For most of my life, I have been oblivious to myself. Sure, I was pretty confident about who I was; I knew I was smart, capable, funny, but I knew this on an intellectual level, not an emotional or, most important, a physical one. In the 15 months before I was diagnosed, I had four bladder infections. Intellectually I knew something was wrong with my system, but I sped on with my life without spending too much time thinking about just what was going on, just what was wrong with my body to make it get this kind of infection over and over.
I did a certain amount of research and determined that, most likely, my diet was the problem. One infection came on fairly quickly and ferociously a half-hour after I had a completely satisfying cup of Irish coffee. I checked my natural healing book and, sure enough, coffee, alcohol, and sugar are high on the list of ingredients for a bladder infection. So, not being a complete dummy, I stopped drinking Irish coffee, but I did not consider the deeper issue: Why did my body react so quickly to those ingredients?
I sort of asked those questions, but I did not force the answer. Likewise, I did sort of lame breast exams, but did not really take them that seriously. Certainly, smart, capable women like me did not get breast cancer. We have better things to do. So, when I felt a small lump, I did not take it that seriously, figuring it was just a fluke that would go away. Because I was so derelict in doing exams, I was not even that sure what was usual and what was not.
I suspect I am like others who feel they need to control their destiny—it’s not just that I think I know best and the world would be wise to take my counsel. It’s also that I am terrified of what will happen if I let down my guard—I’ll go hurtling down a metaphorical cliff into the abyss of the soul. Splat.
Luckily, that small lump came right before my yearly gynecological physical. The doctor, also a smart, capable woman, found it, sent me in for a mammogram and made an immediate appointment for me with a surgeon. The medical pros, then, found what I had been ignoring.
So, this has all made me pay more attention to the physical me, to be attuned to my body. And, oddly, I no longer fear the self-exams, as I now know that if I find something, I just deal with it, the way I did with the first lump.
I completely changed my diet, emphasizing lots of vegetables, a good amount of fruit (not too much because fruit is high in sugar), three decent meals a day plus a healthy snack between each one (broccoli in hummus, homemade trail mix), complex carbohydrates, and a small amount of protein. I have alcohol once or twice a week—rather than the one or twice a day that used to be my norm—and I have limited my caffeine.
I still occasionally get a bladder infection, but it’s usually when I completely go off my diet and that happens less and less. I now can tell when one might be coming because I am finally attuned to my body and I can usually avoid it by dealing with it homeopathically.
Wow! I can really relate to this article. I, too, felt my lump (cancer), but because I had so many cysts over the years, I thought it was another and waited two months for my yearly appointment with my breast surgeon. Deep down,I think I knew this was a different lump, but put it out of my mind. I also had other helath issues that pointed to an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. I was a carb fanatic, and loved sweets, When my primary doctor saw a high A1C level, ( not daibateic , but close to it), he suggested a nutrtionist. She really helped me. I, too,started eating 3 good meals per day plus healthy snacks in between..I also started eating only whole grains, limited portions of carbs and fruits.Due to this new eating pattern, I lost wieght.(Although I was never really overweight.)
I can’t help but think that my diet and lack of exercise led to my breast cancer. Now I focus on the physical me. Healthy eating and long walks each day.I also buy organic whenever I can.. Sometimes a difficult disease, treatment, and then recovery is our wake-up call.
Yes, I can also relate to this article! In February I realized that I missed my period. For me this was extremely unusual. I am 40yrs old and as long as I could remember I never missed my period except the one time I was pregnant. I actually went and bought a pregnancy test, and of course it was negative. I went to my Gyno and she did a sono and blood work and thought I might be peri-menoupausal. She called me back to say all my blood work was good but I did have a small cyst on my ovaries, go back in a month to get another sono done, and also gave me my script for my mamo, since I was due. Well I finally got around to making my mamo apt a few weeks later.. and you guess it, I had breast cancer!! My period has come back with complete regularity as if I never missed one! My Gyno called me after my follow up sono and told me my cysts has disappeared! Several of my close friends and family, who knew about my missed period, have commented how ironic this ordeal has been. When I look at my scars I try not to dwell too long how unlucky I am, but instead how lucky I am that my body was trying to tell me something and more importantly…. that I listened!!