This is the second time I've trudged through the throws of breast cancer awareness month since my diagnosis. While I think awareness for any disease is great, it saddens me to see how this has really turned into another trend. Each year as it gets bigger and bigger, it makes it that much more clear to me the importance of disease awareness. Notice I didn't say Hodgkin's Lymphoma Awareness. That's not where I'm going with this post ;) Not all of us are susceptible to breast cancer. Yes, a great number are, but most others don't know what they're susceptible to. That's why it's important to do more than just mammograms and self exams in case you need to catch any illness or disease early. I'll be the first to advocate: breast cancer preventatives are so important. But don't let it stop there! There are many more steps we should all be taking regularly to decrease, not just the risk of breast cancer, but the risk of all other diseases or illnesses.
Before I go on, I must share that there have been many people to touch my life that have been affected by breast cancer. So please don't think I'm partial or close minded. My very strong step mom is a survivor of the scary disease. Ten years later, and still suffering from ailments cancer has left behind, I don't feel so crazy for needing a good nap every other day only one year after my experience! Her strength should be noted. Unlike her, I don't have a son to home school, and a special needs child to care for. (Not that those aren't blessings and wonderful responsibilities chosen for her by God). I couldn't even handle school after my treatments and she takes on much more every day as she continues her role as "super mom." Strength like that only comes from one place, and she seeks that source often. God has most definitely shown His faithfulness and His presence in her life. She is my best friend and one of my greatest encouragements. I'm honored to be her daughter!
I'm happy to honor her, our sweet friend in heaven, Mrs. Ginger, others I have met along the way, and of course my step dad with a post that could save lives if taken seriously. What I'm about to say is so much more effective, my breast cancer friends and family, than a shirt with an inappropriate saying, or wearing a lack of (eh hem) necessary items of clothing.
I'm excited to share with you the things I've learned along my journey in this particular post. From my tad bit of knowledge, here are some very important precautions all of us should take to reduce the risk of any future health crisis.
Find a good doctor!
Not if you have one already of course! And be open to Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners as well. (My PA saved my life!) Often, I speak with people who don't even have a doctor. If this is you, please get one! I understand health insurance is not financially ideal for everyone but neither is a health crisis. Do the research and see what's out there if health insurance is something that you cannot afford at the moment. Please note: A quick trip to Doctor's Care does not count. Trust me! I went to a couple of different ones over the course of two years and they all overlooked my cancer, despite the tumors sticking out of my neck!
Others I've spoken with who do have a family physician, often don't seem to get what they need from their doctor. If the following is what you experience at a check up, it's time to cut ties and move on:
1) If you feel that you're not being taken seriously or listened to: red flag! When you bring up a problem or concern, does your doctor take the time to explain why you may be experiencing this? Do they take action to figure out what could be causing what you've presented? That could be something as simple as listening to your lungs, heart beat, or asking about your family history. If instead your doctor shrugs off what you have brought to his or her attention and just writes another prescription for you: big red flag.
2) If you've been seeing your doctor for a while, and all you've gotten out of it is a full medicine cabinet, a ridiculous amount of daily prescriptions, and more odd symptoms, need I say more? Einstein's definition of Insanity: doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Seriously, get a second opinion. There could be one underlying issue that is causing all of your annoying and debilitating symptoms. Meanwhile, the only thing your doctor does is call in more prescriptions to mask the symptoms rather than finding the problem that's causing them. That doesn't necessarily mean something serious is wrong with you, but if left untreated it could lead to that. In my case, I'm convinced that long periods of high stress is what left my immune system compromised and unable to tend to things like cancer cells. Which leads me to my next point!
Stress less
This is a big one. Forget "less." Completely remove it from your life! 86 that awful stuff! Here's a quick tip: this is much easier to do when you put your life and all of the stresses that come with it, into the hands of the creator of the universe for Him to take care of. Does that not make absolute perfect sense? Now in our sin, this (along with everything else) is not something we can perfect. But let's become aware of it! Here's what happens to your body under stress, or "fight or flight" mode as I was taught.
The involuntary portion of your nervous system can kick into two different gears depending on what you need: "Rest and Digest," or "Fight or Flight." If you're kicked back while reading this in the midst of scrolling through social media, your body is in "rest and digest" mode. The blood circulating throughout your body is delivering oxygen and nutrients to your digestive, urinary, and other systems that stay regular while you're "resting and digesting."
Now what happens if you oversleep and are late for work? Or anything else that gets your adrenalin pumping? Here comes the stress and we're ready to kick into "fight or flight!"Let's just take a look at what happens to the digestive system for now. There's not enough blood supply in your body to care for your digestive organs and give you what you need to cope with anxiety. It makes a choice. What's more important? Do I have to eat, or get ready for work? Your brain makes the decision: rush now, breakfast later. So the blood supply to your digestive organs reduces and goes to places like your arms and legs to prepare you for the emergency you're facing. Once you arrive at work and catch up with your daily routine, the blood supply moves back to your digestive organs, and you probably start to feel hungry.
