I believe everyone has a story. No one's challenges are more important than another’s. Trauma, disease, death, anxiety, etc. effects all of us in some way at some point in our lives and has no socio-economic boundaries. I won’t hit you all with my whole life story or you will never read another one of my blogs. So today, I’ll start with my current challenge.
A year ago this month, I had a Stem Cell Transplant to treat Multiple Myeloma, or in laymen’s terms, blood cancer. In essence, I underwent a whole body ReSet, a reboot of my entire system, a procedure that was preceded by a year of very intensive chemotherapy. My diagnosis was a whirlwind, and I found myself in treatment the day I was diagnosed. My case was complicated to put it mildly, and my life became fully centered on trying to find the right cocktail that would kick this cancer on its ass. There was too much to live for to let this hideous disease get the best of me. As the single living parent of three adult children, I was not about to let this take me down. I hadn’t crumbled yet and I wasn’t about to.
So the fight began… but what I didn’t realize at the time was that the journey and treatment would be life long. I treated my cancer like a disastrous business I was suddenly put in charge of. I was the CEO and I quickly put into place a board that consisted of my family, medical team, financial and legal advisors, a health and wellness team, and a group of the very best friends who loved me and could keep me centered. The goal was to fix the problem and get rid of that company as fast as possible. It may sound like a cold approach, but it allowed me to gain the perspective I needed.
So here I am on the other side, in partial remission, and I am damn happy about it. I will be on Chemotherapy for the rest of my life. Initially, this really pissed me off. I have come full-circle and am now so thankful that I have medication that will hopefully help keep me alive for quite some time. Most cancer patients don’t have that opportunity.
Of all the challenges I have faced, this is the first time I have had to focus solely on what is best for me. There have been periods of lengthy isolation as my immune system was so fully compromised that seeing even the best intentioned friends was not possible. I’m used to being on my own, but being isolated is a completely different animal. Lonely and scared is no fun, so I learned over time how to effectively meditate--to relieve a host of anxieties and depression that has come in waves over the last two years and shockingly was new to me.
Enter NuCalm. This has been the single-most impactful practice I have incorporated into my routine within the last year. NuCalm resets your body and mind. Like everything good in life, it’s a process. Initially, being the skeptic that I am, I would attempt to trick the meditation trying to settle in and continue with my mental to-do lists. It became quickly apparent that I needed to let that go and surrender to what was naturally occurring. The sessions continue to be relaxing and restorative, and I look forward to each one.
The biggest take away is what has happened outside of the sessions. The internal chatter has dissipated and my sleep has become more restful. It is clear to me that NuCalm is one of the most effective, natural, non-chemical ways to aid in decreasing anxiety. Obviously, nothing is a miracle cure and our fast-paced quick-fix society doesn’t serve any of us well over time. I had to learn to listen to myself and dedicate time for self care. The beauty of NuCalm is two fold for me as a cancer patient. There are several programs available: the shorter 20-minute session has many restorative benefits and the 40-50 minute programs encourage cell regeneration which is music to my ears.
So my journey will continue, and though I am in no means a zen master, but daily meditation and frequent NuCalm sessions are a part of my self care routine and I like the results they produce. I am getting stronger every day and it’s a bright road ahead.