Overcoming Cancer

I ‘m thankful for getting through my rough patch with cancer and cardiac issues. I’ve stabilized enough to feel better, even though I still have some fatigue.

I’m thankful I don’t have to feel uncomfortable socially. I’ve come a long way from just enduring social situations to engaging meaningfully with others in a pleasant way. This includes family interactions.

I’m thankful for having what I need and wanting the things I already have. I feel blessed.

As I suspected from my gene test,my mom has also developed breast cancer. She is terrified, but it seems very curable- like mine. She likes to say she is dying, which I don’t care for. I tell her not to worry, but she does, because she doesn’t know how bad or good the outcome of surgery will be.

I know it’s up to her, but I hate to think of her rejecting treatment. She is 82, but doing ok. She seems to be a little too anxious for heaven, which is frightening for me, because we’re so close. She’s my last parent and I’m attached.

She has other health concerns, but is also a hypochondriac. I try to assure her, but she has a one track mind. I’ve got to let her oncologist do the convincing.

It took forever, but once I got to November, I started feeling like a new person. I made it to church and sang with the worship team. I had to sing lower on some of the songs to avoid straining my voice, but I still had to cough a little. I was able to sing through my Christmas special, which I couldn’t sing a week ago. It was just rehearsal, but I think I did well.

It was such a horrible illness, that after recovering I feel better than just ok. I must have been so sick that feeling like myself is an incredible experience.

The energy I feel is so different than the energy I had before I was sick. I can do more and do it better. I’m thinking clearly now; I had been confused while sick, which kept me somewhat cognitively impaired. It’s like coming out of a fog.

I’ve been sick with it for over ten days. It’s hard to tell cancer fatigue from flu fatigue. I’m through the worst of it, thank God. I sure prayed hard for it to go away as I used the remedies available.

Wanting to cut the boredom, my husband and I went for a short morning walk. I loved the fresh air going in my congested lungs. I might have walked a little slower, but without too much difficulty. It was very refreshing.

This week I’ve managed to have 2 workouts for 20 minutes each. I chose to exercise in the morning before fatigue set in. The goal is 3 workouts a week.

Another health choice is adding a glucose supplement. I’ve seen an improvement in the short time I’ve used it. Sudden drops of blood sugar happen less now, especially if I take the gummies in the morning.

I feel anxiety more keenly this week, but my cat has been more cuddly, too. It’s a stress buster to have her close on the bed with me and my husband. She makes herself at home and I get good vibes.

Music is another stress reliever. I start my day with a playlist. It helps me get focused for the day and enhances my ability to organize.

My workouts are relaxing. I think it might not be so hard to make exercise a habit. It’s alone time I look forward to.

I belong to the Cancer Companions support group. It took some convincing to be a part of this fellowship, but I have no regrets joining almost 2 years ago.

It’s a Bible study with a little counseling mixed in. Somehow the author of the literature brings Scripture and cancer together in a way that makes sense to me. She references well known Bible stories and applies their meaning to issues that come up when coping with cancer and its treatment.

My husband and my mother have been a great help to me going through this unwelcome journey but it’s nice to be part of this Christian support group for added encouragement. There’s no judgment just sympathetic listening. There really isn’t a lot of advice either. The Scripture speaks for itself.

I’ve added another drug to the many I already take-Gabapentin. It’s for hot flashes, but it’s also affecting my nerves for the better.

I knew there was a mental health application for Gabapentin, because I feel calmer and more comfortable in my skin. Maybe it helps with pain,too.

I have been more capable lately, improving self esteem. I can focus. It could be the intermittent fasting I’ve engaged in for over a week, clearing my foggy brain. I’m hooked.

My goal is weight loss. But instead of daily weigh ins, I’m stepping on the scale once a week. I lost one pound so far.

I have steadily been reducing the clutter in my attic and other messy rooms. As a result of my hard work, I have successfully gained control of these spaces.

Donations became easier as my life emerged from emotional burial. I understood I no longer needed to cling to items out of guilt. What relief!

I’m already struggling with cancer brain and managing my house my way. While I find my mom’s advice helpful, I don’t like her criticism.

So I sometimes forget to do something like a chore my mom has invented. If it happens once, it’s like it always happens. She gets very upset.

This behavior is one of my stressors. I want to use my anger positively and work it to my advantage.

I made the shift to oatmeal or cream of wheat for breakfast. It’s great with banana, apple, and brown sugar. It fills me up, butI still need a mid morning snack because I am diabetic. Avoiding a GERD reaction is my main motivation for changing my diet.