New Diet, New Doctor, New Donations

Just before Thanksgiving some of my readers might know that I listened to this podcast and in a moment my life shifted. I didn’t think to myself, “Huh, that’s interesting.” then carry on to the next thing without giving it a second thought. I paused and silently asked myself what’s preventing me from taking that leap into a solid and committed decision to radically change my day to day choices in exactly what food and drink I put into my pie hole?! I’ve avoided this drastic leap in the past because I told myself that a balanced healthy, mostly organic diet was great enough for me. I held to the understanding that wild caught fish, farm fresh free range eggs, grass fed beef, and even organic wine were actually good for me. I allowed myself a little, then a lot, of freedom to eat desserts so long as I didn’t have too much. All in all, I told myself it wasn’t highly processed crappy food so I considered it good enough. Now in hindsight it has taken a terminal cancer diagnosis, a new and wonky echocardiogram and a supportive and health crazed sister to finally push me to a point where I not only have the knowledge, but the determination to make the choice to commit to a new way of eating every day without excuse. My hubby agrees to support me, and eats what I’m making but still asks for the added cheese, meat and wine with his meals so we work well together. 

Now I’m reading as much as I can to learn more every day. I’ve also been open minded to other life style eating changes that are radical and popular now like the carnivore diet but that just doesn’t sit well with me. I’ve also learned this week about all the nutritional needs I should be aware of by eating a Whole Food Plant Based diet and have decided on how I will supplement mostly for vitamin B12 but also for other trace minerals and I came up with one multivitamin that covers it all so I’m not popping multiple a pills or droppers for folate, iodine, iron, selenium, copper, zinc and B12 too. It was a bit overwhelming at first to figure it out but I came up with simply have one supplement that covers it all and now I checked off that box. 

The movie Forks Over Knives also was so encouraging this week as were several other videos. I’m not professing that my cancer diagnosis will go away because of this diet change but I know for a fact that my choices will improve my life and avoiding chances for other chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, dementia & heart disease which all run in my family. It means I now food shop differently and travel with my own prepared food in tow. It means I get up and walk away when the strong temptation is under my nose or from those who haven’t learned the value of saying no to even a little bit cuz “it won’t kill ya!” That might be fine for others but for me, it just might! I’m having fun with new recipes, I’m very grateful for a spouse who listens to all my videos (while drinking a sugary lemonade or beer and eating Fritos and cheese!), for a support group of others who have made the switch and I’m proud of myself for going for it! 

This week I met with a new doctor who is a cardiologist that specializes in treating cancer patients who get heart damage from the drugs given to treat their cancer. Dr. Potter decided that, in short, he isn’t putting me on medications at this time but would rather do a second echocardiogram to make sure it’s accurate because there are 2 numbers they look at and for some odd reason they didn’t really coincide so he wants to be sure there wasn’t operator error. So next week I’ll have a second echocardiogram. 

Then for the fun news!!!! Last night my husband John, aka Santa, participated in an event my former sister-in-law, Debbie, graciously put on in my honor called A Gratitude Gathering! It was a way to have a social time with her friends and people in her community that centered around my Gratitude Bell! I got to share my story with many of them and everyone rang the Bell, there were also 2 ladies who wanted to buy a Gratitude Bell and because of the generosity of Bevin Bells company who makes and sells my bells, I was able to donate 2 Gratitude Bells to Cancer treatment centers of their choice from the sale of their bells!! Now my vision of getting a Gratitude Bell in cancer treatment centers is starting to bloom as St. Louis will be the next city to have my bells. Thanks to Linda of Ellbee’s General Store and a lovely woman also named Debbie who’s late brother-in-law had leukemia, I’ve been richly blessed in being able to ring in 2 more centers!!