Friday, February 28, 2020

Long Term Chemo Brain Struggle

One survivor offers her suggestions to handle chemo brain as she copes with her almost-10-year-old chemo brain.

PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Barbara Tako is a breast cancer survivor (2010), melanoma survivor (2014) and author of Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools–We'll Get You Through This. She is a cancer coping advocate, speaker and published writer for television, radio and other venues across the country. She lives, survives, and thrives in Minnesota with her husband, children and dog. See more at www.cancersurvivorshipcopingtools.com,or www.clutterclearingchoices.com.

The science now matches what people like me who had chemotherapy, and five years of an aromatase inhibitor, have actually been experiencing and talking about for years — chemo brain. Unfortunately, chemo brain lasts longer for some cancer survivors than for others.

I do not offer this as a reason not to have chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was an important part of my cancer treatment. Sometimes I just miss my old brain, and I do think things have improved for me over the years. Still, I am more forgetful, and I struggle more to form coherent sentences since my cancer treatment almost ten years ago. I struggle more with fatigue too. And yet, I am grateful, completely grateful and fortunate to still be here. Life is good, but it is still important to understand how to deal with this life-altering side effect.

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Learn more about the Coronavirus and what it might mean in New Orleans

The CDC says a U.S. coronavirus outbreak is nearly inevitable. Here's what that means in New Orleans and Louisiana.

Much is still unknown about COVID-19, but the city and state can still brace for an outbreak the same way they would for a flu outbreak like we saw from H1N1 in 2009. Asked if hospitals are beginning preparedness protocols, a local public health expert told us, "without a doubt."

Here's what it looks like and what you can do to keep yourself and others well. (WWNO)

Tip of the Day: Stir Fry Your Veggies

TIP OF THE DAY

Stir-fry your veggies!

For a simple side dish, try stir-frying frozen veggies. Add slivered almonds or cashews at the end for some crunch.

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Thursday, February 27, 2020

Advocacy Insider -ACTION ALERT !

Support the Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act

While rates of breast cancer are low in women under 50, the risk for breast cancer increases starting at 40. Additionally, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 40-49 in the United States.

The most recent recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel of experts that makes recommendations for clinical preventive services, stated that screening for women ages 40-49 should only be performed selectively, while women ages 50-74 should only have screening mammograms every other year.

Because many insurance companies use USPSTF guidelines as the basis for coverage, 22 million women between 40 and 49 could be at risk for losing coverage screening mammograms and those 50 and older would only have coverage every two years. We have to protect these women and ensure that everyone has access to life-saving screening needed to diagnose breast cancer.

Take action now and ask your lawmakers to support the Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings (PALS) Act, postponing the USPSTF recommendations and keeping women covered every year starting at age 40!

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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Mark Your Calendar -- Virtual Advocacy Day is March 4th

Dear Cathy,

Join advocates from across the country on March 4 for the Cancer Support Community’s Virtual Advocacy Day!

This is an opportunity to make an impact from home by reaching out to policy makers and elevating the voices of people impacted by cancer. Our goal is to ensure that the patient remains at the center of all policies and regulations related to health care and your participation in advocacy day will help to do just that!

More information about how to take action will be sent out to members of the Grassroots Network the morning of the 4th.

Together we can prove that Community is Stronger than Cancer.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth F. Franklin, MSW
Executive Director
Cancer Policy Institute
action@cancersupportcommunity.org

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The Language of Survivorship

Survivors share how to combat insensitive comments made by loved ones and strangers.

BY KATIE KOSKO

PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 26, 2020

When Martha Carlson received a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in January 2015, she felt immediate despair about the effect it would have on her family. She had just turned 50 and had three younger children — the youngest, 12 — and a husband at home.

Scared and heartbroken, Carlson felt a deep loss after learning her disease was terminal, with an average survival rate of 30-39 months, depending on the patient’s age. Unlike some other patients with the disease, Carlson responded well to therapy and remains on Herceptin (trastuzumab) and Perjeta (pertuzumab), which are used to treat HER2-positive cancer.

