Am I Cancer Free?
Recently, a friend and fellow breast cancer survivor brought up the question,
"Do I say that I have or that I had cancer?"
Can you ever know for sure that it is gone? That is a question I think all cancer survivors struggle with at times.
And what anniversary do you recognize each year? Is it the day of your initial diagnosis? The day of your surgery? When you finished treatment?
The fact is that everyone currently has cancer cells in their body.
But if your body's immune system is working properly, it will be able to kill those cells, preventing a tumor from developing. So at what point can a cancer survivor say they are "Cancer Free"?
For me, I would like to believe that I was mostly cancer free the day of my mastectomy surgery--the day the tumor was removed from my body. The rest of my treatments (chemotherapy and radiation, as well as the complimentary medicine approaches that I have been working on) are just "insurance policies" to remove any microscopic cancer cells that might have remained, because there is no way to know for certain if or when they are gone.
Now it is my JOB to make sure that my body will be strong and healthy enough to kill off any more of those stray cancer cells that crop up. It is my MISSION.
Before my cancer diagnosis, I never considered myself to be a health nut or fitness junkie or anything even remotely close. But now I feel empowered to chart a new course for myself in order to maximize the remaining days of my life.
I am doing this not only to prevent a cancer recurrence, but because I want to FEEL healthy and energetic.
I've realized that this is not going to be an easy course. It will not "just happen." It takes dedication and daily practice. It takes planning and changing habits. It will be a gradual and lifelong journey.
Here are some thoughts about how to begin this process:
So in answer to my friend's question: "I had breast cancer. Past tense!"
"Do I say that I have or that I had cancer?"
Can you ever know for sure that it is gone? That is a question I think all cancer survivors struggle with at times.
And what anniversary do you recognize each year? Is it the day of your initial diagnosis? The day of your surgery? When you finished treatment?
The fact is that everyone currently has cancer cells in their body.
But if your body's immune system is working properly, it will be able to kill those cells, preventing a tumor from developing. So at what point can a cancer survivor say they are "Cancer Free"?
For me, I would like to believe that I was mostly cancer free the day of my mastectomy surgery--the day the tumor was removed from my body. The rest of my treatments (chemotherapy and radiation, as well as the complimentary medicine approaches that I have been working on) are just "insurance policies" to remove any microscopic cancer cells that might have remained, because there is no way to know for certain if or when they are gone.
Charting a New Course Towards HEALTH and WELLNESS
Now it is my JOB to make sure that my body will be strong and healthy enough to kill off any more of those stray cancer cells that crop up. It is my MISSION.
Before my cancer diagnosis, I never considered myself to be a health nut or fitness junkie or anything even remotely close. But now I feel empowered to chart a new course for myself in order to maximize the remaining days of my life.
I am doing this not only to prevent a cancer recurrence, but because I want to FEEL healthy and energetic.
I've realized that this is not going to be an easy course. It will not "just happen." It takes dedication and daily practice. It takes planning and changing habits. It will be a gradual and lifelong journey.
Here are some thoughts about how to begin this process:
- LOVE yourself enough to give your body, mind, and spirit the best care you possibly can. Make the decision to focus on health. That is the first step.
- Plan time each day to do something POSITIVE for your health.
- TRUST your body's ability to heal itself. (This is a tough one for cancer survivors)
- FORGIVE yourself if you slip up and eat something unhealthy or don't stick to your exercise plan. Simply start again from that point. Be gentle with yourself and don't beat yourself up.
- Make GRADUAL changes.
- Set GOALS.
- REWARD yourself when you make progress.
I'm Choosing To THRIVE!
Spring is here and it's time for new beginnings and growth. I don't know what the future holds for me. But I do know that I have many choices about how I can live my life right now. And I am choosing health, happiness and empowerment.
From here on out I am going to call myself a cancer THRIVER, not merely a survivor!
From here on out I am going to call myself a cancer THRIVER, not merely a survivor!
So in answer to my friend's question: "I had breast cancer. Past tense!"
Upcoming Posts
I have neglected this blog recently, but I plan to recommit myself to blogging about my efforts towards wellness in hopes that I might inspire others to join me. Some topics that I will write about in upcoming posts include:
- Essential Oils
- Acupuncture
- Qigong and other Energy Techniques
- Yoga
- Nutrition
Comments
Post a Comment