Accomplishments...and a new ADDICTION!!

I have become addicted to the quilted postcards! I do my own thing...no rules...my goal is to journal quilts that I make from here on out! Barb asked me in a previous post about the process. It's pretty simple...buy some PELTEX in the interfacing section of your favorite hobby store and cut it into 4x6 pieces using your rotary cutter. Use your favorite fusible web, fabrics from the project you want to journal about and a lot of imagination!!!! The key is to have fun! I haven't been able to use ALL of the fabrics in the following projects, but used a LOT of them. I try to use a lighter fabric on the back so that I can do the journaling on the back. I use a zigzag stitch around the raw edges using a 2.5 x 1.0 stich length.

This is the second one that I made journaling Dan's firefighting quilt. Dan liked the first one (see previous post below) so well that he wanted to keep it! LOL...it's ok cuz I got to make a NEW one!! This is the front:

This is the back:

This is a mystery quilt top from Glad Creations Quilt Shop in Minneapolis, MN. I was on a roll with the project until travelling got in the way, starting with our 25th Anniversary trip to Hawaii in June! I finished the top today! The colors don't show well here but it is yummy shades of browns/oranges/reds/greens with a neutral background. DH said, "OH COOL...a fall quilt!" All of Glad's mystery quilts becomes a pattern!

The day wouldn't have been complete if I hadn't done my journaling! Here is the front:

And here is the back:

Last, but certainly not least, is the adorable flip-flop quilt! It's small but is meant to be a lap, not a full size quilt. A friend asked me to make this for her SIL. It was easy to throw together so I did this today as well!

And...you guessed it...JOURNAL IT!!! Here is the front of the journal postcard:

And here is the back:

So there you have it! I have been back in my quilting room and am LOVIN' IT!!! It has been awhile and I have missed it! You might have noticed on the last 2 postcards that I put the date when the top was finished...leaving room for when it truly becomes a Q-U-I-L-T!!!! How is THAT for accurate journaling!!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my accomplishments for the past few days!
Hugs
Laurie

Accomplishments...

I have been inspired by Mary at http://maryquilts.blogspot.com/ to do a postcard journal. I couldn't get this neat idea out of my head so I jumped in today. I did one to commemorate the firefighter's quilt I made for Dan's graduation from firefighting quilt. I am going to try to make a postcard for all quilts from here on out and write on the back of it the details of why the quilt was made.
Here is the front:

Here's the back:


On a different note, I have 2 gals who clean the house every other week. They have admired my quilts all the time and hinted they would love to have one. I finally gave them some tops and said "pick one out". I finished those and will give them to the gals tomorrow. I am only showing one becauwe the 2nd one has some bad feelings attached to them for me.


Have a great day everyone!
Laurie

My weekend UFO top completion

The blocks were half assembled but all the rows had to be put together. It is from the book "One Block Wonder" bye Maxine Rosenthal and it'll probably by my "One Quilt Wonder" as well! LOL...this was tedious. I like how it turned out but I like faster projects! ;o) I was making this for my son to take to the station and let the firefighters use it...he is not sure he wants to do that cuz there are too many "6 packs" blocks staring at him! LOL I might send it to a fire station in San Diego and thank the firefighters there for their hard work during the fires. We'll see how Dan feels after I get it quilted.

Here's a close up of some of the blocks.

I wanted to make it longer so I used Tanya's letters to spell out fire. Then I carefully chose the firefighters from the fabric to put on the sides of it. I could've used one of the topless men! ROFL!

And finally, a picture of the whole cloth fabric.


So there it is! A productive weekend and a messy sewing room! :o)
Laurie

I think he likes it!

WELL, today I finished the binding on Dan's quilt. I think it's safe to say he likes it! LOL...here is a pic of both of us with the quilt.

Dan had his wisdom teeth pulled this morning and I wanted him to be able to sleep under this new quilt tonight. Here he is with the backing of his quilt.

This is a closeup of the label. There is Dan on his graduation day. It was hard to get a good pic of this tonight.

He wrapped himself up in it too quickly...I couldn't get a closeup of the quilting. I used a variegated thread and quilted flames on it! Here is the quilt coming AT you...

and here is the quilt LEAVING you! LOL


It was a GOOD day!
Hugs
Laurie

A life of its own!

Well, I have a lot of catching up to do since I have been posting breast cancer stuff this month. A major event occured last Saturday. My youngest son, Dan, graduated from firefighting academy!!!! He is now a full fledged firefighter who needs a job! LOL...but here is a pic of him with his brother and sister at his graduation. The ceremony wasn't announced until 10 days before it happened so DH and I missed it because we were in DC for DH's business and this trip had been planned for months. While we were at lunch Dan sent me a pic via text messaging of him wth his diploma...I cried right there in the restaurant.

