For those who follow me on Facebook, you know the journey I have been on for the past year and today marks an incredible milestone. On August 29, 2018, I was told "You have Cancer" and today, Aug 6, 2019, I was told, "You are Cancer Free". Wow, it's hard to describe the emotions that these two statements bring to the human body. I have experienced everything from anger, frustration, disappointment to joy, gratitude, thankfulness, relief, and happiness. This past year I have learned that my response to these emotions is so important to my physical health. My response and the actions I take to manage my emotions has been a huge growth opportunity for me. I use my breath to calm my emotions from the inside out, when things are unclear I take time to focus on what's important. When my energy is at it's highest I take to my mat and give it my all in Hot Yoga or Hot Pilates. When I need spiritual guidance (which is daily) I connect with my higher power, the one who knows me best and continues to guide me on this journey. 

I returned to MD Anderson this week for my first follow up visit after completing a double mastectomy, 8 rounds of chemo 33 radiation treatments. I had tumor marker blood work done, ultrasound to look at all my lymph nodes, and a CT scan of chest, lungs, heart, and abdomen. Everything came back clear, no signs of cancer and the Dr. said my recovery from radiation appears to be better than those he sees at the 6 mo follow up (I'm 3 mo out). This news is such a relief. That's all great news but that doesn't mean I am totally in the clear. As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone is totally in the clear. What I have learned through all of this is my body is amazing and it is capable of anything as long as I give it half a chance. My life has completely changed in the past 12 months. While it may appear that life is back to normal, my new normal is very different. The choices I make every day are different, how I choose to spend my time is different, the foods I eat are different, and I am a happier and healthier person for choosing to be different. I still have a lot to figure out. I am currently on two drugs that are meant to decrease my chances of recurrence and increase my longevity but they don't come without side effects. 

Verzenio is a clinical trial drug that is supposed to attack only the cancer cells that could potentially rear their ugly head again someday. Unlike Chemo, it doesn't attack the healthy cells, only the bad ones but it also weakens the immune system which is something I am monitoring very closely. My white and red blood count have continued to be lower than normal which is common considering the side effects of chemotherapy and this drug. I started this drug in late May and the jury is still out on whether this is something I will continue. 

Femara  Is also part of my long term treatment plan. Also know as, Letrozole which is an aromatase inhibitor. This means it blocks the enzyme aromatase (found in the body's muscle, skin, breast and fat), which is used to convert androgens into estrogen. In the absence of estrogen, tumors dependent on this hormone for growth will shrink. 

What is most important to me is to understand how my body is functioning. How is my blood responding to these foreign substances that are supposed to help me? The only way to know is to be in control of my own healthcare. Understand where my body is at today and make good decisions based on my own body analytics. I am now seeing a functional Dr. along with my cancer care team. I have had blood tests that are, unfortunately, not all approved by the FDA, therefore my regular Dr.'s are not able to run the same tests. I have over 15 pages of blood tests that tell me where my body is deficient and my treatment plan is focused on those specific areas. My T4 (Thyroid) is low, this controls so much more in my body so I need to rebuild that back to normal. D3 is way low so I am taking supplements to improve and prevent bone density issues. My cell energy (Natural Killer cells) has declined, white and red blood cells very low so I am taking a daily injection of Thymosin Alpha-1 and B12 to help boost my immunity. I am already seeing improvements and I will run this same bloodwork in another 3-6 months and as soon as my body is back to normal I will discontinue the supplements and manage through proper diet, micro and macro-nutrients.

Next Wed., Aug 14, I will go in for one final surgery...Finally, a new set of breasts, hopefully much more comfortable than the temporary expanders that I have been dealing with for almost a year. I expect this to be almost a non-event in comparison to everything else but none-the-less its a major surgery and body will need to heal so here we go again :)

If there is one bit of advice I can give, it's to know your body from the inside out. Our outward appearance may look healthy but what's going on inside my tell a very different story. Be in control of your own health and well-being. Most humans go through life feeling like "blah", not that great, not that bad so everything must be ok. I know now what it feels like to truly FEEL GOOD, even with cancer. Don't ignore the bloating, inflammation, bad gut, aches and pains, weight gain, mood changes, constant fatigue...the list goes on. This is NOT normal. Get a comprehensive, molecular analysis of your blood and how it's working for YOU, your organs and your body. Everyone is different so what works for one will not work for another, compare and despair, be proactive and don't wait for a diagnosis to be 100% in control of your own health. Medication is often just masking the real cause of dis-ease and the only way to get to the root cause is to investigate, ask a ton of questions, be your own advocate. 

I feel incredibly fortunate to have so many friends, family, co-workers, and present and past connections that continue to support me every day. I am so thankful for the positive vibes and powerful prayer. It's humbling and I hope that my learnings will continue to motivate, inspire and change the lives of others. 

I am now off to Toronto to work with clients for the rest of the week. In my professional life of helping HR organizations transform through new workforce experiences, processes and technology we often say Go Begin and that's exactly how I feel today...I am at peace with my own life journey. As a matter of fact, it's just beginning all over again and I could not be more excited! It's time to Go Begin, Live Life, Embrace whatever comes next...#Namaste