Being A Life Saver.

[Guest kath]

The following is an attempt to begin a grass roots movement to help people who are undergoing Chemotherapy for cancer. Participation is voleentary, and requires followup to see if what is proposed is effective. The long term goal of this is for a specific product to become avalible that will assist in a benifital treatment of cancer pts to aid and give releaf from the side effects of chemo.

Some of you may know I have a very dear friend who at 39 was dx with stage 3 rectal cancer and has undergone surgery, radiation treatments, and chemotherapy. During this time we had been searching for *something* to take the horrid taist in his mouth away (its a side effect of the chemo- even after his mouth feels *slimy* )

We were able to find that orange cream savers were the only thing - the best thing- to make his mouth feel clean again and take away the horrid taist.

I began to wonder- was it just - this one candy- one person,- or had we stumbled on to something that could make a difference in other cancer pts lives?

Oranges have been used as a cleanser for decades, maybe even centurys. if you have ever had a cream saver you would know the cream part of it is very soothing.

So, I came up with an idea that I would like to share with all of you, ( a grass roots movement of sorts)

The idea is, to purchase about a dozen bags of the orange cream savers (as well as some other flavors) and donate them to your local cancer care center for the chemo pts. (A dozen bags would run about 20$ - many of us spend that amount on a movie with out thinking)

Find out who the office manager of the cancer center is, and meet with them. Explain that you would like to donate the cream savers/ life savers to them and all they would need to do is see if it helped the chemo pts and if it did, to let the people who make cream savers (Wrigleys Gum) know. Let them know you dont work for the company, your just doing this because youve heard it helped a chemo pt get the taist of the chemo treatment out of his mouth and perhaps it could help someone else. (and when you lose 40 pounds in two months, the few calories that you would get from one or two would be a Godsend)

You will need to follow up with a letter sent back to you, or a visit, (but a letter back if you provide the address and a stamp on the envelope is helpful)

For anyone who has not had someone in their family ill with cancer- well, nothing taste good. Nothing stays down, and there is a constant taste in your mouth like ammonia or metal and you don't want to eat anything. you cant eat. you don't want to smell food- and your family is afraid that you are going to starve to death before the treatments are over.

A typical visit to the drs at a treatment center begins at 9:30 am, and your logged in, go for bloodwork then a chest x ray, and then you go back up to where they take your vitals and you wait to see the PA, and then you wait to speak to the dr, and if there are more tests to be run, then those are done. If you are having treatment they hook up your line and some become ill right away, others become ill after- and you day ends at 5 pm and your exhausted and hungry, and weak because its been a horrid day.

You wonder if its ever going to end. If you will ever feel *right* or normal ever again. Sometimes, its too much, and you give up, or your helped along the way by someone who feels its *best*.

Some clinics have money for the little extras that give comfort, many do not. but - well, its often provided by people who have never had cancer, or haven't asked if it helps at all. (I saw lemon drops avalible for pts and while that may seem like an in expensive candy to put out for them- it may not be the answer for all.- I know my dad couldn't stand lemon, and when he was in the hospital they said "he isn't eating" but everything on the tray was lemon and they never asked "Do you LIKE lemon?" if it was cherry or orange, it would have been down in a second!)

Donations of different flavored teas, coffees, individual wrapped crackers, pudding cups- jello cups- are all welcomed.

If donating things like this seems odd, concider donating your time as a volenteer for a hosptial.

I know, that had my friend not had the support of people, he wouldn't have made it this far. We won't know if he is out of the woods until his cat scans come back on monday- which, we hope, to be the best christmas gift to his mother- and he.

If you would like to help with this, please let me know, and I can give you contact information for the manufacture. If enough people write to them and say. "This product helped, " perhaps - well, maybe the people who make it can do more for cancer pts by finding out *how* it works, and then applying it as a way to help others.

thank you.

Kath

[Raven Wolf]

What exactly ARE Orange cream savers?

[Guest kath]

What exactly ARE Orange cream savers?

Cream Savers are a hard candy that mix the flavor of cream and a specific fruit, (orange, rasberry blueberry, etc) or Chocolate & carmal & cream. They are made by Wrigleys Gum company who also make Life Savers. (small disk shaped candy that has a hole in the center.

https://www.candystand.com/candy/

follow it down to where the cream saver photo is, and then click it, and then you can click when it loads for *info* It has the history of cream savers and some fun trivia. It is made with real cream and real fruit/etc.

they do have an area for contacting them as well.

thank you for your intrest in helping people.

hugs,

kath

[Raven Wolf]

Thanks, Kath. I'll talk to Terry about seeing if we can try to get some of these and take them to someplace in Athens. (nearest big city that would have hospitals where there would probably be cancer patients.)

Thank you for spreading the word about this.