By Richard Wilmer

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked its regulatory approval of the drug Avastin to treat late stage, metastatic breast cancer.

Each year, the practicing oncologists chosen by 17,500 American women to save them from their life-threatening, heavily progressed cancer prescribe Avastin to treat them.

The FDA explained that it was revoking approval of the drug for that use because it decided that the drug does not provide “a sufficient benefit in slowing disease progression to outweigh the significant risk to patients.”

Risk?

The drug is prescribed for women who are otherwise going to die from cancer unless the drug saves them at least for a time. The far greater risk to these women is from the FDA, not the drug.

Source: Richard Wilmer     

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By Ronald Allen

CAIR, Council on American Islamic Relations has already opined that Muslim women should not be subjected to fully body scanners or the groping pat down below the neck and head due to religious considerations.

However, there seems to be some confusion whether the TSA has or has not developed special rules for Muslim women at airports.

There have been stories that Muslim women will be allowed to self-pat themselves.

If in truth and in fact, TSA develops special exemption for Muslim women at airports this will be an outrage of the highest order.

One woman who suffered from breast cancer was required to remove her prosthetic breast during a pat down.

A man recovering from bladder cancer who wore a bag to collect urine was subjected to a pat down had to suffer the humiliation of urinating on himself.

Another video on YouTube shows a young boy with his shirt off undergoing a strip search. Another show a three year old girl crying while a TSA conducts a pat down.

If everyone else has to undergo these intrusive and outrageous procedures, why should the American public tolerate their government creating an exemption for Muslim women?

This is ludicrous on its face.

Moreover, the notion that anyone should be permitted to self-pat themselves is absurd, idiotic, and moronic and defies common sense and logic.

Would the police permit a suspect to pat him down during an arrest?

Would the police even consider taking the word of a suspect as he pats himself down that he has no weapons? Of course not.

If the TSA does permit an exemption for Muslim women, then there really needs to be a public boycott of air travel. There needs to be peaceful civil disobedience.

Or maybe all women should consider dressing like Muslim women as a form of protest and demand they pat themselves down.

Or maybe everyone should object to the full body scanners and pat-down based on their own religious reasons. Enough is enough of Muslims getting special treatment.

Ben Franklin wisely said that anyone willing to sacrifice their freedom and liberty for security deserves neither. We all want to be safe while traveling, but at what price?

Do we want to be safe to the point we are willing to live in a police state that doesn’t even treat all travelers the same and carves out exceptions?

According to many experts, the full body scanners and pat downs would not detect explosive powder carried on the body in any event. The full body scanner is nothing more than an elaborate metal detector.

And if the next unsuccessful terrorist is found with explosive powder in a body cavity, will the TSA then require all air travelers to undergo an exam by a proctologist?

If it does, we all know there will be a carve out exception for all Muslim air travelers.

As a kid, many of us read the Bizarro World Superman comic books about a cube-shaped planet where everything was the polar opposite of what was correct and normal on earth.

In the Bizarro World, doctors strove to make their patients sick and failing grades in school were applauded.

Little did I know reading those comic books as a boy, I would actually be living in Bizarro World America as an adult.

Source: TPN

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By Annie and Rick Hamilton

The boys and I used to joke that Mom must be like a cat with nine lives, surviving two bouts of breast cancer, a five-way by-pass, lymph edema, gall-bladder surgery where she’d forgotten to mention that she’d drank liquid prior to her surgery, causing complications and irritating her surgeon, congestive heart failure, thyroid complications, pituitary complications, kidney failure and a brain tumor.

My little brother said if he was ever in a plane crash, he wanted to be sitting “Next to Mom, because SHE would be the one person whose area would be unaffected! “ She was that determined in her survival instincts.

She took it in stride, refusing to worry anyone, maintaining practicality, sense of humor and a clear head until she was unable to process information correctly which would frustrate her, occasionally moving her to tears.

Despite her long relationship with illness, she remained relatively well until 2009 when her health took a serious turn south and she was told she’d require another heart surgery to repair faulty aortic and mitral valves.

Various complications prevented her surgery numerous times eventually disallowing it altogether.

Her window of opportunity closed mid-2010 with the news that she was too ill to survive another round in the operating room and that she needed to spend time with family.

Second opinions yielded similar results and although Mom was referred to Swedish in Seattle, known for their peerless handiwork in cardiac science, Mom’s condition declined further before Swedish was able to confirm her potential placement in their study for problematic procedures.

We were devastated, especially when days after this event, Mom decided to check herself into hospice.

I drove up from California, meeting my brothers and their wives, nephews and niece, aunts, uncles, grandmother and friends who gathered around her to spend her final days together.

