Journey With Jen

 Well, just me. Little update on things. I was on the Methotrexate for 4 weeks and it didn't help with pain or inflammation at all.  It did cause some hair to come out, for the hair that I do have to dry out, and for total exhaustion throughout my body.  It really was a great 4 weeks!  (just kidding!)  My last dose was just a few days ago so I'll be glad when it is out of my system. Apparently it must help most people because they were really surprised when I had absolutely nothing positive to say about the last 4 weeks.  My knee swelled so much I could not squat.  My hands had sharp pain several times this month.  Hips hurt constantly not just when I'm trying to sleep.  And my feet are still swelling.  So really - nothing positive to say.  😂 So, they drew blood and are now doing a pharmacogenetics test.   Besides the physical part of it all - I am really missing being me.  I want to be outdoors.  Go on a hike. ...

 It is July now.  And still trying to get this figured out.  When I spoke to my doctor about seeing a rheumatologist, I was told that the wait to get in was around a year and a half.  Seriously!  And that is if they look at your file and accept you.  So, my primary doctor ran a few test that the rheumatology clinic require before they will accept you.  Those numbers did not turn out bad enough.  I got messaged through my Mercy app the results and that was it.  End of the line despite the fact that my feet swell, joints in my hands are crooked, and I sleep with ice packs. And, every 6 weeks the foot doctor wants to see me even though, he can't do anything to fix it.  The only option they have suggested is wearing my compression socks, tennis shoes, and maybe adding an orthotic to keep my foot from moving so much.  That sounds miserable to me. I was wearing my Chaco's everyday just a few months ago!   I told them that I woul...

 Well, it has been a few months since my last post.  Thankful to say that my last blood work and ultrasound with my kidney doctor turned out normal.  So, I am good for another 6 months.  I also turned 50 just a few days ago.  Before last year - I definitely would not have actually wrote that.  But, having a year of surgeries and recovery put things in perspective.  I am thankful to have made it through everything to be here. I am thankful for God's protection to catch problems before they are not fixable.  I actually told one of my children last year that if I made it through everything - I wanted a big birthday party for my 50th.  Well, that didn't happen....probably because I didn't plan it! 😄   But my hope for a quite, calm year without any health issues - has a bit of a kink in my plans.  The beginning of the month, actually March 10th, my left foot started swelling.  I was at school and by my lunch break, my straps o...

 October of last year was when it all began.  I'd been having some pain for a few months and finally decided to get it check out.  Doctor figured it was a hernia and sent me to a CT scan to confirm.  Then, I got my list of diagnosis.  And a new set of doctors.  It has been hard.  After three surgeries in an 8 month span -- my body is still healing.  The first four weeks of summer break, I did nothing.  I slept a lot.  I kept thinking that I need to get up and start my summer projects.  But, I was just exhausted.  The "want to" was not there.  The second month, I slowly started feeling more like myself. I have started walking again.  Not everyday yet, but it's getting there.  I know that sitting there is not going to help my energy levels or my healing overall.  But somedays, the tired wins.  I have one more thing scheduled this year.  A colonoscopy is planned for November.  Praying nothing is ...

 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 i...

 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 fi...

 Well, it's been a few months since my last update.  I went back to work after surgery.  A little more exhausted but I made it through the end of the school year.  Thankfully my mammogram and ultrasound were just cysts on both sides.  I went back to my follow up with the urologist.  He gave me news that I was not expecting.  He told me that I need to have lung x-rays every three months this first year.  He said there is a chance that kidney cancer will travel through your blood stream and go into your lungs.  In my mind -- I am thinking he's being extra cautious.  (which I appreciate!) I definitely want to catch things early.  Then, I go home and hit Google.   Yeah  - I know.  Everyone just went "nooooo" but if you were in that position, you would want to know the numbers too.  I only go to actual cancer sites.  However, I was not ready for what I found. In my mind, I was expecting 20%.  Or even as...

 Today has been one month since my kidney cancer surgery.  I'm doing pretty good.  My energy is still not there and if I do too much my cut muscle will hurt.  My 12 staples going across my side has come out.  Last Thursday was the first time I sneezed in a month.  I thought that was so weird.  But with the muscle getting cut and then being sewn together -- my diaphragm would not expand enough to let me sneeze.  I would would start to sneeze, but when I tried to get the big breath, my sneeze stopped.  Our bodies are weird aren't then?   Monday I start back to work.  I'm doing half days this first week back to see how it goes.  Doctor recommended 6-8 weeks off, but I'm trying to go back part time after 4 weeks.  Since I get tired, I am sure that I'll be coming home and taking a nap with my ice pack when I get home.  However, I am looking forward to seeing the kids and adults again.  I get my daily amount of hu...

A recent study that looks at cancer rates in the United States.  The study concluded that the cancer incidence rates of Gen X (born between 1965 - 1980) and Millennials (born 1981-1996) were 2 to 3 times higher than baby boomers (born 1946-1964).    Not only are they more likely to get cancer, but they are more likely to develop 17 types of cancer.  Okay -- that's crazy!! The researcher's said major contributing factors included environmental toxins, diet, and obesity.  But what has changed from 1955 to the 1980's? And even more so today?  Our diet.  Things were made from scratch.  Real ingredients.  Then, we had 2 income families, so frozen dinners took off.  Convivence food became a big part of our grocery stores.  Now, fast food is a part of our culture.  I work at a school. Those kids will eat pizza and chicken nuggets daily without thinking twice.  Our diets have changed so much and it allows toxins into our bodies da...

Wednesday was a week today since I left the hospital.  Friday it will be two weeks since my surgery.  I'm home and trying to get my strength back up.  The doctor was not kidding when he said that it is a very painful surgery.  But, I'm finally down to one pain pill a day.  The one pill is usually in the evenings.  It's one thing to have some pain or be uncomfortable during the day, but trying to sleep when your hurting is difficult.  I still get tired easily.  Yesterday I decided to make cookie dough and freeze it for Easter.  Between the breaks that I had to take, the two hour task ended up most of the day.  So, I can see why the doctors have told me not to rush back to work.  My body is still healing and it's a slow process. I had my PCP appointment yesterday.  What really surprised me was the many questions the nurse asked me about my mental state.  I love how they are looking at the whole body, not just the physical....