It was February 2007 when the surgeons secretary told me over the phone "didn't you know you have cancer"? I wasn't even 30 and I was being scheduled for a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy with a liver resection because the scans had shown that the tumor had spread to my liver as well.
That heavy sinking feeling I had, I'll never forget it. The world around me seemed to speed up but I was in slow motion. It felt like I was on a freight train heading off a cliff and I was watching everyone else through the dusty windows. I couldn't slow it down, I couldn't get off. I was in a haze. I became withdrawn and cynical- especially when my coworkers complained about such trivial matters as a broken nail or a scratch on a new vehicle. I moped around for a couple weeks but then one day I DECIDED I would not live the rest of my life like this. I got off the couch and started planning my goodbye party for my spleen. I invited all of my friends and we had a proper sending off. My mom was instrumental during these hard times, having had over 30 surgeries herself, she showed me the power of positivity. She was a ray of sunshine when I was going for endless tests at the hospital. Always bringing along her little joke books and telling all the nurses about my fabulous new fiancée and getting me to think about planning a wedding instead of watching them put another iv in my arm. She completely understood what I needed and helped me when I didn't feel like thinking positively.
Today was world cancer day. It's a day set aside to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage prevention, detection, and treatment.
Those of us with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 1 have a mutation on the MEN1 gene that can predict the absence of encoded menin protein resulting in the inability of MEN1 to act as a tumor suppressor gene. This means that we have a higher chance to develop tumours in other various places in the body besides the 3 "P"s: parathyroid, pituitary, and pancreas.
We can also develop surface neoplasms such as lipomas, angiofibromas and ependymomas.
We need to be ever diligent that we're taking good care of our bodies.
There is a recurrent theme surrounding those with genetic conditions: that we have no control over what happens to our bodies and that our genes determine our destiny. But there have been increasing reports of people who have achieved complete remission or at least have delayed their disease progression by changing their lifestyle.
My own mom lived longer than the doctors could have imagined. They attributed it to her positive outlook on life.
I watched a very hopeful documentary last night on Netflix called "Heal" in which they interviewed many people with chronic illnesses and some with stage 4 cancer who were able to completely eliminate the tumours and avoid immediate expiration.
They discuss the different lifestyle changes - many things I've mentioned previously and things I have yet to discuss.
Dr. Kelly Turner in the documentary interviews people on the daily that have reversed their cancer and she said there are quite a few changes that can help but narrowed it down to 9 main things that the people who were successful all had in common:
1. Radically changing your diet
2. Taking control of your health
3. Following your intuition
4. Using herbs and supplements
5. Releasing suppressed emotions
6. Increasing positive emotions
7. Embracing social support
8. Deepening your spiritual connection
9. Having strong reasons for living
This documentary was very eye opening and made me think about the way in which our mind body and soul are all connected.
It also made me think about the way in which I deal with stress. When we are under stress, there's a whole cascade of events that take place in our bodies that we probably aren't even aware of. Our inner organs don't know if we're running from a lion or if we have an essay due tomorrow- all they know is how the body physically responds to these stressful situations.
Between this documentary and a fascinating book entitled "Switch on your brain" written by Dr. Caroline Leaf - a cognitive neuroscientist who describes neuroplasticity and ways you can achieve better health by changing your thoughts, I feel like I can take control of my healing!!
When there are so many things that I CAN control, why would I allow myself the negative disparaging thoughts that will only bring me and my body down?
Waking up with gratitude is the best way to start...
I love this! Can't wait to read that book!