It can be cancer, even without a lump!?

http://toddlerplanet.wordpress.com/2007/07/23/inflammatory-breast-cancer/

Please read the link above.  One of our fellow bloggers in the blogosphere has recently discovered she has an agressive type of cancer that is not found by traditional self-exam methods.  She has asked us in blog world to get the word out!  I’m posting this here and hope that you all will take the time to read it and then continue to spread the word through your blogs

Of Conventions, Senators, and no sleep

 

(This picture above is not of my son but shows a typical eczematic rash)

 

So, now that I’m home….my son and I went to a convention in Washington DC this last week.  It is an annual convention put on by a national group that we belong to for children/adults who suffer from severe eczema which my son has.  There is a wonderful children’s camp at the convention each year that is staffed by counselors and teachers who work with the children on fun activities as well as sharing what it’s like to live with this condition.  My son has made so many friends there, all of whom know exactly what he deals with on a daily basis.  This condition is often physically disfiguring so it is so important for my son to have those times where no one stares or asks uncomfortable questions.

 In addition to the camp, there are wonderful seminars, workshops and talks for parents and adults with atopic dermatitis.  We had a terrific time.  One day, we went to Capitol Hill and spoke with our senators and representative offices.  What an amazing experience for us!!  I’d never gone to the Hill to speak to any of my government officials so it was really cool.  It was just my son and I meeting with them one on one.  He was terrific!  He spoke about eczema and about his life with it.  We asked for increased funding to the NIH for research and also for the information generated from current research to be made more readily available to the public.  He made a real impression on the staff in those offices.  I told him that this was such a rare and wonderful opportunity for a child to really see his government in action.  He thought it was pretty special.

The only down side to our trip…..the plane ride home.  We were scheduled to leave D.C. at 4pm and arrive home at 6pm.  Well….LONG LONG LONG story short…..most of the traffic out of D.C. was delayed or cancelled due to weather.  We ended up with a cancelled flight and then re-ticketed to another flight which was then delayed.  We FINALLY left D.C. at 1 AM the next day and arrived home at 4 AM.  Ohmygosh!!  It was absolutely exhausting.  I bought a blanket and a tshirt for my son to make a little bed on the airport floor.  He slept, bless his heart, on that from 9:30pm to 12:30am when I picked him up to board the plane.  He slept fitfully for the plane ride and then straight to bed when we got home.  I, on the other hand, didn’t fall asleep until 5am and then had to wake up at 8am.  So 3 hours of sleep in 36 hours….whew!  Last night, I slept like a log for 11 hours.  I feel much more human!