We downloaded her favorite music on I-tunes, snuck in her favorite foods, sung to her, (she used to sing to us as children, especially the song, “You are my sunshine”) and slept in shifts with the others keeping vigil in order to not miss anything, whether it was her ‘awake time’ or the possibility of her leaving without our knowledge.

We didn’t want to miss a single moment of her life much like she hadn’t wanted to miss even a minute of ours while healthy.

At one point, my little brother brought in key lime pie, one of Mom’s favorites. Her eyes lit up a bit. He started spoon-feeding her tiny bites off of the top, careful not feed her the crusted portion, fearful that she might choke on anything too hard.

She caught on quickly and glared at him, using every bit of her breath to blurt out “CRUST!” (Her favorite part was the crust)

Startled but laughing, Bob gave her a bite with a bit of crust in it, crumbled up so she wouldn’t choke.

Our last few days with Mom were filled with similar experiences, laughter through tears.

One of her biggest fears had been leaving family, making sure we were ok and at one point, my brother, knowing she was suffering leaned in and told her it was ok to let go and meet Jesus because we were all ok and loved her so much.

She had been non-responsive nearly all day but right then, she opened her eyes, looked at him and defiantly said, “NO!” which made us laugh, her resolve and strength knew no limits and although she had previously asked us ‘permission’ to go, now we all felt a little guilty for laughing at her response or for even asking in the first place.

Her ‘no’ made it sound like he was suggesting we simply toss her out with the trash.

Wednesday, June 9^th at approximately ten p.m., we noticed that her breathing was no longer labored and within a minute or two she was gone.

Oddly enough, she had the appearance of a smirk on her face, like she harbored a secret that we were not yet privy to and would have to wait to find out what the fuss was all about.

Mom, a deeply spiritual woman had been excited for days to go and finally meet her maker and expressed absolutely no fear whatsoever.

Her only reservation about her death was the potential suffering that may lay in wait for her – she did not wish to endure that part and we truly would have taken that away from her if possible.

She wanted others suffering from cancers and dysfunctions to understand that help and hope is available for those willing to reach out and help themselves.

She always served as her own advocate and refused to accept lower standards for herself or for her children.

After her first diagnosis in 1981, her gut reaction was panic and depression and her Specialists told her without reserve that her success was determined by her attitude; therefore she must shift gears, anyway possible and suggested ways in which she might do this. Counseling, swimming, nutrition, writing in a journal, group support, anything.

Even back then, Mom understood the correlation between body and mind and took advantage of this advice and decided to live – and live she did.

They had given her three to six months and instead, this extraordinary woman survived twenty-seven years, raising her own children, seeing her kids find appropriate mates who gave her grandchildren, watched her siblings kids grow up to have their own families, endured happiness and pain.

(one Sister buried two sons during this time from complications of diabetes, one of the deaths occurring on the morning of one of her grandchildren‘s birth, she lost her father, an aunt and various other relatives and friends)

She got to live her life in her own unique way…the same way she handled her death. Mom snubbed her nose at crowds that was for conformist types.

She preferred to do her own thing, digging her heels in with determination once she’d made her mind up.

She had a bit on a naughty innocence about her, invented funny words for body parts, swore that ‘Mothers never use the bathroom’ (but then we believed her until we were quite old) yet on the other hand did not want us learning about important things on the playground so she developed a policy that invited “any question or concern, regardless of how embarrassing or terminology used, no rejection!” and she honored it.

We were to take anything we heard from another kid, stranger or cousin to her and she would explain what it meant (or she would find out and get back to us) and she would give us the facts, nothing more or less, straight face.

(Although our father often had a red face and shocked expression during one of these little ‘educational episodes’) it was effective and kept us out of trouble.

She also had straight talk about drugs, sex and other behaviors and what people really thought about kids who engage in such behaviors. She was so influential, eyes blazing with passion, she usually listened to her.

Jeanne Marie (Knapp Belvin) Longpre’ is survived by her devoted husband, J. Timothy Longpre, of Puyallup, WA, Mother, Virginia, of Tacoma, WA, brothers, Max (and wife Joie) in Juneau, Alaska, Chuck (and wife Ellen) in Boulder, Colorado, sisters Donna (and husband Joe) in Tacoma, WA, and little sister Bobbie ’her Irish twin’ (and husband Rick) who divide their time between Washington and Hawaii, her children Mike (and wife Stacy) who live in Battle Ground, Washington, Annie (and husband Rick) in coastal Los Angeles, and Bobby (and wife, Teirsa) in Spanaway, Washington.

Mom is survived by 13 grandchildren, relatives and friends who loved her with a passion and will continue to be influenced by her wisdom, humor and insights for our remaining years.

