It's been a really good week overall.  I took and passed my first test for IIN, got an 87 which I can live with.  I said last time that I would explain more about this health coach program i'm taking, so IIN stands for Institute for Integrative Nutrition (as i'm writing this, Bella and Slinky are playing ferociously on my bed, why do i even bother making it?? lol).  They offer a 12-month program where I'll be learning about all kinds of dietary theories, pros and cons of each, and all kinds of other things yet to be discovered that will prepare me to coach others to a more healthy way of life.  What I loved about IIN was their approach to eating healthy, that it truly looks different for each one of us.  I eat meat, but some people do well on a completely plant based diet.  Some people happily eat whole grains, I can't digest them.  It's all good, no one solution is right for everyone on this planet, we are too individual. 

I started the program in March, and this last test was our first.  I definitely learned that I need to employ my former college studying skills, and write everything down ,,, that's the only way my brain retains.  But it's exciting to be doing something that is so positive, surrounded by others who are doing the same thing.  I don't yet fully know how this knowledge will manifest in my life or what exactly I want to do with it, but I do believe i'm in the absolute right place. 

Last Friday I saw my "hormone doctor", for lack of a better reference that's what I call her.  She took over for my previous doctor who passed away suddenly, and she felt i was on wayy too much estrogen.  Based on the test results I saw Friday she was right, wayyyyyy too much, no wonder I couldn't get comfortable.  So now I'm on an estrogen patch. .75mg, only using the cream for break through hot flashes, which I haven't had for the last couple of days.  Big Smile.  And in mentioning some other symptoms to her as well (excessive sweating and under arm odor, waking often during the night) she also adjusted my testosterone and progesterone levels.  So I'm feeling very hopeful about that, and this seems like a good time for me to switch doctors too.  I've heard about a MD/Naturopath that I'm going to check out.  I really prefer more of an eastern medicine approach, and i've heard that she is more grounded in that area.  More to come on that.

I got a bike fitting earlier this week, and after riding for a while last night, I think we're definitely heading in the right direction.  My tail bone was hurting after a ride before, and now it's not, plus a slow leak in my rear tire got fixed, so no more riding home feeling like i'm riding through a sand box lol. 

Also this week I started working with JP, a health coach I met when he facilitated a workshop I took in NYC recently through the CHEK Institute.  We really got to the heart of something very quickly, I was surprised that he zeroed in on it, but like I said, I'm willing to look at anything/everything that leads me to a healthier place.  Physical, emotional, mental,,, all of it, bring it, lets get into it.  My goal is to not have cancer come back, and holistically I know this means there may be ugly, painful work ahead of me.  But I really really really want to keep living. 

More to come ....

So here I am in June, and again, a lot has happened since the last post.  First of all, I am committing to updating this blog at least once a week, more often if I have time (in fact it's on my calendar for every Monday now). 
Soooooo,,, I have decided to move in a different direction from being a fashion consultant for CAbi.  I am taking a health coach certification class (more on that later), have started to feel better hormonally (more on that later too), and am feeling sooo much better in general.  As of yesterday, my weight scale has finally started to move in a downward direction, yahooooooooooo!!!!  I am walking or riding my bike or weight training or doing yoga, moving my body in some way every single day.  Before cancer, I would do 30 min's of exercise about 3-4 days a week and call it good.  If I ate soundly (if i even knew what that meant) 40% of the time, that was good enough.  Good enough isn't good enough any more, I now know the consequences of cutting myself short, and they're not fun.
Just got back from a 3 day holistic life coach program in NYC and it was awesome!  I truly feel that I am going to find my way back to health, the real deal this time, and in doing so will be able to turn that around and help others who are where I was.  Cancer wasn't fun, and I wouldn't have chosen that as my path, but I can't regret what it has taught me.  I feel,,, expanded, if that makes sensee. My heart feels bigger, my soul feels deeper and my consciousness has grown.  I am learning to trust my intuition, to have faith in what I can't yet see or feel, and to connect with God in a way that I never did before.  I am blessed, and every single day I know that to be true.