Cancer Musings (The Nutritionist)

I mentioned in a previous post that my cancer diagnosis came out of an effort to update some of my health appointments and address any issues that came up. I knew that my bloodwork had been coming back as "high cholesterol" for a few years. When the subject came up with my new primary care provider, she asked me if the bloodwork came back high again if I would be willing to go on a medication or if I wanted to manage it with dietary changes. At that point, I was not on any medications, so I didn't want to add one if I didn't have to. I told her I would like to manage it with dietary changes and weight loss and asked her if she would refer me to a nutritionist. She happily did so. 

I had my first appointment with the nutritionist on October 12, which was weeks before I was diagnosed with cancer. She suggested I try to add two stalks of celery a day to my diet, increase my fruits and vegetables intake, and gave me a plan for how to add fiber to the smoothie I was usually eating for breakfast each day. They all sounded like reasonable suggestions to me, so I embraced the advice and implemented it. By the time I saw her again six weeks later, I had lost 10 pounds. I had also been diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer about two weeks prior to my second appointment with her, and she was on it. 

Before that second appointment, my nutritionist had reviewed my recent history and had a plan in place to help me navigate through the cancer diagnosis nutritionally. She suggested an anti-inflammatory diet consisting of many fruits and vegetables. She also suggested a book to me called the The Cancer Fighting Kitchen . It is filled with recipes but also advice on how to navigate through cancer and chemo and all the side effects that accompany it. It's been a great resource. I embraced it immediately, and my dad drove around all over town while I was at work gathering some of the funky ingredients (like kombu, leeks, and Japanese sweet potatoes) that I needed to make some of the recipes. Miracle Mineral Broth, anyone? My freezer is stalked with recipes now, and I'm ready to weather the storm. 

But my favorite part of that second visit that reminded me of my favorite B.B. Warfield quote (In the infinite wisdom of the Lord of all the earth, each event falls with exact precision into its proper place in the unfolding of His divine plan ...) came at the very end of the visit. Just before the nutritionist ended the visit, and almost as an afterthought, she asked me, "Your diagnosis is Triple Negative Breast Cancer, right?" I said, "Yes". She then said, "I did my thesis paper in school on Triple Negative Breast Cancer and the effects of nutrition on it". 

I said it before and I'll say it again, I marvel at the good God I serve and the presence of His hand and tender care all the way through this cancer diagnosis. 

Cancer Musings (The Anniversary Trip)

I marvel at God's timing in everything. His plans and His timing are always better than mine, though I may not realize that initially. Greg and I will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary on the 28th of this month. We usually take the week after Christmas off of work and plan a trip of some sort for our anniversary, sometimes a big trip, sometimes just a day trip. This year, we decided in October (before a cancer diagnosis was in existence) that we would use up our airline miles credit from our canceled Disney trip in March of 2020 (we all remember what was happening in the world at that time) and take a short trip in December. The credit was set to expire at the end of this year. Of course, it will make sense to everyone that we chose beautiful, sunny Aurora, Illinois (in December) as our exotic location to visit. I had been wanting to go to the Operation Christmas Child processing center there and work a shift processing shoeboxes that will be sent to other countries all around the world. Greg is a good sport about such things but his personality is a little more suited to dropping me off at the processing center for a shift and driving around Illinois playing Ingris, a GPS-based game that he loves and is way over my head. Since, we were working around the schedule of the OPCC processing center, the trip was scheduled a little earlier in the month than our anniversary. With the decision made, we booked two First Class tickets to Chicago (our credit was enough to be extravagant) where we would rent a car and drive the 45 minutes to Aurora December 5-7. 

We had a great time! As I mentioned above, God's timing is perfect and He knew things we didn't know. I mentioned in a previous post that I had made a very quick decision to get my hair cut on a Monday evening. What I did not mention was that it was the night before we left on our trip. I was still dealing with a little regret from that decision, so it was nice for me to leave town right away and process that decision and work it out amongst strangers. As I boarded the plane and as we drove around Illinois and met various people, no one knew my hair had been 7 inches longer the day before, and no one cared, which was exactly what I needed. No one knew I was diagnosed with cancer and would be starting chemo in a week. The anonymity gave me a chance to relax and process things for myself.  

Operation Christmas Child Processing Center

The boxes we processed that day were being sent to South America. We processed over 20,000 boxes in the 4-hour shift that I was there. I was on the inspection line, my favorite part. I got to go through the boxes and make sure they didn't have any liquids or food packed in them and remove those items if found. It's a fun job because you get a lot of ideas on how to (and not to) pack your own boxes in the future. 

