I’ve tried to make a short list of the most healing activities I can do to help myself on my way to health.
- Daily Walk & Rebound
- Supplements & Good Oils (Flax, Fish & Coconut Oils)
- No sugars except one cup of tea with maple syrup after breakfast or save to share with a friend & Smash cancer Night
- Sleep and rest if needed
- Sauna
- Yoga-Including prayers, breathing & positive thoughts
- Veggies and Fruits-seven each day
Some of these are easier than others.
I have been getting my sleep. Sometimes it is harder to convince myself that it is alright to take a nap. When you are resting completely your body can heal.
The sauna is easy. That is my reading time.
Now that leaves five I need help with. Cynthia is helping with the rebounding. Just in case, a rebounder is a small trampoline. Bouncing on a rebounder is wonderful for your lymph system. Cynthis and I have a commitment to rebound together everyday for 10 minutes. Even if I don’t feel quite like doing it I know I have to report to Cynthia “Yes, I bounced today!” Her support in this is so helpful.
Robyn is going to be my yoga partner. Carol has been walking with me ever so many days.
I sure could use some help and support on the others.
Cod liver oil, anyone?
Veggies?….I get in about five. I need some inspiration on those green veggie drinks.
No sugar! Wow! That one can be hard for me. Although I have been doing quite well. My son, Andrew is going to join me on that one. I think we could use some help there. Perhaps you might do just one day a week without sweets?
I’m finally reading a book the boys gave me for Christmas a few years ago. It’s a story about Robin Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead called Hood (looks like there will be two more to read when I finish this one…boys, Christmas is coming soon…) Soon to be Friar Tuck offers Robin Hood his blessing as he leaves
“May the grace and peace of Christ be upon you, and the shielding of all the saints be around you, and nine holy angels aid and uphold you through all things.”
I am so thankful for the support of my friends and family offering prayers, sending positive thoughts, walking and hiking with me. All of this is helping me to handle my treatment so well. So far I have not been sick. I am eating and sleeping well. I have plenty of energy. (I’ve only needed 2 or 3 naps!) I even have a bit of fairy hair clinging still to my head. (Hats and a wig are waiting in the wings)
Sometimes I do get discouraged. On Thursday night before my treatment I conspired with God that I had had enough of this. I wanted to get better, to get on with my life. I felt a burst of much needed positive energy. We had to do something about this mess.
All that to say….my CT scan showed my collapsed lung that had been hanging around since the beginning of the summer had basically healed. (It had been concluded that the lung would stay collapsed (25% or so) and the other lung would make up for it.) The taxotere treatment also seems to be working. Last week Dr. Belanger also concluded that the numbers he looks at in my blood tests were coming down and looking better. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The Gardens of Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth NH
What a lovely get away to visit with the fairies in Portsmouth with my friend Becka from MN. When I visited Becka in MN this spring I started a fairy house in her garden. She was required to do the interior decorating. We also built fairy houses during our visit to Cape Breton.
So without too much arm pulling Becka flew out for a visit with me and a trip to fairy land. There were lots of little ones running from fairy house to fairy house exclaiming “Oh, look at this one!” (Note the little green shoes) We saw some older, taller ones having just as much fun complete with wings and crowns of flowers. Becka took a picture of them. Perhaps she’ll send it along so you can all meet them, too.
The day was warm and sunny making it difficult to capture pictures of the fairy houses. The sun dappled everywhere trying to keep the fairy houses hidden from us.
What do fairy houses have to do with cancer? Hmmm, fun, laughter and forgetting.
Fairy Yoga Studio
Fairy home and Christmas Tree
A fairy with green shoes, perhaps?
I have been too busy to write. I’ll try and zip through a few pictures to let you know I am keeping busy.
Trying to keep up with 3 paddling in a canoe.
Kayaking pictures I never put in … Kayaking with Matt, Andrew and Angela on Lake Monomonac where Bonnie has her lake house. Actually they were in Dad’s canoe. I am the lone ‘kayaker’ trying to keep up.
Dave, Alayna, Taylor and Beth at the Jenny Mill Plymouth, MA
The Jenny Mill in Plymouth, MA
I visited with Dave, Beth Taylor and Alayne. I stayed at their home so we could get an early start to the Jenny Grist Mill in Plymouth, MA. It is the first mill in America if I paid attention to my tour guide.
We were able to sneak in some great ice cream the night before.
Taking a break from huffing and puffing!
The altitude was a bit higher than I’m used to in New Hampshire. Dad will have to check his map. I’m thinking we were somewhere around 3600 feet?
What a view!
What a view! Even though it was a bit hazy you could still see miles. Next time we must get Andrew in the picture.
Thanks, Dad, for the hike. I’m thinking you were in better shape this time. When you come to New Hampshire we’ll try again.
Even though I was doing a bit of huffing and puffing it was a great walk and a great talk.
We made our way to Winchester this month. Andrew took these pictures of Dad and me on the Skyline Drive. Looks like we’re on the healing path.
It’s always nice to visit Mom and let here take care of me. She does shy away from the camera (as I prefer to do).
Dad and I on the healing path
Andrew stays after me to get in my exercise. I went kayaking with Carol on Sunday afternoon. I went again on Monday afternoon with Andrew C., Angela and Matt. The three of them were in the canoe. I was in the kayak. The day was sunny and peaceful.
Ann stopped by for a chat bringing her special coffee chocolate chip ice cream. Yum!
We watched on oldish (1993) romantic comedy called Benny and Joon It has a fun music video for the song 500 Miles . The movie was both funny and sad. I watched it twice.
My friend, Sally, came for a visit this weekend from Glens Falls, NY. She is learning the healing art of Reiki. I don’t understand all about it. I do appreciate that it gives me quiet thoughtful times with friends which is extremely healing (I have several friends who do Reiki with and for me).
Andrew and I made an attempt to hike our favorite Gap Mountain in hopes of finding a few remaining wild blueberries. We were chased back down the mountain by a roll of thunder. We did enjoyed a picnic lunch by the pond in Fitzwilliam as the storm held off for a bit. We decided to pick blueberries at Monadnock Berries in Troy. Andrew had never been. Once you get started its hard to stop. Soon the rain was falling on us but we still kept saying just a few more berries. We are trying to fill the freezer with blueberries to brighten our cold winter days.
Since my diagnosis in December I have been exploring my options in cancer treatment. In other areas of the site I explore ways I can help myself such as exercise and eating better. As I’m entering this third stage of my treatment I’m finding the need to organize my search. I will explore here choices I can make in the more technical areas such as clinical trials, research, etc.
Rational Therapeutics with Dr.Robert Nagourney. David M. Mintzer, MD is a Dr. in Philadelphia who does the testing the Dr. Nagourney uses.
MD Anderson
Hi Mom!
Here are some photos to start off your Smash Cancer Photo Gallery on
your website (if you get a chance).
Janet baked a special chocolate cake for the occasion and we all partook.
See you soon!
Love,
Andrew
