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Taking a break

Living with cancer is not easy, and that coming from someone who, on a scale of 1-10, probably only had a difficulty of 4 or 5. It is the afterwards, the afterwards that also poses a challenge.

Why am I feeling tired?
I didn't feel that pain before, I wonder what it is?
Should I call my doctor?
I missed my spinach smoothie this week, I hope I am not endangering my life.
I wonder if I am exercising enough?
I'd really love to have some bread pudding, will that doom me?
It's time for a checkup, I wonder what they'll find...?


The endless stress of trying to manage, well, everything sometimes gets a bit too much so I've decided to take a break. So what does that look like? For me, it means I haven't been taking my gazillion supplements (vitamin D, calcium, curcumin amongst other things), I've not been making my spinach smoothies, AND I've just decided to watch only shows I've seen before. So right now that means I am binging on Smallville.  I haven't totally lost my mind, I am still trying to eat relatively well, and continuing with physical exercise. But I am doing my best not to exercise my brain - so not reading anything too strenuous or challenging. I've been reading some mysteries - I just started the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny; a few Agatha Christie books and other light reading, ahem in fact, I have just read my first Debbie Macomber novel!

Tomorrow my treat will be to go to the second hand bookstore, browse, maybe go to a cafe and relax a bit and maybe build back up my reserves to start back on track.

Every now and again, a break is essential.

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