Since our wedding anniversary is so close to Christmas, a tradition on our anniversary trips has always been to drive around and look at the Christmas light displays. This trip was earlier than usual, but we still managed to find several displays up and running. 

Who doesn't love a big teddy bear just sitting at the top of the steps of a public building in the downtown square? It just begs "take your picture with me".

We are very grateful for this short trip away and we enjoyed it immensely. 

Cancer Musings (The Haircut)

When I had my first appointment with the oncologist, she was completely up front with me about the fact that I was going to lose my hair during the chemo process. She said there are measures that could be taken (cold capping), but even with those measures women who are given the particular drug I'll be receiving still lose their hair. I appreciated her candor because it allowed me to accept that reality quickly. Most of my life, I've had collar or shoulder length hair, and I've been perfectly happy with that. But, there is a difference between making the decision on how long your hair is for yourself and having it made for you. In a last ditch effort to pretend I had some control over the circumstances, I decided that tonight I would get my hair (which had grown longer in recent years and now was a few inches past my shoulders) cut into a shorter style. This was without a doubt a decision that was made with my emotions and not my head. 

Before I could talk myself out of it, I put myself on a waiting list and pulled into a local "cut and go" type salon. When I checked in, I realized I had not put myself on the waiting list for this particular location but for one across town. Even so, the receptionist said "Katie" could cut my hair as soon as she wrapped up with her current customer. I still had time to back out, but I forged ahead emotions blazing. When Katie came to take me back to her chair, she was sporting a crew-cut type hair style and had an emotionless look on her face. I still forged ahead. I explained to Katie that I wanted to get my hair cut into a shoulder-length bob hairstyle and I explained to her my reasoning for doing it, cancer and all. Katie's face was deadpan. She proceeded to cut my hair. And I quickly realized that neither Katie nor I had the emotional maturity to suggest that we start the cut with half of what I asked to be cut off and then take it up from there if I decided to do so. Quickly, I found myself staring at my image in the mirror with 7 inches of hair missing from one side of my head. Panic and regret immediately set in. Katie looked at me in that moment and I vocalized that the change was more shocking than I expected. That is when I saw Katie's face soften and she gently said to me, "Would you like me to save some of this hair for you and put it in a bag?" I shook my head yes, and she went about discretely looking for something to put the hair into for me. 

Though I made a completely irrational and emotional decision tonight, God redeemed the situation in my short interaction with Katie. Her compassion for me in a moment that neither one of us wanted to experience overwhelmed me and comforted me. May God bless Katie for the kindness she showed. 

Cancer Musings (Best Christmas Present Ever)

My husband, Greg, and I have had a longstanding disagreement about a particular piece of furniture for the entire length of our marriage. It is the chaise lounge. I like them. Greg does not. I have always wanted one. Greg has not. He has held firm in this stance for 28+ years (despite my insertions from time to time that I would love to have one). He has stood firm that is ... until today. He surprised me the night before last on the way home from a family gathering by saying he would like to get me a chaise lounge for Christmas this year. I gave it the customary two-and-a-half-seconds of contemplation before blurting out an enthusiastic I'LL TAKE IT! It turns out he had spent yesterday afternoon driving from furniture store to furniture store looking for chaise lounges. Today he brought me to those stores (and a few more) and let me pick out the one I wanted it. I was so excited! But I was also extremely touched by the gesture. I am a big reader and journaler and had a small chair and footstool in the corner of our bedroom where I did such things. With the recent diagnosis of cancer and the upcoming ongoing chemo treatments, Greg wanted me to have a place where I could truly relax and recuperate. He even went the extra mile and installed a light above the chair that I can control by an app from my phone. 

I said it before. I 'll say it again. Best Christmas Present Ever! So grateful. 

Cancer Musings (The News)

In the infinite wisdom of the Lord of all the earth, each event falls with exact precision into its proper place in the unfolding of His divine plan. Nothing, however small, however strange, occurs without His ordering, or without its particular fitness for its place in the working out of His purpose; and the end of all shall be the manifestation of His glory, and the accumulation of His praise. --B.B. Warfield

Those who know me well, know that the above quote is one of my favorites and it is referred to often by me. You may have even noticed that it is on the sidebar of this blog. It is not scripture from the Bible, but in my opinion, it is a pretty good summation of myriad scripture verses describing the sovereignty of God. Which brings me to my next story. 

This fall, I set my mind to getting all the checkups and tests done that may have been neglected in the fallout of a global pandemic. The first on my list was to establish care with a primary care physician since my provider retired a couple years back. While I was on a roll, I decided to make all the appointments. Schedule physical exam, check. Schedule mammogram, check. Schedule dentist appointment, check. Cholesterol is high? Ask for a referral to a nutritionist, check. 

