MY JOURNEY OF COMPLETION – BODY, HEART, AND SOUL
- Jan 11
- 4 min read
ENJOYING LIFE WHILE MANAGING CANCER
It is finally time to say hello to 2026!
It is full of things that have never been.
Like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.
Remember, you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
Per Ralph Waldo Emerson, write it in your heart that every day is the best day of the year.
So, it is time to open the book.
Start writing on the first page.
This book is called Opportunity, and it is the first chapter of the new year.
The first page in my book is of gratitude.
Being able to share my experience on my journey enjoying life while managing cancer.
It has been fifteen years since I heard the three words from a doctor, YOU HAVE CANCER.
RING, RING,RING
THE ALARM GOES OFF!
CHRISTMAS EVE -2010
Well, it was another day; rise and shine.
Dan, Danielle, and I got up to the alarm.
I dressed and helped Dan, because it was less than two weeks ago, he had surgery on his foot.
I mean it is a big blur; we worked together and made it out the door.
I drove to downtown Clearwater, Florida toward the surgeon’s office.
We got there before the appointment, then decided to stay in the car and rest until 7:00 a.m.
As we were resting, the parking lot filled with cars, we knew that the building had opened.
Dan needed to go to the restroom, so Danielle went to the back of the car to get the wheelchair, and I opened his door.
We put him in it and rolled toward the bathroom.
I pressed the elevator button # 3 and went up and got off at the third floor to check in.
Upon arrival I handed the paperwork at check in which had been mailed to me over to them.
The wait was not very long.
We as a family went to the exam room to see a diagram of a breast on the wall, along with my MRI.
The nurse came in asking questions.
Dan and Danielle stepped out prior to the examination.
The physician walked in to introduce himself with the sonogram machine.
He did another view, for he needed to see the markers and where the masses stood.
That was interesting, for I got to look at what he saw.
He told me that I could get dressed again and my family could join me.
Well, it was not great news, which I knew, but he reinforced it.
In his own words, “IT IS WHAT IT IS.”
He began drawing on the dry-erase board the procedure that he would be doing, and after that, of course, the chemo and radiation program.
He gave explanations of the side effects while not letting us ask anything until he finished.
After his explanation I felt overwhelmed.
This was not what I wanted.
The way he spoke, I had no other choice except surgery.
After a few minutes he had his scheduler come in and introduced herself by saying she takes care of scheduling procedures.
We followed her into her room and sat down and after only a second, she asked me if Tuesday or Thursday would be good.
I said, “for what, surgery? I am leaving town, for my daughter is moving to New York.”
“When are you coming back?” she asked.
I told her it would be around the 24th of January.
She then replied, “We can get you in on the 26th.”
Danielle and I looked at one another and I am sure we thought the same thing, that they were going too fast.
I spoke out and said I would call when I got back.
She proceeded to get the surgeon, and he restated how important this was, and it needed to be addressed soon.
I stated to him that I understood, and we left.
All of us thought he pushed toward this too quickly.
I drove to the house and that night we opened our gifts and celebrated Christmas.
THE MORAL OF THIS TRUE STORY
IT IS NOT WHAT IT IS!
There are choices, do your research, do what is in your heart.
Just remember it is your body, not your doctors!
It should be your decision, along with input from your family.
Dan and I have learned, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
With the power of faith in God, I felt the courage and strength to listen to my heart and not have the surgery, chemo, and radiation.
There was a program in Mexico called FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE.
It had a wonderful team that not only treated my cancer functionally but taught me about a healthier lifestyle.
A thank you goes out to two wonderful doctors, Dr. Perez and Dr. Garcia, for giving back my life.
I remember asking one of my doctors in Mexico, if he feels I will live at least five years.
He replied, “Sherry, it is all up to you!”
The easiest part of healing is getting the treatments; it is you who have the hardest part and that would be living a healthier lifestyle.
IT IS THE SEASON OF HOPE
I AM
GRATIFIED
THAT THE ENERGY
OF HOPE AND LOVE IS TWINKLED
IN EACH OF OUR LIVES THIS YEAR.
WE ALL HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT; BUT ARE
STRONG, AND THROUGH THE BRIGHTNESS OF ONE ANOTHER
THE HOPE OF THE COMING YEAR WILL BRING JOY. WE WILL BE
ABLE TO SING THE HIGHEST TONE WITH OUR VOICES; FOR LOVE NEVER
ENDS. LET US REJOICE FOR HOPE IS COMING TO US AND REWARDS. MAY YOUR
NEW YEAR GIVE YOU THE GRATITUDE TO HELP OUR PLANET
GROW IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
Dan and I welcome you to our website:
There you can review the functional medicine treatments, our story, clean living, and blog posts.
There are so many ways to heal yourself, research before deciding.
Finally, here in a video is what I learned this week from my pet turtle, Heckle.
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