Hoping Jennifer Haymore Kicks Cancer’s Ass

Book CoverAuthor Jennifer Haymore has posted on her blog that she’s been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and is beginning treatment, which is a long, arduous and utterly not fun road. I wish her every happy ending to this story, and a collection of absolutely fabulous hats during her treatment.

To send positive thoughts her way, I’m going to give away five copies of her latest book to five random commenters. I think just about everyone knows someone who has battled cancer or an illness that requires treatment almost as bad as the illness itself. So what’s your best advice or best wish for Jennifer? Any tips on surviving the survival part? Popsicles and romance novels? Super soft slippers and macrobiotic meals? Bring it on. I’ll select five winners and send the books.

[Disclaimer: I’m not being compensated nor is anyone else funding the giveaway. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Your mileage may vary. Many bags look alike. Cancer blows.]

I hope you kick cancer’s ass, ma’am.

ETA: Lisa Heermann has sent over her pathfinder entitled Cancer Resources for the Innocent Bystander, which she mentioned in the comments below. It’s a guide for anyone who faces cancer as the non-patient.

She also included a .BMP file for an easy-to-make cancer cap for patients, which she says are comfy enough to sleep in.

Right click and do the download thing, please! And big huge thanks to Lisa.

ETAII: The Mama Writers have a post up about breast cancer awareness, including breast self-exam instructions. If you’re not grabbing your own boobies, you should be.

Which inspired me to create this: Grabbin’ My Boobs. Savin’ My Life. You can customize the size, style, and color of the shirt, but all proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Young Survivor Coalition

 

Comments are Closed

  1. Nadia says:

    Best wishes, Jennifer.  My mom had a double mastectomy in 1987.  She kicked major breast cancer ass and is with us today to tell the tale and live the hope.  Healing thoughts for you on your journey.

  2. Mariska says:

    I’ve been wanting to read her works. but..
    Sad news. Sending lots of positive thoughts, and hugs to Jennifer.

    I have a friend who has diagnosed Breast cancer stadium 3. Her daughter only 1 yo. And now, she has chemo. it’s so sad to hear that news. and i just couldn’t imagine that.

    one alternative medicine that someone taught me, drink lots the brewed water of red ginger. You need to crush the red ginger first, then brew it. Distill the water. and drink the red ginger water while it hot, well not that hot.
    drink it 3 times a day.

  3. Karen W. says:

    Most of my family members & many of my friends have battled cancer.  Some have won and some have lost. 

    A good friend of mine has been going through chemo and the aftermath the past year, and it has been pretty ugly at times.  Please just be there for people who are going through something like that.  Just frequent calls, a card, and especially an offer to help with things like laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping. 

    Jennifer, I’m sending all the best thoughts and wishes to you!  Stay strong, but don’t push yourself.  There will be days you won’t feel like doing anything, so please don’t.  Allow yourself that without feeling guilty, and take good care of yourself.

  4. Jody says:

    I lost my lovely mother to non Hodgkins lymphoma ten years ago and my best friend to multiple myeloma five years before that.  I just watched the Bald Headed Blues, and I’m crying so hard I can barely see my monitor. 

    What gorgeous bravado!  I so wish my mother and my friend could have participated.  It says it all and thanks so much for providing that, Sarah.

    Medicine has made huge strides in ten years.  Jennifer, you’ll beat this.  Take the very best care of yourself, laugh, celebrate each day, eat lots of chocolate and write more books. 

    Captcha—married78.
    Yeah.  Right.

  5. Kaetrin says:

    May you be surrounded by people who love you and who know when to be near and when to give you space.  May you be filled with peace and love and have hugs available all the time.  May you sell many books.  And, may you kick cancer’s ass.

    Best to you.

  6. Linda Henderson says:

    Positive thoughts and support of family and friends, to me that is really important. My brother had kidney cancer and beat it, I take a chemotherapy drug for my severe RA.  I wish you all the best and stay strong.

