Giuliana Rancic: I Have Breast Cancer

E! correspondent Giuliana Rancic and her husband (Apprentice winner) Bill Rancic are an amazing power couple.  I’ve been watching their Style Network reality show, Giuliana and Bill,  for a couple of years now.

I love their chemistry.  They have openly shared their struggle to have a baby.  It’s been heartbreaking.  And now this.  Giuliana announced on NBC’s Today Show this morning that she has breast cancer.  She will undergo surgery this week followed by another six weeks of radiation therapy.

The amazing thing is she found out she has breast cancer from a mammogram test she was not planning to have until she was 40 years old.  Her doctor basically made her do it in now in order to go through another round of in-vitro fertilization.  She has no history of cancer in her immediate family and she is only 36 years old.  She said her unborn child has saved her life.

The message?  Even if you are scared of the doctor, like me, go and get your mammogram this month.  I’m scheduling mine today.

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Maybe It’s Because I Watch Too Much “Grey’s Anatomy”

Doctors scare me.  Not the doctor PERSON, really, but what a doctor stands for.  To me, they equal bad news. Or pain.  I know that sounds really immature but, hey, it’s true.  I have a real thing called “White Coat Syndrome.” It means I’m afraid of going to the doctor. If I have an appointment on the calendar, I will fret about it for days.  I will question whether I really need to go.  Maybe I’m too busy? Maybe I should reschedule? I drive my husband CRAZY with all the wondering and the worry.  And note: My doctors NEVER end up looking like McDreamy.  (Or McSteamy for that matter.)

I finally broke down and went to a primary care doctor last week.  I have not been to a primary care doctor since…I can’t even remember.  I’ve always been to specialists.  I’m pretty proud of myself for doing that.  The best thing I have going right now is my regular appointments with the dermatologist.  I had a melanoma scare almost 15 years ago so that’s a priority.  It wasn’t from the sun because I never tan and I hate laying out.  It was from a strange shaped mole.  I went to the dermatologist for a rash that wouldn’t leave my eye lid and she was the one who said we should do a full body exam.  They found the melanoma and I had skin graft surgery.  They got it all. I was lucky.  I know that.

I guess that might have started the doctor fear.  I think you can go one way or the other.  You either get a scare and are adamant about going to every kind of doctor, or you develop a fear of the doctor, like I did.  A fear that every time you go they will find something else.  Something scary.

It hasn’t helped that I’ve had some really crappy experiences too.  When I was pregnant with Daniel, I was sent to a specialist for my excessive amount of amniotic fluid.  This is probably a story for another day, but the terrible-bedside-manner-lady doctor said my son had numerous problems, including something wrong with his BRAIN.  She told me that I needed an MRI as soon as possible and when I leave her office don’t Google anything because it will just make me really scared.  And oh, by the way, come over here and talk to my in-house psychologist about some “options” you may still have in terms of terminating your pregnancy.  Yeah, this IS a story for another day, but the short version is she was WRONG.  All WRONG.  About all of it.

Then there was the time I went to a physical therapist for my back problems.  She told me one of my legs was longer than the other and how could I even buy regular pants?  This was news to me.  She gave me massage therapy for a month to try and extend the bones and muscles in my leg.  It never worked.  I still have a bad back.

And don’t even get me started on the dentist.  I’ve seen so many dentists because each visit had me leaving in tears and I swore I would never go back to THAT one.  One even told me I was being a baby as he was extracting a broken tooth.  He wouldn’t believe me when I said I wasn’t numb enough and I could feel EVERYTHING.  Why would I lie?  Well, I’ve finally settled on a nice dentist and it’s been over a year since I’ve even been back there.  Don’t worry. It’s on THE LIST.

Yes, the list.  The list I promised I would complete before the end of the year.  The list which includes that annual gynecologist appointment.  I made that for this week.  So if you see me on edge, now you know why. The list which now also includes finding another primary care doctor.  That one last week did not go so well. I swear it wasn’t me.  I was left waiting a really long time in the room.  The cold, antiseptic room with no music and no noise except for the voice in my head telling me there’s probably something wrong with me.  The doctor finally came in and examined me for five minutes and then ordered blood work and looked at me sideways when I asked about supplements for someone my age.  He said he took aspirin twice a day so that should be fine.  Umm…I was out of there.