I had told Dan that when he graduated (he got his final test results on Friday...he passed the final 4 tests...) that I would make him a fire quilt. I had a TON of fabric that I had collected...can you say too much??? But what pattern was I going to do?? I had several fabs that needed to be fussy cut and 9" was a good size. That being said, I figured, OK, I need an alternate block to set with the larger blocks. I called both my sisters and they had the same idea that I did...use the other fabs, cut 6" squares and frame them to be 9". As I thought about it I didn't want it to be that boring and I wanted to use a LOT of the fabrics without worrying about seams, matching, contrast etc. OK...so I went to an online site that a friend of mine started and she had a book on there that I HAVE!!!!! It's called "Happy Hour" by Terri Atkinson! The cover quilt was the answer to my problem!!! I used that block as my alternate.
Now the body of the quilt is designed, but what to do about the rest? I had a hydrant fabric that I knew I would fussy cut and have as the first border. But what was next??? Fabric usage was of prime concern here. OK...so, let's do a piano key border next and use a BUNCH more fabric! YESSSSSSSSSS!!! Still not big enough though...I wanted it to fit a double bed if not a queen. I wanted to use the red firetruck/fireman fabric for the last border. But, I did not have enough to piece it and fit the top. (sigh) What to do, what to do? Hmmmmmmm...the flame fabric that I have wasn't used enough, how can I use it in the border? LIGHT BULB comes on! LOL...I decided the firemen needed to be putting flames out so I mitred flame fabric into the final border!

OMG...When I looked at the quilt I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I honestly have to say that this might be my most favorite quilt yet! It is busy but so fun! It's a happy quilt and I know Dan will LOVE it! Here's a closeup of some of the top.

OK..top done...I bet you think I used up most of the fabric. WRONG!!! I have enough left to probably make a lap throw! YIKES!

I hear what you are thinking...NO NO NO, the back is in need of being made yet! Use the leftovers for the backing! HAHAHAHAHA...nope, I have 2 flannels that I will use for the back! ROFL...Maybe a lap quilt is in order!

Anyway, I willl get a label made, a back made, throw it on the longarm, bind it and give it to my fireman Dan!!!

It was fun to quilt!
Hugs
Laurie

Lymph Node Dissection

Lymph Node Dissection: What to Expect
How long surgery takes
Surgery takes about an hour. The process of being admitted and prepared for surgery will vary from place to place. The amount of time you spend in the recovery room, waking up and getting to the point that you're ready to go home, will vary from woman to woman.
The incision
Most surgeons make a two–to–three–inch incision in the skin crease under your arm.
What happens
General anesthesia is used. Most commonly, the lower two levels of the three levels of axillary nodes will be removed. Occasionally, a surgeon will take one or two nodes from the top level, as an extra precaution. If you have a modified radical mastectomy, the lymph node dissection usually occurs in the same operation. If you have a lumpectomy, the lymph node dissection may occur at the same time or in a later operation. Once the surgeon removes the nodes, a pathologist will examine them carefully for signs of cancer. It may take days before the pathology report is available.
The risks
Lost or decreased sensation in the back of the arm or armpit. Sometimes the nerve supplying sensation to the back of the arm and armpit is cut, stretched, or damaged during surgery. This loss of sensation may be temporary, but for some women it may persist.

Tingling, numbness, stiffness, weakness, or lymphedema (swelling of the arm). It's important not to let your arm become weak and stiff as a result of discomfort and limited range of motion (mobility) after surgery. Physical therapy and exercise can help restore your arm movement and strength.

Inflammation of the arm veins as they pass through the armpit region. This inflammation can show up several days after surgery, and usually responds to treatment with ice and aspirin within several days. Occasionally a clot can form in the affected vein.

Winged scapula. This is an extremely rare complication that happens when the motor nerves that hold your shoulder blade flat are damaged, causing your shoulder blade to stick out when you hold your arm out straight. Again, this is extremely rare, and is usually not a problem in daily activities.

Increased risk of infection in the surgical area. This is usually discovered early and responds well to treatment.

Male Breast Cancer

What Is Breast Cancer in Men?

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that may invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs mainly in women but occasionally occurs in men. Many people do not realize that men have breast tissue and that they can develop breast cancer.
Normal Breast Structure

In order to understand breast cancer, it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about the normal structure of the breasts.

The breast is made up mainly of lobules (milk-producing glands in women), ducts (tiny tubes that carry the milk from the lobules to the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and connective tissue surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels).

Until puberty, young boys and girls have a small amount of breast tissue consisting of a few ducts located under the nipple and areola (area around the nipple). At puberty, a girl's ovaries make female hormones, causing breast ducts to grow, lobules to form at the ends of ducts, and the amount of stroma to increase. In males, hormones made by the testicles prevent further growth of breast tissue. Men's breast tissue contains ducts, but only a few if any lobules.

Like all cells of the body, a man's breast duct cells can undergo cancerous changes. Because women have many more breast cells than men do and perhaps because their breast cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of female hormones, breast cancer is much more common in women.

The Lymph (Lymphatic) System

The lymph system is important to understand because it is one of the ways in which breast cancers can spread. This system has several parts.

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins, except that they carry a clear fluid called lymph (instead of blood) away from the breast. Lymph contains tissue fluid and waste products, as well as immune system cells (cells that are important in fighting infections). Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes. This becomes important when we talk about staging (see the section, "How Is Breast Cancer in Men Staged?").

Most lymphatic vessels in the breast connect to lymph nodes under the arm (axillary nodes). Some lymphatic vessels connect to lymph nodes near the breast bone (internal mammary nodes) and either above or below the collarbone (supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes).