  7. Tessa says:

    Jennifer,
    Just adding my good thoughts and positive energy to the crowd of SBs who all wish you well.  May you kick cancer’s ass, kick it hard, and celebrate for many, many years to come.

  8. Kris says:

    I always try to add positive thoughts and prayer to anyone I “meet” who is dealing with this cancer shit.  I barely missed losing all my girl parts (hence any thought of procreating) along with my young life in 1992, due to a misdiagnosed molar pregnancy.  I have lived through this crap, and have no desire whatsoever to see anyone else have to go through it.  Good luck and kick some ass, girl!

    Horribly weird and apropos WV: living45-Not quite 45 yet, but LIVING!!

  9. SonomaLass says:

    I’m part of a program called Knitted Knockers to provide knitted (in my case, crocheted) lightweight prostheses for women who have had mastectomies.  Anyone interested can read about it here.

    I bought, read and enjoyed A Touch of Scandal as soon as it was released, so don’t enter me in the contest. I just wanted to join in the chorus of support for Jennifer.

  10. Jill Webb says:

    I’m a four year breast cancer survivor and want to second all the suggestions Pam Noonan posted above. The book for husbands is very good. I’m not sure my husband actually read it but I did and it was good to see it from that side. I think it was harder on my family than it was on me. I just had to listen to the doctors and get better. They felt like they had to worry.

    Do be sure and let your doctor know how the nausea and anti-nausea meds work for you. It took three different anti-nausea meds to find the one that worked for me.

    Do as much of your regular activities as you want to do and don’t feel guilty if you don’t feel like doing some. I was planning on writing during my recovery time off from work, but was too mentally tired and read lots of assorted light fiction instead (did get some editing done now and again).

    Best wishes for your treatment and kick cancer’s ass!

  11. Keemeers says:

    Prayers and thoughts with you Jennifer Haymore! Kick that cancer’s ass!

  12. Maggie Marr says:

    Kick cancer to the curb!  Jennifer, I am sending prayers and positive thoughts to you.  And looking forward to seeing the tiara.
    xo
    Maggie

  13. Diana says:

    I’m sending good thoughts Jennifer’s way!

  14. Gina says:

    “Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weakness.”
    ~Marie de Vichy-Chamrond, Marquise du Deffand [Letters to Voltaire]

  15. Donna says:

    My prayers are with you Jennifer. Get well soon.

  16. Sasha says:

    Cancer’s been a too-real thing in my life lately, and I’m sending all the good vibes I can muster Jennifer’s way. Cancer blows! Boo.

  17. My heart goes out to Jennifer and her family. My huband’s sister is fighting the same battle. Jennifer’s statement that she will survive for her kids is a powerful, powerful inner healer – you go girl!

    One thing I want to say to Jennifer is add turmeric to your diet immediately. There is all kinds of research being done on the spice and Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN did a 30 minute special on it. He flew to India and stood in the market place discussing the spice and its ability to kill cancer cells and how it may be responsible for the low cancer rates in India.  It needs to be taken with either curry, pepper or olive oil, not just the capsules. There is a terrific amount of research going on in Germany and at John Hopkins in the U.S.  on this spice. I’m sure Jennifer will receive all kinds of advice on what to eat and not to eat, and I don’t want to preach, but if it will help, please take it. My sister-in-law’s invasive breast cancer went to her brain despite chemo/radiation/etc. When we found this info on turmeric she started taking it every day and the cancer cells in her brain have shrunk to nothing. Doctors don’t have proof, of course, they just tell her to keep up the turmeric.

  18. aphasia says:

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned since my BC diagnosis, it’s that it is everywhere. So I’m not surprised to see this here, but I am sorry.

