Last June I composed a list of six – six natural deodorants I have personally tried since my breast cancer diagnosis, where I highlighted the pros and cons of each deodorant in hopes to share some insight. You can view that list in my post Hot Time Sweating in the City . However, a year has since passed. I no…
Natural Healing
I love using essential oils – drops of frankincense oil mixed with whipped organic shea butter as a topical ointment has provided me with relief from swelling caused by lymphedema; lavender oil mixed in a carrier oil and rubbed on my pressure points eases my anxiety as do drops of lavender oil in my diffuser to induce relaxation and calm;…
It is exactly three years to the day since I penned my blog post Cloudy, reflecting upon my physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. And here I am, three years later, finding myself in that similar state. Cloudy – all around and within me feels cloudy. I feel scattered, anxious, and irritable; and I struggle to maintain focus, clarity, and patience….
I have spent the final days of 2021 reading through blogs with the tagged post This Time Next Year. The idea of this tag is to write a post outlining your resolutions for the new year, how you are going to achieve those resolutions, and then, 365 days later write a post about whether or not you were successful. It’s…
As the warm weather settles upon us, a common [social media] post I often find in my breast cancer support groups, is the search for an effective, natural deodorant. Wishing to eliminate potential risks by applying harsh and potentially hazardous chemicals to our tender armpits we – breast cancer warriors and survivors – want something that is safe for our…
Postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) – a chronic pain that does not go away over time. It is a very real condition that can affect women who have had a radical mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy, or breast-conserving surgery. Symptoms can vary from feeling persistent or intermittent pain in the chest, armpit, arm, and/or shoulder. In addition to the chronic pain, there…
Okay Breast Cancer warriors, lets talk about the after effects, post-adjuvant therapy treatment. I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years. I was fortunate to have minimal side effects – hot flashes, mood swings, sensitive skin, and fatigue being my greatest symptoms – but I was prepared for those. I was mentally prepared to experience many uncomfortable side effects in the…
My joy and love for dance was shelved in the autumn of 2019. I was back to working full days on Saturdays, and as a result it presented a conflict within my schedule. With a heavy heart I had to let go of my adult barre class. I spent those autumn months feeling restless and unbalanced. I was putting financial…
In my previous post [from past New Year’s] 2019…A Year of Adventure I talked about a shift within me – a small but mighty shift. I mused over what the year had in store for me – adventure. However, as I reflect on 2019 I am acutely aware of the hardships, the losses, the good-byes, and the unexpected setbacks I…
I sit here, on this bleak and dismal December morning, with my head spinning – how is Christmas only 15 days away? I am not ready for this. I am not feeling that Christmas Spirit one expects to feel this time of year. What I have been feeling is anxious, stressed, and fatigued. And it is greatly affecting me –…