Knowing if the cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes is important because if they have, there is a higher chance that the cells could have gotten into the bloodstream and spread (metastasized) to other sites in the body. This is important to know when you are choosing a treatment. The more lymph nodes that are involved with the breast cancer, the more likely it is that the cancer will eventually be found in other organs as well. But not all men with lymph node involvement develop metastases, and it is not unusual for a man to have negative lymph nodes and later develop metastases.

UNDERSTANDING RISK

Understanding Risk

Day in and day out, we all take steps to manage the risks in our lives. We wear our seatbelts to avoid getting hurt in a car crash. We brush our teeth to protect them from cavities, and we carry umbrellas to cut down on the risk of getting soaked in a storm. Yet, even while we take these types of steps every day, most of us don’t spend much time thinking about risk. But it’s actually an important concept that’s worth exploring, especially when it comes to matters of health and science. “Risk” in these fields can have a number of different meanings, and knowing some of the basic types of risk can help you better understand your chances of developing a disease like breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself from it.

Absolute Risk
The most basic type of risk is absolute risk, which is simply a person's chance of developing a specific disease over a certain time period. Absolute risk is estimated by looking at a large group of people who are similar in some respect (in terms of age, for example) and counting the number of people in the group who develop the disease in question over the specified time period.

For example, if we followed 100,000 women between the ages of 20 and 29 for one year, approximately 4 would develop breast cancer during this period. This means that the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 20- to 29-year-old woman is 4 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 25,000 women. Another way to say this is that the chances of developing breast cancer in the next year are 4 in 100,000 (or 1 in 25,000) for the average 20- to 29-year-old woman.

In another example, if we followed 100,000 women aged 70 to 74 for a one-year period, approximately 400 of them would develop breast cancer. This means the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 70- to 74-year-old woman is 400 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 250 women.

Knowing the absolute risk of disease can help women prioritize the health risks in their lives. In the examples above, for instance, we see that the absolute risk of breast cancer is low in young women and much higher in older women.

Lifetime risk
One absolute risk that many women are familiar with is the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Currently, women in the US have a “1 in 8”, or approximately 12 percent, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer [2]. This statistic means that for every 8 American women who live to be age 85, one of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is much higher than the one-year risk of breast cancer. This is because the lifetime risk is a type of summing, or adding up, of all the one-year absolute risks over a woman's life span, up to age 85.

Risk Factors
Anything that influences a person’s absolute risk of developing a disease is called a risk factor. A risk factor can be anything from a lifestyle choice (such as diet) to a genetic component (such as family history) to an environmental exposure (such as radiation). For instance, lack of exercise is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are not regularly active have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who are regularly active.

Relative Risk
Though the term “relative risk” may not sound familiar, you likely see or hear about relative risks all the time in news stories about health. A relative risk is a generalized way to present the increase or decrease in risk that’s due to a particular risk factor.

A relative risk is calculated by taking the ratio of two absolute risks: the numerator (the top number in the ratio) is the absolute risk among those with the risk factor, while the denominator (the bottom number) is the absolute risk among those without the risk factor. When the absolute risk of those with the factor is divided by the absolute risk of those without the factor, the number you get is the relative risk.




Say there is a new study published that finds that women who don’t exercise regularly have a 25 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do exercise regularly: this statistic is a relative risk. It means that women who don’t exercise are 25 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do exercise.

Understanding relative risks
What’s important to realize about relative risks is that they depend on the underlying absolute risks. Overall, when a disease is rare, as breast cancer is among very young women, a relative risk that sounds high will still mean that only a few extra cases of disease will arise. By contrast, when a disease is more common, as breast cancer is among older women, even small relative risks can mean a lot more cases of disease.

One way to think about this is in terms of money. If a person has a single dollar, this makes dollars "rare". If this person doubles her money, she only gains one extra dollar. In contrast, if a person has a million dollars, this makes dollars "common", and a doubling of her money means she gains a million extra dollars. In both cases, there is a doubling of money, but the real increase in dollars is very different. The same is true with disease risk: the higher the absolute risk of getting a disease, the greater the number of extra cases that will develop for a given relative risk.

Our previous example of the exercise study can show this as well. In this scenario, the study found that physically inactive women have a 25 percent greater risk of breast cancer than active women do. Since older women are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women, the potential impact that lack of physical activity has on breast cancer is greater in older women than in younger women. And the numbers below show this.

Among women aged 70-74, 500 women per 100,000 who are physically inactive could develop breast cancer in the next year, while 400 women per 100,000 who are active could develop the disease.




So, among older women aged 70-74, being inactive could potentially lead to 100 more cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women.

Among women aged 20-29, however, being inactive would cause only 1 extra case of breast cancer in 100,000 women. Among these younger women, 4 women per 100,000 who are active could get breast cancer in the next year, while 5 women per 100,000 who are inactive could get breast cancer.




Of course, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained throughout life, not just when one’s underlying risk of disease crosses a certain threshold. But, understanding how absolute risk and relative risk interrelate can help women become better informed consumers of health information and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about the health choices in their lives.

Reading Relative Risks
Relative risks are presented in many ways. Here’s a brief guide to help you recognize a relative risk when you see it in the newspaper, hear it on the TV news or read it in on the Internet.

When a relative risk is between 1.0 and 1.99, as physical inactivity is, it might be presented in any of the following ways:

• “Inactivity has a relative risk of 1.25.”

