What would I have done differently? Sept 14, 2012

So what would I do differently if I were told today that I had cancer? Well, I think honestly if I were told that today, I would be very surprised and probably a bit sad for a few days until I got a handle on reality. So let’s go back then. What would I have done differently if I wasn’t so ignorant when I was first diagnosed?


1.     I would have stopped, researched and prayed (and waited for an answer) before being pressured into something without knowing for sure it is what I was supposed to do.  Out of everything, I will ever say about cancer this one comes first and foremost because it is the reason that so many people look back and wish they would have done things differently. I have heard so many stories from friends with cancer and bottom line is that you are your best advocate. You can’t stick your head in the sand or mindlessly do whatever someone says you should. You don’t let someone pick out your clothes in the morning or the food you eat for lunch or the TV show you watch in the evening, so why the hell would you not research and get opinions and make the calls and empower yourself with education? Especially when your life is on the line and your quality of life is at hand? This baffles me so much and I get a bit heated when even thinking about it. People assume as I did that because there is a Dr. before their name and M.D. after the name that it means they know everything including what is best for you. This is not true, every doctor has a specialty and they do not know, I promise. The scope of medicine and the body is way too vast and even Leonardo Da Vinci could not keep up with all the new information being published daily.  One of the best things I have read about cancer was the Moss Report. Go Google it and get it for your type of cancer. These reports are chock full of very informative research from many different areas I could go on and on but it is all there and well worth it. It is specific to your type of cancer and I really appreciated the 350 pages for breast cancer.  I would stay away from quick fix easy solutions where you eat this seed or fruit or drink this one mixture.  There are many people out there, that want your money, and they will sell the snake oil (hope in a bottle) to anyone desperate enough to buy it.  I personally have never met anyone that has done this and it worked out well for him or her. The one thing I really wish I didn’t do is the port surgery within 6 days of being diagnosed, everything was happening so fast and I didn’t even have time to process.  I wish there was counseling offered at the hospitals where they talk over things in a non- biased way before people are asked to make to make important life decisions.

2.       I would have gone natural in cleaning and not used so many chemicals and realized that just touching things it can be absorbed into my body and can be toxic. Everything from Lysol to disinfect to Febreeze to make the house smell better are things that used to be common practice in the Fieglein home. Now hot water, soap, vinegar, and high dollar natural cleaners are all we use. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer or have it and are trying to get better consider this easy step in better health.

3.       I would have looked at what went into my body and what was put on my body. I would have eaten better and not ran through the McDonald’s drive – thru so many times when my kids we younger. I would have eaten less red meat (a favorite of mine), I would have eaten less sugar (another favorite) and I would have exercised and keep my weight where it should be (around 130 – 135 instead of up to 165! I would have not put every lotion and cream on my body even if it was doctor recommended. (psoriasis) I would have used organic products such as deodorant, lotions and make up more.

4.       I would have not taken the over the counter medications. I was always about drugs to make myself feel better.   If I had a headache my first response was to get some aspirin, if I had a muscle ache I took a muscle relaxer and so on. In high school and college, I experimented very briefly with illegal drugs – ecstasy, acid, marijuana, and I even tried cocaine once with unbelievably family members. No I won’t say who! Anyways, I thought, “those are harmful bad illegal drugs but the over the counters are okay” because well they are over the counters and okayed by the FDA.  Even prescriptions were fine to use even when I didn’t need them for the reason you got them. Ex: If Mark hurt his back and he got a prescription for the pain, and later on I would have pain I never thought twice about taking his medicine.  Stupid people, we were! Seriously, these are drugs!  Drugs mostly manmade in labs and even if they taken over a long time or the wrong dosage they can seriously screw up your body and immune system.

5.        I would have gotten more rest and relaxation.  My life doesn’t have the best circumstances for R & R. Anyone that has six or more children can surely understand what I mean. Then there are the other life decisions we have made like homeschooling, having a large house and yard (which means more work) and then of course there is the one income aspect, which means that I have to work to bring in extra money or off- set our costs for extras like the academics we have.  We have gotten into debt and made poor choices here and there and for that, we have learned and continue to learn, but we haven’t had many extras because of all of this and different life happenings. We don’t take real family vacations on a regular basis or couple vacations for that matter. I have been more aware of this need for relaxation for the last 8 – 9 months, however try as I might I just can’t even find time to get a good book by the pool and a virgin pina colada into my life. I am too high strung and I always see work to be done. It drives me nuts to have dirty dishes, dirty laundry piles up high and messy house in general.  Sure, I type right now with my hardwoods in desperate need and no housekeep in sight, but I have bronchitis and so I try to sit.  By the time you are reading this I have been typing here and there throughout day starting at around 8:00 and it’s almost 2. I have moped the floor, taken Hudson to Mother’s Day Out, helped with schoolwork, done laundry, had important phone calls, etc. there truly isn’t much time here for rest. I am adding that to my list of things to work towards though. You on the other hand, well you’ll have to look at your life and see if your priorities are straight and  you have a life that is condusive to you taking a vacation here and there or going to the spa for some me time, etc. If you can, I highly suggest it. One thing every doctor says when talking about cancer is how stress has a negative impact on the body and how you should slow down, and get some R & R! 

All that being said I need to go now, I have hardwoods to mop, to go get Hudson from MDO, look over school papers, take Holly to her daily pet sitting job, and the list goes on….

Have a great day!

Love

Karri