We Are Mortals

When you are young, you take risks...you try new things, sometimes dangerous things and come out without a scratch.  You don't really think about the consequences most of the time.  There was a time when I was more daring, did things like rock climbing, water skiing, snow skiing, canoeing, camping out on top of a mountain knowing there were bears around.  I have suffered a few injuries, but nothing too bad, the worst was a bad bruise when I was learning to waterski, I didn't let go of the rope when I fell and tried to pull myself up...the resul,  my butt hit the water, but I was still holding on and being dragged...I had the rope between my legs and when it suddenly popped out of my hands the rope caught me on the inside of my left thigh.  It hurt bad, I was afraid to look, afraid that I had torn my muscle open or that my leg was just hanging by a thread.  I was in severe pain and afraid.  

Why am I bringing this up?  Because I rarely take risks any more, well not in those ways, maybe small risks now, like wearing a sleeveless shirt to mow and work in the garden knowing we have horseflies the size of birds, or not wearing gloves to pull up random weeds knowing there may be fire ants and I will get bitten.  I guess, after having cancer that I feel lucky and I don't want to do anything that will change that.  We are mortals after all.  Not all of us get cancer and survive.  I have lost a relative to cancer recently, actually yesterday.  She was my age, she died of cancer and it was only diagnosed a short time ago, it is sad and kind of slapped me in the face again with reality.  My Mom and her sister both had breast cancer and survived, at least so far...they told me since I already had ovarian cancer there was a good chance I may get breast cancer too.  I have made a lot of changes in my life since the ovarian cancer, read up on alternative treatments, essential oils, vitamins, lifestyle changes.  I pay attention to my body's cues, when something is wrong...I know it.  I may ignore it for awhile, but I know when something is wrong.  I have not been to the doctor for a checkup in awhile, I have to go soon, been putting it off...I am not fond of doctors, they prey on your weaknesses.  They know when you are afraid and give you prescriptions...prescriptions you are afraid not to take in some situations.  But, sometimes those have such bad side effects they make you worse...and they give you more prescriptions to "help" the side effects of the first ones.  At least that is how it was in the "big city"...it is not as bad here in the country.  But, the medical clinic I go to has changed hands, so I am not sure what to expect when I go in again.

I have to get a medication checkup or the won't write a new prescription for my hormones and one other anti-spasmodic I take because of nerve damage from surgery.  I was hoping to get off of everything soon...but, I gotta sleep and without the hormones I get bad hot flashes and because of them and pain, I really don't get much sleep without them.  I got off of heavy duty painkillers a few years ago, and just take over the counter meds...like Aleve, but been trying to get off of that too.  When I don't take Aleve PM at night, I wake up between 3:30 and 4:00am.  So, I have cut back and take it once every few days.  I have been taking Turmeric and Arnica for pain lately. I am trying to stop taking Aleve PM because I read one of the ingredients can cause dementia and I was having some pain in my chest...I don't want heart problems or dementia.  I am trying a more holistic approach...we shall see if it works for me.  I am increasing the amount of turmeric I take, I have arthritis all over and it is suppose to help with that and some other things.

There are times that I wish I was immortal, times I wish I was magic too.  But alas, I am not and neither are you...so take care of yourself and know what is going on with your body.  Stop things from happening in your body before they start, if you are aware of what is wrong inside of you fix it before it gets out of hand.  Exercise more, take those long walks, drink lots of water and eat good food to nourish your body...take good care of yourself and your body will repay you in kind.  That saying, you are what you eat, well it is very true...don't poison yourself with soft drinks, fast food and drugs with horrible side effects...because we are mortal, and we do reach a tipping point and once you get beyond the tipping point there is no return.  I got lucky...I teatered on the brink of no return, but opened my eyes and fixed things and brought myself back to decent health.  Not perfect, but at 58, I will take it.