It's not just your digestive system that gets compromised during this process though. That's just an easy-to-grasp example. Ever had a cold and noticed your nose clears up for a short while once you get going? That's fight or flight too! Don't notice it's time for a "potty break" until after your workout? Our bodies are perfectly designed. It prioritizes the things that need to happen by shutting off your awareness to unimportant things at the time so you can focus one the pressing task at hand.
Now what happens when your like 19 year old Taylor, juggling 3 jobs plus school for one year straight? What happens if you keep your body under stress for long periods of time? You're probably tired for one! My body was in "fight or flight" mode for an unhealthy amount of time before I was diagnosed. It was hard at work compromising certain body systems so I could continue to work under high levels of stress.
Do some of you have extremely pressing responsibilities that take up a lot of your time and attention? Day in and day out? Your body is probably under stress most of the time and the consequences from that can be scary. Things like your immune system can't function as effectively as if it were in rest and digest. None of your body systems can.
Are you going through something difficult and finding that you're developing a laundry list of strange symptoms? Or becoming sick more often? It's time to take control of your day to day routine. Make time for you! And of course make time to take care of whatever it is that you're dealing with. But don't mix the two! "Me time" should not involve worry or stressful thinking. "Me time" should be used with the intent to keep yourself strong and ready to take on whatever it is you're enduring.
I told you stress was a big one! Sorry this is so lengthy but there's still more!
A healthy lifestyle is just as important, if not more, than hard work.
My dad has perfect analogy he often presses on my step mom: "Put on the oxygen mask!" There's a reason why you're instructed on an airplane to put on your oxygen mask first if there were to be an emergency, and then help the child with theirs second. How can you be everything you need to be for your job and your loved ones if you haven't taken care of yourself first? "Putting on the oxygen mask" includes things like rest. I'm such a big advocate for rest! Mainly due to insomnia, I suppose. If anyone knows what it's like trying to be reliable after not getting a good night's sleep, it's this girl! I'm the best wife, sister in Christ, and co worker when I've let my body get the rest it needs. This is one big reason why we've decided to keep me at home. Harrison hates that I take medicine at night to help me sleep. But sleep will not come without it (we think this has stemmed from prolonged use of steroids). So if I can't do what I need to do at night, I will do it during the day. It is our prayer and our hope that with my being able to get the rest I need, I will recover and overcome this. Thank you friends and family for being understanding by waiting until after lunch to get in touch with me ;)
I can't leave out diet and exercise. For obvious reasons this is so important. Try to make better decisions with each meal. Go organic if you can, and make healthier "swaps" during meal and snack time. Harrison and I got our first deer this year (well, our cousin got it for us) and I am thrilled about it! There's nothing more organic than taking home what you've gone out and killed. No, I don't do "organic" the trendy way either ;) I like to do things God's way!
As for exercise, commit to roughly 30 minutes of cardio, at least three days per week. Blood flow is paramount! As for us in our teeny tiny town, that could be something as easy as walking to our friend's or family's house to visit, rather than driving two blocks up the road.
And please let's change our perspective of the word "diet!" I lost my steroid weight because I wanted to be healthy for God, my family, and myself. Our bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit if you've accepted Jesus into your heart. Don't "go on a diet" because you want to be skinny. Change your diet for more important reasons. Your confidence will be boosted in so many more ways if you change this perspective.
Stop making assumptions
When something abnormal occurs, I contact my P.A. or my Nurse Practitioner. If you have a new symptom you haven't experienced before that hasn't gone away or continues to return, call your doctor! You don't have to set up an appointment. Notify them or their nurse, and let them decide if they're concerned enough for you to come in. It's that simple.
The only problem with that for me is that my body isn't exactly "normal" anymore. Abnormalities seem to occur often. So my doctor's offices hear from me a lot! That's me doing what I have to do though. That's me putting on the oxygen mask so I can be here and be ready for my family. They are worth it! 
Be aware
I'll close with this but first, increasing your awareness does not mean spending hours on Google! Not that I'm not guilty of some of this myself ;) However if you do this, you'll walk away from Web MD's list of symptoms for cancers and diseases convinced you're headed for your death bed. Let's just not go here people!
And please don't think I'm not for specific disease awareness. I think it's wonderful! Let's embrace it appropriately. Accept what each month has to offer by becoming a little more familiar with the important information that's out there. You might find that you or a family member are higher at risk for a particular disease. That's not your cue to panic, that's your opportunity to familiarize yourself with small lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk.
Since my battle with and overcoming of cancer, I haven't felt the need to throw out a bunch of "Hodgkin's Awareness." I have instead felt a very strong need to throw out disease awareness. I've heard too many tragic stories that came about due to lack of care and awareness. Let's stop this. Let's find a better doctor if needed, get yearly physicals, and make healthier lifestyle changes. Do this for your friends, your children, your family, or spouses.
Put on the oxygen mask!
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