,

Servivorgirl

A Hippo Has My Campus

I grew up in Colorado.  I consider the Denver metro area fairly easy to navigate. One of my jobs after college involved daily travel, criss-crossing across town helping people regain independence after illness or injury.  I really should know the basics and major Denver area streets, even if I have been away all this time.

I always had considered myself someone who was good with directions.  I always knew where I was, even when I was in a new city or town.  I rarely got lost.  I was never afraid to drive for the sake of driving.  I used to love to get in my car and go, just see where I would be.  I could never do that now, after all of this chemotherapy....eeks.

Even after moving to California, I was still the same, had a great sense of direction and rarely got lost.  It was one of the few areas that gave me confidence, my sense of direction.

Well, my sense of direction has gone kablooey.  I am not sad and will try to remember to adapt, but I find it extremely interesting that "navigation" is such a specific area of loss for me.  I also have difficulty with estimating time.  I am always late now.......sorry everyone.

I just got back from visiting family and friends.  It was one of the best short little trips ever.  Just plain fun and it was a real treat to see everyone.  I can affirm though that I definitely am not the same confident navigator that I used to be.  I got lost 5 of the 7 times I went to meet people.

I got lost going from the airport to see my dad.  I got lost going to and from my brother's house.  I got lost going to see an old friend, where I had been before.

I got lost going to Denver International Airport.  My flight back home was after 9 pm and there I was driving around the countryside in the dark, looking for alternate routes to Pena Blvd.  Maybe next time I will get GPS.  To be honest, I was a little nervous.....and somehow it all worked out.  I barely got to DIA in time, whew.  I thought I was going to miss my plane!

I have no idea how I found the airport.  I would have called to get help after a few more minutes of driving in circles, but I am sort of concerned that this chemo brain is getting worse.  It seems that I forget what I am doing, lose track of time and get lost on a regular basis.  Maybe it is not worse, just more noticeable?

I get lost going to my dentist every time.  So strange.  

I am linking a few interesting articles on brain function and chemobrain.  It is an area of high interest for researchers and it does seem that the hippocampus, an area responsible for navigation, can be damaged by some chemotherapy agents.

I can't believe I got lost going to the airport.  Ha!  I think I should get a GPS, what do you think?


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC45501/

Low Doses of Cisplatin Can Damage Hippocampus


What Happens When A Neurosurgeon Cuts Out Your Hippocampus

Love, 

Servivorgirl