I have tried many diets throughout my life, and all have ultimately failed.  Since my breast cancer diagnosis, I have been on the hunt for the best diet since this is definitely part of the equation to health and healing.  I have been frustrated to receive little to no answers from physicians.  They are uneducated about nutrition in general, and seem to have no interest in learning about it.  Unfortunately, their training is geared to treating symptoms and in prescribing medications.

My husband and I recently came back from a vacation to Colorado where the air was fresh and clean and the outdoors was invigorating.  Our location had no television, radio, or phone.  For 5 days we were media free.  I admit the first day was a bit unsettling, but after that was quite liberating.  I found myself focusing on my health, actually paying attention to the world around me, and meeting and actually engaging in conversations with complete strangers.  My husband and I found each other again.

 

As I write this we are suffering with 112 degrees heat outside.  It’s been that way for more than a week.  It’s getting really old.  I have lived out here since 1972 and I can tell you that it is getting hotter earlier in the year and staying that way into October.    So, how do we survive during this time of year?

1.       Activities have to be done early in the morning, between 5-8 am.  Forget anything strenuous, like hiking or outside construction projects.

Today I’d like to talk a little bit about the news.  I am first going to digress a little bit.  I am of the boomer generation.  When I grew up in the 50’s, television was new.  Yes, that’s true.  Our family had a black and white TV first, and then a color TV.  We had only a handful of stations to choose from.  Back to the stone age, I am afraid.  Local, state, and world news was presented to the public twice a day, one the 6 0’clock news or the 10 o’clock news.

Attitude

 

Today I’d like to talk a little bit about attitude.  I recently watched the HBO special on John McCain’s life.  I was struck by the amazing positive attitude that he held while enduring horrific conditions and torture in the Hanoi Hilton.  Regardless of your political views, his fortitude and strength through all the adversity is admirable.

No matter who you are, life is not always a bowl of cherries.  We all have lessons to learn, disappointments, tragedy, and hardships throughout our lives.

 It has been about 6 weeks since the whirlwind of events, cancer diagnosis, surgery, consultations with oncologists and radiation oncologists, as well as physical therapists.  I am one that does not like to go to doctors!  Enough!  But, what I am learning, is that I am going through the grieving process.

You may recall, from years ago, the esteemed Swiss-born doctor Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, identified the five stages of grief in her famous book, “On Death and Dying”.  It was initially relating to the awareness of one’s own pending death, but these concepts have broadened to anyone suffering from a significant loss of something very important to them.

It can happen to you!

 

I haven’t written in a while, but I have been quite distracted and occupied.  I debated whether to share my personal experience or not, but decided that if one person was helped it was worth it.

I have been in the healthcare field for more than 45 years.  I have always been the provider, on the other side of the desk.  Recently I have found myself on the other side of the desk.  It was an eyeopener, to say the least.  A very humbling experience.

Another year is closing in on us and the New Year is around the corner.  One of the most common resolutions for the new year is to lose weight.  Millions of people make it a priority…… year, after year.  The failure rate is high.  Change is difficult and habits are even harder to break.

It is time to reflect on your “why”, the reason for your resolution.  Are you committed?  On a scale of 1-10, how committed are you to making changes?   On a scale of 1-10, do you feel you are capable of making those changes.

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