Dr. Miggy 5.0

A recent study of women ages 50-69 diagnosed with breast cancer shows that although the risk of being diagnosed with cancer is lower in younger women, if diagnosed the tumor growth rate is faster. On the average tumors double in size every 1.7 years, increasing with the woman’s age. If the trend uncovered by this study extrapolates to women younger than 50, it provides a strong argument that yearly mammograms should be the guideline for them as well. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms for women 40 and up, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to start getting annual mammograms at 35, particularly if you have risk factors for breast cancer. There is no question that early detection is the key to successful treatment of breast cancer. However, if you are under a certain age and have a mammogram you may find yourself holding the bill, even if you have insurance.

I may have found a way around this dilemma. Recently I went to see my doctor because I was having pain in my breast. I know that pain can be a symptom of breast cancer, but usually it isn’t. Given the nature of my work and my proclivity for hypochondria, you can just imagine what I convinced myself of. I just wanted to be sure I was OK. According to my doc everything appears normal, but she suggested I get a mammogram to give myself peace of mind. She wrote me an order and I am scheduling it this week. Because I visited her with a symptom, my mammogram will be considered a “screening” procedure, and I may not have to foot the bill. I’ll post again after the procedure and let you know what happens.

My show has moved to Tuesday nights 5:30-7 PM. Here’s a pic of me in the outfit I wore to the station. I’m grocery shopping with Cosmopolitician.

time- artist / song [album]

06:55 PM- magic i.d., the / wintersong [till my breath gives out] on the erstwhile label.
06:51 PM- roy rogers / cure for an achin’ heart [slide of hand] on the liberty records label.
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06:45 PM- okkervil river / for real [for real EP] on the jagjaguwar label.
06:41 PM- paul van dyk / sabotage [in between] on the mute label.
06:38 PM- siegel, sabrina / the body moving [grace/precarious] on the pax label.
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06:32 PM- mouse on mars / wipe that sound [radical connector] on the thrill jockey label. Some one from Thrill Jockey called the station when I was playing this song, but he wasn’t listening. I told him I was playing “Wipe That Sound” and he said emphatically “That’s the JAM!!” Why yes, unidentified Thrill Jockey employee, yes it is.
06:28 PM- babe stovall / the ship is at the landing [the old ace] on the arcola label. New Orleans street performer Babe Stovall delivers gritty down ‘n’ out blues. I pretty much need this guy’s entire catalog.
06:24 PM- fog / melted crayons [hummer] on the ninja tune label. Fog put out one of my top picks from 2007, “Ditherer”, and I’ve been going through their old stuff ever since. Front man Andrew Broder has a knack for taking on many genres. “Ditherer” was more rock n roll, whereas “Hummer” incorporates hip-hop and experimental electronic music. Both are tasty.
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06:19 PM- spin-17 / D n B skratch [spin-17] on the quodlibet label.
06:15 PM- faust / tourbotrain/nervous [patch work] on the staubgold label. Krautrock innovators from the 70s. I played this because the promo label for Diminisher claims Faust as an influence.
06:11 PM- aqueduct / laying in the bed i’ve made [or give me death] on the barsuk label.
06:07 PM- carolina chocolate drops / black-eyed daisy [dona got a ramblin' mind] on the music maker label. The young folks are reviving African American string band music from the 20s and 30s. Washtub basses, kazoos, jugs…hand clapping and foot stomping will ensue.
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06:02 PM- phillip glass and uakti / negro river [aguas de amazonia] on the point music label.
05:58 PM- the diminisher / brooklyn’s sinking [imaginary volcano] on the unsound records label. Solo project from Dave McDonnell, whose got his hands in all kinds of stuff, including psychedelic post rockers Michael Columbia and Elephant-6ers Bablicon. Harpsichord and heavy strings play center stage on this droney rock album.
05:56 PM- miners / the coal loading machine [songs and ballads of the bituminous miners] on the the library of congress archive of folk culture label.
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05:51 PM- band of horses / marry song [cease to begin] on the sub pop label.
05:46 PM- benga / the real mccoy [newstep] on the benga beats label.
05:41 PM- beau soleil / sur le pont de lyon [cajun conja] on the rna records label.
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05:38 PM- animals & men / headphones [revel in the static] on the hyped2death label. More post-punk put out by Hyped2Death. We’ve been getting a lot of good post-punk lately due to the tireless efforts of the post-punk show DJs Laura B and Lindsey S. Their show is after mine Tuesdays at 7PM on KTRU. Definitely check it out.