“I had to learn to balance my own normal going through life — raising my kids, having hopes and dreams, and not shutting off that part of myself because I have this diagnosis,” says Carlson, who lives in Brookfield, Illinois.

Read the full post

Monday, February 24, 2020

This week at the Crescent City Farmers' Market

Let the Good Times Roll | February 24, 2020

Fresh & Local:

Let the Good Times Roll

Most New Orleanians will agree that Mardi Gras is the most magical time of the year. They are wrong (hear me out). The best time of year is the forty days that follow, when we have the best excuse to pinch some tails. With Mardi Gras soon behind us and Lent on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about those tasty Friday fish fries and seafood boils.

We recently learned at a sustainable fishing conference that 90% of the seafood caught in Louisiana is exported, and 90% of the seafood consumed in Louisiana is imported - a dismal statistic. Make sure you’re eating straight from the gulf and our surrounding lakes, rivers and bayous by shopping from any of our Crescent City Farmers Market water masters.

CCFM features five Louisiana seafood vendors: Pete and Clara’s Seafood, Four Winds Seafood, Des Allemands Outlaw Katfish, Anna Marie Seafood, and The Fisherman’s Wife, a brand new vendor from Port Sulphur. Unfortunately, we are currently buoying in the slow season so availability is not optimal, but you can find Pete and Clara’s Seafood at the Uptown and Downtown markets and returning to the Ochsner market in March as well as Des Allemands Outlaw Katfish at the Uptown market. Our friends Four Winds Seafood will be back soon and The Fisherman’s Wife are right behind. Fresh, local seafood is just one of countless perks of living in the South, and now that Lent is almost here it’s a perfect time to start adding more to your diet - swing by the market to collect your bounty!

Picks of the Week:

Happy Mardi Gras

Everywhere else it’s just Tuesday, but here it’s Mardi Gras! That means parades, second lines, king cake, fried chicken, beads and bling. To that end, the Tuesday Uptown market will be closed tomorrow, February 25th for celebrations. We will reopen all markets Wednesday, February 26th so be sure to come by to restock on veggies and other healthy things after this season of revelry. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Oh, SNAP!

Here at Crescent City Farmers Market, we are dedicated to increasing access to healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, by helping to reduce some of the economic barriers experienced by our shoppers. Our Market Match program is just one way CCFM can help. You can shop at any of our markets and use your EBT or SNAP benefits and with our Market Match program, you can double those benefits spent at the market up to $20 each day we host a market! Don’t have SNAP? Think you might qualify? Let CCFM lend you a helping hand. Stop by the 200 Broadway location on Tuesday from 9a-3p and we can assist you in completing an online SNAP application. Friendly reminder our SNAP sign-up assistance pilot at the Treme Recreation Center on Thursdays will come to a close this Thursday, the 27th.

Oh Snap!

Ahh, the humble snap pea: crunchy, sweet, and delightful. While we love to snack on ‘em raw or with a side of ranch, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy these little legumes! Try sauteing them in a stir fry, adding them to a soup, or tossing them in a springy salad. Poche’s Family Farm will have snap peas at our Tuesday and Saturday markets for a short window of time, so snatch em up while you can!

Vendor of the Week:

Des Allemands Outlaw Katfish

Catfish and gator lovers rejoice! Mrs. Jeannie is back at the Tuesday Uptown market with crawfish tails, crab meat, Des Allemands catfish, and alligator meat. We’ve missed Mrs. Jeannie’s fresh seafood and her beautiful smile even more! Just a heads up, her attendance may be irregular as they get back into the swing of things, check out who is at the market to confirm attendance.

Tuesday’s Green Plate Special:

Kinoko

Tuesday market is closed this week, but Kinoko will join us starting next week for the month of March with her vegan sushi and we can’t wait!

Recipe of the Week:

Quick Braised Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas

It may not be spring just yet, but the blooming magnolias and sunny afternoons sure have us fooled. This recipe is as simple as it is seasonal, signifying the end of winter here in Louisiana. With this quick-braising technique, the carrots become buttery and the snap peas add a crisp texture and color. If you want to add even more pizzazz, try using multi-colored carrots. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and an herb of your choice, and this side dish is a snap!

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook or even Twitter and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!