• “Inactivity increases the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent.”

• “Inactivity increases risk by 1.25-fold.”

When a relative risk is 2.0 or above, it is often presented in relation to how many times the risk is increased. If, for example, a factor has a relative risk of 3.0, it can also be stated as follows:

• "Risk is increased 3 times."

• "There is a 3-fold increase in risk."

When a relative risk is below 1.0, it means that the risk factor actually lowers the risk of disease. If, for example, a factor lowered the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent, it could also be stated as follows:

• “The factor has a relative risk of 0.75.”

• “This factor lowers risk by 25 percent.”

Cancer Survivor's Park in Palm Springs, CA

8 years ago, when DH and I went to CA to celebrate my being done with chemo for my breast cancer, we found this Cancer Survivor Park. Of course I wanted to stop. We stopped again last week when we were in CA vacationing. This first picture is me walking thru the "LIFE" tunnel! (that's what I call it) It's hard to explain, but it makes me feel like the cancer will NEVER come back when I walk thru there! The last 2 pics are of plaques that I hope will help just ONE if not more cancer patients continue to fight and win their battle!
Hugs
Laurie

SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups have become an important and widely available resource for people living with breast cancer. In general, support groups are designed to increase the support network of people living with cancer. However, support groups vary in terms of their focus. Some are "information-based" educational groups, while others are "emotion-focused" and allow people to share their feelings. Both types play crucial roles in the recovery process following diagnosis and treatment. Some of these groups are led by professionals, while others are more informal, taking place in churches or people's homes. Some groups may have only weekly or monthly meetings, while others are much more involved, adding complementary therapies, such as meditation and visualization, into their sessions.

Clearly, there is no one model for a successful support group. What is most important is that people who are interested in a support group find the one that best matches their needs and personal circumstances. Most support groups, either by design or convenience, are geared toward people who are in a specific stage of dealing with their cancer. For example, the American Cancer Society and many other health-related organizations offer support groups specifically for those who have been recently diagnosed. Other groups are designed for those undergoing chemotherapy, or those in a specific age group or those dealing with a fear of recurrent breast cancer.

To help ensure a positive group experience, it is important to find a support group that fits a person’s individual needs. For more information on how to find a local support group, visit the American Cancer Society’s In My Community page. Our Breast Care Helpline at 1-800 I’M AWARE (1-800-462-9273) can also help people find local support groups and other resources.

Online support groups are also growing in membership and activity [20]. Similar to face-to-face groups, these online resources provide a chance for people to exchange information, offer and receive social support and gain a sense of personal empowerment. For men with breast cancer, the disease is so rare that online support groups are likely the best way to share experiences with men in similar situations. The Association of Cancer Online Resources and CancerCare are good sources for finding an online support group.

It is also important to remember that although support groups can be a powerful force for healing, they don’t suit everyone. For instance, support groups that are "emotion-focused" are useful for people who are comfortable expressing their emotions and fears about breast cancer in a group setting. Persons may reach this stage at different times in their recovery, or not at all. Some prefer to keep these emotions to themselves, or to share them only with close family and friends. In addition to requiring emotional energy, most support groups require a commitment of time.

Breast Cancer...Understanding the RISK

Understanding Risk

Day in and day out, we all take steps to manage the risks in our lives. We wear our seatbelts to avoid getting hurt in a car crash. We brush our teeth to protect them from cavities, and we carry umbrellas to cut down on the risk of getting soaked in a storm. Yet, even while we take these types of steps every day, most of us don’t spend much time thinking about risk. But it’s actually an important concept that’s worth exploring, especially when it comes to matters of health and science. “Risk” in these fields can have a number of different meanings, and knowing some of the basic types of risk can help you better understand your chances of developing a disease like breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself from it.

Absolute Risk
The most basic type of risk is absolute risk, which is simply a person's chance of developing a specific disease over a certain time period. Absolute risk is estimated by looking at a large group of people who are similar in some respect (in terms of age, for example) and counting the number of people in the group who develop the disease in question over the specified time period.

For example, if we followed 100,000 women between the ages of 20 and 29 for one year, approximately 4 would develop breast cancer during this period. This means that the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 20- to 29-year-old woman is 4 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 25,000 women. Another way to say this is that the chances of developing breast cancer in the next year are 4 in 100,000 (or 1 in 25,000) for the average 20- to 29-year-old woman.

In another example, if we followed 100,000 women aged 70 to 74 for a one-year period, approximately 400 of them would develop breast cancer. This means the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 70- to 74-year-old woman is 400 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 250 women.

Knowing the absolute risk of disease can help women prioritize the health risks in their lives. In the examples above, for instance, we see that the absolute risk of breast cancer is low in young women and much higher in older women.

Lifetime risk
One absolute risk that many women are familiar with is the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Currently, women in the US have a “1 in 8”, or approximately 13 percent, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer [2]. This statistic means that for every 8 American women who live to be age 85, one of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is much higher than the one-year risk of breast cancer. This is because the lifetime risk is a type of summing, or adding up, of all the one-year absolute risks over a woman's life span, up to age 85.

Risk Factors
Anything that influences a person’s absolute risk of developing a disease is called a risk factor. A risk factor can be anything from a lifestyle choice (such as diet) to a genetic component (such as family history) to an environmental exposure (such as radiation). For instance, lack of exercise is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are not regularly active have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who are regularly active.

