keith’s new self

I’ve had pretty low energy levels lately, and as a result I can’t do the normal amount of activities I’m used to in a day. I’m finding I have to allocate my time more carefully, since my stamina to do sustained activity (even sit in a meeting) is more limited. It’s taken a bit of getting used to - I normally take my energy levels for granted a bit and just assume I can push through anything. This whole experience has been a great reality check for that - realizing I need to listen to my body, and work in harmony with it, not just order it around. And also not beat myself up for the fact that I have limits; my cultural programming is to avoid asking for help, and to try to not appear weak. Again this has been a huge learning - it seems all bets are off when you get a serious illness.

I’ve been making a delicious cooked-grain breakfast of equal parts millet, amaranth and barley. Today I also had a shot of wheatgrass (always an intense experience) and a cup of my magic judo-chop-the-lymphoma tea. My herbalist friend Krista Dawn, who lives in Maui, is sending me some more goodies - omega-3 oil, a tincture she whipped up, and some dried shiitake mushrooms.

Downloaded a bunch of comedies to enhance my sedentary lifestyle: 40 Year Old Virgin, Harold & Kumar Go To The White Castle, Fun With Dick & Jane, Team America - World Police, Coffee And Cigarettes, Meet The Fockers, School Of Rock.

I’m really looking forward to starting treatment. The last couple weeks have been a bit of hurry-up-and-wait. Trying to stay in-the-moment with it, but I definitely have a strong feeling of wanting to take action. I’m having a bone marrow biopsy Monday morning, a CT scan of my belly the Monday after that (at which point I should know the stage of the cancer), and my first chemo is booked for June 6th.

tags: cancer, herbalism, hodgkin’s lymphoma, lymphoma, movies

posted: 8:46 am