Although this is a time marked with an incredible loss, it’s not a time for sadness, because she’s in a new body now, doesn’t have to struggle for breath to make her points, laugh or sigh.

Mom’s better and so are we all for having had her in our lives, especially that last nearly three borrowed decades.

I’m fortunate to get to call her Mother and friend and I’ll love her always.

NOTE: She was born 1/27/45, died 6/9/10 and her Service will be held on 6/19/10 at 3:00 p.m. at Lutheran Church of Christ the King, 1710 85th St E, Tacoma, WA 98445

In lieu of flowers, we’d love for you to contribute to the hospice house instead. They were wonderful to mom and made her final days as comfortable as possible.

Thank you, the family.

Franciscan Hospice-Palliative

2901 Bridgeport Way West
University Place, WA 98466-4614
(253) 534-7000

Editor’s Note: Annie Hamilton is a Researcher and Writer with published chapters featured in medical   journals (including the 4th edition of The Pituitary Patient Resource Guide, featuring prominent Physicians/Surgeons from facilities such as; MD Anderson, Stanford, Lisbon Cancer Center in Portugal

(Luis Sobrinho MD) Shereen Ezzat MD of the University of Toronto, George Chrousos MD of National Institutes of Health as well as the University of Athens, Robert Knutzen MBA to name a few)  as well as Town hall, Stand up America USA, The Competitive Advantage, Forbes, Gold Coast Chronicle, House Conservatives Fund, National Institutes of Health, American Daily Review and dozens of other publications.

Her columns, chapters and work has appeared in libraries, medical institutes and teaching facilities throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, South America and the Middle East. 

Hamilton continues to write about current events, cultural affairs, America’s Founding documents, Economics, Health Care, Islam/Sharia in the west, Gun rights, Cancer/Neuroendocrine medicine and a variety of other subjects.

She is currently working on a research project and paper titled Hormonal Impact on Psychosocial  Dysfunction as related to Battlefield Fatigue/PTSD featuring friends and retired military personnel Colonel Andy O’Meara, Lt General Tom McInerney and BG Bill Mullens in addition to several physicians, scientists and Researchers who worked with her on previous research of the same subject. 

As the project endeavors to ‘bridge the gap’ between applied science, military, academics, physician community and the patient themselves…it will be a first, ever.

Patients will be very carefully selected. Hamilton has a unique role in that she is versed in each arena and has worked in most of the avenues, understanding the others.

It shall give a new face to PTSD everywhere, to the ‘everyman and woman’, bringing new understanding to the long misunderstood issue.

She’s also finishing a manuscript about our current Administration.

Ms. Hamilton has enjoyed a successful career in research and medical affairs, lobbying successful legislation,  protecting the interests of physicians and nurses, fighting unions, facilitating medical studies, coordinating NIH meetings, researching and writing papers for multiple parties.

One of her papers earned her a nomination for The Rolex prize in 2003 and was accepted to the NIH through the Pediatric Neuroendocrine division of the University of Athens and is in under review at Stanford.

We would like to know what you think. If you would like to comment on this story and you are haven’t problems logging in. Send your comment to dan@goldcoastchronicle.com and we will post it.

by Annie and Rick Hamilton

“ The bravest battle that was ever fought; Shall I tell where and when? On the maps of the world you will find not; it was fought by the mothers of men”

It’s often been said that a person’s true character is often tried during times of crisis. Mom’s first health crisis occurred in 1981 with her diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer. 

I was fourteen, my older brother 16, and my baby brother was eleven. Mom became aware of pain in her arm, like a bruise from her elbow to her armpit. She said she’d been feeling it for a while but ignored it.

One night, she walked into the bathroom to check it out. Under her arm she found a lump the size of a walnut that prevented her from putting her arm all the way down and freaked out.

She knew something was wrong. She made an appointment with her doctor. He referred her to the hospital for tests.

Mom recalls sitting in the office of the oncologist who treated her. He told her she had inflammatory breast cancer and that it had spread to her lymph nodes.

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive (rapidly spreading) breast cancer that involves the skin of the breast and the lymph nodes.

“So now what?” she asked. “What are my chances of being cured?”

He said he would try to treat her, but suggested she enjoy her time with her family. He told her she ‘might live for six months but probably closer to three’.

We were shocked to hear the words from her oncologist, Stephen Gorton.

During this period, Mom and Dad’s marriage was in a crisis although she was more fearful of what would happen to us if she died than dying itself…she quickly decided leaving was not an option and dug her heels into a ‘mind over matters’ mindset, refusing to budge.

Her physicians went away to a conference one week later where they learned of new treatments and her chances of survival went from zero percent to 25%.