Relative Risk
Though the term “relative risk” may not sound familiar, you likely see or hear about relative risks all the time in news stories about health. A relative risk is a generalized way to present the increase or decrease in risk that’s due to a particular risk factor.

A relative risk is calculated by taking the ratio of two absolute risks: the numerator (the top number in the ratio) is the absolute risk among those with the risk factor, while the denominator (the bottom number) is the absolute risk among those without the risk factor. When the absolute risk of those with the factor is divided by the absolute risk of those without the factor, the number you get is the relative risk.




Say there is a new study published that finds that women who don’t exercise regularly have a 25 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do exercise regularly: this statistic is a relative risk. It means that women who don’t exercise are 25 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do exercise.

Understanding relative risks
What’s important to realize about relative risks is that they depend on the underlying absolute risks. Overall, when a disease is rare, as breast cancer is among very young women, a relative risk that sounds high will still mean that only a few extra cases of disease will arise. By contrast, when a disease is more common, as breast cancer is among older women, even small relative risks can mean a lot more cases of disease.

One way to think about this is in terms of money. If a person has a single dollar, this makes dollars "rare". If this person doubles her money, she only gains one extra dollar. In contrast, if a person has a million dollars, this makes dollars "common", and a doubling of her money means she gains a million extra dollars. In both cases, there is a doubling of money, but the real increase in dollars is very different. The same is true with disease risk: the higher the absolute risk of getting a disease, the greater the number of extra cases that will develop for a given relative risk.

Our previous example of the exercise study can show this as well. In this scenario, the study found that physically inactive women have a 25 percent greater risk of breast cancer than active women do. Since older women are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women, the potential impact that lack of physical activity has on breast cancer is greater in older women than in younger women. And the numbers below show this.

Among women aged 70-74, 500 women per 100,000 who are physically inactive could develop breast cancer in the next year, while 400 women per 100,000 who are active could develop the disease.




So, among older women aged 70-74, being inactive could potentially lead to 100 more cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women.

Among women aged 20-29, however, being inactive would cause only 1 extra case of breast cancer in 100,000 women. Among these younger women, 4 women per 100,000 who are active could get breast cancer in the next year, while 5 women per 100,000 who are inactive could get breast cancer.




Of course, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained throughout life, not just when one’s underlying risk of disease crosses a certain threshold. But, understanding how absolute risk and relative risk interrelate can help women become better informed consumers of health information and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about the health choices in their lives.

Reading Relative Risks

Relative risks are presented in many ways. Here’s a brief guide to help you recognize a relative risk when you see it in the newspaper, hear it on the TV news or read it in on the Internet.

When a relative risk is between 1.0 and 1.99, as physical inactivity is, it might be presented in any of the following ways:

“Inactivity has a relative risk of 1.25.”
“Inactivity increases the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent.”
“Inactivity increases risk by 1.25-fold.”
When a relative risk is 2.0 or above, it is often presented in relation to how many times the risk is increased. If, for example, a factor has a relative risk of 3.0, it can also be stated as follows:

"Risk is increased 3 times."
"There is a 3-fold increase in risk."
When a relative risk is below 1.0, it means that the risk factor actually lowers the risk of disease. If, for example, a factor lowered the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent, it could also be stated as follows:

“The factor has a relative risk of 0.75.”
“This factor lowers risk by 25 percent.”

WARNING SIGNS OF BREAST CANCER

Warning Signs of Breast Cancer

Due to the increased use of mammography, most women are diagnosed at very early stages of breast cancer before symptoms appear. However, not every breast cancer is detected through mammography. The most common symptoms of breast cancer are a change in the look or feel of the breast, a change in the look or feel of the nipple and nipple discharge. These are described below:

Warning Signs of Breast Cancer
A change in the look or feel of the breast.

A change in the size or shape of the breast.
A lump or thickening in the breast, the area surrounding the breast or the underarm.
A warm sensation in the breast.
A change in the look or feel of the nipple.

A nipple turned inward or sunken into the breast.
The shape of the nipple becomes irregular.
A rash on the nipple or areola.
Nipple tenderness, increased sensitivity or pain.
Nipple discharge.

Blood or fluid other than breast milk secreted from the nipple.
A change in the look or feel of the skin on the breast, nipple or areola.

Dimpling of the skin on the breast (appears like the skin on an orange).
The appearance of irritated, red, scaly, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola.
Breast pain.

Although breast pain is usually associated with benign breast disease rather than breast cancer, it can be a symptom of either condition.

IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN ASAP

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is an important month for anyone who has been touched by breast cancer. Whether it's you, or your mother, sister, grandmother, aunt or a friend...we have all known someone who has been touched by this disease. Fortunately, it is becoming more curable with every year of research.

MAMMOGRAMS: make sure you get one according to your drs. recommendation, tell anyone who has put it off to DO IT NOW, and tell anyone who is afraid of the pain that the pain of a mastecomy, chemo, and radiation is MUCH worse. What is that saying? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?

REMEMBER: this disease hits males as well...if you have a family history, be sure the men in the family are informed.

I hope to post most every day this month with facts about breast cancer.

Hugs,
Laurie

Headed to CA again!!!

