Managing cancer is one of the most challenging things an individual and family will have to deal with in a one’s lifetime.  I know about this UP CLOSE and PERSONAL and I am offering my few tips to those someday might be in need of this important information. My life with cancer started very early at the age of 12 with my mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer. It changed my life forever, but I started writing as a way to release my pain confusion and misfortune of this deadly disease.  Listed below are my 10 steps for my 30 journals of battling illnesses myself, being caregivers for my family and friends, past and present and the lessons learned over the years. I am currently serving as a caregiver with my dear friend Grace and this has moved me to share these few tips that I hope will inspire others who are affected by cancer in some way.  ENJOY!

LESSON #1: Write down your feelings. Journaling will help you heal.

LESSON #2: Know your family medical history, it could save your own life. As a caregiver, you must know your family history so once your love one gets disoriented, (and they will get like this sometime) they have you to there to remind them of how they can fight and carry on…NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS.  You must have an advocate to help you get through the hard times.

LESSON #3: Balance the stress of it all…. Your Illness. Knowing that you are ill can be overwhelming, but you MUST Balance it all… including the cancer. Balancing your life will help you take one day at a time.  Don’t try to focus too much on the long run, just take each day and today’s race ONE DAY A TIME.

LESSON #4: KEEP YOUR EMOTIONS UNDER CONTROL. Your immune system is designed to move from low to high and events, information, situations and the medications will have your emotional well-being on a roller coaster each day.  You MUST manage your emotions so that you can maintain a strong emotional well-being while your body is healing.

LESSON #5: YOUR FINANCES CANNOT STRESS YOU OUT: Everyone is talking about money and certainly you are no exception as you worry about your cancer, your treatments, your financial obligations and your medical care and medications, but it will all take care of it self.  If you are fortunate to have great doctors and nurses, they will help you and your advocate work through the finances.  Concentrate on getting better and let the experts do their jobs in this arena.  You cannot stress over medical bills!

LESSON #6: LET YOUR FAMILY AND FREINDS CARRY TO LOAD: There comes a time in life when you as the patient cannot do it all.  You must let each family member and friend take a pound of your load and carry it for you for now. Doing this will re-leave you of the burden and empower your friends and colleagues to be apart of the total healing in your body.

LESSON #7: TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ALWAYS: Taking to children and young adults about the cancer allows them to feel that they can help in some small way.  Haven been a child caregiver for my mom, I later in life became a better patient and a great caregiver because my mom discussed her illness with me at an early age. Knowledge is power!

LESSON #8: BE TRUE TO YOURSELF and DON’T PUSH PEOPLE AWAY: Realizing you have cancer and fighting it upfront will help your psyche and your emotional well-being.  Being true to yourself also allows others to be truthful to you and help in this regard.  Let those who are trained as comforters, counselors, clergy and social , mental and human services do their jobs in helping you and your family cope with your cancer.

LESSON #9: YOU ARE NOT ALONE: The greatest gift one can give you is to let you know you are not alone, but if you don’t let others in they cannot help you,  Be open to others, former survivors, doctors, nurses, practitioners, clergy and just everyday folks who may just what you need to put a smile
back on your face and especially in your heart.

LESSON #10: GET READY FOR YOUR BLESSING: With every battle is conflict and struggle.  With every blessing there is difficulty.  Your blessing is just around the corner, so go to war on the cancer, but always know…GOD is just getting your ready for your blessing.  It always rains before the sunshine!

Your blessing is on the way. Get Ready!

Today marks a milestone in the lives of those who remember a great GIANT among men, The Honorable Ted Kennedy. We mourn his death and send our prayers to the entire beloved Kennedy Family. I am reminded that it was Senator Kennedy who always smiled and said good morning in the early 1970’s as I walked the halls of the U.S. Senate young and scared as a new page, intern and professional Senate staffer from 1970 – 1989. One day, Senator Kennedy got on the elevator with my dear friend, Martin King, III and asked, “What state are from?” I smiled and said, “I am from the great state of Louisiana and I will become Louisiana’s Barbara Jordan one day. He smiled and said, “Young lady, I look forward to becoming your colleague one day, keep the dream alive!” To this day, I hold that memory near and dear and when times get tough I often think of his words as encouragement to me to carry on no matter how tough things may be. He was an extraordinary leader and humanitarian with a great legacy.

Today also reminds us of the time three years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana when many of us looked in disbelief at our country’s most severe natural disaster.. Hurricane Katrina. We still can remember those images of innocent people struggling to survive while we watched in horror of this in America…the Land of the Free. It is an irony that these two events are merged together by time and sacrifice this week with many feeling a sense of loss and hope all wrapped up into one week.

Today, I pay honor to those who lost their lives fighting for freedom fairness and justice in The Big Easy, my home state and what I hope we will never forget…the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. To the many families who left their lives and homes in search of a kinder, gentler place of peace and tranquility…An America in search of itself.

So, today, we honor and remember Senator Ted Kennedy and The Families of Hurricane Katrina. We promise to never forget you or your legacy.

REST IN PEACE!

Celebrating America Saves Week

Thursday, February 26, Howard University hosted the annual Black America Saves reception as a part of America Saves Week 2009. This year’s reception brought together the Black community to celebrating saving during the tough economic times. Participant’s traveled from across the country to support the Black America Saves cause; some travling from Michigan, Louisana, and Florida.

