It’s funny how things occur to let you know whether you are on the right track or not. Just before my second round of chemotherapy (aside from the urine infection) I felt healthy and energetic. I felt physically up to doing substitute teaching and let the one school know which would be my ‘optimum’ days for coming in. I even did a day of relief teaching and thoroughly enjoyed myself. However, during a counselling session at the Cancer Care Centre I had to admit that perhaps I’d be taking on a bit much by teaching; not so much from an energy point of view but the risk I run of exposing myself to viral infections this ‘flu season. I was advised to take this time out, to invest the next six months in myself. I would be doing my family and future health a favour. It actually bought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes to ‘let go’ of the desire to teach and be part of the work force. I had told myself that it would do me good to continue to participate in school life, but I think the fact is that I’m concerned about missing out on career opportunities as well as earning money. I’ll have to look at my attachments to these things, which are (let’s face it) drivers for many of us!
Another thing confirming the advice to let go of pushing myself was the results of my hair analysis and bone scan, done before chemotherapy began. For $120 you send a hair sample to InterClinical Laboratories NSW and the report sent back provides details of the balance of minerals and metals found in your hair. The results indicate that I have a slow metabolism with reduced secretion of adrenal and thyroid hormones. Nutrients are poorly absorbed and utilised, resulting in decreased energy production at the cellular level, which in turn exacerbates the slow metabolic rate. Symptoms include fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, depression and tendencies towards recurring viral infections. The naturopath said that the high levels of magnesium and calcium found in my hair indicate that I have been under stress, indicated by symptoms of dizziness and muscle cramps. The test revealed an elevated level of tin (a bit of a worry) and bismuth (not really a concern) but I was relieved to see very low levels of mercury and lead. Generally the results worried me because I wondered if my body being physically under stress over the past five years was linked to me getting breast cancer. Also, results of my full body scan showed some degeneration in shoulder joints, knees and sacro-illiac joint – I started to feel as if I am falling apart! I believe I seriously need to change my diet and exercise in order to prevent illness in the future. But for now, the naturopath has me taking lots of vitamins and IBS support to strengthen my immune and digestive systems in between bouts of chemotherapy. Perhaps I should just relax and get plenty of rest, and just enjoy this time off, eh? (I have plenty to do)
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