We were ecstatic.

She confidently announced to him that SHE would be the ‘one in four’ who survived.

It was very difficult and she had her first treatment on her thirty-eighth birthday. She threw up all over her cake and felt awful, and we didn’t know quite how to react to her side effects.

Mom gained strength and stuck with the program and sixteen months later, her determination paid off.

Her specialists declared her 100 % cured although she had to undergo regular checkups, blood work, ct scans, etc.

She was not officially out of the woods,  for the next couple of years and although she managed to stay healthy for many years and continued to serve as an inspiration for many people, her illness took an unbelievable toll on her body, one that is now coming full circle, twenty-seven years after her initial diagnosis.

This incredible woman of unbreakable strength and faith has endured two bouts with breast cancer, a five-way bypass, lymph edema, kidney failure, brain tumor and a host of other physical ailments stemming from her initial diagnosis.

We are blessed though…We got to keep our beloved Mother, friend, daughter, grandmother, niece, aunt, cousin, wife, sister.

This precious, beloved woman has meant a great deal too many people and her legacy continues to live through all of those who love her.

Please stay tuned for part II information for the conclusion to her story.

Thank you.

Editor’s Note: Annie Hamilton is a Researcher and Writer with published chapters featured in medical   journals (including the 4th edition of The Pituitary Patient Resource Guide, featuring prominent Physicians/Surgeons from facilities such as; MD Anderson, Stanford, Lisbon Cancer Center in Portugal

(Luis Sobrinho MD) Shereen Ezzat MD of the University of Toronto, George Chrousos MD of National Institutes of Health as well as the University of Athens, Robert Knutzen MBA to name a few)  as well as Town hall, Stand up America USA, The Competitive Advantage, Forbes, Gold Coast Chronicle, House Conservatives Fund, National Institutes of Health, American Daily Review and dozens of other publications.

Her columns, chapters and work has appeared in libraries, medical institutes and teaching facilities throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, South America and the Middle East. 

Hamilton continues to write about current events, cultural affairs, America’s Founding documents, Economics, Health Care, Islam/Sharia in the west, Gun rights, Cancer/Neuroendocrine medicine and a variety of other subjects.

She is currently working on a research project and paper titled Hormonal Impact on Psychosocial  Dysfunction as related to Battlefield Fatigue/PTSD featuring friends and retired military personnel Colonel Andy O’Meara, Lt General Tom McInerney and BG Bill Mullens in addition to several physicians, scientists and Researchers who worked with her on previous research of the same subject. 

As the project endeavors to ‘bridge the gap’ between applied science, military, academics, physician community and the patient themselves…it will be a first, ever.

Patients will be very carefully selected. Hamilton has a unique role in that she is versed in each arena and has worked in most of the avenues, understanding the others.

It shall give a new face to PTSD everywhere, to the ‘everyman and woman’, bringing new understanding to the long misunderstood issue.

She’s also finishing a manuscript about our current Administration.

Ms. Hamilton has enjoyed a successful career in research and medical affairs, lobbying successful legislation,  protecting the interests of physicians and nurses, fighting unions, facilitating medical studies, coordinating NIH meetings, researching and writing papers for multiple parties.

One of her papers earned her a nomination for The Rolex prize in 2003 and was accepted to the NIH through the Pediatric Neuroendocrine division of the University of Athens and is in under review at Stanford.

By Dan Samaria

Do you know what “Joylogy” means? It is the study of caring, sharing, and listening and Sacrifice.

This was written by Mr. Jeineke in 1975

We would like to know what you think: dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

What is a Joyologist? A joyologist then would be one who studies joy logy. Frankly our world could use a great many joyologists whose mission in life is to actively research the effects of discussing and sharing joy.

The research could branch out into how joy affects our careers, family lives, and friendships. The very act of doing the active research should spread jubilation throughout the world and bring about positive results. What a fun job!

All one needs to start with is to share the words joyism, joy logy, and joyologis with others. Use the words daily and make them a part of the world’s vocabulary.

The upcoming year is going to challenge us all. Here is something we need to think, this is from an unknown reader. It is called: A Dog Name Lucky

By Unknown

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.

Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing Mary or Jim would go to Lucky’s toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky’s favorite toys.

Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease…she was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.

The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her…what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary’s dog through and through.

If I die Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won’t understand that I didn’t want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable. But finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital.

When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn’t even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn’t come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn’t understand what was wrong. She couldn’t move her head and her body felt heavy and hot.

Panic soon gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, in every treasure Lucky owned!

While she had slept the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every night.

It’s been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Live everyday to the fullest…because every day is a blessing from God!

Source: Joyology