What I did not know at the time, but God did, was that the mammogram would lead to an ultrasound, which would lead to a biopsy, which would lead to a phone call from a nurse stating "I'm calling with the results from your biopsy, and unfortunately, it's breast cancer." That was in early November, and it set off a new series of appointments and tests. New things to schedule. Appointment with the surgeon, check. Appointment for an MRI, check. Appointment for genetic counseling, check. Another biopsy, check. Appointment with the oncologist, check. 

Through this series of events, I learned that I was diagnosed with a kind of breast cancer called Triple Negative breast cancer (TNBC). It was caught very early on a routine screening mammogram. It is small, and it is stage 1. Because it is classified as Triple Negative it is of a rarer form than other breast cancers (affecting only 10-15% of those diagnosed with breast cancer). Meaning, this type of cancer is hormone negative, not made of estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 and cannot be treated with targeted medications toward one of those "receptors". This leaves chemotherapy as the only treatment option. A good tool, but the only tool in the toolshed in this case. Because of that, chemo will be started first and surgeries will come later. And the chemo treatments will be a bit on the intense side. 

I trust God and the plan He has for me in this journey. I'll be writing about it in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Stay tuned. God is at work. 

Cookie Baking Night 09/25/23

 Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Carissa, Allison, Rylar, Enzo, and Abigail.

Allison has been busy with soccer games and soccer practices for the past month, so we postponed her birthday choice until tonight. For supper she chose: Macaroni & Cheese, strawberries, and blueberries. For her "cookie" choice: Muddy Buddies. 

Muddy Buddies, also known as puppy chow, is a mixture of Chex cereal covered in a mixture of melted chocolate and peanut butter, and coated in powdered sugar. 

Allison's choice tonight was a Cookie Baking Night first. The kids enjoyed making this one for the first time. 

In honor of Allison's birthday, as an activity tonight we did something that Allison has a particularly tender heart for. We packed Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. 

First, we had to assemble a few boxes.

For being the youngest, Abigail caught onto "box assembly" the quickest. It came naturally to her. 

And now the filling of the boxes. The Operation Christmas Child project through Samaritan's Purse ministry is also one that is dear to my heart. The ministry takes shoeboxes filled with gifts and distributes them to children in different countries all around the world. The boxes are not only a chance to give a gift to someone else but they are an opportunity to share the gospel with children all around the world. 

I shop clearance sales all year long and collect items for the boxes. Papa-Larry also orders items in bulk like soap, flashlights, toothbrushes, yo-yos that we use in boxes. Our "collections" made for an orderly little assembly line of many choices to pack in our boxes. 

Everyone did a great job personalizing their boxes and thinking of the child it would go to. 

(On a side note: Allison is a generally happy kid and pretty content in life. This project, however, brings out a joy in her beyond her norm. I usually have to remind Allison to smile when I'm taking her picture, she always looks so serious, but no prompting here--this one was natural). 

No one could stop at one box. We had 11 packed boxes by the time the evening was done. 

While we were packing boxes, Enzo chose to keep the house in good repair. 

In between box packing, Abigail joined Enzo in his efforts. Their diligence was appreciated. 

On a final note, we are enjoying the new children's Bible series from Kaleidoscope. We finished up Romans a few weeks ago, and now we are reading through "The Saga of the Seed", the book of Genesis. It is a retelling of the books of the Bible at an elementary children age level. They are really well written at a level that engages the children without distorting the integrity of the Scriptures. I highly recommend checking out the Kaleidoscope children's Bible book series. 

Another Cookie Baking Night has come and gone and, as usual, a fun time was had by all. 

Cookie Baking Night

 Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Carissa, Allison, Rylar, Enzo, and Abigail. It was Carissa's birthday choice. She will be turning 18 years old in just a few days, and she has by far lasted the longest of our Cookie Baking Night attenders. She still makes it a point to come as her schedule allows. Her birthday choices tonight were her classics: For supper: Macaroni and cheese and berries. For her "cookie" choice, Dirt Cups.

We decided to make it special tonight and colored some flowers to go with the Dirt Cups. 

We scraped the middles out of the Oreo cookies

And Rylar operated the food processor to grind them up to look like "dirt". 

We ended our evening with a walk to the local gas station for an ice cream treat. 

Even Uncle Greg can't resist walking on the brick wall when the opportunity presents itself.

Another Cookie Baking Night, another birthday choice has come and gone and, as usual, a fun time was had by all.