time- artist / song [album]

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06:00 PM- de madera / gato gris [aire y candela] on the alula records label.
05:56 PM- come on / dont walk on the kitchen floor [homework #105: u.s. "d.i.y." and postpunk 1978-1983: "c"] on the hyped2death label. Another excellent compilation of lo-fi post punk conveniently packaged by Hyped2Death. FYI, KTRU has the most kick arse post-punk show in the entire universe. These DJs really know their stuff, so if you are interested tune in Tuesday nights 7-8 PM CST, 91.7 FM in Houston, ktru.org every where else.
05:54 PM- she & him / sentimental heart [volume one] on the merge label. Zooey Deschanel, please stop making the rest of the female sex look bad. I mean, who gets to be this talented and this ridiculously cute?
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05:46 PM- siecox / play with me/ the universe doesn’t stop [friendly house favorites] on the self-released label.
05:42 PM- the phoenix foundation / sally [horsepower] on the young american label. Better than average indie rock from New Zealand.
05:39 PM- kit / fake broken legs [broken voyage] on the upset the rhythm label.
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05:34 PM- mahotella queens / homeless [women of the world] on the shanachie label.
05:32 PM- sex with girls / sex chocolate [sex with girls] on the self-released label.
05:26 PM- fishbone / lemon meringue [give a monkey a brain] on the columbia label

Those of you that know me well know that I love fashion. Not label-conscious, throw-money-at-it fashion, but clever and thrifty personal style. I wear a lot of vintage, mostly from my grandmother and I’m not ashamed to admit that some of my best finds come from Target. For me, fashion is about personal expression, not status. I’m more intrigued by the girl on the street in the wacky outfit than the models in magazines.

So imagine my glee when I stumbled upon this Flickr group, wardrobe_remix. All kinds of folks take pictures of what they are wearing and post them to this group, and then everyone comments on their ensembles. I have gotten so inspired by clicking through wardrobe_remix that fashion is consuming most of my waking thoughts. While I’m at work I mentally put together outfits from pieces in my closet and then I race home and try them out. This vaguely reminds me of my obsession with my Mac Book about a month ago.

The best part about my new found pastime is that I’m getting braver with my clothes. I’m putting together colors and patterns I would never consider before. I admit that a few of my creations look more like costumes than outfits, but I’m having so much fun that I don’t really care

If you like this Flickr group you should check out the accompanying blog for wardrobe_remix, bits and bobbins. There is a wealth of fun and useful information on the blog to get you started remixing your own wardrobe.

