4 April 2014

April showers, pussy willows and a health update


It's raining.  There's something so very welcoming about a Spring rain.  Not only does it wash away the last remnants of snow but it also washes away the dirt and grime Winter has left behind.  The grass becomes greener and life begins to stir in the garden.  April showers bring May flowers ...

Pussy willows have always been a favourite Spring addition to my decor.  I love their soft catkins and usually keep them around well into Summer.  I can't seem to let them go.


I had another CT scan last week and got the results a couple of days ago.  The tumours are larger than they were in December.  In fact, they've pretty much tripled in size since last October.  Not the news I was hoping for.  But there is a bright spot.  My CA125 dropped from 5700 at the beginning of March to 4400.  That's significant.  And hopeful.

After a lot of discussion with my oncologist, nurse and my husband, we're going to delay restarting treatment for a few more weeks.  I'll have another CA125 at the end of this month and another scan next month.  (I swear I'm going to start glowing in the dark!)   I'm feeling well and still not having any symptoms, which is good.  I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this before, but I began adding curcumin (turmeric) to my diet last Fall.  One of my neighbours gave me a bottle of it along with the book Anti-Cancer by David Servan-Schreiber.  Among other things, he highly recommends adding curcumin to help destroy tumours.  I added it faithfully to my salad and in cooking on a daily basis and I think it helped a little.  After the 5700 CA125 reading, I decided to switch to capsules to increase my consumption.   My CA125 went down.  It could be a coincidence but my oncologist has other patients taking curcumin that have had good results.  So he told me to double the dose I've been taking and see if it goes down again.  Now I'll take curcumin capsules over chemo any day!  Especially since he told me that second line chemo has a 1 in 5 chance of working.  Yeah.  How's that for sobering?  Thankfully he's a little more optimistic - he says we just need to find the right drug and gave me info for 8 different chemo drugs we could try.  The remaining cancer is referred to as "platinum resistant" which is why the chemo didn't get it all the first time and why they won't use the same chemo again.  (Remember when I posted about those red, white and green jelly beans?)

I've made a lot of lifestyle changes since my diagnosis.  I've increased my intake of fruits and veggies.  I've cut back on refined sugars and flours with the goal to eliminate as many of them as possible.  I pray.  I meditate.  I try to exercise regularly but still need to work on that.  I think the warmer weather will help.

It took me a few hours to digest this latest news but I'm more determined than ever to fight and win.  I know that God has this under control.  He sees the big picture and knows what the next step is.  After all, it was expected that I would resume treatment last August and I still haven't needed it.  He's put healing into my path and all I have to do is trust Him and let go.  That's easier said than done but I'm working on that too.  Every so often I get scared.  And worried.  I have to remind myself to surrender it all to Him.


I hesitated whether to share this with you or not.  I haven't gone into much detail about the cancer or treatments, mainly because I want to focus on everything that's beautiful around me.  And believe me, I have a lot to be thankful for!  Having a life threatening illness really makes you appreciate the little things in life.  But every so often I need to share what I'm going through.  Thanks for being there when I need to.

8 comments:

  1. So there was good news and the not so good news... I am always glad when you share what is going on because it lets me know how to pray. If a decision needs to be made, you can leave it with The Father. He surely knows you through and through and He knows what is best and will let you know what you should do. I am praying for ongoing healing and for you to continue feeling well for years and years to come. Thanks, too, for sharing about the turmeric. I take it for arthritis concerns and It seems to work well for that as well. BTW, are you saying that all the snow is gone in your corner?

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  2. I am going to concentrate on the good news, and your wonderful spirit! :-)
    You are amazing, and you are such an inspiration.

    Thank you for these beautiful photographs. They are especially wonderful, because our pussy willow tree does not seem to have made it through the winter. Either that, or the deer got to it!

    Please remember that you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
    Always just a click away, my friend.

    xo.

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  3. I'm glad you shared your difficult news, that way we can be praying. I'm asking God to annihilate those tumors and every cancer cell. Sending you much love as well.

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  4. I am glad you have shared. I hope it helps. I am thinking of you as always xxx

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  5. My Dear Lynda, I am so happy that you have shared this with us. We, who love you, are here for you! It always helps to share life with friends. This is what friends are for. Prayers for you and for Bobby and your family! Soon warm weather will be with us and as you sit on the front porch, with all the beauty you see, you will feel the warmth that the Good Lord has for you! Please continue to share it with us! We love you!

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  6. I am glad you shared this news. It helps to know what to pray about. You have a good attitude, and have done admirably well in facing this challenge and making so many positive changes in your life. I am going to read up on the turmeric. I will be helping my mother a lot in the next 3 months as my stepfather has chemotherapy for leukemia. I'm serious about praying for you. I believe in God's power to heal, and I believe in the power of prayer. Thanks for visiting my blog and especially for leaving a comment. It brightened my day.

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  7. I am glad you shared this post. I really am...especially the part about God. You are not my only friend with cancer... I am learning to lean on God for everything...especially when life makes no sense. But there is a reason...a lesson...maybe we can't see it now. You are loved and your photos make this world a better place. You have a beautiful heart. I am sorry about the news...but God has your back. xoxo

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  8. Just checking in on you my friend. I'm not sure if I will return to blogging or not, but I think of you from time to time and wonder how you are doing... so I am sneaking in a visit. You have such a positive outlook on your life's circumstances that is nothing short of inspiring. I hope you are in good health these days, and I can see that you are finding beauty everywhere! Sending much love and well wishes. You have been a gift to me today.

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