My Life.... what do I celebrate with?
reading books...
Diagnosis? 2 cancers within 7 months? = wake up call.
What did I do next? (after family, friends, and medical plans?)
Read. (I was on bedrest for four weeks, didn't want to just watch the screen.)
Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds - Kelly A. Turner, Ph. D. - inspiring, packed with fascinating research.
You Need Humour with a Tumour - Reflections on a journey with cancer - Annmarie James Thomas, Flye/Jeremy. - this book broke my heart.
Kicking Cancer in the Kitchen: The Girlfriends Cookbook and Guide to using Real Food to Fight Cancer by Annette Ramke and Kendall Scott - some delicious recipes, inspired stories as well.
The After Cancer Diet - How to life healthier than ever before by Suzanne Boothby - opened my eyes... activated my food/life changes...
Cancer Vixen: A True Story by Marisa Acocella Marchetto - absolutely loved this graphic novel about dealing with breast cancer/treatment.
Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr - working my way through this book now. Love the clips I've watched from The Oprah Show from Kris Carr, quite the inspiring survivor.
The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer by Hollye Jacobs RN MS MSW, Elizabeth Messina - Inspiring blog, such a positive person...
Reading soothes my soul.
I've quietly read these books when I'm a very public reader. Some weeks of the past year were very low on books read in my kidlit world because I was more focused on cancer recovery books...
I've changed my diet, lost a ridiculous amount of weight which worried me, and tried to deal with all the complications of operations and radiation by reading how others dealt... reassuring to not feel alone. Inspired other times by survival stories...
Showing posts with label lumpectomy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lumpectomy. Show all posts
Friday, August 15, 2014
Bravery versus survival with grit
So, say at 40 your body goes to hell, I say, to hell in a handbasket.
Here's my journey from being a sickly one to struggling to rise above.
Often I've heard, "you're so brave..." my response is a respectful smile or thank you or combo of the two. But honestly, I don't think I'm all that. I just deal, try to stay positive, and hope to have a little fun along the way.
Having a doctor say "uh oh" isn't what you want to hear five months after a radical hysterectomy and more and a round of radiation treatment for cervical cancer, but my response of laughing saying "No, you can't find a lump and then choking up with a 'that's not funny' didn't calm me down or stop my doctor from finding a lump, very small mind you, but still cancerous in my right breast.
I'd say I'm ridiculously lucky.
I have a sweet healthy boy, a fantastic, patient husband, a wonderful supportive family, a job I'm passionate about.... loads that helps me pop up in the morning ready for another day.
Cancer? Pray for only radiation. Pray for it to be small. Please no lymph nodes. No chemo? I know I'm incredibly lucky.
What started this?
Good question.
Stress? Perhaps.
Poor diet or food that isn't healthy? Maybe.
Lack of sleep? Highly possible...
Luck? Not sure...
But I'm surviving with grit.
Here's my journey from being a sickly one to struggling to rise above.
Often I've heard, "you're so brave..." my response is a respectful smile or thank you or combo of the two. But honestly, I don't think I'm all that. I just deal, try to stay positive, and hope to have a little fun along the way.
Having a doctor say "uh oh" isn't what you want to hear five months after a radical hysterectomy and more and a round of radiation treatment for cervical cancer, but my response of laughing saying "No, you can't find a lump and then choking up with a 'that's not funny' didn't calm me down or stop my doctor from finding a lump, very small mind you, but still cancerous in my right breast.
I'd say I'm ridiculously lucky.
I have a sweet healthy boy, a fantastic, patient husband, a wonderful supportive family, a job I'm passionate about.... loads that helps me pop up in the morning ready for another day.
Cancer? Pray for only radiation. Pray for it to be small. Please no lymph nodes. No chemo? I know I'm incredibly lucky.
What started this?
Good question.
Stress? Perhaps.
Poor diet or food that isn't healthy? Maybe.
Lack of sleep? Highly possible...
Luck? Not sure...
But I'm surviving with grit.
Positives about Radiation List
My Positives about Radiation list- round 2 of radiation, breast cancer treatment this round.
(Ok, they aren't all positive...)
I posted about how I had to have radiation after fighting cervical cancer, 8 months later, I was back in for radiation treatment again/Tomotherapy after having a breast cancer diagnosis, lumpectomy, and lymph node surgery...
Here's what I listed for this round of radiation treatment:
1. I now have 3 tattoos, quite tiny (as a pinhead) but they're tattoos.
2. It isn't chemo.
3. If you want 1:1 attention, fabulous, you sometimes receive 4:1 attention.
4. It isn't chemo.
5. You see a doctor weekly, well, that isn't fun.
6. You're provided with meditation time.
7. You receive special messages about staying still.
8. You're exposed to new clothes when the doctor says "no bra, built in support shirts"
9. You get to see what people do when radiation is on- run quick.
10. You can feel like the bionic woman.
11. You wear a lovely uniform each day.
12. It is short.
13. 16 days can feel like 4 months.
14. You are very aware of your skin.
15. You have a daily appointment each day that has a good strong excuse for leaving work.
16. It isn't chemo.
17. You can focus on keeping positive.
18. You can make new jokes and have a medical audience (in my case Chinese though...)
19. You know there is an end in sight.
20. It is only one way to help yourself.
21. Since v-necks suck with burns, you experience a change in wardrobe, again.
22. Many people pay attention to you, are concerned.
23. Excuse to buy new shirts.
24. Twinges make me more aware of my body as the radiation treatments progress...
25. Food changes = certainly in the right mind set.
26. Discover new restaurants.
27. Discover new grocery stores.
28. Watching healing process- nerves working better, skin not freaking out as much.
(Ok, they aren't all positive...)
I posted about how I had to have radiation after fighting cervical cancer, 8 months later, I was back in for radiation treatment again/Tomotherapy after having a breast cancer diagnosis, lumpectomy, and lymph node surgery...
Here's what I listed for this round of radiation treatment:
1. I now have 3 tattoos, quite tiny (as a pinhead) but they're tattoos.
2. It isn't chemo.
3. If you want 1:1 attention, fabulous, you sometimes receive 4:1 attention.
4. It isn't chemo.
5. You see a doctor weekly, well, that isn't fun.
6. You're provided with meditation time.
7. You receive special messages about staying still.
8. You're exposed to new clothes when the doctor says "no bra, built in support shirts"
9. You get to see what people do when radiation is on- run quick.
10. You can feel like the bionic woman.
11. You wear a lovely uniform each day.
12. It is short.
13. 16 days can feel like 4 months.
14. You are very aware of your skin.
15. You have a daily appointment each day that has a good strong excuse for leaving work.
16. It isn't chemo.
17. You can focus on keeping positive.
18. You can make new jokes and have a medical audience (in my case Chinese though...)
19. You know there is an end in sight.
20. It is only one way to help yourself.
21. Since v-necks suck with burns, you experience a change in wardrobe, again.
22. Many people pay attention to you, are concerned.
23. Excuse to buy new shirts.
24. Twinges make me more aware of my body as the radiation treatments progress...
25. Food changes = certainly in the right mind set.
26. Discover new restaurants.
27. Discover new grocery stores.
28. Watching healing process- nerves working better, skin not freaking out as much.
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