Rest In Peace Sweet Diem Brown

REST IN PEACE SWEET DIEM BROWN

Diem Brown Dies

Please select the link above for one of the many stories about this young woman's life.  Ovarian cancer may have claimed her body, but her spirit will live forever.

This news has broken many hearts today.

A star on earth is now a star in the heavens.

May we find a cure so no more women die.

When Susan Talks, People Listen

Those of us in the world of ovarian cancer can often feel that we are in a little bubble, off to the side, having a small voice in the big world of cancer.  We are reluctant participants, not all wanting to share our stories. When we do share, we do so in different ways.  Some keep their pain and suffering close, opening up only to close friends and family.  Some unveil their agony in the way of art, music and writing. Others reveal their angst in the way of talking and reaching out in person.

I know of one such angel that can comfortably speak about her ovarian cancer and her name is Susan Malman.  She is very outgoing, high spirited and courageous.  Her chummy personality has drawn many supportive people towards her.  She has stage 4 ovarian cancer, suffers greatly, yet creates the time and energy to go out into the world and have fun.  

Seriously, this chick loves to enjoy life.  She will find a way to go out to a concert, sing karaoke or meet her friends, all the while experiencing chemotherapy side effects.  Not much can keep her down.

When she is out and about she tells people about her cancer.  Susan puts herself out there because she wants to help other women to learn about what we know today to be common symptoms of ovarian cancer.  It makes a difference.

Susan literally helped to save one woman from being diagnosed at a late stage of ovarian cancer. Had Susan not taken time to express with passion the accounts of her life and struggles with ovarian cancer, one woman may have discovered her fate too late.  God Bless you Susan.

Here are Susan's humble words......

About a month ago I had chemo and went to the gas station up the street for some ice. The girl asked me what cancer do I have and I told her ovarian stage 4. She asked what are the systems. I told her and gave her a card with the sytems on it. She told me she has all the systems. I told her don't waste time, have certain test(s) done and insist on it.

She did. A month later, I saw her tonight. With a huge line, (she) came around the corner (she) gave me a big hug, and said "thank you because of your story and making me get checked they found I have the early stages of ovarian cancer. Now I am being treated".

So now I feel so good inside that after 3 years of fighting it I helped someone and saved their life.

St. Peregrine Pray For Us

I have prayed many times for the intercession of St. Peregrine, the Patron Saint for those ailing with cancer and other very serious illnesses.

It is exceptionally difficult to convey the depth of emotion, faith and hope in prayer via my little blog.

I have prayed to St. Peregrine for myself, for people that I love and for my cancer bearing sisters and brothers.  I believe.

One evening, after nine days of praying the Novena to St. Peregrine, I knew I was sent a message.  I was in a hospital and a physician, who went by the name of Dr. Peregrino, stepped on the elevator.  I knew his name only because a nurse called out to him just before he stepped inside. 

The doctor looked right into my eyes as if he knew me. This happened directly after receiving exciting news that someone I love did not have cancer after all, it was ruled out.  Because of the intense way this man looked at me, his name, and the feeling I had at right at that moment, I knew St. Peregrine had heard me.

A prayer to St. Peregrine

Dear St. Peregrine, I need your help. I feel so uncertain of my life right now. This serious illness makes me long for a sign of God’s love. Help me to imitate your enduring faith when you faced the challenge of cancer. Allow me to trust the Lord the way you did in this moment of distress. I want to be cured, but right now I ask God for the strength to bear the cross in my life. I seek the power to proclaim God’s presence in my life despite hardship, anguish, and fear I now experience. O glorious St. Peregrine, be an inspiration to me and petitioner of these needed graces from our loving father. 

Amen.

If you visit this website, you will see many more prayers to St. Peregrine and learn about his history.

Saint Peregrine .com

We need LOTS of prayers, especially with respect to the cost of chemotherapy.

I just read a very disturbing article on Times.com that Genentech is unnecessarily altering its distribution channels for Avastin and two other critical cancer medications, forcing the prices to go higher. This is a prime example as to why medical care must not operate via supply and demand frame of reference. 

Here is the link:  http://time.com/3541484/cancer-drug-price-hikes/

Peace and blessings,

Servivorgirl

Ovariancancer101.org, What A Wonderful Group

Now back to the core of the reason I started this blog, to raise awareness for ovarian cancer.  I want to introduce you to an organization started by a womderful woman who sadly lost her mom to late stage ovarian cancer.  How it was discovered will shock you.

Ovarian cancer is very tricky indeed.  Scary tricky.  Please visit this site to learn about her history and also about a beautiful treasure being promoted to raise funds.  I personally do not raise money, but periodically will write about others who do.

This Christmas tree comes with gifts!


Decorated-Christmas-Tree-And-All-The-Presents-Current-Value-$7-400-Drawing-To-Be-Held-Saturday-December-13th-@7-45pm-Tree-shown-is-our-2013-tree/p/29213750/category=0


I would love to have a beautifully decorated Teal Christmas tree in my apartment this year.  Time to buy a ticket.

Please visit  Ovarian Cancer 101.org for more information.

My next post will be about one of my favorite Saints,  Saint Peregrine.

Peace and Blessings,
Servivorgirl

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