Wednesday, June 18, 2014

6 months since last chemo!

OK, not a great picture, but I wanted to show off my new little baby curls that are growing in :)  Tomorrow marks 6 months since my last chemotherapy treatment.  I feel like I have come such a long way from the low-energy, miserable days of chemo where walking to the corner mailbox was more than I could handle.  I am now sprinting up and around my 2 mile, 200+ stairs uphill hike where I do a top of the hill resistance band workout with little effort.  My energy is back to normal and I am feeling great.  I have been feeling pretty darned good for a while now, but noticeably better all of the time.  I attribute my quick comeback to life to figuring out how to regulate my sleeping patterns which were completely screwed up during chemo, along with eating right and getting as much exercise as I can around my work schedule.  I was able to get myself off of all of my prescription meds very soon after my treatments and I believe that also helped in my body being able to get itself back to normal in a timely manner.

I can't stress enough how eating the right foods will allow your body to perform at it's maximum potential.  I start most days with a blend of vegetables and fruits in my nutria-bullet.  A typical breakfast smoothie for me might be a large handful of kale and/or spinach, a carrot, 1/2 stalk of celery, a variety of berries or other fruit (whatever I have on hand), a protein source (yogurt, or protein powder), a small bit of flax seed and water.  All mixed together into an ugly but tasty green smoothie.  I was never the best at getting my daily amounts of fruits and veggies but that has since changed.  I continue to eliminate added sugars from my diet and try to eat mostly fresh, raw and unprocessed foods.  I do however slip from time to time and I do allow myself the occasional dessert - after all, life is for living and not depriving ourselves of every simple pleasure.  And, my occasional evening glass of wine has come back to the table.

Aside from my energy and attempted good eating and exercise habits, I have incorporated a few other changes into my life.  Along my journey I discovered essential oils and the many health benefits that can be attained by using them.  I have incorporated the oils into my health and wellbeing routines and am slowly replacing many household personal products as well as cleaners with healthy natural alternatives.  Creating a healthy environment around myself and my family is very important to me and I understand this even more now that I have been through cancer diagnosis/treatments.

And, finally and probably most important is my mental state and mindset.  Having cancer and the fear of dying from this disease helped give me perspective on many things.  Foremost, I have a much higher tolerance for people and the things that they do without passing immediate judgment.  I know from the heart that everyone has their own opinions and lives their lives the way that they see fit according to their situations - and we don't always know what is really going on with other people.  I think that sometimes we are quick to judge others based on how we feel and that is not really the right thing to do.  I have made great progress in taking things and people more in stride and not letting things that used to bother me get under my skin.  I find myself now smiling and understanding rather than judging.  It's a great feeling and not only benefits the person I am talking with, but myself as I find a renewed energy in being accepting of others.  Life is happier that way.

So, there you have it.  From diagnosis, fear of dying, losing my breasts, having new foobs (fake boobs) built, chemotherapy treatments, hair loss, hair growth - here I stand.  I hope that I can provide strength and hope to those going through what I've just been through.  It is hard.  Really hard.  But you can, with positive thought and forward thinking come out the other side better than you were when you went in.

Believe and take care of yourselves <3



6 comments:

  1. You are my hero. I love you so very much, and am so very grateful our paths crossed!! This picture is beautiful!!! Gorgeous inside and out!! You have the world at your feet...and it's bowing before you, in awe of your grace! XOXOXOXOXO

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  2. Sun, it takes one to know one! We went through our journeys at the same time and have had the great fortune to meet and continue our journeys together. You are such an inspiration to me and I am so blessed to have you in my life and as my friend. Our paths crossed indeed and will forever remain connected. I love you too and can't wait to see you again soon! xoxo

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  3. We are so happy you are doing so well. You look great. So, is your hair curly now?

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    1. Thanks Mick and AnnaMarie! Yes, hair is getting a bit longer and has soft curls and waves. It's very much like baby hair. I'm liking it as it takes it's new shape! Not sure whether I want to grow long or keep short. We'll see... Thank you both for all of your support and well wishes :)

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  4. Hi Cheryl. Dont know if you remember me Kathy Witt. My husband is Steve Witt, who was in Guy's songwriter Group that performed at the Rhythmix Alameda back a few years. Just wanted to say I read what you went through. Believe it at the time Steve played with the other guys at that show I had just gotten over my Chemo.
    I know what you went through I was diagnosed in late June 2011. they did not detect it in my breasts but had many lymph nodes removed in August 2011, started chemo in September that year. I was scared, but I trudged along and took many many pre tests, my whole body, Yes it was annoying and I was stressed and lost weight. Chemo was grueling as you are just not sure how your body will react and sitting there for almost 3 hours every few weeks was stressful. I had my right breast removed as suggested by the surgeon. She was great as well as my Oncologist. The Chemo room was kind of depressing as no windows and seemed cramped to me. But I made it through, Radiation in April 2012 was not as bad as thought, just a few minutes of it every day, but for 5 weeks, 8am. I too am trying to eat right, love my wine to. Steve and I spend time hiking up some of these bay area hills. Have our favorite spots to. Everyone so supportive of what I went through. Steve went every chemo and every radiation appointment. I belong to a support group every few weeks, but lately been hard. Have 3 great grandkids and now my younger son moved home temporarily. Losing my hair I just was prepared. Began to cut it off shorter and shorter during chemo. I wore wigs not liking it. When i got a little butch cut back I wore it that way. So glad things going well and I too got good 4 month check up a few weeks ago and Doc says we will go to 6 month check.. Guess i still have a fear of its return. Also have a touch of what they call Chemo Brain and some Neuoropathy in feet.
    Take care and keep in touch with us. Kathy.

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  5. Hi Kathy! I absolutely remember you and think of you and Steve often. I am so very sorry that you had to go through all that you did but I am thrilled that you are getting good follow up reports and that you are doing well. You know as well as I how important it is for us to take good care of ourselves and it sounds like you are on the right track. I too suffered from neuropathy and am happy to report that it has gotten much better over time. I pray that yours subsides soon. The effects that chemo has on our bodies can be so harsh. I completely understand your fear of cancer returning. I think it will always lurk in the back of our minds. It is a not too distant experience for us but I feel that the further we move away from it and continue to be mindful of taking good care of our bodies, the less that fear will rear its ugly head. I would love to keep in touch and if you and Steve ever want hiking partners, Guy and I are always at the ready :) And, if you ever want to talk about your experience or feelings, I am here for you. Anything that I can do... Big hugs to you both <3

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