DH and I will leave bright and early tomorrow morning to go to California! I am looking forward to time alone with him and relaxing! Catch ya later!

DEJAVU...Simply Quilts is back on HGVT

I turned on my bedroom TV at 7AM and the last time I had that TV on it was on HGTV. The audio was on before the picture and I said, "OMG, that is Simply Quilts music" and sure enough...there was Alex Anderson with a repeat episode.

Simply Quilts it seems is on at 7AM CDT every day again! GO FIGURE!!!!! From what I can tell it's all old stuff. There is also video available that you can watch it at anytime. I have no clue when this came back to HGTV. I do know when it was cancelled that a TON of quilters signed a petition to see it kept on.

Here's the link:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_qlt

WHEW...what a day!!!

I woke up at 7:45 and leaped out of bed! The class I wanted to take at Lifetime Fitness was at 8:15. I was a couple of mins late but managed to burn 400+ calories! WOOHOO!!!

Next stop was Walmart...all sweaty and a baseball cap covering my wet, sweaty hair! LOL...I am picking up a few things for dinner tonight and tomorrow when my DD calls. It seems she needs help with her dog. the maintenance people wanted to be in her apt. and she needed to work a double shift today and she had to take her car in for brakes. ARGH...my DS and I go pick up her car AND dog, drop the car at Goodyear and head home.

I had a quilt loaded and got that quilted! WOOHOO!!! It felt good to be at the longarm...it's been waaaaaay too long! Then I loaded ANOTHER quilt and started to quilt it. In the mean time, the DD calls 3x about her car, a friend calls, DD texts me about her car, and several phone calls come in! Then the dog wants to go for a walk. Now, those of you who know me, KNOW that I am NOT an animal person. But my DD's dog has stolen my heart! So I really don't mind watching the dog, but it sure makes me realize that I do NOT want to OWN one! ;o) BUT I DO WANT TO QUILT!!! I wanted to get this second quilt done sooooooo badly today. I finally get cruising along on it, just doing meandering stars, and roll it for the last row of quilting when i see a spot where the thread on the back is all bunched up! ARGH...fortunately the bobbin thread was too tight so it came out quite nicely. BUT, i took that as a sign from God to stop for the day!

I decide to go upstairs and piddle around on the computer. The dog manages to lay on the couch and nap next to me. Then I remember that supper needs to be in the oven for 90 mins! It is now 4:30 and DH is usually home by 6. I hurry up, brown the pork chops/onions, make the sauce and throw them in the oven to bake! WHEW...glad I remembered that!!!

THEN...I had to mark all the sprinkler heads cuz the lawnguys are aerating/seeding the yard tomorrow after they mow and I either ahd to mark them or risk that they hit the heads with the aerator. While doing that I had to turn on all the stations and I was a bit wet. While wanting to put my jammies on, Goodyear calls and DD's car is done. (SIGH) DH and I go up to get the car and drop it off to her at work.

I am FINALLY in my pj's, the dog is laying on the couch next to me, and I am RELAXING!!! Tomorrow is a great day because I have a haircut and foil scheduled and will then finish the quilt on the machine!!!

CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!!!!! LOLOLOL

EXCITED!!!

I am leaving tomorrow morning...bright and early at 6:30 AM...to drive to Chicago. My 3rd child is there going to school and I am going to visit with him. His college team has a game at 3pm. He had ACL surgery and cannot play this year. I miss the games/kids/time with my son so this is going to be fun! After the game we'll get a bite to eat somewhere. I am also planning on going to "Student Life" with him at 8pm. It's the campus' religious service for the kids. I am PUMPED!!!!!

Here's a pic of my good lookin' boy!


I also loaded a quilt on the longarm today! That felt GOOD!!!! I hope to quilt it next week. I have to make a back for another quilt and get that done as well. I promised the gals who clean our house a quilt last year. I still haven't done it yet! They will have them by halloween!

Hugs
Laurie

Relationships

i have been fortunate to be married to one man for 25 years. Has it been easy? Hell no! It has been a lot fun but a lot of hard work as well. We have had our ups and downs. We have had our arguments. But through it all we have had several things that are constants:

1. TRUST
2. HONESTY
3. FIDELTY
4. COMMUNICATION

With the above have been lots of laughs, tears, anger, and growth. When we took our vows at our wedding we vowed to be there for each other thru good times and in bad. The good times have FAR outweighed the bad. The good times have included the birth of all of our kids and watching them grow and mature. The good times have been watching our relationship grow and mature thru the years. The bad times have included the death of my mom and my diagnosis of breast cancer.

Through all of this, my husband's and my relationship has done nothing but GROW stonger. I love my husband with all my heart and soul. I can't imagine myself living life with anyone else. We were friends first and are best friends still. Being friends is much more important than being lovers. Friends share so much more than physical intimacy.

Basically to bottom line is this: if you want to be in a LIFETIME relationship with another person, the relationship has to be built on TRUST, HONESTY, FIDELTY, and COMMUNICATION! It's hard work to be in a relationship that is happy but it is well worth it.

I hope I have conveyed this to my kids. I love you Joe, Sarah, Kevin, and Dan. Steve, I love you with all my heart and soul!

Vacation in Palm Desert, CA

My DS and I had a nice, relaxing time in CA. This pic is of an AMAZING sunset. It was gorgeous to watch this one change!!

