May 16, 2021

I’m So Ovar It~

Your girl got herself a laptop. Let the story-telling commence! I’ve so missed sorting through all the things and processing them in this space. It’s been such a therapeutic coping mechanism for me.

And there’s been plenty to sort through. Including, but not limited to, my upcoming oophorectomy (I’m having my ovaries removed) on the 26th of May. Because my breast cancer was estrogen driven, it’s always been part of the plan to remove my estrogen makers to hopefully prevent recurrence. This will eliminate the need for one of the medications I’ve been taking to suppress them.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that, for me, one of the best things I can do for myself is eliminate eating and drinking animal estrogen. That’s right. I’ve gone Whole Foods Plant Based.

I know, I know. It’s so annoying when people talk about their new “diet”. But honestly, having the surgery and eliminating “edible estrogen” from animals makes me feel so much safer inside my own body. AND, as it turns out, I can eat 3+ pieces of pizza without feeling bloated and lethargic and that’s something I fully support!

It turns out the hard and heavy treatment- surgery/chemo/radiation- isn’t the end of the cancer journey. The next phase- medication/screenings/getting on with the rest of my life- is actually a bit trickier. At least during treatment there was a plan. I knew what every next-step was going to be and why. There was constant supervision by my team and everything about me was under surveillance. Now it’s up to me. For the rest of my life. I still trust God on a cellular level. I still intend to be a good steward of this life God has given me. But there’s a little work involved in order to do that. I’ve been doing a lot of research and have leaned into three wonderful resources that I fully trust.

Chris Wark- Author and podcast host of Chris Beat Cancer Chris is a stage 3c colon cancer survivor who, during a time there weren’t many resources available to the common person and social media didn’t exist, reversed his cancer through a plant based diet rather than going through chemo and radiation. That took a lot of guts (no pun intended) and faith.

Dr. Kristi Funk- Breast Surgeon (of Sheryl Crow and Angelina Jolie), author of Breasts: The Owners Manual, host of Cancer Kicking PowWow podcast, and founder of Pink Lotus She really knows her stuff and is such an encouragement and inspiration. She explains things so well and is well educated in this dept, which is not a luxury many doctors have.

Rip Esselstyn- Former firefighter and triathlete turned health activist and food writer. He’s the author of several books (The Engine 2 Diet is what I have. The story behind the name is awesome), host of the PLANTSTRONG podcast and website, and you’ll see him on lots of documentaries, including Forks Over Knives and Game Changers. He has been one of the best resources of recipes for me. Quick and helpful YouTube videos, etc have helped make the transition to WFPB simple for me. (Side note: Clean up and dishes for a plant based diet is SO MUCH EASIER!)

These 3 gurus have been my most used go-to resources. They each have street cred in their own way, and that matters to me. The evidence is in the experience (Chris), the profession and research (Kristi) and the decades of a strong and active lifestyle (Rip).

I also believe God gave me a body that knows what to do. I believe He provided me with everything I need to care for and fuel this body. Life is now BC and AD. Before Cancer and After Diagnosis. In BC years, I knew a lot about health. Now, in AD years, I’m actively doing a lot about my health. (It reminds me of the verse in James 1:22- “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Leave it to me to be my own analogy.)

To be clear, I am not meaning to preach veganism. There is absolutely no judgement from me on the topic of food. It’s like a lot of things in life. Breastfeeding vs bottle, vaccinations vs anti-vax, public school vs. private school vs. homeschool. We are all trying to make the best decisions, doing the best we can with what we’ve got. No one is trying to do the wrong thing. Therefore, NO JUDGEMENT HERE. I simply want to be a resource for the things I know and experience, because that is the only frame of reference I’ve got!