[RhondaH]

Lu Ann,

I was fortunate to have only been Stage 1 at dx, BUT I also don't feel that there is ANY magic bullet, so I put EVERYTHING in my arsenal to prevent further recurrence. I STRONGLY feel that POOR diet (I used to BINGE eat candy bars, junk food, processed food...if I got 1 or 2 fruit and veg...FRESH, per day in, I was lucky), NO exercise and I think what cinced it for me was my dad becoming terminally ill and my having to take care of him from 100 miles away as well as being the single mother of a 3 yo son and full time employee to an insurance company (thank GOODNESS they have been so good to me). I'm a FIRM believer that EXTREME stress changes DNA (I've read studies that there is a "healthy" amount of everyday stress that a person can take, but I was having panic attacks of what was happening to him as I was his sole caregiver and didn't know what was going on with him at times and the day I was to see a counselor, my dad went in the hospital for the last time and I had to go out of town) so, yes, I AM NED and finished my last year of Herceptin 8/10/06. I wanted to join a CSA this year, but they ran out of spots, but they DO sell their extra at the farmers market and OH is it beautiful not to mention reasonable. I also, shop locally as much as I can and cook in season and have SO much fun trying new recipes (found some DELICIOUS sounding butternut squash recipes, I can't wait to try). I was able to freeze asparagus, rhubarb, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries (40 lbs ea of the last 3 as I put them in my smoothie every day AND buying organic, locally AND in bulk was MUCH cheaper than in the store, prepackaged, non organic). I must admit, beets are something I've NEVER been able to acquire a taste for (I'll eat ANYTHING else), but it is SO bad that my mother LITERALLY used to put me in the bathtub to feed me on "beet" day as I would spit it out and I have pix to prove it...now I'm sorry, but I'm not going to go to THAT extreme to get my child to eat something. My weakness is pumpkin butter (mom and I are looking for a recipe for it) and I go to the local farm to buy it. I actually already moved on 5/1/06 and only about a mile from where I was (in Grand Rapids, Michigan) to a WONDERFUL tree lined street with...hold onto your hats 40 kids on the street over a dozen of which are boys Tony's age (he's hosting his first sleepover tonight and 3 of them are coming over...he wanted more, but my basement is not unpacked yet and he needs practice first) so I had better get busy. Take care and God bless.