One day we went up the tram to the San Jacinto state park. It is nice because the temp goes from 100 degrees in the desert to 70 degrees in the mountains! A welcome relief!!! We did a lot of hiking while we were up there.

This is a view of the desert, Palm Springs and Palm Desert, from the top of the mountain. It was a neat day cuz there was a huge storm cloud out there and it cast a different look on all of nature's beauty!!

Our last day in CA we drove 120 miles through Joshua Tree Ntnl Forest! WOW WOW WOW!!! What a site that is. There was GORGEOUS vegetation and rock formations! INCREDIBLE!!!!

One last pic! This was taken from the airplane as we took off. The mountains looked so majestic that I just had to snap it!


See you in 2 weeks Palm Desert! LOL...dh and I are going back!!!

Homeward Bound

California has been hot but wonderful. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Dan. He's such an easier traveller and has such a super sense of humor that it keeps me on my toes!! LOL

We're going to hang out at the pool today and relax until we have to pack and head to the airport. We arrive in KC at 11pm.

I'll post pics later tomorrow.

Hugs
Laurie

Going to...CALIFORNIA...CALIFORNIA here I come

My son and I are going to CA for a few days. DH and I had a week at our resort that we had to use and ds and I were the only ones who could go. DD was going to but she decided she needed to work and that means dd and i are alone!!! I am excited to spend time with the youngest...he's a great traveller!

Have a safe and happy labor day weekend!
hugs
laurie

I've been bad! AND...is it too much????

This is a 2 part post!
The first part is titled: I HAVE BEEN BAD!!!

WHY OH WHY do I shop online????? LOL...don't answer that...CUZ I LOVE IT and I CAN!!! That's WHY!!! OK...I have 3 favorite online places, one is www.equilter.com one is www.bighornquilts.com and the last one is www.fatquartershop.com . WELL...it was FQS that got me into trouble here! I just couldn't resist!!! Who knows what I will do with them. Aren't they C U T E???!!!

I am a sucker for pink roses, it was my mom's favorite flower. So that is why this bunch of fabrics landed in the online shopping cart!!! ;O)

This is a panel to the Sweet Baby Jane line! I just LOVED the colors...the panel can make a quick quilt if needed too!

Here are the coordinating FQS!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors!!!


NOW...for PART 2:
IS IT TOO MUCH????

You might remember this quilt..."Funky Town". I made this out of all polka dot fabrics. It was such a fun and happy quilt. My sisters suggested that I make it for the curved wall in our family room. This first pic is taken from the kitchen area...what one would see if they came in thru the garage.

This is just a closer shot of the quilt from the same angle!!!

This picture is taken from the view of what one would see when they come downstairs. The quilt would greet everyone in the morning! Kind of a bright greeting huh?????


So, there ya have it...is it too MUCH????? The quilt on the wall I mean...NOT my shopping addiction!!! LOL
Hugs
Laurie

Casting Crowns...

This is the NEATEST performance of "Who Am I". It was done with hands and I believe glow in the dark gloves. TOO COOL!!!

Not a good week in KS

Let's hope it's DONE here in KS. It has been a deadly 5 days around here. Within a radius of about 30 miles from us the following has happened:

1. Last Saturday afternoon a 22yo male crossed a grassy median in a 70mph zone and hit head on into a mini van. That mini van flew in the air and landed on another mini van and went up in flames. 3 people died

2. Monday afternoon, a 16yo girl was driving in a 70mph zone and hit an SUV head on. SUV burnt to a shell. SUV driver dead, girl in mini van in critical condition

3. Today a 17yo male lost control of his vehicle and hit a semi. They both went off the overpass and the semi ignited...40yo truck driver, dead, teen and his passenger, minor injuries

OH DEAR...I forgot...also Saturday night, only about 2 miles from here, 2 cars parked at a 4way stop with a friend standing in between them. The 2 were going to drag race. From behind, a SUV is really moving and the "race starter" runs from the scene, one of the drag cars fleas the scene, while the SUV rear ends the camaro that was going to drag race. Camaro kid is on a respirator and in critical condition. No one died...

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE???????? I feel like staying home...it's safer. Keep all of these people and their families in your prayers.

I LOVE MY DH!!

On Thursday, right before I was going to head out the door for the rest of the day and night, the doorbell rang. I said, hmmmm...haven't ordered any fabric that should arrive today, wonder what it could be!!! So I answer the door and one of my favorite packages arrives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take a look!!!!!




Isn't he the BEST!!!!! I even knew whey he sent them...I have started on my diet again to lose the 25 lbs that I have gained and he wanted to let me know how proud of me he is!

These minature roses are GORGEOUS!!!!! They are opening up so beautifully, all 36 of them!!!!!! I arranged them myself, not bad for a non-florist (LOL, is that even a REAL WORD????)

I'm happy today!!! I hope to buy some furniture for one of the empty bedrooms left from our DD moving out last May!!! We are going to make it into a video room with a wide flat screen tv! YES!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Hugs
Laurie

HEAT, CRAZINESS, EXHAUSTION

That title about sums up my week this week! I have just had one of those weeks that makes a gal say , "Calgon...take me away!" A couple of beers tonight with DH and a good night's sleep will help!!!

