Hormonal Heaven
Bye Bye vovó and vovô… We’ll miss you!
Changes… Changes… Changes… That’s what life is all about.
Yesterday, my fabulous in-laws from Brazil finally returned back home to Rio de Janeiro after staying with us for 2 glorious months. We truly loved having them in our home and in our lives. I adore my in-laws.
Today, the house feels empty and silent.
It’s always a bit rough in the days immediately after our visitors go home. A bit lonely. A bit sad. People often assume that it’s stressful or taxing for us to have visitors all the time, but the reality is that hubby, Miss M, and I love it. (Although I’m sure that has something to do with the caliber of family and friends we have visiting us too). We are so lucky to have such loving and caring people in our lives and we cherish the time we get to spend with them.
Now, for the first time in over a year, we have no guests scheduled to stay with us. How weird.
Of course, I can never stay put (or alone) for too long… I have another trip planned for next week :-). This time Miss M and I are heading to Toronto (with a quick jaunt to NY thrown into the mix for my LAST appointment with the plastic surgeon until the spring). It’s been way too long since I’ve been to T.O. Miss M and I are psyched to see all our friends there.
When I return from Toronto it’ll be time for my next set of scans… PET scan… Echocardiogram… Possible CT scan… The results of which will determine my next steps.
At this point, my goal is still to get off all pharmaceuticals. For however long I can swing it. Because they make me feel like crap. And at this point I believe natural methods can do just as good of a job at preventing a reoccurrence as the meds can. Without all the added crap and side effects.
I want to reset my body. Have some time to rebalance myself without interference. Start from scratch. Really feel what’s going on inside of me.
If my scans come back clean (which I expect them to – a girl’s gotta stay positive right?) then I plan to wean myself off the meds and use natural ways to keep my body in balance and the cancer at bay.
I feel especially empowered to do this after meeting with my naturopath today in Columbus. We reviewed results of the urine and saliva tests I did last month to measure hormone and adrenal levels and the results are good. I was most excited to hear that my estrogen levels are at a very low and healthy level. They are also in balance with my progesterone and testosterone levels. And my 2/16 OH estrogen ratio was above average (which is a predictor of decreased cancer risk for estrogen sensitive tissue).
This is fantastic news!! This means my levels are where they need to be. My estrogen positive cancer does not have any extra estrogen to feed off of. My estrogen has been suppressed without having to take the hormonal meds like tamoxifen or arimidex that everyone keeps trying to push on me. Seems you can balance hormones naturally! Ha! Ha!
My naturopath will continue to monitor my hormone levels in the months to come and together we will pursue all possible pathways of creating balance – body/mind/spirit – to keep cancer from coming back.
Choosing to chart my own path is challenging but necessary. Necessary for my health. Necessary for my growth. Necessary to support my new desire to speak my mind instead of doing things based on what other people think. Necessary to stay true to myself.
Sometimes you gotta do what’s necessary.
Peace. -T
Have a lovely time in the Big Grapefruit (Toronja) and then in the Big Apple — I am citrus-bound later today — going to Toronto to see my best friend Rob and his two boys Tom and Jim (my godchildren), then back to Halifax on New Year’s Day. Wonderful photos yet again — thank you very much for them! Much love to all, John
Have a great trip John! Enjoy the time with your godchildren and friends. Hugs, – T
What beautiful pictures!!! Can literally “feel” the love in each and every one of them…
Great news from your naturopath!! Clearly worth all that “spitting” you did while we were in NY huh?? Your commitment to forging your life journey on your terms never ceases to amaze me (and remind me of your Mom..) Keep on keeping on.
So happy (and jealous!!) for your next adventure! I know you will embrace every moment. Safe travels and Happy New Year!!!’
Love, Auntie Laurie
Thanks for this entry! As a fan of your father’s books but a stranger to the world of naturopathy, I’m always interested to read your honest and detailed portrayals of it, especially as you use it to confront a life-altering illness. (And it’s always great to see Miss M happy–I’ve grown so fond of that grin whenever it appears!)
I wish you continued health and happiness. Blessings on your head!
Thank you! I too, was a stranger to the world of naturopathy until I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Before my first appt I had to look up the definition of a naturopath doctor because I really didn’t know what they do. But now I’m understanding more and more – and am happy to share what I’m learning with everyone else. There seems to be a number of different paths to wellness and we have to do what feels right for each of us.
Thanks for the support. All the best, – T
I am no less than dazzled by your extraordinary courage to make a plan and then stick to it. That’s a tough road, especially when every third person you bump into is in automatic shock because you are “disobeying doctors’ orders.”
Do I think this is sane? BET ON IT! Are there many others doing it? BET ON THAT TOO!
To me, and to many others, you are simply looking at the score board and deciding “this” or “maybe that” has the better opportunity to save your life. People who do NOT have the courage will simply toss their dice into the doctor’s ring and hope for the best.
There are very few who have been through the medical drug system and want to keep it up for the rest of their lives. It takes immense courage to try treatments that make you WANT to live, all by themselves.
You are doing just that!
In “Going Against the Grain” Miller Elizabeth had some astounding and practical comments to make about the pragmatism of thinking (and thinking some more) on the subject of treatments and drugs. (I personally thank her for her contributions there.) I hope you feel the same!
U go girl! We’re ALL betting on you and your success. You’ll have converts all over the place in no time!
Thanks so much Lee!!! Admittedly, it has been a bit terrifying to go against what so many doctors are telling me to do, but I am bolstered by the support and encouragement I receive from people like you and the whole blogging community as well as my intuition that keeps telling me I’m on the right path… And yes, you’re right, Ms. Elizabeth Miller seems to always have lots of wisdom to share. I am deeply appreciative of all of your comments. I truly feel like I am not doing this alone. And i hope my courage and willingness to think ‘outside the box’ inspires other people to do what feels right for them too instead of just blindly trusting what is offered to them.
Deep gratitude and hugs to you, – T