time- artist / song [album]
07:00 PM- spaccanapoli / piazza dante [s/t] on the real world label.
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06:56 PM- born ruffians / badonka donkey [red yellow blue] on the warp label. Inevitable comparisons to Animal Collective and Panda Bear are coming in 3…2…1…These guys sound like Animal Collective and Panda Bear probably because they are all involved in some indie music love triangle.
06:53 PM- better beatles, the / i’m down [mercy beat] on the hook or crook label.
06:50 PM- flying lotus / orbit brazil [1983] on the plug research label. Messy and organic hip hop. You can hear Flying Lotus in the segues during Adult Swim.
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06:46 PM- st. john, mary / soil surface background [some leaves turned red, some still green] on the international corporation label.
06:43 PM- oh no / the ride [the disrupt] on the stones throw label. Younger brother of hip hop artist Madlib. Swoon.
06:39 PM- tabu ley / sorozo [babeti soukous] on the real world label.
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06:34 PM- hartnetty, brian / the famous goldfish bowl [american winter] on the atavistic label.
06:31 PM- mountain goats / jenny [all hail west texas] on the emperor jones label. Totally bummed because Mountain Goats was supposed to play at the Orange Show in June but Darnielle had to cancel due to illness. Check out his homepage for more deets.
06:29 PM- xiu xiu / brian the vampire [fabulous muscles] on the 5rc label.
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06:23 PM- the dirtbombs / indivisible [we have you surrounded] on the in the red label. Detroit based group that mixes punk and soul. I do the chair dance when I hear these guys on my iPod at work. 
06:18 PM- bear in heaven / arm’s length [red bloom of the boom] on the home tapes label.
06:15 PM- samite of uganda / kasambajiro [pearl of africa reborn] on the shanachie label.
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06:07 PM- white rainbow / guitars [prism of eternal now] on the kranky label.
06:02 PM- furry lewis / walking blues [mississippi delta blues jam in memphis vol 1] on the arhoolie label.

Tomorrow, Saturday April 5th the Houston Chapter of Young Texans Against Cancer is hosting their annual benefit BBQ at the Armadillo Palace at 5015 Kirby Dr. 12:30-5 PM. There will be food, BEvERages and live music from The Occasionals. For more info check out the Houstonist article. Why should you go? Well, drmiggy and cosmopolitician will be there All joking aside, this is a dedicated group of folks who raise a lot of money for cancer research and cancer related charities in the state of Texas. Last year they donated a whopping $133,000 to the Uterine Cancer Research Program at M.D. Anderson. Past recipients of YTAC donations include Planet Cancer, The Periwinkle Foundation, The Sunshine Kids Foundation and the Texas Children’s Hospital. They can’t make these donations without your support, so please come out, have a plate of BBQ, listen to some great live music and support cancer research in Texas.

Photo by Groovehouse

A bit late, but here’s the setlist. Groovehouse took some pics while I spun the tunes.

time- artist / song [album]
07:03 PM- early day miners / the way we live now [all harm ends here] on the secretly canadian label.
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06:59 PM- cryptacize / cosmic sing-a-long [dig that treasure] on the asthmatic kitty label.
06:55 PM- parts and labor / king of the hill [mapmaker] on the jagjaguwar label.
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06:50 PM- bear in heaven / arm’s length [red bloom of the boom] on the home tapes label.
06:47 PM- muggsy spainer / a good man is hard to find [jazz ltd vol 1] on the delmark records label.
06:42 PM- the foreign exchange / come around [connected] on the barely breaking even label.
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06:35 PM- acid mothers temple & the melting paraiso u.f.o. / interplanetary love [have you seen the other side of the sky?] on the ace fu label.
06:30 PM- jens lekman / your arms around me [night falls over kortedala] on the secretly canadian label.
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06:26 PM- fatal flying guilloteens / hello, boss!! [quatum fucking (a fictitious real life account of young love in the streets)] on the frenchkiss records label.
06:22 PM- hartnetty, brian / I’ll cross the briny ocean, I’ll cross the deep blue sea [american winter] on the atavistic label.
06:17 PM- chicago underground trio / initiation [chronicle] on the delmark records label.
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06:11 PM- ilionga, rikki / love is the only way [love, peace, and poetry: african psychedelic music] on the qdk media label.
06:08 PM- the (international) noise conspiracy / bigger cages, longer chains [bigger caes, longer chains EP] on the burning hearts records label.
06:05 PM- cat power / he war [you are free] on the matador label.
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06:01 PM- agf / cognitive modules party [words are missing] on the agf produktion label.
05:57 PM- dengue fever / clipped wings [venus on earth] on the M80 music label.
05:56 PM- led belly / diggin my potatoes [bourgeois blues] on the smithsonian folkaways label.
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05:50 PM- lady sovereign / fiddle with the volume [public warning] on the def jam label.
05:46 PM- magic i.d., the / feet deep [till my breath gives out] on the erstwhile label.
05:43 PM- born ruffians / hummingbird [red yellow blue] on the warp label.
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05:35 PM- bob james trio / wolfman [explosions] on the esp disk label.
05:30 PM- junior boys / in the morning [so this is goodbye] on the domino label.
05:27 PM- joe venuti / satan’s holiday [violin jazz] on the yazoo label.
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05:23 PM- loess / talus [wind and water] on the n5md label