Tomorrow...maybe a little quilting!!!
Laurie

On a HAPPIER note...

Here is what I have been working my butt off doing the past 3 days!!!!! The pattern is from Terry Atkinson's new book called "Happy Hour". The pattern is "Between Friends Junior", obviously a modified rail fence pattern. I am making this for my daughter's boyfriend's bday which is TOMORROW! LOL...he LOVES superman so I found the fabric on ebay, not the BEST fabric and I had some struggles with it, but he will LOVE it just the same! The last pic is of my DD's dog (she's a yellow lab and terrier mix) with the back of the quilt. Tomorrow I will trim, make a label, and bind. We'll give it to him tomorrow. My DD doesn't know it yet, but I am putting her name on the label as part of the gift givers. She said, "Kevin will like your present better than mine!" I don't want her to be disappointed!
Hugs
Laurie

DH has a missing former co-worker in MN Tragedy..NOW IDENTIFIED AS DEAD

The Awful Wait for News

My dh worked with a gal while we lived in MN and she is missing. If you click the link above and then click on a video further down labeled "The Awful Wait for News" you will see the family of Sherry Engebrettson. My dh said she was a great gal. It is so sad.

2 of DH's former employees in MN should've been on the bridge but one left work early while the other took a different route home due to traffic. I was hoping this tragedy wouldn't touch us personally, but it seems it might.

Keep the prayers going for all of the families.
Hugs
Laurie

EDITED: Sherry was id'd as one of the 4 bodies that were recovered last night. Steve watched the video above and said her family has her nailed. An amazing, outgoing, caring, loving human being that you wanted to be around and call your friend. I am saddened about this tragedy and am sad this touched our house in such a way.

MINNESOTA NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS...

OMG...I was out with my DH when 3 of my 4 kids texted or called me about this catastrophe in Minneapolis. I lived all of my life in MN until moving here to KS about 6 yrs ago. This is a sad, catastrophic day for the state.

Please keep the families of the victims and injured in your prayers. Here is a link to the local paper. The photo gallery speaks volumes.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1338294.html

Hugs
Laurie

What a fun weekend!

My BIL/SIL were here with their 2 boys. We had a BLAST! They are such neat kids and we spent hours in the pool! We played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders! I got my son's emergency toy vehicles out for them to play with. There are sirens and all kinds of stuff on those. The boys just LOVED it!

I also spent time playing with the funny camera on my Mac. GOSH the boys giggled so much while we did that.

We also took them to see the fire station that my son is getting his training at. While we were there a call came in so we saw the guys go out on the ambulance to help a diabetic.

It was very relaxing and fun!!! Today though...reality hits and the DIET starts! I'm easing into it though. Tomorrow I will be going full force since I couldn't get into the diet center til almost lunch time. 2/3 of a day being good is better than nothing!

Here are some pics of our weekend!
Hugs
Laurie
Here I am with one of my nephews.

This is me being silly! LOL The boys liked this one!

Here was my nephew driving his noodle! LOL

My nephews and son at the fire station.

The 2 nephews being silly with the MAC camera!

What a fun weekend!

My BIL/SIL were here with their 2 boys. We had a BLAST! They are such neat kids and we spent hours in the pool! We played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders! I got my son's emergency toy vehicles out for them to play with. There are sirens and all kinds of stuff on those. The boys just LOVED it!

I also spent time playing with the funny camera on my Mac. GOSH the boys giggled so much while we did that.

We also took them to see the fire station that my son is getting his training at. While we were there a call came in so we saw the guys go out on the ambulance to help a diabetic.

It was very relaxing and fun!!! Today though...reality hits and the DIET starts! I'm easing into it though. Tomorrow I will be going full force since I couldn't get into the diet center til almost lunch time. 2/3 of a day being good is better than nothing!

Here are some pics of our weekend!
Hugs
Laurie

Great news!!!

My dh is on a business trip to FL today. He sent me an email this afternoon and said we are going to SWITZERLAND for the sales trip that rewards top sales people for the company! OMG...I can hardly wait to talk to him! SURE WISH HE'D CALL!!!!!!!!! I don't know when it is but I think it's in October. (nope...dh called and it's in May, around our bdays and we'll be in Montreux, Switzerland.)

Then, while I was eating dinner, my oldest (the one driving me nuts) called me and said, "Guess who is the first act opening the new Sprint Center in KC?" I guessed a couple of people and he said, "MOM...someone who could actually SELL it out!" AHA...I said, "ELTON JOHN!!!!!!!!!" YEPPERS. DH and I saw him in Vegas and it was AMAZING!!!!! I hope we can go to that as well!!!

I forgot to tell ya that yesterday I did some damage at a LQS here! LOL...bought some fabric and some other stuff! I can post pics when I get home!

I leave you with a pics of a hanging hibiscus in Hawaii!


Hugs
Laurie

Chicago

I am in Chicago enjoying a LOT of time to myself! My oldest is driving me NUTS and this break is great. Plus, it got extended a day!!! I brought Kev back to his apartment and we will see a physical therapist on Friday. Then I will head back to KS. I am just planning on relaxing tomorrow...reading and watching a movie and Law and Order season 2.

It feels good to be alone. My psyche really needed this!!!
Hugs
Laurie

George Carlin's Views on Aging

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!


HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them."

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.