Hello friends and fam! Glory to the Most High!! Checking in.

I’ve taken time to slow down as the world has sped up. My personal life bombarded with follow-up appointments, new treatment instructions, diet, and actually applying them. It takes time. I’ve accepted and given myself grace to slow down with media, to relearn a new way of living, from diet to mind set. 

I’ve changed from an alkaline, to alkaline with low histamine, to a keto diet thus far. I love Dr. Sebi’s work and the walk of Kenneth G. Williams, and Chef Babette. However, for myself knowing me, my body needs meat. Perhaps I’ll change to no meat, but for now I feel more solid and burn energy longer to take care of my family. It worked before going to work, for early commuting, the work itself and others, to coming home, and my day wasn’t done yet. 

Toward the end of last November was stressful to say to least. The bone marrow transplant was delayed, and my liver and spleen started to swell. A 3rd PET scan on December 19th (started with an early morning burial… of deep meaning to me) showed the T-cells came back in my cervical lymph nodes. In December we talked about other options of treatment at UCSD Health. More chemo then the transplant, this time with donor HCT. 

After Christmas I was seen again for plans to do a biopsy. The next day a surgeon scheduled to do an ultrasound herself. She discussed which lymph node to remove from the left side of my neck. I was good with it. January 4, 2023 after New Year’s I had the surgery. She took out 2 lymphs. In pre-op I remember being confident and relaxed before going in saying, “numb it up good!” Then waking up to, feeling DEEP pain on the left side my neck. The post-op nurse said, “Oh yeah, they removed 2 lymph nodes and went in about 2 inches deep.” After an immediate trip with my daughter Danielle from post-op to Starbucks for a venti vanilla bean frap, no whip and on pain meds, I later realized I had a 3 inch incision on the side of my neck with no dressing, in public. That is so me. So if you see anyone so focused like that out there, rest assured it’s probably me. People like myself not concerned about others get it. Updated on new procedures, I learned the surgeon used dissolving stitches inside, surgical glue to close the skin, and clear goodie stuff on top of the suture line to protect it. 

Referring to when they order a PET scan. I routinely ask myself, why the special 24 hour diet before the scan with no-carb vegetables, meat, and water only? It’s more strict than keto, and then fast another 6 hrs before the actual scan. The radiology tech told me it's to starve the bad T-cells, they love sugar. During the procedure they inject radioactive glucose into an IV and wait 30 minutes for it to circulate. The bad T-cells take in the glucose and light up where they're located in the body. The next question I always have is, why don’t we just continue starving them?

Recently a close and dear friend of mine from 7th grade, Dr. Toya K. Williams sent info on the keto diet and it's effects on cancer cells. She’s had been on it for a couple weeks now feeling great. It started to make sense and well I have nothing to lose.I did Akins back in 2001 with fruits, vegetables, and meats (No pork, goat, or shell fish to this day. Mostly salmon, lamb, and eggs). I worked as an RN at Lake Forest Hospital, Lake Forest, IL at the time and went to Golds Gym at 5 am before work. My goal then was to build muscles and gain weight, I even bought a smith machine. 

I started keto Sunday Feb. 5, 2023, it’s not so hard for me. Every now and then I’ll see sugar or carbs and think of how good they taste and filling they are. But I’m over it and will give myself grace if I slip. Pain from bad T-cells is the best deterrent anyway. I'm waiting on starting my 2 cycles of chemo (about 4 weeks) then the BMT.

So literally a lot has gone on from week to week with my health and of course the responsibilities of life, managing the financials, and daily maintenance. It all takes time, and that’s okay. I’ve learned to let go of the complexities I set to “get ahead.” It’s like driving in the city from one signal light to the next. Do I speed up to every light to reach my destination faster and waste gas? Only to realize I get there around the same time anyway. Not to mention in one piece and of course looking out for others verses the concerns of guarding my own perception of my status, who I feel I am in the world. When deep down I know, it’s not about me.

I've prayed and asked the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth to show me how to make praise a lifestyle, and not just read the word, but to live it. As usual, I'm happily never disappointed. HalleluYah!! Praise Him through the pain, and He will give you back DOUBLE for your troubles!