Now it’s all starting.

Cancer is a scary word. Like my mother said, hearing the diagnosis initially feels like a death sentence. But it isn’t – it doesn’t have to be. And like the nurse said, if I had to have a cancer, I’d choose breast cancer. So there you go. It’s scary, but not impossible. And now is the time to start kicking ass.

My family has dug into the research. Thank goodness for them. My husband is googling everything he can. My mother is finding food that inhibits estrogen production. My father is giving me meditation exercises. My brother has referred me to an acupuncturist (he’s one himself, but I’m not in Canada). And my other brother is always good for a chat and a relief of the mind.

Today I called and booked an appointment with a TCM acupuncturist. That’s Friday afternoon right before work. Tomorrow I have a MRI scan to check the rest of my body. Next week I have more scans.

I have two lists of food – those I can eat, and those I can’t. Here’s a list if you want to see yourself, however I have to check a few things out more comprehensively and compare to other sources of information before I’m certain on all these points.

I’m meditating. I’ve always said prayers to myself late at night, but now I’m focusing on releasing my fears and releasing pent up energy from my body.

I’m punching. This is something my mom always does. She ‘punches out’ her anxiety and issues. Normally I don’t do this – I write instead. But she has been encouraging me to punch. So, late last night my husband and I started punching for about one minute. We were punching out the cancer and telling it not to spread.

I realize they aren’t medically proven techniques, but does that matter? What I can say is this: all day yesterday my breast was sore, and that soreness was spreading. But last night after my meditation, punching, and cup of estrogens-inhibiting orange juice, the soreness melted away. Though it may return as new doubts swamp my mind, It’s good to have a plan.

When I take action I feel like myself. I don’t feel like a victim.

By the way, if anyone has any great recipes for the following items, I’d love to hear them. Keep in mind I can’t eat eggs, beef, pork, potatoes (boo!), or tomatoes (and a number of other items shown through this link) because they all produce estrogen, which would cause the cancer to grow in my body.

Berries, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Cabbage, Citrus Foods, Corn, Figs, Fruits (except apples, cherries, dates, pomegranates), Grapes, Green beans, Melons, Millet, Onions, Pears, Pineapples, Squashes, Tapioca, White rice, White flour

Man, I’m hungry for lunch!