Be Strong

When it comes to cancer, there's only way to be and that's strong.  In fact, for all of us, fighting cancer or not, being strong is what's needed.

These days, there are so many things we have to deal with that we never had to before.  When I was a kid growing up, the incident in Ft Lauderdale might have made a mention in the "world news tonight" segment of the news hour, but constant or instant updates didn't happen like they do now.  Our lives are instantly changed by events not only in our local community or state, but world wide as well.


All of this instant information can be quite alarming, and sometimes quite addicting.

Back in April 2016, an incident happened in my store where a police officer was shot, and recently they released the tape of parts of it.  And it's frightening -- but also kind of spookily weird.  When I watched it - and let's face it, we are drawn to look at incidents - I could see myself walking through the very doors where it happened.  Something, anything can happen anywhere, but when it's in our own "backyard" we feel the effects differently.

But with information technology, we see things in an instant and nowadays events across the country can feel as if they're in our own "backyard" as well.  And it's difficult to find a way to turn it off, to set our own personal limits on when and where we let the information in.  If you're like most, you're attached to your phone -- or it's attached to you.  Either way, we have them set up with notifications that alert us to when we need to pay attention.  And even without an alert, we're checking constantly for updated information.  But when do we say "enough" ??

For me, I've set limits.  I don't check my phone constantly any longer.  I allow myself 10 minutes to check things at the beginning of my lunch hour and then 20 minutes when I get home while dinner's cooking.  That's it.  I have to limit myself and what I let in, because it's important to have "down time", time for me, time for my brain to think of things that aren't bad/scary/frightening and to learn to refocus on the good things, things that bring me happiness.  Our time is so limited, it takes great strength to be a part of the techno-info world and yet still have time for what is important to us.

In these times, I say it's time to be strong,
to set limits and give ourselves time to be us,
time to think and do and create.

My sister is doing just that:  in the face of stage iv pancreatic cancer, she is being strong and proactive.  Her first chemo treatment went well, she is also having acupuncture to deal with pain and nausea and it seems to be working well.  She also takes a med daily via epi-pen.  Technology sure has come a long way when it comes to health issues!

Just Believe

Healthy Living

Finally Friday.... Ahhhhhhhhhh

It's a relief to have it here.
There's something about knowing it's Friday.
Even though I'm not typical with weekends off
working retail in a supervisory roll means
you're the one who fills in
when a part of your team is off.

That's how it's been for the past 10 weeks.  I haven't had my days off, and the toll is showing ... or is it that I'm feeling it more than showing it?  Maybe that's it.   My health has been an issue since back in April.  I thought I'd pulled a muscle at the gym. You know when you have a bad cough, and the cough clears up, your core muscles are sore from being over-used?  That's how it started.  I assumed it would clear up.  Maybe some un-healthy eating added to the problem.  I'm still convinced I passed some kind of liver stone that caused me to have the intense muscle spasm-like pains when I walked.  According to all the research I could find, I seemed to fit right in with the symptoms of others.

OK.  I can deal with that.

But after those pains passed, I was feeling well - but only when I ate small meals that consisted of bland foods.  I usually keep detailed accounts of the foods I eat (because it helps with my life-changing eating plans) but I was skipping those days, so I don't know if my carbs/protein/fats ratios were still the same as they had been.  Or even if they're better now.  I'll need to keep track better.

However, the dull ache that I have in my right side is back.  I ate lasagna for dinner Weds night and boy that didn't sit well with me at  all.  Too much fat?  Too spicy?  Too much?  I was miserable all night long, and far into Thursday.   Back to square one eating my small meals, having a fruit smoothie every day, along with my cup of apple juice.  You know the old saying ... An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

But I think what's bothering me is the not knowing.  This nodule they found on my lung, I'm assuming its on my right side, and that its bothering me in some way.  Is it in a position where it rubs when I'm active?  Or that I can feel it when I'm laying on my right side?   There's power in knowledge.  If I know, then I can deal.  Not knowing makes me crazy.  I'll have to make do until Monday afternoon when I see a pulmonary doctor.  But why is waiting so hard?

In the meantime, I'm thinking positive thoughts.  And doing positive things, like taking my supplements, and a daily walk with Sadie.

A good song that comes to mind in that regard is "Let Your Soul be Your Pilot" by Sting.

When you're down and they're counting

When your secrets all found out

When your troubles take to mounting

When the map you have leads you to doubt

When there's no information

And the compass turns to nowhere that you know well

Let your soul be your pilot

Let your soul guide you

He'll guide you well

A Little Bit of Freakin'

So after my CT scan, my doc called me on Tuesday.  While the gastro stuff was found to be OK (I am still convinced I passed a liver stone..)  he said the CT scan found a nodule on my lung.  *blink*  Yep, that caused my heart to fall into my stomach, blood pressure to rise, and a little bit of breathlessness, as in panic attack kind.   No one wants to hear that there's something wrong on the inside.   :/

He referred me to a pulmonary doctor, and after some attempts to make contact, I have an appointment to see him on Monday, which can't come soon enough now!

A little research to ease my worries just a tad, from LiveStrong.com

• One out of every 500 to 1,000 chest x-rays reveals an unexpected lung nodule. The chance of finding a lung nodule is even higher with CT scans because they detect smaller lesions not seen on chest x-ray. Benign lung nodules are caused by a variety of infections and noncancerous growths.
• 
  
• Size and Appearance
• The size of benign lung nodules typically varies from 3 to 20 millimeters or more. To put this size into perspective, 1 millimeter is roughly the thickness of a dime, and 20 millimeters is roughly the width of a penny. When it comes to lung nodules, size predicts whether the lesion is likely benign or cancerous. The smaller the nodule, the more likely it is benign. 

At the moment, I am crossing my fingers and toes, and hoping it all goes well.
More on this soon!