Staying well…

Hello and oh gosh, it’s almost the weekend already!

I hope you’ve all had a stellar week and that all is well in your world😁

Y’all know I was diagnosed with breast cancer and then subsequently non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Double-barrel cancer!

The non-Hodgkins is nothing to worry about, no treatment apart from high dose Vitamin D (recommended by the Haematologist) and then a follow-up in 3 months and more blood tests. It’s linked to the ILyAD clinical trials that have shown promising results with Lymphoma patients and Vitamin D. More on that trial here.

The breast cancer is all gone, but the Breast Cancer Oncologist wants me to undergo several rounds of radiation treatment, then go on hormone blockers. I’m waiting to hear from them re when I’m to book in for the radiation. I’m still not comfortable with the idea of that treatment and would prefer not to undergo it.

However, I will make a final decision when I hear back from them. Oh they just called! I’m booked in for a consult with the Radiation Oncologist (yet another specialist!) in a couple weeks time. I’ll go, but I’m still not sure I’ll take the treatment.

The hormone blockers sound horrendous. One sort may cause endometrial cancer the other can crumble your bones to dust! All sounds very appealing (not).

In the interim, whilst trying to decide what to do, I went to see my Naturopath.

She has given me natural oestrogen (estrogen) blocking tablets 2 per day and some natural remedies to detox and strengthen my immune system.

Alongside my super healthy, nutritious and plant based fresh food diet, with healthy carbs and protein. Oh and flaxseeds, ground flaxseeds, my Naturopath recommended them and I had already started to add them to my morning oats or smoothies. I’ve ordered a little electric spice grinder as the mortar and pestle grinding takes to long and essentially I am lazy and when I’m smooshing them I end up with the little feckers flying all over the place! And she recommended oatstraw tea – it’s actually quite delicious, so I’ve added that to my health arsenal.

I have also been having regular Vitamin C infusions. There is research supporting Vitamin C and cancer which I have referenced in my previous post – here’s the link if you’d like to check out the research around this topic wellness journey and research links.

So I’m onto my third week with the Vit C infusions and they have incrementally increased the amount. Starting at 15ml, then 30ml and this week 45ml. Next week it goes up to 60ml (usually it’s 1ml per kg of body weight, I’m around 54kgs, but they decided to round up for me, thanks to my double cancer load!).

The infusions take around an hour to an hour and a half. I’m usually sat in a room with a couple of other clients. Last week and this week I met two women (different both weeks) who are all going through either breast cancer or multiple cancers. They are either going through the full chemo and/or radiation journey with complementary treatment to mitigate the side effects of chemo/radiation, or completely natural treatment (one woman last week) or like myself – surgery and then natural treatments.

It’s good to chat with people in a similar situation to myself, it’s both nurturing and bonding. We discuss the various treatments, both conventional and alternative that we have or are undergoing.

Each woman’s journey is uniquely her own. The beauty of meeting women in this environment is that we sit in no judgement. Whatever path a woman chooses to take for her own health is her unique path and her own choices around what works for her and her body.

I am on my own journey as you are on yours.

I will be your cheerleader, whatever decisions you decide to make.