Blogger Summit: Day 1

This morning I hopped on a plane and two flights later I landed in Phoenix, where I'll be attending a blogger summit for the next few days. This town is so different than any other town in America that I've been to. I don't think I've seen a patch of grass since being here, yet the land here is so gorgeous. Who knew the desert looked like this?? Not to mention my hotel room is equipped with a jet tub... ahhh.

I love these kind of trips... trips where I get to spend days with other cancer survivors just discussing treatment and our experiences. The bonding is awesome and the support is so therapeutic. I always so home re-energized and feeling like I can take on the world. This weekend I am here in Phoenix for Cancer Treatment Centers of America's Blogger Summit. They have invited 10 of us bloggers to come out and tour the hospital, speak with doctors and patients, eat the food (the AMAZING food cooked by their EXECUTIVE chef!), and learn more about the whole body care system that they offer. I'm excited to learn more about this place... I'm very pro alternative health and innovative treatments in addition to traditional therapies and CTCA seems to incorporate many different aspects of health. I'll be having a one-on-one session with a Naturopathic doctor tomorrow and I'm super pumped because I think nutritional health is one thing that is really overlooked in cancer treatment. I had my colon removed, and while I had great docs, I have hardly been given any info on how my nutrition should change and what issues I might encounter post-surgery. I have SO SO many questions... I'm afraid I'm going to be that annoying patient/new med student/ young kid who just goes on and on and on.

So stay tuned for my day 2 update! I'm also hoping to get some blogging tips from more seasoned bloggers... I need to start doing this more! :)

"How To" Move On From Cancer

I've hesitated to do a "how to" post for several reasons. One, because I don't feel like an expert on overcoming cancer and I really don't think anyone can be. Mostly because everyone's journey is different so there isn't one way overcome it. Two, how does one really move on from cancer? And three, who in the world would listen to my advice??

Well I just decided that while I might not be able to tell you how to overcome it, I can tell you what has been helpful for me. Suggestions, not definites. It's a process. But we do the best we can :)

1. Meet other survivors. You will hear me talk endlessly about First Descents, Lynch Syndrome International, and The Colon Club because I can pinpoint turning points in my emotional recovery to experiences with those organizations. Having a support network of people who get what you are going through is just priceless. There are many days when I was struggling that a simple online conversation with a friend from an FD camp would just energize me. I could talk to them about anything and they got it. It was a huge change for me.

2. Give back. Helping others like they helped you is a great way to strengthen yourself emotionally and go something great for others at the same time. Join Imerman Angels, become a part of Team FD, participate in Relay for Life, join an organization specific to your cancer, or even start a support group in your community. There are so many ways to get involved. This has really helped my healing move on to the next level.

3. Faith. This should really be number one. I couldn't have gotten anywhere without God. I strongly believe that faith is an important part of medical and emotional healing and is in many instances something that is overlooked as an important factor. I can say that all during my treatment I was at peace and I know that peace came from God.

4. Find a purpose. Having a purpose in life is vital to healthy living. It doesn't matter what that purpose is... it could be anything from running a multi-million dollar business to being a stay at home mom. Figure out where you fit in to this world and what you feel meant to do. Feeling purposeful is a strong thing. This was the hardest thing for me after cancer because nothing felt good enough. I felt like I had to do something amazing with my life since I lived. While I knew I shouldn't have felt that way, I did. It took me awhile to feel purposeful but I think I'm finally there.

5. Keep a balance. Find a healthy balance for yourself when it comes to involvement in the "cancer world". It took me a bit of time to do this. Sometimes too much involvement can overwhelm you. Everyone needs a break and a balance. Have things you do that are unrelated to cancer. I kayak, paint, and watch old movies. I really have to focus on this point now that I'm not only involved in advocacy but am also a grad student in cancer research. I'm around cancer all day every day. When I come home at night I have to give myself a break. Well, unless I'm blogging of course :)

Thanks ya'll :) Have a great weekend! Get out there and have some FUN! :)

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month!

