Two years and Two months

Anne Maree

Whos counting? Yes I enjoy milestones and it has given me encouragement that I have been able to experience a steady improvement in wellness over last few months. 

Last week attended a wedding and was able to wear dress again after last 2 years at same time having no hair. Simple Pleasures!

My desire was to see this year out having a full year without chemo. My last chemo finished around 23rd dec 2011. Nearly there...

Keeping on with my regular juicing. My husband has given me a bit of a break by doing lemon juice 1st thing then green juice then leaving me a bottle of carrot juice to use as the day unfolds.

I then get up and make green smoothies where possible or have muslei with homemade almond milk.

A friend comes once a week in evening and we make healthy foods together in my wonderful thermomix.

I try to make it to community organic garden once a week to garden or harvest but this is still something I find challenging to fit into my very busy schedule when raising family, working(a little), juicing, cooking other meals for family. Learning to keep simple is also tricky. I pay for a cleaner when having difficulty keeping things flowing.

No family support here as family all live in Perth.

My children and husband are slowly adapting and working together. This makes a lot of difference.

I continue my visits with a pychologist which is great for working on things that crop up from time to time. I love it and find it invaluable.

[Deleted User]

Hi Anne Maree, sounds like things are falling into place which is wonderful! 2 years and 2 months...congratulations, great stuff! So happy to hear that you are feeling so well too. How are your scans going? You mentioned your juicing...what do you enjoy in your green juices and green smoothies? Do you have your lemon juice with just warm water in the morning? Take care, Celeste ?

Anne Maree

Hi Celeste,

Thankyou. Had scans about 1 month ago. My body follows a pattern where liver tumors grow 1st then within short time after bone tumors pop up. I requested from my oncologist to do U/S of liver to monitor things rather than CT. This is to cut down on radiation.He agreed and thought it was a good idea. I would no way have done this last year but I am quite in tune with my body. If concerned I go off and get blood test to check white cells, platelets and tumor markers. If these are altered I check in with my oncologist.Not sure whether next one will be U/S or CT. The U/S showed the tumors in liver same as last scan. I would like to see further regression but I am happy with these results especially since I am not on chemo. 

Green juices are dependent on what is available. I now add a little carrot back into the green juice,cucumber, celery,kale,alittle piece lemon, 1/4 beetroot,beetroot tops, a little cabbage,cos lettuce if have any,and piece fresh tumeric and ginger if have some. I find the flavour quite nice. My naturopath said cut back on the carrots due to sugar so I am trying to make about 3 of these juices fresh and still have the container carrot juice thru day.

I have the lemon squeezed with a little warm water every morning. It makes me feel good.

Green Smoothie; my ingredients are different to most recipies as I avoid sugar: 2 tablespoon chia seeds socked in water in blender,then add 2/3 cup of frozen raspberries, 1-2 tsp dulse,splash flaxseed oil, large hand ful of mostly kale but also add leaf spinach,asparagus if want.I put 2 tablespoon of cacao nibs(high in magnesium), also put catclaw powder(from Loving earth)-this is boost for immune system. Lately I have started putting splash of tumeric. This sounds gross but tumeric is flavourless.Last of all homemade almond milk. I get a lot of energy from this and keeps me alkaline. I consume it slowly by sipping.

I have by no means got it together with the food but it is a work in progress.

What things are you doing with your lifesyle choices eg; food, exercise etc. 

[Deleted User]

Hi Anne Maree, like you, I havent got it all together as far as food goes but I make an effort to eat healthy and include more fruit and veg in my diet. I do have daily juices and incorporate lots of natural supplements into my system, such as Indole-3-Carbinol, Silymarin, Cardio-Nutrients (Alpha Lipoic Acid & COQ10), Selenium, Resveratrol, Tumeric, Flaxseed Oil capsules, and more recently a ginger product called "Digest Easy" by Biohawk in Queensland. I am having chemo (I have lung and bone mets) and so far my results have been very promising, so I just keep doing what I'm doing and have everything crossed that the good results will continue! As far as exercise goes, I know I need to do more, and now that my bone mets seem to be under control I plan to start walking daily...I think that is all I can cope with at the moment. All the best and take care, Celeste ?

Anne Maree

Hi Celeste,  So happy for your great results in recent scan. My friend yesterday also with bone and lung mets after 2 chemo in 12 mths received good news. I was anxious for her the day before but it is great to just focus on the continous work of wellness knowing also chemo is helping.

Have been encouraging women to get together to focus on wellness with advanced cancers. My area doesnt have anything like this. My pychologist is looking into medicare to deliver 5 sessions to us as a group. We have a juice at beginning and end,eat healthy lunch,discuss healthy topic. We are discussing to incorporate meditation and possibly exercise for those who want to. We are also looking into running whole day seminar on wellness early next year, this is in the early planning stages.

I dont believe we can have to much support on this journey. 

I am due for my blood tests next week and scans end of the year.

Xx