I’m sure it also doesn’t help that I’m at the pediatrician’s office with my two little ones all the time.  It’s always a “well visit” or a bad cold or flu shot or something.  And honestly, I’ve had some issues.  I’ve been told my son had allergies and it ended up as a double ear infection.  My daughter’s cough that would “eventually go away on its own” morphed into an upper respiratory infection.  Doctors are human and everyone makes mistakes, but my perception is that it happens to me a lot.  But my kids?  They have no problem with their doctor.  They like going.  When Daniel had to go to the emergency room for a head trauma, he told me he LIKED it there. (Kids.) They also adore their pediatric dentist.  (They get TOYS, okay?) They have not inherited this “White Coat Syndrome.”  Not yet at least. I’m really good at hiding my beating heart with deep breaths and my sweaty palms with my purse.  I always smile and tell them how going to the doctor is super important and there is nothing to worry about.  I just wish I believed it too.

Now, excuse me while I fax some new patient forms to my next new doctor.  I tried to email them, but they bounced back.  TWICE. Wait, that’s probably a sign, right?

Peppermint Mocha Intervention

I just saw this on John Mayer’s blog. He saw it on this website.

WAKE UP CALL.  THIS IS MY GO-TO DRINK!

Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Sugar-Free Syrup, anyone?

Harmful Drinks in America

11. Worst Espresso Drink
Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream (venti, 20 fl oz)

660 calories
22 g fat (15 g saturated)
95 g sugars

Sugar Equivalent: 8½ scoops Edy’s Slow Churned Rich and Creamy Coffee Ice Cream

Hopefully this will dispel any lingering fragments of the “health halo” that still exists in coffee shops—that misguided belief that espresso-based beverages can’t do much damage. In this 20-ounce cup, Starbucks manages to pack in more calories and saturated fat than two slices of deep-dish sausage and pepperoni pizza from Domino’s. That makes it the equivalent of dinner and dessert disguised as a cup of coffee. If you want a treat, look to Starbucks’ supply of sugar-free syrups; if you want a caffeine buzz, stick to the regular joe, an Americano, or a cappuccino.

Drink This Instead!

Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Sugar-Free Syrup (grande, 16 fl oz)

260 calories
6 g fat (4 g saturated)
38 g sugars

Karate Kid

Daniel started Karate lessons this week.  It was difficult to find a location that allowed 3-year-olds to participate. The class he’s in now has a nice mix of younger kids and older kids.  The older kids act as mentors, which is awesome.  We wanted Daniel to start Karate because it’s great exercise and the goal is to work on his confidence and focus. 

So far, so good.  But I do have to laugh when I watch the warm up session.  It was the first time I realized that we never taught Daniel to do jumping jacks.  Cutest. Thing. Ever.

A Little Less Pop Mommy

I guess I should not be eating THIS for lunch

if I want to wear THESE.

The lunch, by the way, is my husband’s amazing Turkey Ziti with Mushrooms.  We had it for dinner last night and it’s even yummier the next day.  It’s not terribly unhealthy, but it still is adding a lot of carbs to unwanted places.  The jeans are these skinny jeans from Banana Republic. 

I am not trying to be a teenager (even though some of my television viewing habits indicate otherwise). I never thought I would actually buy a pair of skinny jeans, but they fit so well.  They really do stretch and feel comfy.  They are not too tight.  The sales chick who helped me said she owns two pairs.  (She was a little older than me.) Plus, I found them on the sale rack in the back and they were HALF OFF. 

Hopefully this purchase will inspire me to lose my extra 10 (or maybe 15) pounds of baby weight.   I want to buy new cute clothes and add to my wardrobe, but I just can’t get these last 10 (or maybe 15) pounds off! Well, I COULD stop eating pasta for lunch. 

I COULD exercise.  After reading this blog, I decided I really want a bike.  But I probably should start by walking around the block or cleaning my house.  I have one month until our family beach vacation.  One month to look like this:

Wish me luck.