I wish I’d taken a picture of my oncologists’ beaming faces, they were smiling ear to ear. They’d never seen anyone come out of one, much less six, rigorous chemotherapy sessions this healthy. Obviously, I was shocked and elated. They asked (inspired) me to share my secret with as many people as possible. After my sixth and final chemo exam, they happily clapped their hands saying they would approve me for surgery that very day.
What makes this remarkable is, normally, a period of time is required for the immune system (weakened from chemo) to improve to the level of strength needed to hazard surgery. Long delays are known to happen, giving the blasted cancer the upper hand and a chance to grow back. Even when surgery comes first (before chemo) similar principles apply. Surgery can suppress the immune system, at times causing serious complications that delay chemo treatments.
As you might have guessed, my oncologists wanted to know exactly what I was doing. I could see the heartfelt concern in their faces. They felt I’d clearly stumbled on to something that could help other patients kick cancer and chemo’s malicious side effects. Yes, oncologists and doctors have hearts. At least, mine do. And so, this blog – Aces Pink – is born. My name is Ace, short for my birth name which is Acelia. Pink for breast cancer, pink has always been my favorite color.
In reality, I’ve only just begun to fight on, and I owe my strength to my “Pink Stars”, my stars on Earth who love, and continue to support me during my battle with stage 2 breast cancer.
My Pink Stars are exactly why I had no fear. In the words of one astronomer, “I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night”. I was only afraid (actually, I was terrified) very briefly in October 2015 when first diagnosed. As soon as my Pink Stars began showing up all my fear melted away and has not returned since.
No more do I have a monstrous, malignant, rapidly growing breast cancer tumor the size of my fist. Today, I am cancer free, forever grateful, from my heart to yours, I could not have done it without all of you. Pink Stars, you know who you are, names from A to Z and all the many other letters in the alphabet song.
Kind Reader, my Pink Stars tell it differently. They each told me things like (and I quote), “I knew you would beat the cancer because you are a fighter”, and “Our joy and thankfulness is to you for setting an unprecedented example of loving life and your dear ones”, and “You fought the fight for us, as well as for you” and, “Your spirit and attitude won the day.” See what I mean? How could I not cherish these people? Loving others is just as healing as being loved. Perhaps more. My thanks to them for their kind words, but I promise you they are only partly right. If not for them I could not have survived this cancer.
Beating cancer
You will not hear me say cancer is the best thing that ever happened to me. War is hell. Cancer is hell, ruthless. It is war. We battle it, our aim is to kill it, destroy, annihilate, obliterate it. Dangerous chemical warfare, our body is the front line, our artillery is deadly poison and peril under the knife of amputation. Chemotherapy can be life threatening. We risk permanently destroying healthy parts of our body in order to destroy the cancer growing within us. Many survive, many do not. Survivors spend the rest of their lives with scars and healing the traumas of war. Cancer is hell on everyone. At best, good may come out of it if you let it.
If you understand this war then you will understand why, from the onset, I referred to my Pink Stars (my loving children, grandchildren, father, friends, prayer groups, medical professionals and co-survivors) as my Jedi Knights and Ninja Warriors. Truly they are. The Force is good and I feel forever blessed. My war is their war. The continuous stress and strife of life with cancer is rough on loved ones, too. Stars they are.
In short, cancer free today, my #1 ingredient for surviving my stage 2 breast cancer was love, the joy of love, and the give and take of love, especially when under fire. Feeling alive. Being alive.
And prayer. Prayer is a blessing and gift from God. Prayer is gratitude. Prayer is praise. Prayer is love. Prayer always brings us closer to the Lord. Times I hadn’t strength to pray for myself, others did it for me.
This is my introduction and first post for launching Aces Pink blog. I welcome your comments on this and future posts. Let me know: How are you feeling? What do you need? My goal here is to do as my doctors asked, which is simply share what I did for myself. Copy me if you can. It helped me and may help you. Mostly, it can do no harm, per my oncologists. However, check every detail with your doctor.
Find Your Pink Stars
My first recommendation is find your Pink Stars, love them, think happy thoughts, be kinder to yourself, kinder again, laugh often, watch only happy shows, comedies, happy music, pray gladly. Do not forget to pray. Whenever possible, do what uplifts you, be thankful. Practice gratitude. If it’s difficult, then remember simply searching for things to feel grateful for is enough to uplift your spirits. It’s neuroscience.
If your loved ones live far away or have passed away (often the case) search harder, don’t quit. Find breast cancer support groups. Many attending these groups are 10 or 20 year survivors. They want to help you. Remember, caring about you helps them stay healthy, too. Groups sometimes have nurse navigators who are there to assist and guide you. Have faith in goodness, feel grateful, find prayer groups, ask for their prayers.
Start, too, with your doctors. Their aim is to save your life – a Pink Star if ever there was one. Include the doctors’ staff, PA’s, chemo nurses, nutritionists, phlebotomists, schedulers, financial advisors and receptionists. Many cancer organizations offer free services, volunteers and funding.
Watch your heavens light up star by star. Taken altogether, these Stars make up the world’s best army fighting with you for your life.
Coming soon are posts detailing other steps I took to minimize cancer treatment side effects and stay healthier through 9 months of harsh chemotherapy and the months beyond of bi-lateral mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries. One of these includes my unique, and potent, do-it-yourself, inexpensive recipe for Aces Pink Bone Broth specifically developed for patients in cancer treatment and beyond. In addition, my daily staples of ImmPower and Metatrol, supplements, alkaline diet and other unique food products, exercises, water (a key nutrient), forms of prayer, acupuncture expressly for people in cancer treatment and other modalities.
Get well. Stay well. You’re all Aces to me! All Pink Stars, Pink Diamonds!
Ace McEvers
