Journey Out of Pink

We met with my new oncologist today. She's very nice and very professional. As she went over the results of the ultrasound, I was happy to hear there was nothing visible other than dense scar tissue. The pain I'd been experiencing was due to the regrowth of nerves in that area. Dr. Ninan explained it can take up to three years for nerves to regenerate and grow. Since I'm still having severe back pain, she wants me to have a bone scan next week. We'll discuss my treatment options depending on what that scan shows. After we finished our time with the doctor, Phil and I wandered through the facility. I hadn't had a chance to learn my way around and the patient advocate assured me there were some areas I'd want to visit. We made our way up to the fifth floor to the rooftop terrace. There, patients had the freedom to lounge in outdoor breezes under the shade of the rooftop pergola. Comfy seating and complete quiet provided a getaway from the hustle and bustle of

After meeting with the Naturopath the other day at the cancer treatment center, I felt I'd been given a new arsenal of tools to fight cancer. Among the supplements I've already been using, he suggested I try a few more including Meriva 500, Indoplex, and Cortisol manager. Meriva is a supplement that helps modulate inflammation and provide anti-cancer support. Inodplex helps support healthy metabolism of the body's estrogen. The Cortisol manager will help regulate Cortisol in my body and hopefully provide some much needed, good quality sleep. The Doc suggested I purchase these from two companies I was unfamiliar with, Thorne and Integrative Therapeutics. Both of these are online companies but they also offer the products at the onsite pharmacy of the cancer treatment center. I'm excited about these new weapons and hope to begin implementing them into my arsenal later this month. My kitchen cabinet is already lined with multiple bottles of natural supplements. Daily

The newest CTCA patient  Today I headed back over to the cancer treatment center and received more confirmation that this is exactly the place God wants me to be right now. My first appointment was with the Naturopath. He was a very nice man and took a lot of time talking to me about helpful supplements to fight cancer. He was impressed that I'd done a lot of research already and that I'd been taking Ashwaghanda and Turmeric/Curcurmin for some time. He suggested I try boosting my Melatonin to help with more restful sleep and that I increase my Vitamin D3 dosage. He was very knowledgeable and I appreciated his input. Next up was an appointment with the pastoral care department. It was so nice to walk into their beautiful chapel to meet with the head of the pastoral care department. We talked about the importance of spending time in prayer and relying on the truth of God's Word. It was nice to know this center cares not only about the patients and their bodies but als

I was so keyed up about going to my appointment today that I needed something to help me sleep last night. I'm so thankful I had a prescription for Ambien and I was able to fall soundly asleep within about fifteen minutes after taking it. I don't really like taking medication to help me sleep but lately, it's been a necessity. Either I'm in too much pain to rest comfortably or I can't get my mind to stop thinking. This morning, the nerves have kicked in again. I'm not looking forward to going to this appointment alone. I'd feel much better if I had someone to go with me but I guess it's time to pull out the big girl panties. I may look for my little friend, the tiny stuffed lion my friend Wendy gave me at the beginning of my treatments in 2014. I took that little guy with me to every test and every treatment. I know. It was a silly thing to do but it brought me great comfort and made me feel less alone. No one likes feeling like a bug under a microsc

I've always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and everything that happens is ultimately part of God's perfect plan for my life. Of course, some things that happen happen because of choices we make and some things happen because of choices we did not make but each choice, whether wrong or right, takes us down a path that God has allowed. Sometimes He allows the path to be used as a teaching tool. Sometimes we learn the lesson and sometimes we do not but, if we remember, each thing that touches our life has to first come through the mighty hand of God, then each thing should be received as a gift. I choose to look at life this way although there are many who do not agree with my perspective.  For some time now, I've been feeling like I needed to make a change in my medical care. Earlier this week, I took the first step in that process and started the ball rolling. I contacted Cancer Treatment Centers of America because I felt I deserved better c

When the mail came and I found an envelope from my oncologist’s office, I felt fear rising in my chest. A knot developed in my throat as I slid my finger underneath the pre-moistened flap of the long, white envelope. Sliding my finger along the flap, I held my breath until the letter was finally opened. As I withdrew the enclosed letter, I braced. I had no idea why I was receiving any form of written communication from my doctor. I hadn’t had any recent blood work or other tests. I began to read the letter and was instantly put at ease. It was just a standard letter. My upcoming appointment had been canceled. I needed to call the office and reschedule. I wondered why. I’d made the appointment several months earlier with the scheduling clerk. She’d offered me that specific date and time.   At first, I wanted to give my doctor the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’d had a surgery scheduled that he’d forgotten, or perhaps he’d been called out of town on a conference. Maybe his wife wa

It's been 1096 days since I was first diagnosed with breast cancer. Today is my third cancerversary and it's hard to believe it's been three years since I was diagnosed with Stage IIB Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. We celebrated early (yesterday) with family at a local Chinese restaurant over a scrumptious dinner of all kinds of Chinese favorites. There was Moo Shu Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, Chicken Wor Bar, Sweet and Sour Shrimp, and some other dishes. We all ate to our hearts content sharing memories and laughter. It was a good time to just relax and let our hair down. Later, we came back to the house for cake and ice cream. The cake was from Publix and had delicious cream cheese frosting and a luscious center filled with chocolate and strawberries. It more than likely had a couple of thousand calories but we didn't mind! We were celebrating and calories didn't count. Throughout the day, I'd been emotional. It was hard not to think about

Last year, we visited a neighborhood church. We hadn't been in the community long and were hoping to find some godly, like minded people. We prayed and asked God where He'd have us to go. He led us to Unity Baptist Church. On our first Sunday visiting Unity, we met a lovely couple. There was an immediate bond between Cindy and I. It was too overwhelming to describe and clear evidence that God had ordained the relationship. As we grew to know Cindy and her husband, Dave, we learned they were part of a motorcycle ministry called F.A.I.T.H. Riders. They were kind enough to invite us to participate in some of the events, which we did. We were pleased to be accepted so quickly and to be welcomed into the F.A.I.T.H. Riders community so readily. Our acceptance was unique since neither my husband nor I own a motorcycle and neither of us ride. We knew this had to be part of God's plan. It became more clear as months passed and we watched His plan unfold. I feel like I need to