CancerHacker

I wish I had known about this moisturizer when I was having radiation. It's water-based, unscented, petroleum/mineral oil free, and paraben free. It can be purchased at any of the four  Sugarmoon locations in Toronto and St. Catherines. They often have sales on their products. I believe it may be the same product as Alexandria Restore Hydrating Lotion , but don't quote me on that. This moisturizer contains aloe and is designed for use after sugaring or waxing, perfect for irritated, radiated skin. It is thinner than Glaxal Base Cream, so more frequent use would be necessary during treatment.

"Has your tumour shrunk at all?" How was I supposed to know? The doctor's were the ones with the fancy measuring tapes. The best I have is a straight edge, not the best tool for measuring a 3 cm tumour. Anyway, this chemo stuff isn't actually supposed to work, is it? Well, guess what. Three weeks after starting chemo, the oncologist measured my tumour and found it had shrunk 0.5 cms in one dimension and 1 cm in another (the 3rd dimension being unmeasurable by hand). That was enough to inspire me to figure out a way that I could easily measure my tumour to monitor how much it was shrinking. Here's my handy method that requires no tools (provided that you can feel your tumour). With one hand, place your thumb and forefinger on the outer edges of the tumour. Then with the other hand place as many fingers as will fit between the two fingers of the first hand. Make a note of the number of fingers (and which ones) -- this is your measurement.

Just in time for Christmas, here are 10 of my personal strategies to reducing my cost of living in Toronto. *Update 3-Jan-2014*: I forgot to include  Toronto On A Shoestring  - another wonderful source of cheapskate knowledge!

It's been a year since I had my last docetaxel infusion and I still haven't written anything about how I coped with the experience. To be honest, I'm not really sure I did, not well anyway. I know that not everyone reacts badly to docetaxel, but I was not so lucky. That said, I've been making notes of the various things I tried in my attempts to survive with my sanity intact.

The one side effect that everyone undergoing radiation therapy will experience is skin irritation and potential breakdown. Most people compare the skin reaction to a sunburn -- how bad of a sunburn will depend on a number of factors. Don't assume that having darker skin will protect you from the effect, you should still care for your skin as if you are the palest person you have ever seen.

After two months of alternating between being out of the country and being sick, I am finally starting my reviews of select travel insurance policies. This week I am comparing the policies currently being offered by online travel giants Expedia.ca and Travelocity.ca (note the ".ca" part of the names -- this is specifically about the policies offered to Canadians). But first a few things to keep in mind... Travel Medical Insurance is intended for emergency care, not routine or planned care. Do not expect it to help you get care at your favourite US cancer centre. It doesn't work like that. They will shoot that claim down faster then a rabid squirrel. If your doctor tells you not to travel, then don't. If you have symptoms before you travel, don't wait to see a doctor. Being in denial about your situation is not an insurable condition. In general, medical coverage begins on the departure date and cancellation insurance coverage begins on the date of purcha...

Update (2013-03-06): I found a few nasty catches in a few policies that everyone needs to be aware of. Some policies will not cover you if you have ever had a bone marrow transplant. Some travel medical insurance policies will not cover you if you have ever been diagnosed with lung cancer or metastatic cancer. Some travel medical insurance policies will not cover you if you wind up having to have chemo between the date you purchased the policy and your date of departure. I came across one plan that requires you to inform the company if there is a change in a previously stable pre-existing condition before your date of departure. The company will then decide if they wish to continue to honour your insurance policy, whether that be for the travel medical portion of your policy (which makes some sense) or for the trip cancellation portion of your policy (seriously not cool). I will be writing a few reviews of policies in both Canada and the US, in order to give you all a feel f...