As I mentioned to you yeserday, this series of messages that I will
share with you is based on experiences that Barb and I went through to
get her well. We like to think of it as a wellness journey, one in
which changed a lifestyle from "toxic stress" to one of a new beginning
a way of living that we thought we couldn't but yet when forced upon had
to.
Again, I am not a medical professional, but during these past three or
moreso years my experiences are from interviewing survivors from the
support group I now direct, conversations with many various medical
professionals, the wellness plan that Barb and I specifically traveled
and internet information and hours and hours of research.
The most profound statement I can make to you while healing and getting
well, is "whatever works for you stay with it". There are therapies,
conventional or alternative that work for some and not others and vice
versa. Please take my daily messages as a an experience from two people
that tried many things, some worked some didn't and what worked we still
follow and yet may not work for you. When I mentioned yesterday "to
keep an open mind" that is a key message in itself, because it allowed
us to try many therapies until we found the right balance between
conventional therapy and alternative. As I mention those therapies, pls
take them in your mind from someone who experienced it and not as the
"gospel" that it is the healer. There are many, many therapies out
there and there will be one that will work for you as it did for us.
Just keep an open mind.
So, with that, this is our story: I begin with our marriage and
lifestyle because the relationship between the lifestyle and cancer is
very profound and important...to us in this wellness journey and to you,
because what we will share with you may be similar. And if you have
somewhat of an understanding about types of lifestyles and how they
connect to cancer, then you will know what the importance of altering
that lifestyle to something different and more quality.
Barbara and I have been married 28 years and to a business for 20. WE
had a very large company and a cadre or staff of contractors that were
trained in our business who were very good friends and relatives and
enjoyed many years of prosperity. Barbara and I worked 7 days a week
with very little time off during the year for play or enjoyment. As a
matter of fact during those 20 years of working in our own business we
had about 3 or 4 vacations and they were relatively short. Our business
is a very high stress business, customer oriented and with time
constraints. Barbara is the type of individual who could not let go of
the daily functions and thought about problems even when she was not
working. I on the other hand, handled problems and then went on to the
next and forgot about the previous. While the stress level for both of
us was intense, it becomes even moreso when you hold it in. OUr goal,
and the reasons why we worked so hard, was not because we loved the
business, but because we had a goal and that was to retire at 55 and
enjoy life.......On August 1st 1994, when Barbara became 55, she was
diagnosed with a carcinoma of an unknown primary which metastasized
Stage IV to lymph glands, from pelvic to neck. Yes, an unknown primary,
we didn't or the doctors didn't know where the primary tumor was, but I
will explain in tomorrows story. The doctors did not expect Barb to
come out of the hospital as she was so severely swollen from clotted
jugulara, vena cava and superior vena vava veins. Now, Barb had no
history of cancer in her family. Barbara had a hysterectomy, complete,
in 1979 and no ovaries, but yet the doctors considered that as an
ovarian type of disease as the only way of knowing or indication was
that a tumor marker known as ca-125 was elevated. The Gilda Radner
syndrome. Ca-125. So, Barbs disease is categorized as an
ovarian-non-ovarian disease which about 2-3% of all cancer related are
considered unknown primaries. Rare indeed.
During the days to follow, I will cover the definitions of tumor markers
and blood tests and easily explain what they mean and how to monitor for
yourselves when you have your tests.
I know this message today is drawing long, but, in essence, the
relationship between the business and cancer = toxic stress. Or, better
yet toxic stress for prolonged period of time results or = cancer.
During my many interviews with survivors and caregivers the first
question I asked, was "What was your lives or lifestyle about one year
prior to diagnosis." Invariably more than 90% of the time was one of
toxic stress. There is a difference between toxic stress and stress. I
will go into that also. So our lifestyle, one of toxic stress, was, and
no-one could tell me differently, was a contributory factor to Barbs
cancer. So, we were forced into changing.
Tomorrow the continuation of "our story".
HOpe this is the beginning of some help to others. I have much to say
and hopefully this story is a learning and educational message to some.
God willing.
Thank you for listening to me. And if ever I can answer any questions,
pls feel free to ask. Again, thank you. See you tomorrow
God Bless YOu All
Marty A.
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