OT - Health related

I've posted this on my state board and if you can please to the same on the boards you are members of. I know this is not WLS related but It's worth a look. I've stepped off the WLS train for a second and started a new crusade. One of my friends has cancer. It's a particularly aggressive and nasty cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. She's been going through chemotherapy and has lost most of her hair. To support her I shaved my head. I thought if she has to be bald I'll be bald with her. Anyway, people ask me if I lost a bet. I tell them why and when I mention the type of cancer they look confused. I would say that a vast majority have never heard of it so now I go right into telling them. Lisa noticed the "rash" 4 days after her breast exam. It was biopsied 5 days later. She looks to have caught it in time and has a very good chance of surviving. The deal is that it looks like a rash or a bug bite and it goes weeks even months being misdiagnosed. She took quick action and her Dr. is being aggressive in her treatment. Here is a link to some info. http://www.ibchelp.org/ Ladies, please be aware of any changes listed in the symptoms area of the site and WLS men talk to your wives/girlfriends and daughters. Now go take a vitamin and drink a glass of water. kp

Kevin, I have done some research of inflammatory breast cancer recently myself. One of my good friends and co-workers had some problems last January (2005) and her PCP told her it was a rash. Around March, she continued to have problems and went to her OB-GYN, had a mammogram done then a biopsy. Went through chemo and radiation for part of '05, had a double masectomy in January 06. The doctors thought the cancer was in remission. She began having additional problems this summer and it was determined the cancer had spread to her liver and lungs. The diagnosis isn't very good, she is staying as positive as possible. IBC is one of the worse cancers to have. She is 34 years old. I wish your friend the best in beating the cancer. Dana

KP, Thanks for the head's up. Appreciate it. Word is getting out on IBC but it not enough yet. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer (not the inflammatory kind) earlier this year so this is close to home for me. She was 48 at the time. Docs were "watching" something on her mammogram which she was getting every 6 months. They were watching for 18 months. They told her to come back in 6 months again and she said "hey, I feel a rough spot. Can't we biopsy this?" Sure enough - cancer. Take care! K