the study my ex-husband had forwarded to me that was published the week before that found that those who\u2019d had PTSD, ever, had twice ovarian cancer as those who had not<\/a>. If PTSD symptoms make getting ovarian cancer more common and likely, surely managing PTSD symptoms while living with ovarian cancer makes some medical sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI wrote to the study authors about that, in fact, and it\u2019s not something anyone can say for sure, because there\u2019s not been a study on that. I shared the study with my oncologist and surgeon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Treating ovarian cancer and PTSD, together, figuring out how they are related, even when studies suggest a link, isn\u2019t yet a thing routinely done by surgeons, oncologists, or even geneticists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s part of what all of us increasing awareness about adverse childhood experiences and their lifelong impact on health and disease are trying to change. We know there are correlations and overlaps and epi-genetics and social determinants of health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But so far, fields and experts and varied studies are in silos and so it is up to us who are impacted to educate and inform our providers about the complexity of our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The whole intersectional thing….<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We do this even as our lives and health are on the line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We do this with cancer, trauma, and while symptomatic because we have no choice. We rely on systems for survival but systems need healing and change. The medical system should be an ally, not a foe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We fight for ourselves and for others because lives should not be shortened, limited, and silenced by ACEs, cancer, and injustice more than they already are. Some people have told me I should save my strength and back-burner advocacy til I’m on the other side of recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s not possible for trauma survivors and people with cancer or anyone fighting for life and health. We must advocate for ourselves and each other, and we benefit from those who have done so ahead of us. It’s where the hope, healing, and maybe even the cure can be found. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
***<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are days so good and sweet when I feel so strong and loved it feels wrong to open get-well cards and accept gifts. I want to say, “The well wishes are already working because I feel good right now, in this minute or moment or day.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, I feel too healthy to get gifts or meals. Sometimes, I’m not too tired to do stuff myself and think the help should go to people who need it more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My guy says, “Can you bank that love?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My friends say, “Can you let people who want to help just help? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are days I wince in my sleep and play guided imagery on a repeat loop because it hurts just to be in my skin. But those are not all day or every day or even close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are days I stare at the stars and wake up watching the sun rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are days my daughter and I laugh, even playing with wigs and talk homework and schedules and share photos of our pets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have all the cards and gift tags I have received in a box, so I can write thank you notes but also so I can “bank” and ground in that love when I’m feeling less than. I have proof of love, reminders, touchstones, and it’s more than I can yet take all the way in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of healing is taking it all, every bit of love, all the way in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are days my guy and I taste a fava bean sauce so good we will lick our lips every time we speak of it as if we can taste the beans again and again. We will say how many new foods this plant-based diet has introduced me to, how I will get creative to stay strong, and how it means I will try foods I’ve never tasted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not every bit or bite is loss these days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’m losing my hair but I have people who love me an don’t give a crap how I look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I appreciate parts of life I had never tasted, ingested, digested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is slowness, savoring, and delight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is humility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who barely know me have offered rides, food, and help. OFTEN. It’s astounding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am changing. Life is changing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You will want a piece of toast someday,” an oncologist said, “and it’s o.k. to eat comfort food.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don’t want the same old comforts right now though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I welcome life. I welcome change. I welcome love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don’t want the things I turned to when stress to make me work or move past listening to my own needs or body. I want my priorities and perspectives to change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If cancer doesn’t stun one awake what should?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be fair, my oncologist didn’t want me to torture or punish myself with fasts or strict diets when she says there’s not a lot of research yet that shows doing so matters in terms of treating cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both she, and my surgeon, who said eat a bowl of ice cream once a week if you want, didn’t think new or extreme dietary changes are needed right now. They both said they don’t believe my cancer was caused by diet and won’t be cured by diet. There are those who think what we do and don’t eat is like if we do or don’t smoke. There are some who want to believe they can’t get cancer if they have a specific diet. There are those who don’t know that eating organic and healthy is difficult if not impossible and who doesn’t know or care about class issues, food desserts, or privilege. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’m trying to do and learn all I can without getting caught in the vested interests or approaches of traditional medical models or those selling fast fixes and cures and profiting in the process as much as the cancer complex. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, I wish there was more research on fasting, nutrition, and dietary changes during cancer treatments, as prevention and actual treatment so we as patients would have more guidance and support. I wish we could find ways to eat healthier, that are affordable and accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don’t get the resistance to nutrition and diet when there’s not enough “evidence-based” science to support it. I mentioned to my oncologist that health outcomes for those with ovarian cancer haven’t changed much in 30-40 years (and folks at Dana Farber say that, too). Still, we continue with chemo and drugs that we have decades of evidence do not cure cancer in 4 out of 5 diagnosed at late stages which is 80% or more of us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we have evidence something doesn’t help and still do it, why do we dismiss newer approaches so readily? There are countless clinical trials on adding new drugs to chemo, to help it to work better, so why is that any worse than trying something I can do for free that at least shows benefits in animals and is considered safe for most people who carry extra weight like I do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’m still new to this landscape and hope I’ve just not found the lifestyle and immunotherapy and diet, fasting, nutrition, and PTSD linked clinical trials. Please share if you know of some or have been involved with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Til then, I’ll do as much as I can on my own to learn about wheatgrass shots, fasting, supplements, and complementary practices and medicines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My friends and loved ones are sharing articles, research, links, and actual supplements with me. I’m so loved, so lucky, and the beneficiary of so much kindness and support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That too, I know is healing, healthful, and beneficial. That too I’m learning how to receive, rest in, allow, trust, accept, and share. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Note: I’m writing so much but I’ve got less energy than usual to edit so I’m sharing what and when I can. Usually, I move quickly.\u00a0 Now, I\u2019m often stunned. It took me a week to get some of the short-term disability form filled out, signed, and faxed. The papers watched me each morning from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[171],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Survivor Squared? - Heal Write Now for Trauma Survivors & Adults Abused as Children<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n