My Wife Has Breast Cancer

Radioactive seeds offer hope in breast-cancer fight (Article)

2010-04-21T16:11:00.001-05:00

Article here

We are pleased...

2010-02-13T12:43:00.000-06:00

From the doctors:

Dear Ms. Haugh,

We are pleased to inform you that the results of your recent breast imaging examination were interpreted as benign (negative).

YES!!!!!!!!!!

Breast cancer gene discovery 'most important for 20 years' (Article)

2009-10-06T17:22:00.002-05:00

Article here

3 YEARS!!!

2009-05-17T15:38:00.001-05:00

Well, for me it seems like it was a LONG time ago (longer than 3 years) but today marks the 3 year anniversary of Jenn having her surgery to remove the cancer. All check ups since that day have been great and I/we are still looking forward to that day when we can declare her CANCER FREE!!!

New test can predict spread of breast cancer

2009-03-27T09:30:00.001-05:00

Article here

Team finds breast cancer gene linked to disease spread (Article)

2009-01-06T21:38:00.002-06:00

Article here

25 Breast Cancer Myths and Misunderstandings (Article)

2008-08-01T09:23:00.001-05:00

Article here

New treatment - Zoledronic Acid

2008-07-24T22:16:00.002-05:00

They want to try another new treatment as well...this one is called Zoledronic Acid. Jenn would get an IV type transfusion every 6 months. It is supposed to have a 36% reduction of breast cancer recurrence when compared to a group who did not take the drug. At $1000 per treatment and with the Oncologist saying that insurance would not likely cover the treatment, it could get costly. But at a 36% reduction rate...no cost is too high for Jenn's health.

An article about Zoledronic Acid can be found here and here.

New treatment - Arimidex

2008-07-24T22:13:00.001-05:00

After visiting her Oncologist today, they are putting Jenn on a new monthly pill. She was taking Tamoxifen but now is moving to Arimidex. The biggest shocker I think was that the Tamoxifen was $1.90 for a month's supply...the Arimidex is around $95 per month.

Surgery went well

2008-06-26T21:46:00.001-05:00

Overall the surgery was a success. We were at the hospital at 7:45AM, went through all the pre-op stuff and Jenn was in surgery about 10AM. The surgery was over around 11AM and the doctor called me in to say that everything looked good and the procedure went as planned. After she came out of recovery we went to her room for a little R&R before going home around 6PM. Jenn is a little sore (obviously) but considering that this procedure used to have about a 2 week recovery time, the new way that they perform historectomies is a lot better. Jenn will come out of this with 3 new scars but it could have been much worse...

Surgery tomorrow...

2008-06-25T20:05:00.000-05:00

As the next likely place for cancer to show up after the breast is the ovaries, they are taking out her ovaries tomorrow in an outpatient surgery. I will post an update once the surgery is complete...

Bone drug helped stave off breast cancer (Article)

2008-05-31T10:40:00.002-05:00

Article here

This could be big - "Breast cancer 'master gene' breakthrough" (Article)

2008-03-14T08:14:00.002-05:00

Article here

New breast cancer screening test would use saliva (Article)

2008-01-10T17:04:00.000-06:00

Article here

Pink network cables

2008-01-08T13:54:00.000-06:00

Being that I am in the computer geek business:

National Breast Cancer Foundation CAT5 cables

Fewer breast patients may need chemo (Article)

2007-12-15T09:12:00.000-06:00

Article here

Weight gain hurts breast cancer survival (Article)

2007-12-10T16:02:00.000-06:00

Article here

Ironically enough, Jenn has been working out sporadically at the gym and for a while and for the last two weeks we have been going together. I actually saw her run for the first time since we got married I believe! I let her know that if this doesn't motivate/inspire either of us to stay on the fitness train...I don't know what will...

Marijuana Compound May Stop Breast Cancer From Spreading (Article)

2007-11-21T11:41:00.000-06:00

Article here

Cancer treatment may risk heart damage (Article specific to breast cancer).

2007-10-08T15:10:00.000-05:00

Article here

Certain cancers mean more divorce (Article)

2007-09-28T13:19:00.000-05:00

Article here

I believe this article contradicts my relationship with Jenn at least from my perspective. I think our relationship was tight before the diagnosis and her getting breast cancer has only made it tighter than it has ever been before. The article does single out breast cancer in one paragraph:

"There's a myth that if you get breast cancer, your husband will leave you," she said. In fact, she and her colleagues found that survivors of breast cancer were less likely to get divorced than similar women without the disease."

It also mentions that the divorces are higher within newly married couples. I think that has some to do with our situation as well. We will have our 10 year wedding anniversary next month but I could see where just becoming newlyweds or being in the first few years of your marriage, it would put an additional amount of strain on the relationship...

Last reconstructive surgery completed

2007-08-09T14:55:00.000-05:00

Jenn had her final reconstructive surgery yesterday. We were in Lawrence at 6:15AM and we were out of the surgical center around Noon. A "short one" in the sense of surgeries that she has been through previously. She is at home recovering right now...plenty of pain pills to make her happy. She went for a return checkup this morning and all seemed well. A followup visit will happen again next week...

Updates to follow...

Fruits, veggies don't stop cancer return (Article)

2007-07-17T22:25:00.001-05:00

Article here

Jenn - Follow-up: 6 Month Mammogram

2007-07-01T11:01:00.000-05:00

Dear Ms. HAUGH:

Concerning: MA Mammo Screening Unilateral Left of 6/26/07
Report forwarded to: Dr. John Keller

Recommended Follow-up: 6 years

The above breast examination did not show any sign of cancer, according to the radiologist's interpretation. Please remember that early detection requires a combination of mammography, monthly breast self examination, and yearly breast physical examination.

I read it several times but for some reason typing it, I almost lost it...

Only 9 1/2 years to go...

GI to serve in Iraq after cancer battle (Article)

2007-06-23T18:15:00.002-05:00

Article here

Breast cancer genes can come from father (Article)

2007-06-19T20:55:00.001-05:00

Article here