Special thanks to this year’s sponsors:

• Howard University and the Armour J. Blackburn University Center
• Black America Saves
• Join the Click
• Mynette Management Company

As America Saves Week 2009 comes to a close, Mynette Management Company would like to thank everyone for their support of Black America Saves and reminds them to Keep on Savin’.

Today’s PSA:

(download mp3)

Submitted by: Glenda Carter (Wiley College)

Cost: About $8

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs
• 1  clove of garlic
• 1  medium onion
• 4  carrots
• 1 large bell pepper
• 1/3 head of cabbage
• 1 medium package of pasta (spaghetti)
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• soy sauce to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté chicken thighs in vegetable oil; remove skin when chicken is done.. Chop the chicken into small cubes and set aside.
2. Chop clove of garlic and onions and set aside.
3. Slice carrots, bell pepper and cabbage and mix together.
4. Heat oil over medium heat and then add the garlic, onions, carrots and cabbage. Sauté until crisp but not soggy.
5. Add chicken with the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook over low heat for about a minute.
6. Boil spaghetti pasta until firm but not overly cooked while you sauté the other ingredients. Drain pasta.
7. Add freshly cooked pasta to the rest of the ingredients in the skillet and mix well. You may want to add a little olive oil to make sure that the pasta doesn’t stick together or become dry.
8. Season with salt and soy sauce to taste.  Mix well.

Welcome to the Philippines.

Make a cool drink made of apple cider and sugar and enjoy!

Today’s PSA:

(download mp3)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lavonia Perryman: 313-404-0977 lavoniaperryman@yahoo.com

Suzanne Mayo Theus, National Director, Black America Saves available for interviews during s America Saves Week Feb. 23, 24 27 or 28, 2009.  Suzanne Mayo-Theus is an ambassador of good will. But that’s just one of her roles.

“There are few people that have made such a broad impact on the lives of so many as Suzanne has,” said Tyrone Brown, president of PROKids.  “She has been a great advocate, steward and educator of the development of minority relations and raising awareness about building wealth not debt in the Black community.”

Black America Saves

Black America Saves is a nationwide campaign in which a broad coalition of nonprofit, corporate, and government groups helps individuals and families save and build wealth. Through information, advice, and encouragement, we assist those who wish to pay down debt, build an emergency fund, save for a home, save for an education, or save for retirement.  Many believe that low- and moderate-income families cannot afford to save and build wealth. Yet research shows that there are “savers” and “spenders” in all income classes. While those with modest incomes cannot save as much as the affluent, almost all have the ability to build wealth over time.

Clearly, our economic problems require solutions at all levels, including more responsible lending programs and appropriate financial services oversight. But at the individual level Black America Saves goal is to help individuals, and families get and keep personal finances on track, and over time generates the kind of capital that financial institutions can use to invest and grow the economy in the long term.  The primary focus of America Saves Week is to encourage Financial Action – commitments to save, invest and build wealth.

The campaign, which is run at the national level by the Consumer Federation of America, a non-profit consumer advocacy, research and education group, includes over 50 local organizations and partners with over a hundred national organizations who promote or offer financial education and savings opportunities.

Suzanne Mayo, National Director
Black America Saves/The Consumer Federation of America
1620 Eye St.  NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006
785-236-9553

The primary focus of America Saves Week is to encourage Financial Action – commitments to save, invest and build wealth.

The campaign, which is run at the national level by the Consumer Federation of America, a non-profit consumer advocacy, research and education group, includes Black America Saves and over 50 local organizations and partners with over a hundred national organizations who promote or offer financial education and savings opportunities.

Black America Saves is a nationwide social-marketing campaign in which a broad coalition of nonprofit, corporate, and government groups helps individuals and families save and build wealth. Through information, advice, and encouragement, we assist those who wish to pay down debt, build an emergency fund, save for a home, save for an education, or save for retirement.  Many believe that low- and moderate-income families cannot afford to save and build wealth. Yet research shows that there are “savers” and “spenders” in all income classes. While those with modest incomes cannot save as much as the affluent, almost all have the ability to build wealth over time.

Clearly, our economic problems require solutions at all levels, including more responsible lending programs and appropriate financial services oversight. But at the individual level Black America Saves goal is to help individuals, and families get and keep personal finances on track, and over time generates the kind of capital that financial institutions can use to invest and grow the economy in the long term.

Contact:

Lavonia Perryman Fairfax
555 Brush St #1115
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Suzanne Mayo Theus, National Director
Black America Saves/The Consumer Federation of America
1620 Eye St.  NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006
785-236-9553

Today’s PSA:

(download mp3)

Submitted by: Suzanne Mayo

Cost: About $6

Ingredients:

• a large bag of chicken parts  ($4)
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup (.69)
• 1 small bag of rice (.49)
• 1 can of string beans or green peas (.50)
• 1 pack of kool-aid  (.30 cents)

Instructions:

1. Wash the chicken well and season it well.
2. Place the chicken in a flat pan and bake on 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
3. During the last 20 minutes, open the can of mushroom soup and mix with 1/4 cup of water in a bowl.
4. Pour the soup over the chicken and let the chicken bake until it is done.
5. Cook your rice in another pan until done and cover with margarine or your special gravy.
6. Open up the can of string beans or green peas and season them to your taste.

Make your pitcher of kool-aid and sit down to eat.

Pray for your wonderful $6 dollar meal and enjoy great family time!

NOTE:  Next week you can substitute the creme of mushroom soup for BBQ sauce. IT IS DELICIOUS!