April and May are the two months in which I have all my major check ups. I am extremely grateful for all the care I'm receiving but the waiting for results is excruciating. It's a reminder of what my body has been through, something I've definitely moved on from regardless of the ongoing issues I've had with medication.
But as always there's been a few blips that I've been extremely anxious about. All are resolved though thank goodness. The first issue was my blood test. My cancer markers are still within normal range and that is the main thing. I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear that. Unfortunately my blood sugar had risen, as had my cholesterol, whilst my Vitamin D level was stubbornly staying too low. All of which disturbed me. I had no idea why my blood sugar and cholesterol should be climbing. I haven't changed my diet and I'm exercising again. I might not be up to the 2 hours on the treadmill that the old me was doing but after three years of fighting fatigue I'm doing thirty minutes five times a week. That's a good thing and I'm happy with that compared to where I was.
So, I've been sensible. I know!! Such a shock to my system but it had to be done. As my knee has given in and is painful I've had to abandon my stepper, and much as I love yoga (when I go, I'm a bit hit and miss) I knew I had to add a cardiac form of exercise. We are lucky enough to have a plunge pool in the garden so I decided to incorporate both improving my cholesterol and raising my vitamin D levels. What this involved, and still does, is me bouncing around, jogging and jumping around the pool like a completely crazy lady, listening to my favourite playlist, for 45-50 minutes. I really hope that the golfers at the tee off next to my garden don't decide to pop their heads over the wall to see what the noise is all about; good lord! But I love it.
To add to the exercise I also added avocado to my daily diet. Such a simple way to improve your cholesterol levels and it's yummy. Half an avocado with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I really don't eat a fatty diet and was a bit stumped on how to improve my cholesterol, hence adding the avocado. It was the easiest way for me to tweak my diet.
So, two weeks later I went back for my repeat fasting blood test, and imagine my huge delight when my cholesterol had dropped, my blood sugar was back to normal and my VitaminD level was nearly back to normal. Three simple things that didn't take a huge amount of effort but had an incredible affect on my body. Happy days.
But I then had my yearly mammogram and ultrasound. This is also another source of scanxiety quite obviously. It was an ultrasound three and a half years ago that picked up my tumour. Now that was a scary moment; one of those times in life that you just know something is wrong. I'm very good at reading peoples faces, something you learn to do when you're nursing. So when the technician came in and needed to repeat the mammogram on my damaged breast, my heart dropped. She was frowning and they never repeat a test unless they need to. Why would they put you through the discomfort unless it was important. After the repeated test, I was asked to wait in the room for the consultant to come in and do the ultrasound. As I'm lying on the bed, all sorts of thoughts are running through my head. What had they seen? Was it cancer? How do I tell my family if it is? But then I suddenly just relaxed with the strongest feeling that everything was going to be ok; not necessarily that it wouldn't be cancer but whatever was the issue, it was going to be fine. Luckily, everything was clear on the repeat mammogram and my ultrasound didn't pick up on anything either.
The thing about scanxiety is that it's a necessary evil, one that I am actually grateful for. If I was in the UK I wouldn't have even half of the follow ups that I get here and for that I'm extremely grateful. I'm so well looked after that the worry is worth it. But it does remind me of everything my family had to go through whilst I was ill. It reminds me of where I've been, of one of my life experiences that has made me who I am today.
I'm healthy, I'm cancer free, I have a beautiful family. Life couldn't be any better.
But as always there's been a few blips that I've been extremely anxious about. All are resolved though thank goodness. The first issue was my blood test. My cancer markers are still within normal range and that is the main thing. I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear that. Unfortunately my blood sugar had risen, as had my cholesterol, whilst my Vitamin D level was stubbornly staying too low. All of which disturbed me. I had no idea why my blood sugar and cholesterol should be climbing. I haven't changed my diet and I'm exercising again. I might not be up to the 2 hours on the treadmill that the old me was doing but after three years of fighting fatigue I'm doing thirty minutes five times a week. That's a good thing and I'm happy with that compared to where I was.
So, I've been sensible. I know!! Such a shock to my system but it had to be done. As my knee has given in and is painful I've had to abandon my stepper, and much as I love yoga (when I go, I'm a bit hit and miss) I knew I had to add a cardiac form of exercise. We are lucky enough to have a plunge pool in the garden so I decided to incorporate both improving my cholesterol and raising my vitamin D levels. What this involved, and still does, is me bouncing around, jogging and jumping around the pool like a completely crazy lady, listening to my favourite playlist, for 45-50 minutes. I really hope that the golfers at the tee off next to my garden don't decide to pop their heads over the wall to see what the noise is all about; good lord! But I love it.
To add to the exercise I also added avocado to my daily diet. Such a simple way to improve your cholesterol levels and it's yummy. Half an avocado with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I really don't eat a fatty diet and was a bit stumped on how to improve my cholesterol, hence adding the avocado. It was the easiest way for me to tweak my diet.
So, two weeks later I went back for my repeat fasting blood test, and imagine my huge delight when my cholesterol had dropped, my blood sugar was back to normal and my VitaminD level was nearly back to normal. Three simple things that didn't take a huge amount of effort but had an incredible affect on my body. Happy days.
But I then had my yearly mammogram and ultrasound. This is also another source of scanxiety quite obviously. It was an ultrasound three and a half years ago that picked up my tumour. Now that was a scary moment; one of those times in life that you just know something is wrong. I'm very good at reading peoples faces, something you learn to do when you're nursing. So when the technician came in and needed to repeat the mammogram on my damaged breast, my heart dropped. She was frowning and they never repeat a test unless they need to. Why would they put you through the discomfort unless it was important. After the repeated test, I was asked to wait in the room for the consultant to come in and do the ultrasound. As I'm lying on the bed, all sorts of thoughts are running through my head. What had they seen? Was it cancer? How do I tell my family if it is? But then I suddenly just relaxed with the strongest feeling that everything was going to be ok; not necessarily that it wouldn't be cancer but whatever was the issue, it was going to be fine. Luckily, everything was clear on the repeat mammogram and my ultrasound didn't pick up on anything either.
The thing about scanxiety is that it's a necessary evil, one that I am actually grateful for. If I was in the UK I wouldn't have even half of the follow ups that I get here and for that I'm extremely grateful. I'm so well looked after that the worry is worth it. But it does remind me of everything my family had to go through whilst I was ill. It reminds me of where I've been, of one of my life experiences that has made me who I am today.
I'm healthy, I'm cancer free, I have a beautiful family. Life couldn't be any better.