The first story of the year was supposed to be a recap of our busy holiday season. It was supposed to have pictures of kids smiling ear-to-ear as they rip open their gifts and photos of our family lighting the Advent candles and singing Christmas songs by the tree.
Instead, it's about 1) cookie dough,2) brownies,3) blood work, 4) PAP smears and 5) monthly breast exams.
Seriously.
And in case you didn't assume, this information may only want to be read by my female friends. I could maintain privacy regarding all of it. But I believe that God gives us challenges and opportunities to experience in order to help those around us. If I'm silent, no one will have the chance to learn from my journey. I think that would be a waste of a journey.
What have these five things taught me in the New Year?
#1 and #2 can be grouped together by saying that raw cookie dough and cappuccino brownies were my snacks of choice under the unexpected stress of the post-Christmas-fizzle. I ate and ate and ate. Instead of entering the New Year with gusto, I entered it with calories. Many, many calories. I'm still afraid to step on the scale and face the damage. Bottom line: don't make these items when home alone, because I will eat them all and then make more. I'm back on track now - and I feel much better.
#3 is a bit complicated. I've had abnormal blood work since a check was done in November. The repeat lab draw was worse in December. I saw a hematologist and he diagnosed me with iron deficiency anemia. But, unfortunately, there are other numbers that are just not right -with no explanation. My cells appear healthy, but I need to follow up in the next couple of weeks. The real challenge was that #4 and #5 were happening at the same time and adding to the drama.
#4 has taught me to always get my yearly health check and PAP. I am typically on schedule, but in case you are not as timely, I recommend you get with the program....
Newton Medical Center has the message plastered on their marquee this month. It's cervical cancer awareness month. Who knew? They even tell you to see the gyno. It's a good message. You see, I've never had an abnormal PAP a couple of weeks ago. The call came from the nurse at the very same moment that I was trying to prevent Owen from bleeding all over the floor from his chin laceration he'd received from a face-plant on the ice. I wasn't in the best emotional state to hear the news on the other end, especially because of my mysterious blood work and some golf-ball sized fibroids that have decided to make their home in my good old uterus. So I made my appointment for a follow-up, had a biopsy, and the results are o.k. There will be follow up in a few months. We are very thankful for that news. Don't forget your yearly exam!
#5 has taught me to always do my monthly breast exams. Do you do yours? This story makes me feel old. If you are young, your exams may seem unnecessary. But they are not.
The summary is this: I found a lump, had a mammogram, met with a breast surgeon (on the same day as the hemotologist and had the cervix biopsy...sheesh), and then had a lumpectomy on December 30th.
I had found the lump a couple of months before my scheduled physical and almost forgot to mention it to my primary doctor (who didn't feel it herself until I told her where it was). I was shocked when I found myself meeting with the radiologist two days later and he was recommending a lumpectomy. As it turns out, it was a benign lymph node. Again, we are so thankful. But it could have been worse. It certainly isn't worth skipping an easy 60 second self-exam and risking something developing without notice. It certainly isn't worth skipping the recommended screening of a mammogram, when you reach that age. So, get on it.
The year hasn't started the way I had envisioned. The results are good. We are good -aside from my added few pounds of cookie dough weight on my thighs. I can joke about things, but I really am thankful for my circumstances and in awe of those who have courageously dealt with major illness and disease.
Ironically, the past 5 months of my life have been full of great lifestyle changes, with a vision of lifelong health in mind. I've adopted different eating habits, let Jillian Michaels kick my bum on an almost daily basis, and given up foods that I didn't think I could live without. I am older, but I feel younger. It is a fantastic way to live. Turns out that I can be happy without stuffing my face. Who knew?
There is more motivation now, having been through the past few weeks, to eat better. There is motivation to move by body more and laugh more. Recent days have been filled with very little structure - just enjoying my little ones playing ike crazy in the warmth of a beautiful January...because we can and because life is too short to do otherwise.