Just a quick FYI- This is colon cancer awareness month! There are so many reasons why this is important... first, this is NOT an old person disease. You don't have to be over 50 to get colon cancer... I was 22! I know others who were 17, 20, early 30s, etc. Listen to your body and look for symptoms... but also know that many people have no symptoms, so know your family history! Second, colon cancer should NOT be considered an "embarrassing" disease or a taboo topic. It's a disease people! Anyone can get it! Old, young, fat, skinny, male, female, it doesn't matter. It needs to be talked about more. Why does breast cancer get all of the awareness? All the pink ribbons and pink products... where is the blue?? When will it be popular to support colon cancer awareness? I haven't heard ONE thing on the radio or TV about this being colon cancer awareness month. (And as a side note, I have many friends with breast cancer and they are just as sick of the everything pink movement as everyone else is... simply because it has become less and less about breast cancer and more about a fad). Third, you can eat healthy and get diagnosed with colon cancer. A big myth is that everyone with colon cancer has a horrible diet... it's just not true. When I was diagnosed I was a vegetarian and never ate out. I cooked everything from scratch and only ate 100% natural and organic foods. Yes diet is important in prevention, but don't automatically assume that someone's diet is bad and that's why they got this disease.

Get screened people! If I can have a colonoscopy every 6 months then you can certainly have one every 2-10 years, or whatever your doc has suggested. Just do it!

Ready to KICK Cancer's BUTT!

Quick update, though many will have seen this on Facebook... but I found out this morning that I got into the PhD program in medical science at U of South Alabama! Which means I am on my way to becoming a cancer researcher! So very excited to be able to spend my time and career trying to find something to cure this disease. It is an overwhelming responsibility, but I want it. I know these next four+ years are going to be insane and so so hard but I am looking forward to all that I will learn and all of the people I will meet. It's going to be an exciting time :)

Feeling Kind of Manley

About a year ago I began searching through my family history. Since my colon cancer was genetic, from Lynch Syndrome, I wanted to see how far back I could trace this gene. Who did it start with? I also wanted to try and see what other branches of my family might not be aware of it... if someone I am related to is at risk for it then I certainly don't want to keep it a secret.

I also began going through old photos and asking family members to look through theirs and I have just loved every minute of learning about the family members that I either never met or only knew briefly due to Lynch Syndrome. Cancer stole a lot of time from us, time that I really wish I could have back. There are so many days that I miss them... even the ones I never knew.

But there was one photo that I found that just got me

SO excited! Before I started doing all of this research there was a "rumor" say in my family that my great-grandfather's mother had died of colon cancer. I didn't know her name, I had never seen her face, but I also felt like she was the "link" if you will to what I was looking for. Well I found this photo... I forget who gave it to me, but the feeling I got from seeing this photo is what urged me to continue looking for more information.

This is my great-great grandmother on my mom's side, Margaret Manley Meredith. This is the first time I saw her and is still only one of two photos that I have of her. I really wish photography had been more common in the 1800s... I would have loved more pictures. Not long after finding this photo, I found a distant relative online that I have never met who was also doing a family tree. She passed along Margaret's death certificate to me. Cause of death: carcinoma (adenoma) of the colon: intestinal obstruction for 10 days, age 62. I hate to say that I was excited about seeing it, but I was. Not because I was glad she had colon cancer or anything, but because I had a definite answer and could now move on to the next generation. Also, in a weird way this whole genetic cancer thing links us... I feel closer to those ancestors than other ones because I feel I can really relate to something they experienced, even though I wasn't there. They also inspires me... if they could go through it so long ago then I should certainly be able to handle it today with modern medicine. It makes me feel blessed.

So far, the last names in my family that I'm searching are Meredith, Manley, Crunk, and Crank. They lived mostly in Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Do you have any info?? Thanks!

