Healing and Vitamin D

 Words have that stuck with me through the past 8 months.  You cannot heal in the same environment that has made you sick.  Think about that for a moment.  That includes your diet, stress, relationships, thoughts, and especially your daily habits.  MOST cancers don't pop up randomly.  Only 5-10% of cancers are genetic.  Most cancers come from long-term stress, inflammation, toxic exposure, and nutrient depletion.  So, if I kept doing what I've always done - my body would stay a toxic, nutrient depleted environment.

Once your cells have mutated and resulted in cancer, you body and cells are more likely to do that again. So many people who receive the "No Evidence of Disease" label, go back to their previous lifestyles.  Only to find out that the cancer often resurfaces within 5 years.  No, I have not become one of the crazy health nuts that would run away from treatment and only eat seeds.  However, I was blessed to catch my cancer in time.  And now, I need to look at the preventive aspects.  My healing journey.  Will it come back?  I don't know.  However, I do need to strengthen and heal my body.  There will always be a "before cancer" and "after cancer."  

One of the things I had no idea about before all of my health issues.  A small little thing that is easily overlooked and usually not even tested for regularly.  Your Vitamin D level.  It is not just another vitamin.  Your body treats Vitamin D like a hormone that regulates everything from immunity to gene expression. Vitamin D undergoes a two-step conversion in the liver and kidneys to become calcitriol, an active hormone.

Calcitriol binds to Vitamin D receptors inside cells and influences genes by turning them on or off. This is way more than just helping bones absorb calcium.  It plays a role in regulating immune response, inflammation, phosphate balance, and cellular growth and repair. That means lower Vitamin D levels are associated with higher risks of cancer!  Vitamin D is believed to play a role in regulating cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis (programmed cell death), which are all processes involved in cancer development and progression. It may also influence the immune system's ability to fight cancer cells. Low levels are also associated with poorer outcomes. Why?  Because affects cells growth and repair.  

I had no idea.  Luckily my doctor did test for this once all of the issues popped up.  But who knows how long it has been low.  It's not on any of the normal blood work that the doctors run.  It's a separate test.  But low levels of  Vitamin D are connected to low energy, depression, frequent illnesses, and even hair loss.  But most important -- it's linked to increased risks of cancer.  So when it is time for your next wellness exam, just ask to have your Vitamin D level checked.  Don't go for years never knowing like I did. 

As for how I'm doing since my surgery.  It is week 3 of recovery from my hysterectomy.  Which is by far, the worst one yet.  In comparison to kidney surgery - this is easy.  But compared to my "normal" - week 3 is rough.  More pain than the previous weeks.  When I looked it up I found that week 3 has more internal healing than previous weeks.  I am praying that week 4 is a lot easier because I start back to work on Monday.  I hade an appointment with doctor this morning to check my incisions.  Everything looks good but he did say I need to take an easy and give my body time to heal.  Which is easier said than done. 

After Another Surgery

 It's been 10 days since my hysterectomy.  The pain hasn't been that bad.  After kidney surgery, this pain feels like a breeze!  Except for one thing.  Last week, I was totally exhausted.  I would take my heavy pain pill in the evening.  Then, wake up hurting because it has been so long, take more meds and then a morning nap.  Awake for a few hours, then an afternoon nap.  Then, sadly, usually one more nap before bed.  And that was without my heavy pills during the day.  My body is just tired.  I was given meds for spasms and didn't use them at all last week.  But those have started this week.   

I don't necessarily think the exhaustion has to do with this surgery.  I believe that having 3 surgeries in 8 months is finally taking it's toll.  And interesting little tidbit that I found. On average, abdominal surgery takes 2 years to recover microscopely, although a majority of the healing happens in the first 6 months.   It went on to explain that once your abdomen wall is cut open, it takes a lot of time to get back to where you were before.  Its been a little less than 5 months since my kidney cancer surgery before I had to have surgery again.

Next week I go in for my first set of lung X-rays and blood work since my cancer surgery.  I am sure that you've slept since my last post - so... kidney cancer has over a 50% chance of traveling through your blood stream and landing in your lungs.  If it lands in my lungs, it is still kidney cancer which is not treatable by chemo or radiation.  Every 3 months for the first year, I have to go in for X-ray's and bloodwork.  After that - I am not sure.  I know that I am not clear of that +50% for several years.  

Through everything this past year, I know that God is protecting me.  I don't understand why or what His plan is.  However, He is keeping me on this earth for His purpose.  My story could have ended very differently.   I am sure the writer of my story has a few surprises that I cannot see. Until then, I will keep loving those around me.  School starts back in a couple weeks and there will be lots of kids that need some hugs and just to be seen or heard. I get that.  My childhood was not easy and school was my favorite part of the day.  We are called to take care of one another.  I am thankful that God has placed me in place where I can make a difference everyday.  I learned a long time ago that I cannot be something to everyone everyday.  But I can be the right someone for one person that needs me that day.  For the next few weeks I will rest and take naps when I need to.  And I'll keep praying for clean scans next week.