Cosmetic companies are claiming that some of their products can rejuvenate the skin by working at a “cellular” level, implying that the ingredients penetrate the skin deeply before they get down to work. Most such products are very expensive and contain, among other things, trace quantities of collagen or some of the body’s natural hormones.
If these creams really did any good, Cutis (39:23) points out, they would need to be classified as prescription drugs (like Retin-A), and claims that the ingredients have rejuvenating effects are akin to suggesting that blood transfusions can be given by rubbing blood on the skin. Such claims are “pure puffery,” according to a recent article in Time magazine.
Some of the “natural” substances in these “skin renewal,” “wrinkle-removing,” “rejuvenating,” and “sun damage-repairing” formulas have also caused allergic skin reactions, so don’t expect them to be better than any other skin creams. About the only good these expensive cosmetics can do is to moisturize the skin and thereby to make it appear a little more smooth. However, the much less expensive skin moisturizing products will do exactly the same thing. Keeping your skin moist (which means keeping the air indoors moist as well) and shielding it from the sun will, more than anything, help to keep your skin’s appearance young.
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Even though the average person in a developed country today lives to the age of 71, the life expectancy in 1900 was only 45. Many, of course, live longer than the average, and while at present the 85th year seems to be a sort of “barrier,” there is reason to hope that one day most of us will survive in good health to 115 (the full potential life span), the New England Journal of Medicine (312:1159) reports.
Research with various animal species all points to the same conclusion — that life is longest when the food supply is limited sufficiently to keep the body weight just below average. Furthermore, all natural and artificial substances that extend animals’ lives, in addition, cause some limitation of weight. Possibly, therefore, it is the ability of exercise and substances such as Gerovital, Levodopa, and Superioxide Dismutase to limit weight rather than anything else that allows them to be effective in delaying aging and prolonging life. The Rumanian makers of Gerovital have advertised that this substance is effective against aging, and, indeed, it has increased the life span of rodents. Studies in humans, however, have not shown a significant anti-aging effect. Neither do we have any convincing evidence that vitamins A, C, or E in large doses have anti-aging effects, nor even that they are safe. Actually, in one study, high vitamin E doses increased mortality. So, while we wait for the answer to aging, we should try to stay lean and avoid consumption of anything dangerous like tobacco, even though it helps to keep us slim.
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Many women with breast cancer find it helpful to talk with a therapist about their concerns. Your friends and family may not be able to provide all of the support you need, and a therapist who is knowledgeable about cancer and cancer treatment can be an invaluable resource. It is really important to choose a therapist who has experience working with women with breast cancer. Many fine therapists are skilled in other areas but are quite uninformed about breast cancer and its treatment. You are looking for someone who can help you explore and understand your feelings, but also someone who is educated about the medical world you are entering. You don’t need to spend some of your valuable therapy time explaining about radiation or chemotherapy side effects, and you do not want to work with a therapist who may be poorly informed about cancer and may, because of this, frighten you unnecessarily. Feel free to ask your doctor or nurse or other health practitioner for a referral to a therapist whom they know to be helpful in situations like yours. You could also call the social work department of your hospital and ask to speak with their oncology social worker. If your hospital does not have such a specialist, try calling a large teaching hospital nearby. It doesn’t matter whether you are receiving your medical care there or not; an oncology social worker can still meet with you or refer you to other therapists in the community. If there is a local breast cancer hotline, they may also be a source of therapy referrals. Finally, you can try calling one of the national organizations for suggestions.
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Many women find it helpful to read about breast cancer and treatment choices; many women also seek out written accounts of others’ personal experience. Remember as you read that all specific medical information, including statistics, is out of date by the time you read it. Both treatments for breast cancer and scientific understanding of the illness are changing constantly. If you want to read the most current medical journal articles, ask one of your doctors for references. If you prefer to read nothing, that is fine, too. Don’t let other people force their coping styles on you. Most women find that at some point during this process, they have read enough; they reach a saturation point. Friends will likely continue to send you articles or books; feel free to decide not to read them. Feel free, also, to tell well-meaning friends and family members to stop sending you these articles if you are upset by receiving them. At the end of this book there is a bibliography and a resources section we hope you will find useful.
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One woman remembers getting out of her car in a crowded parking lot to scream at another driver who had just outmaneuvered her. Another tells of breaking down at an airport when her flight was delayed. Many normally patient mothers yell at their children and then feel especially guilty, since they are simultaneously terrified of leaving these same children motherless.
Try to be easy on yourself. Lower your usual expectations. During this initial diagnostic phase, it is probably wise to cancel what you can. Delegate. Reschedule. Focus on yourself and your own needs. Some women find it really helpful to get away for a day or two. Others find it difficult to be alone and ask friends and family to be with them. This is the time to put yourself first and to ask for help, as you need it.
Breast cancer is not a medical emergency. It is a crisis in your life, but it is not an emergency. You can safely take some time to seek another opinion. You need to know what your choices are. After your doctor has explained to you what alternatives would be reasonable for you, you should prepare yourself to make as fully informed a decision as you can. There are many sources of information: books, pamphlets, journal and magazine articles, the Internet, the National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society information hotlines, etc. Take the time you need to gather information from different sources. Contact other women who have had breast cancer treatment; talk to them about their experiences and ask questions. Many of us have called friends of friends, perfect strangers, who have had breast cancer. Invariably, we found these women were supportive and helpful in answering our questions. Depend on the kindness of strangers. As you gather information, you may find numbers or statistics that are disturbing or frightening. Ask your doctor for clarification, and remember that you are an individual, not a statistic! That is, a statistic is not your personal fate, but is a general observation about a large number of women.
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