“COLLAGE: The Art for Cancer Network is dedicated to providing innovative art programs for people living with cancer. COLLAGE is inspired by a belief in the power of art and creativity to transform lives.”

The idea is to provide patients with an outlet for self-expression and in the process alleviate some of the emotional distress they experience throughout their battle with cancer. Through workshops and other programs, experienced local artists work with cancer patients, survivors and some times their loved ones to guide them in the creation of their artwork. Collage also hosts museum trips and lecture series for patients and caregivers.

This past Good Friday, Collage did a caregiver workshop for my department. These are some of the pieces that my colleagues created. As you can probably imagine, a cancer caregiver’s job is demanding, stressful and often emotionally taxing. These folks most definitely could use a little art therapy. I think at first some of my coworkers were skeptical of the whole thing, ya know, art therapy. But by their own words they came into the workshop stressed from their work day and left feeling much happier. One nurse said “I didn’t think about work the entire time I was in here!”

Collage is just starting out and could use all kinds of help. Texas Art Supply has really stepped up, giving Collage a nice discount on all the supplies they need to run their programs. I’m hoping to help Collage get set up on Flickr so they can begin building their patient art gallery. If you are interested in more patient art, take a look here.

Last thursday night I had the pleasure of spending some time with three very cool women, Cosmopolitician, Girl con Queso and Chookooloonks. We first stopped at the River Oaks boutique 310 Rosemont to sip champagne and donate dresses to the Fairy Godmother Project of Houston. This charity takes donations of gently used formal wear and gives them to high school students who could not afford these items for prom night. What a wonderful idea! If you have an old formal dress or (ugh) bridesmaid’s gown, please consider donating to their cause.

Our next stop was Monica Pope’s new-ish restaurant, Beavers, specializing in BBQ and other traditional southern delights. We were feeling a bit boisterous at that point so we began selecting from the impressive list of cocktails with names like U.T.I. and Trainwreck. I have to tell you, do not leave that place without trying the mac and cheese. It’s a bit of a twist on the original (I’ll leave the surprise ingredient a surprise) with the perfect mix of tangy and creamy.

The best part of the evening? Getting to know Girl con Queso and Chookooloonks better, and of course spending time with my favorite ‘politician. I’m so lucky to interact with talented, successful and FUNNY women like these. I can’t wait for us to party…again!

Inflammatory breast cancer accounts for 1-5% of all breast cancers and often affects younger women. Although rare, it is the most aggressive form of breast cancer and often goes undiagnosed until the later stages, leading to a low survival rate. Knowing the symptoms of this rare disease and acting quickly could make a difference in the outcome of those affected.

Unlike most breast cancers, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) does not result in a lump. The most common symptoms of IBC are a rash or swelling of the breast, redness, warmth and an orange-like texture of the skin. If these symptoms are present you should not hesitate to contact your doctor, because as I said the disease progresses rapidly, sometimes over a matter of weeks.

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX has just begun the first program in the world dedicated solely to understanding and treating IBC. This video clip from M.D. Anderson goes into a little more detail about the symptoms. (I tried to embed but it doesn’t look like icyou.com is supported by wordpress yet.)

You can find more information about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and clinical trials on the National Cancer Institute’s website, or on the M.D. Anderson website.

If you are interested in learning about the warning signs of other cancers, check out Careflash’s blog post on the subject.