Glad to Help

This colorful Thank you was recently received all the way from the Department of Child Psychiatry at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa after we received the initial request below.

Thank you so so so much for all those books.  I finally collected the parcel at the end of last week.  You are absolute stars.  I’m taking the books down to the ward today.

 

Wow!

 

Megan

Your book and resources look amazing. I am a clinical psychologist working in a large government hospital in a very impoverished community in South Africa. I run groups for kiddies with cancer as well as the parents of these kiddies (from birth to 18 years). The unit currently has no \'story\' that can be used to explain cancer to the kiddies, or for us to share with the parents to help them to explain cancer to their kiddies and, in general, resources are very scant. Any donations of your products or offers of special rates on them would be much appreciated. 


Kind regards
Megan Jones
Community Service Clinical Psychology
Department of Child Psychiatry
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa 




We love that our book has found its way to Africa and feel blessed that we too, can be butterflies!

"My pictures always make her smile..."
Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings:
When someone you love has cancer... a hopeful, helpful book for kids
©2012McVicker&Hersh, LLC

Lessons Learned

Some conversations - or lessons learned are never easy.

"She said it's hard to explain.
I asked her to try anyway."
Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer... a hopeful, helpful book for kids
©2012McVicker&Hersh,LLC

My boys attended their first funeral this past weekend. We had a week or two to prepare them that their aunt was in the hospital and that there was a strong chance that she may not pull through.

The real shock was that our sister-in-law was so sick. Apparently, had been for a while. She mentioned some tests to a couple of us, but her adult sons were not aware of all this. These past three weeks, for both of them, have been a crash course in navigating the medical and legal fields, all while dealing with their own shock, sense of overwhelm, grief, and anger, at having been unaware of what was going on with their mom.

Some conversations are never easy, but we need to give our children, at any age, a place to ask questions, express fears and concerns and feel a part of our lives. While we can.

As parents, we want to "protect" our children.  The reality is that we can't. We can only show our love by empowering them with tools that foster resilience and trust. Knowing what and how much to tell our children will vary depending on age and situation, but the lesson learned this past weekend is that it is a conversation that needs to happen, before it's too late.

How much have you told your children about a challenging illness or situation in your family? 

For links to resources and support, please visit our Butterfly Kisses Book website
In addition, Supporting Kidds offers a number of programs and information for grief support for children and their families.

Putting it out There- Saline or Silicone?

We are all about supporting children and their families when someone they love has cancer.

This post, is for the moms out there facing cancer and all those decisions that keep coming at us.

You've had the mastectomy and decided to go forward with the reconstruction, survived the pain, the drains, and then the discomfort of the tissue expanders.  Now you face the decision- saline or silicone implants?

They were Starting to Sag, anyway
Encaustic, collage on wood
©2012NanciHersh

http://www.implantinfo.com/breast_implants/silicone_gel_breast_implants/introduction_saline_vs_silicone_breast_implants.aspx Google away my friends, be informed, then read on...

Following my bilateral mastectomy 8 and a half years ago I went with silicone implants. I felt comfortable with my decision,  They did look good, and they felt - well, I honestly can't remember.

Regardless, nothing held me back- I swam, surfed, practiced yoga and lived my beautiful life.

Last year when I learned that I had a second cancer in residual breast tissue again on the right side, I went for a PET Scan. That showed unsual findings on the "other" side/breast- a large "hot spot." They were ready to biopsy that side as well.  Thankfully, a friend and doctor showed my disk and reports to a fellow radiologist who specializes in reading scans.  He felt confident that it was a ruptured implant and that an inasive biopsy on that side was not necessary. He was indeed correct, my silicone implant had ruptured and my chest wall was inflamed- "angry and red" is how my plastic surgeon described it.

Long story short... following the surgery last April to removed the cancerous tissue and node I went with Saline implants.  Honestly, they too, look good, they feel fine and more importantly, I believe that they pose less of a risk for a breast cancer patient.  One less thing to think about.

There you go...  what is your experience or choice- saline or silicone?

PS... I just realized that my surgery was a year ago- tomorrow !!!!... feeling blessed for another year and feeling good.