    Tips from someone just finishing chemo-

    -cotton baby hat! very comfy for sleeping/home.
    -poncho for chemo- it is often chilly in infusion centers, but you can’t wear sleeves unless you get a port, and it’s hard to get a blanket around an iv-ed arm. I got a fleece poncho and loved it.
    -sage tincture helps a bit with hot flashes if you take it regularly
    -check out breastcancer.org, for all sorts of great resources and discussion groups- but especially check out the “dumbest things people have said to me” thread to make you feel better about some of the things that inevitably come with a diagnosis.
    -and, of course, drink lots of water even when you don’t think you can- it will flush out the dead cells and lessen side effects, even if it makes you feel ill in the short term.

  19. AgTigress says:

    I don’t know Jennifer Haymore’s books, but I wish her, and all other sufferers from this horrible disease, the very best in fighting and beating it. 

    To Kathleen Bittner Roth, re. turmeric:  I use this spice quite a lot, and of course it is a common ingredient in curry, which I (being a Brit) eat fairly frequently, so I am cheered to hear about its possible health benefits.  The only problem sometimes with using it in cooking is the fact that it colours everything bright yellow, an effect that is not always desired!
    🙂

  20. romancemama says:

    Jennifer is a kick ass writer who will kick the big C’s ass! Praying and sending good vibes her way.

  21. Miranda says:

    Make a list of all meds that you take, down to multi-vitamins, birth control, whatever, and carry it with you for doctors to photocopy. They always need to know and it’s easier than trying to remember it each time.

  22. 'col says:

    Don’t need to be entered in the draw—I can buy Jennifer’s books. But perhaps this would be of use: there’s a cookbook called Goes Down Easy by Elise Mecklinger which is all recipes aimed at folks undergoing cancer treatment. Published by the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. I’ve heard good things about it.

    My thoughts are with Jennifer.

  23. Loads of healing vibes and very best wishes to Jennifer.
    Cancer sucks.

  24. 2yrsurvivor says:

    I don’t want to enter the contest, but I have two pieces of advice or support.  1.  You will be at less than normal capacity. Think about what you’re like when you have a bad case of the flu. What do you like to do then?  You will likely be more worn down than that.  My husband got me a big screen TV and we subscribed to almost every cable channel. I had never seen any CSI—I caught up with all three series when undergoing the tests, surgeries, and chemo. 
    2. Green tea.  If you think it tastes grassy alone (as I did and do), consider green tea with fruit pieces—many loose leaf tea shops sell green tea infused with, say, lemon, or green tea with, say papaya pieces.  The docs told me green tea would help my body process the toxic chemicals in the chemo.  Not sure if that was the case, but my pots of tea became a real ritual and my friends, family, and former students started sending me teapots and giftcards and I became a real tea fanatic.  I still drink tons of green tea [infused or with fruit] to this day. 
    I wish you well, and you will be in my prayers.

  25. Jacqueline Wilson says:

    I have been told that eating well, living well, laughing at the world and the disease are some of the best ways to fight any disease. Attitude is everything. So stay positive and laugh a lot

    I am wishing you the strength to beat the big C’s ass!
    My thoughts are with you and your family.

    All the best in the world
    ~Jackie

  26. Carol L. says:

    It was a shock to read Jennifer’s post. But her attitude and determination are going to be her strength. You’ll kick Cancers Ass Jennifer.As hard as it will seem ,stay determined to do exactly what you want. Have a family member get in touch with the Patient Rep because they can hook you up with a lot of agencies that offer services that will get you through your treatment. My daughter had bone cancer at seven and a half. She was an in-patient for a little over 11 months receiving 5 chemos a day.
    Everyone reacts differently to treatment so just deal with how you feel, never mind what everyone feels. You definitely have a loving family and believe me when I say, a strong family beside you, prayer and a sense of humor and determination will get you through. 13 Years later and my daughter is as healthy as can be. Our prayers go to you and yours Jennifer. You can’t help but win, you have an enormous Prayer line going. God Bless. 🙂
    Carol L.
    Lucky4750 @ aol.com

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