Thank God I'm In Good Health!

I intend to write a blog about my journey as a cancer survivor. I searched my file, if I had written an essay about it. I'm glad I did, because this reminded me of the need to eat healthy again - I've wrote this in 2014. Fast forward to 2016 - I backslide from healthy eating again... This should stop now. 

Sep. 23, 2014

Blessing in Disguise

"The change in the size of the node from your ultrasound 2 years ago, is quite insignificant. You are going to be okay, just continue to monitor it"

Beautiful words, as beautiful as the good doctor who delivers this good news. It's definitely a good news, considering the buckets of tears me and my husband spilled while waiting for the result of the ultrasound.

We've been in this state in 2009, when I first learned that the doctors are ruling out Thryroid Carcinoma and they need to remove my thyroid. Five years later, that is today, I felt a lump on my neck which caused me to radically change my diet. I became conscious with what I eat now. Before, I was thinking, I only have Papillary CA, it's slow growing, it's a good cancer because it's easier to manage and I'll probably die of something, than this cancer - so I ate non-stop.  Before, most of the people who knows about my condition would tell me that I should avoid red meat. I just nod and say yes, but I did not really alter my diet consciously.  I just stuffed everything on my wouth, whatever's on the plate.

Looking at my children now, being so young, I realized that if I am praying for a longer life, I should help myself too. It's one thing that I am praying, it's another that I am being careful with what I eat too.

 Since last Friday, (Sept. 19, 2014) I watch what I eat.  I browsed the E-book given by my dear mentor, Dr. Rita about Alkaline Diet.  I was surprised that most of the fruits I'm eating are modertely acidic food. I should minimize eating acidic foods because cancer cells thrive in that climate. Basically, most of the alkaline foods are green leafy vegetables. Since Monday, I was eating more vegetable as part of my healthy diet. I try to avoid fast-food, processed foods, minimize soda, sweets, dairy products, beef and meat. From Sept. 15 to today, I lost 4 pounds already. Soon, we will buy an Elliptical Trainer so I can also exercise at home, aside from the weekend walk with my husband.

When I saw the face of death in 2009, when I first learned that I have Papillary Carcinona, I was very calm. I prayed for it. I lifted everything up to God. It left me with a sense of calmness.  Truly, what can I do? If I wail, and cry for x number of hours, would it be a formula that the cancer cells will disappear? No. It will not change anything. So the best that I can do is accept and offer it to God, who is the ultimate source of everything.  I was the one consoling my husband then, that this is a good cancer.   God had provided everything, even the financial aspect of the treatment, was taken cared of, through health insurance.  Things we had to pay for personally, were taken cared of too.

Being reminded, and nudged, after five years, would be like living in a dream all this time, and being splashed down by ice cold water, not for the ice bucket challenge, but to give me a hard wake up call, that I am living my second chance and I am blowing it all over again, by gluttony.

Guess, I am wide-awake now. Hope I keep awake and not slumber again. It's hard though, I need to get use to it, but, no pain, no gain.

Having this condition forced me to eat healthy. I know, soon with exercise, my body will thank me.  Emotionally, my husband has been extra sweeter. My children, seem like adults - to care to ask me about the result of my ultrasound. I became more prayerful.  Overall, I consider this a blessing in disguise.

Despite everything, I can still find 101 reasons and more to thank God. Thank you God! I'm in good health and I am not dying from papillary cancer anytime soon.