Big time NSV
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neohdiver
Posts: 738 Member
I've been mostly absent since May-ish.
Some of you have seen bits and pieces of this story. On the way to vanquishing diabetes (my October surprise) via a low carb diet I was diagnosed with breast cancer (65 lbs of the way to my 67 lb goal, and 6 weeks into an 8 week very low calorie diet designed to put diabetes into remission). I was told to put the rest of the weight loss on hold during treatment (so I've been bouncing up and down within a 5 lb range since May).
Surgery and, as of 4 hours ago radiation, are now in the rear view mirror, and shortly I will at least return to marching toward the rest of my weight loss goal. I haven't decided about reprising the 8 week very low calorie diet that has put 100% of a very small population with recent diabetes diagnoses into remission.
But losing weight (prompted by the diabetes diagnosis) gave me many more treatment options, allowed me to heal much more quickly, and likely allowed me to find the lump in the first place. So - serendipitous. (The diabetes, itself, is well controlled almost exclusively by diet - after a blip of a few weeks when my body was mad about surgery.)
The radiation creates a very small risk of a very aggressive cancer - which doesn't sit well with me. But it is what it is. I've taken steps to minimize the physical damage as best I can. In addition, I adopted a meditative drawing practice to walk through the radiation day by day (for the past 17 business days), and turn a process that is inherently harmful into one that is more positive.
So - here's the drawing that marks the end-of-active-cancer-treatment big NSV.
If you look closely, you should find 6 purple + signs (one embedded in part of a purple frame). Those are the radiation targets & alignment marks. At the bottom is a crane, given to me by the radiation oncologist. I completed one section a day, finishing with the scrollwork within the radiation frame this morning.
I can't promise I'll be back as regularly as before - big changes at work that mean the relatively light fall I anticipated is not going to happen. But I'll try to drop in periodically.
Some of you have seen bits and pieces of this story. On the way to vanquishing diabetes (my October surprise) via a low carb diet I was diagnosed with breast cancer (65 lbs of the way to my 67 lb goal, and 6 weeks into an 8 week very low calorie diet designed to put diabetes into remission). I was told to put the rest of the weight loss on hold during treatment (so I've been bouncing up and down within a 5 lb range since May).
Surgery and, as of 4 hours ago radiation, are now in the rear view mirror, and shortly I will at least return to marching toward the rest of my weight loss goal. I haven't decided about reprising the 8 week very low calorie diet that has put 100% of a very small population with recent diabetes diagnoses into remission.
But losing weight (prompted by the diabetes diagnosis) gave me many more treatment options, allowed me to heal much more quickly, and likely allowed me to find the lump in the first place. So - serendipitous. (The diabetes, itself, is well controlled almost exclusively by diet - after a blip of a few weeks when my body was mad about surgery.)
The radiation creates a very small risk of a very aggressive cancer - which doesn't sit well with me. But it is what it is. I've taken steps to minimize the physical damage as best I can. In addition, I adopted a meditative drawing practice to walk through the radiation day by day (for the past 17 business days), and turn a process that is inherently harmful into one that is more positive.
So - here's the drawing that marks the end-of-active-cancer-treatment big NSV.
If you look closely, you should find 6 purple + signs (one embedded in part of a purple frame). Those are the radiation targets & alignment marks. At the bottom is a crane, given to me by the radiation oncologist. I completed one section a day, finishing with the scrollwork within the radiation frame this morning.
I can't promise I'll be back as regularly as before - big changes at work that mean the relatively light fall I anticipated is not going to happen. But I'll try to drop in periodically.
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Replies
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Congratulations @neohdiver on a) getting through the cancer treatment as I know that can seem as bad as the cancer itself at times, b) the weightloss and c) the success with the diabetes which I have learned many of us in this group have and are addressing through one version of LC WOE or another.3
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That's absolutely beautiful in so many ways.2
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Congrats on kicking cancer AND diabetes in the ... nuts? Keep fighting the good fight, and we'll see you when you've time and resources to check in!
P.S. That type of drawing is one of the types I LOVELOVELOVE to color myself.
So geeking out over here, totally! 2 -
Thanks for sharing your story and the art work and best of continued success.2
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Beautiful and thought provoking. Thank you for sharing your journey.3
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Awesome NSV. Congrats on a huge victory and thank you for sharing your story. Very powerful and evocative art, thank you for that too.
::flowerforyou::2 -
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Beautiful in so many ways. Thank you for sharing and congratulations on such a wonderful NSV3
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Congrats! I love the drawing!3
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Thanks for all of the support!
Cancer was not in my plans for this year. Neither was diabetes. I've managed to move through itwith lots of support from both my "real life" and online communities. I turn 60 in about a month - I can't wait to get past the "curse" of 59, and move forward with the things I want to do, rather than what I have to do to survive.9 -
Awesome!1
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I was wondering how you were doing. I'm so glad that things are looking good and you are in a good place.
The NSV drawing was lovely. Congratulations. 1 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »P.S. That type of drawing is one of the types I LOVELOVELOVE to color myself. So geeking out over here, totally!
Here's the inspiration for the bits and pieces of the drawing: http://tanglepatterns.com/zentangles/what-is-a-zentangle. I started making some "inspired by Zentangle" drawings a couple of years ago, and was looking for a way to turn this negative into a positive. It just seemed right.
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Nice artwork. Inspiring and beautiful. Thank you.
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Thank you for sharing. Pleased to meet you, fellow neoh pal. Forward March! 1
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I love your drawing and congrats on a HUGE nsv!!1
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Thank you for letting us know how things have been going for you! Your success is super inspiring, and the art work does look like its very calming! Look forward to hearing about your continued success in kicking cancers butt!!1
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Thanks for sharing. Look forward to 2017 as your "fabulous" year.1
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I am post breast cancer as well, 2+ years now. I was also told to stop any weight loss efforts during chemo and gained 25 lbs due to the steroids. I kept going to the gym because I could and had the energy. Can you imagine how much more I would have gained? I tried everything I knew last year with no results and actually further gain.....Until I found this group and all of the knowledge here. I'm down 17 lbs with 10-12 to go to reach my pre-chemo weight.
Congrats Neohdiver and continued good health!3 -
Congratulations on getting through the cancer treatments. It's such a long haul, and so hard on the body and soul.2
