Three Months Later

Has it really been three months?

This summer has really flown by, and so much has happened in such a short time: cancer diagnosis, doctor visits, selling the house, and moving - it's really been a whirlwind. Thank God for His presence through it all!

This week I finally found a Primary Care Physician that I can start seeing on a regular basis. This doctor was absolutely wonderful. She is a Christian, she knows about this type of cancer, and she is very supportive. She talked to me as a person, instead of a cancer patient. She respects my decision regarding treatment, and wants to concentrate on the whole body, instead of just the cancer. I will be seeing her once a month, and she has already set up for me to get blood work done every 2 weeks.

After more than a week, I am finally getting settled in my new place. We closed on the sale of my house Thursday, exactly 1 week after we moved out. Things are finally starting to settle down, and I'm getting some time to just rest. I've done lots of sleeping the last few days. :)

When looking back over the last three months, and how much has changed since my diagnosis, I'm truly blown away. I have grown much, yet I know I've got a lot more growing to do. But I am willing to be molded in whatever way the Lord needs me.

Walking with cancer these past months has not been easy - I would be lying if I said it was. But there is such a strength in the Lord, and this has been so different from what I imagined it would be in the beginning. Now, I take life on a day-by-day basis. I make plans, but I rarely look past today, because I want to live in the now,  in this moment, always asking the Lord "What would You have me to do today?"

Saturday I will be speaking at the house of a friend, to give my testimony. She asked, and is opening her home, and of course I accepted. It's not everyday we Christians get opportunities to speak our hearts to people on such intimate terms as in someone's home. I cannot wait to see what the Lord is going to do!!

Transition to a Simpler Life

The Lord is so very good! :)

Yesterday I walked through my nearly empty house, looking at what was left to be packed. I thought perhaps I would feel something, leaving what has been my home for the last two years. All I feel is excitement for where I'm going. There's an expectation of beautiful things to come from the Father.

There is a freedom that comes with simplifying your life. When you reduce or eliminate debt, you no longer have the stress of wondering how you are going to pay off that debt, or how the rest of your bills will be paid.

The question becomes: How much stuff do I really need in order to survive, and yet enjoy life? Let's look at this for a moment...

Food, shelter, clothing - these are actual necessities. Everything else is just, extra.

Now, don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying people can't have things. But how much is enough?

Americans are known for greediness, insatiable appetites, gluttony, and selfishness. Everyone wants more: newer technology, a nicer car, a bigger house, another promotion, more money, new clothes, etc. etc.

That used to be me. I craved after material things. Now I crave the things of the Lord. I want out from under all the clutter of stuff. All I want is what I need for everyday usage. This is why my new little nest is so small. I wanted to keep it simple.

I'm not saying everyone has to do what I am doing. I'm simply sharing what I am going through and how I want to live my life. But the purpose of this blog is not just to share my story, but to get everyone looking at their own lives, asking themselves questions.

So today I ask you: How much is enough?

Diet Update

In going over my previous posts, I realized the need for an update regarding my diet. The vegetarian journey began on July 12th. Within 2 weeks, I stopped eating even Salmon & eggs. Not long after, I also stopped drinking milk. So, I've been on a vegetarian diet for approximately a month, and a semi-vegetarian diet for about 7 weeks.

Since the diet change on July 12th, I've lost 20 pounds. The only exercise I get is through my day-to-day activities and the occasional manual labor, due to my limited strength. It's very important that I listen to my body, and rest when I need to. But I do try to stay as active as possible.

Back to the diet discussion, I would be a vegan, except I haven't been able to give up broths & cheese altogether. I eat very little of either, but true vegans eat zero animal fats, so in reality I'm just a serious vegetarian. In all honesty I cannot say I will never eat meat again, but I really don't miss it. Occasionally I get a hankering for some good venison, but it's pretty fleeting. If I ever do go back to eating meat, it will likely only be seldom, and only venison or fish I catch myself, from a water source I can trust.

Before all of this, I didn't want to know about our food sources - I felt that it was better not to know. Oh, how wrong I was! Now I want to know the truth about everything! And what I have found has caused me to cease buying ALL meat & fish from the grocery store. It is not my intention to start a debate about our food supply; however, in my opinion, almost everything we eat is tainted in some way. I prefer to just stick with fruits, veggies, & nuts. I want to eat food in the most natural state possible. When I go to the grocery store, I do my best to ensure I have very few items that are "processed" (meaning, in a box, can, jar, carton, or bag). And I am sure to read the ingredients in any processed items I buy. It sounds difficult, but after a little practice, it gets much easier.

The beautiful part about eating a vegetarian diet, is that you can eat all the fruits & veggies you want, without having to count calories. Of course, I have to limit my fruit intake to keep my blood sugar low, but I usually only eat fruit for breakfast. Each week I get something different, so there's always lots of variety in my diet.

I've also continued to eat spelt or kamut bread, homemade by a lady at the local farmer's market. She grinds the grains fresh, and bakes them the day before market. SO delicious! And so healthy. I no longer eat sandwiches, so I only ever eat one piece at a time, and I eat no more than 2 per day. Some days I don't eat any bread.

Also, my hemoglobin levels are finally rising. My last blood test came back at a 10.6! It's supposed to be 12, but it was 8 after I had surgery, so it's really improved.

The only issue I experience is light-headedness if I go too long without eating. Due to my very low sugar intake, I have to eat every 1-2 hours. So I snack all day on all kinds of healthy stuff: organic granola, raw almonds, real almond butter on toast or rice cake, apples, raw broccoli/carrots/cauliflower, apricot kernels (only 7 at a time), etc.

Suppers can consist of a spinach salad, red beans & rice, steamed vegetables, baked vegetables, vegetable soup, stir-fry, veggie spaghetti with spinach noodles, etc.

I'm very eager & excited to see the effects of this diet long-term.