Ommmm, GREAT news!
I laid in bed 8 days post surgery and felt the tingly numbness on my left inner knee, reminding me of last year’s shingles episode which I still bear the scars of on my right thigh. Illogical, as I thought that it usually affects one side, one dermatome, or “an area of skin in which sensory nerves derive from a single spinal nerve root”…look it up, fascinating stuff! I remember thinking last year “but I’m only 45 years old….the vaccine poster reads 50 plus….oh well, plus or minus five I suppose.” Well, I’m now one year older and cancer definitely shook and declared that I AM middle aged. Good thing I’ve been practicing gracefully aging with full acceptance of what is. This yoga and meditation thing really works people, but you have to practice. You might be wondering why I said it’s GREAT news with another health challenge served right up? I will get to it! Patience, my young yogi.
Shingles, best treated a.s.a.p! You can have some complex complications including blindness?! Or it can go away on its own. Well, with a new diagnosis and all, I didn’t want to push my luck. I reached out to my wonderful family doctor in Vancouver via email. I have to say that this world wide web can really save or destroy humanity. This time, it was a miracle. My doctor prescribed the viral medication for me just in case, and dropped the GREAT bomb of relief as she had received the pathological report from my mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy. “Your pathology report just came in and it’s good news. No lymph node spread and no invasive cancer. ” GREAT news!
I woke up today and no tingling, no numbness, didn’t take any medication, nada. I am not going to chase after the case of the missing shingles. I am bathing in my health and wish for you to do the same.
Our brain can be so powerful that it affects our physical body. In Ayurveda, the cause of disease is attributed to “manas” our mind foremost. I have no doubt that our brain is powerful beyond our understanding. To age gracefully, I encourage learning new things in whatever circumstance life offers up, may it be dermatomes or trying a new recipe in the kitchen. Day 10 and I am healing wonderfully. My GCF core yoga practice has given me a bench mark on my physical healing. My yin and meditation has given me direction and peace.
I’m ready to offer up these practices that helps ground my amazing middle aged butt! Join me if you dare 😉
Carine Young Richmond, BC 