All Nerves and Needles

This week is somewhat of crunch time for me. For those that don't know, I have been working my butt off to get into a PhD program in molecular biology and cancer genetics. This has been one of the biggest challenges of my life. In my undergraduate program I studied religion and ancient Greek... a far cry from medical science. Because of that, I am spending this year taking classes and working in a molecular biology lab (we are studying breast cancer) in order to get some experience. It has been, like I said, a huge challenge and honestly one of the most rewarding things I've done in awhile career wise. I've come so far since that first day of class and though this might sound arrogant, I am so proud of myself. Medical school can sound so daunting and when I began I certainly didn't fully realize what I was getting into, and now that I do, I am still so eager to start my degree. I love everything about medical research. There are millions of problems to solve and I just love the idea of picking one and trying to come up with a solution. In my case, I hope to be able to come up with a solution one day that could help cure some type of cancer. The idea of being apart of that is overwhelming to me.

Which comes to this week. *Sigh*. My PhD admissions interview is this week (though there is a slight chance they might move it to next week). I'm trying so hard to prepare for it but how do you really prepare for something that will decide your future like that? I have only applied to one school so my eggs are in one basket. But that is the only school I want to go to. So as I sit here and think about how I will answer their questions I can't help but be nervous about the outcome. I am confident in my ability and I am confident that God has me here for a reason and whatever happens is meant to be, but there will be disappointment no doubt if I don't get accepted. But either way this year of preparation won't be for nothing. It has taught me invaluable information in regards to my own disease... I understand cancer and Lynch Syndrome better than I ever did before and explaining it to others is much easier now. Everything the professors here have taught me will help me in making future decisions about my medical care regardless of whether or not I am able to start my PhD.

Prayers are appreciated as I prepare and complete the most important interview of my life thus far. Not sure when I will hear if I am accepted or not, but hopefully it won't be too long... I might have a seizure from anticipation!!

Big Dreams- My Initial Vision for this Blog

When I started this blog I had a vision for where I wanted to go with it. Initially I knew I would just be blogging about random topics, my journey, etc, but there is something bigger I want to do.

I titled this "The Cancer Documents" because I wanted this to turn into a documentary of sorts. One thing I have learned from cancer is that it doesn't discriminate. It hits people of all ages, all sizes, all colors, all backgrounds... it doesn't care who you are. From a 9 year old girl to Patrick Swayze, no one is immune. I have met so many people of all ages and of all cancer types and I'm amazed at how different and how similar all of their stories are. I'm also amazed at their spirits. People can be so amazing... and I think that is something we forget when the world is filled with so much evil and so many tragedies.

I want to show people who maybe don't quite "get it" what it means to be a survivor. How it changes us, shapes us, and drives us. I've made a map and on that map I have marked the cities of my friends and people I've met along the way that are either fighting or have fought cancer. And that map will take me from Mobile, AL to California to Montana to New York and back to Mobile and so many places in between. 9000 miles. 2 cancer survivors (me and my husband). An endless amount of people along the way. One blog. And a documentary in the end displaying what it means to live with cancer and live after it. Life. I think we have a very unique look at life and I want to give others the chance to see what that looks like.

I am hopefully starting med school in late August. I would love to be able to spend my summer doing this. Over 2 months of traveling the US looking for inspiration. I'm throwing this out there hoping that someone might know of a company or several companies that would be interested in sponsoring us. We have a video camera, we have lap tops, and we drive a Prius so we will spend less on gas costs. I am also planning on attending an FDX kayaking program in Idaho in July, which I would like to include in the project. More people need to know about First Descents. What we need is money for gas, a very small amount of money for emergency housing (we hope people will allow us to stay in their homes but there might be times that doesn't happen), and a stipend for food. Any sponsor will get recognition on the blog and the documentary... we could also put a car magnet on the Prius with the name of our project and our sponsors.

I know this is way out there but I really believe it could make a big impact on the community. My hope is that it could also be something for cancer centers to utilize, something that could inspire those who are newly diagnosed. Something that could also provide information for patients... something to let people know about First Descents, Imerman Angels, CaringBridge, Blog for a Cure, different treatment centers, and numerous other organizations (such as Lynch Syndrome International and The Colon Club, both of which have been vital in my own journey). It took me years to find all of those organizations and I wish I had been told about those resources in the beginning.

So... if you're interested, have an idea for me, or would like to talk about sponsoring us, THANK YOU! This definitely won't happen without support... we can't do it on our own. Email me at reaganbarnett@hotmail.com and I'd be happy to give you more details about the trip. Thanks :)