This is an important realization because sometimes living through discomfort enables growth.
Something unexpected that happened to me this year.
Last March I was fortunately diagnosed with a hereditary gene fault called PALB2, which causes cancer in three areas: breasts, ovaries and the pancreas.
At the time I didn’t think this was very fortunate as the diagnosis comes with a whole lot of preventative surgery to remove those areas of the body which may develop a triggered cancer.
If that was not enough, two weeks later I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer with lymph node involvement. I was too late to choose preventative surgery.
Despite having rigorous annual checkups, this cancer had grown and spread.
I’m sure that if you know anything at all about me, I have been the poster child for living a healthy, preventative, anti-cancer lifestyle through nutrition, exercise and stress management… which did not prevent this cancer from starting and spreading.
I’m grateful for that lifestyle now as I am over three-quarters of the way through a chemotherapy program and, all considered, well.
Because I have a triggered PALB2 gene, I will always be on some form of medication to prevent further occurrences of this Cancer.
So I’ve learned that while I can’t (yet) be cured from having this particular gene fault, I can still be healthy and live well by having the best of western medicine and the best of green medicine at my disposal.
I’m so grateful for having open-minded, well-educated practitioners on my team. From my kind and caring General Practitioner, to the over thirty medical practitioners and genetic consultants who overlook my treatment protocol in a High-Risk Breast Clinic. This includes the two Oncologists (Professor Chan and Dr Salfinger) and three Surgeons who are currently attending to and planning my immediate care.
Regular daily exercise is important, but to exercise well you have to be supple and reasonably pain-free. This is where my wonderful physiotherapist, Sarah Ashe (feather-stone.com.au) and her divine classes come in. They add mindful body bliss to my week. Prior to surgery, these classes help me to gain extra strength to aid my healing. If you live close by, I’d love for you to join me in Class. We can catch up over a tea after.
Good nutrition is a very important part of my life and is the building block for all healing. I’ll go more into that later, suffice to say, that if we all added in extra greens to every meal that we eat, I think we would all be so much healthier!
Alongside the science of nutrition and exercise, I’m even more invested in the tenants of self-care. Here’s a laundry list of some of mine:
Listening to my inner guide.
Creating ease
Guarding my emotional energy and letting go of harmful relationships.
Following heart’s desires.
Releasing guilt and irrational obligations.
Bathing in the joy of close family and friends.
My garden and connecting with nature.
Continuing to see my wonderful clients which brings me great joy.
I feel that this approach to life is the intelligent thing to do – cancer or not!
I’m continuing to learn and would love to share what I do with you.
With some encouragement, I have agreed to start writing again to share this journey.
For the foreseeable future, I don’t plan to be active on Social Media. Instead I would rather share my story more directly via newsletters and journal entries on my website.
Living younger, living with more energy and vitality, living with greater health, living with more ease, living better with ADHD, whatever it is that you want to achieve, is yours to achieve.
None of us knows how many precious moments we have left. Why waste them?
By not being ok, I now have something extra to share with you. A deeper knowledge and commitment to living a life that I love. A life that brings me great joy.
Someone once said to me, “Be the Bridge, show others the way by sharing your journey.”
And I’d love to be able to continue to share my knowledge with you to help you to build your own bridge. In that way, you can help others too.
I hope that you will join me!
Lots of Love,
XO Susan.
