The waiting game continues...
It is both frustrating to me as well as everyone else. It has been a week since I did my last MRI and still no word. The next step in this journey is removing whatever is growing in my brain. Right now I feel like I am in a holding pattern running low on fuel. I have found myself getting more and more temperamental with both myself and the ones I love. I know this is not me and I am fixing it. Last night, thanks to Sue Hamrock there was a healing mass for myself and others who are currently facing ailments that are out of their hands. I am so thankful for everyone who came including friends I have not seen since high school! Seeing familiar faces was a type of easing therapy. I know I am facing a monstrous wall and hearing how many loving people are in my corner continually shocks me.
It is times like these that people show their true colors- when people know you are in a tough spot and they stick it out with you. Nobody likes dealing with illness at such a high level- nobody wants to know 'the sick guy.' I am so grateful for the people that stick it out with me, you guys will never truly know. The truth is, I will be fine one day and I will come out bigger, stronger and exponentially smarter. I truly feel like I was living an ignorant life when it came to my health. Everyone knows how bad certain foods are for you, but do we truly grasp what they do to the inside of our bodies?
I am learning things now that I wish I was taught in school and I think should be. It is a mystery to me that we can consume the foods we do and not expect a single thing to happen to our bodies. The meats the average American consumes contain so many hormones and additives it is no wonder our cancer rates are astronomically higher than the rest of the world. Most people think we are a product of our genes and doomed to a certain fate if our loved ones carried a gene, this is not true. The truth is that over 90% of all cancer cases are due to external factors. That means that one way or another we made a choice or choices in our lives that directly contributed to our disease. This is the reason I am so insistent with my friends who smoke or use tobacco products. It is literally the only known carcinogen we ingest willingly. I am not going to become the health preacher and insist everyone change their diet, that is up to you to make that choice. Just because I have made a dramatic change in my life does not mean that everyone needs to. What I will say though, is you can make small changes that make big differences in your life. We consume on average around 150-175 POUNDS of sugar a year. This is up from around 2-3 pounds historically. The majority of the sugar we get comes from sugary drinks, i.e. soda, energy drinks and yes - juices. The truth is that most of the juices we drink and think are semi-healthy have just as much sugar as coke, some have more. So that vitamin water you love is not as good for you as you might think. Cancer cells thrive and depend on sugar to grow so just cutting the most sugar out of your diet as you possibly can goes a long way!
Disclaimer* For the people I see going forward who have not seen me in years, I have lost a litttttle bit of weight. It is not from the tumor or any ailment, I have dramatically changed my diet to a far healthier and fuller diet. In fact, today I feel healthier than I have in a very long time. I completely cut meat out of my diet, I no longer drink, except an occasional red wine or beer and I eat mainly fresh organic fruits and vegetables. I am starting to 'juice' and I think that everyone should do the same. (Look up juicing if ya dont know what it is.) I intake just as many calories as I did last time I saw you, the only difference is now they are healthy calories, not burrito, In n Out and milk shake calories. With this change it is totally natural and obvious to lose some bad weight. Also, these are my opinions and should be taken as such. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION! I think everyone needs to make well informed choices on what they find and think to be the truth. What we put into our body is what nourishes us, this is what our lives are based on. We should not depend on people who have board members, CEO's or share holders to inform us- we need to decide for ourselves. If you wish to carry on without making any changes that is your choice, there are millions of people who will never make a change and live a long healthy life, but like a gun with one bullet, if that trigger is continually pulled it will eventually fire.
I will be sharing more and more of my findings with you guys and will include credible sources and references for you all to follow up on, I hope you all will take the time to read up...
In conclusion: I know a riddle that will make you fiddle. It will tickle your griddle and spawn a piddle. Would you like to hear my riddle? What is black, why and red all over?
A sunburned zebra.
I just got a shiny new phone so my photos are going to blow your mind! Follow me on instagram @coffsauce
Also, I fixed the issue which was causing so much trouble posting comments, now any and everyone can post comments and even do it anonymously!
:)
Ryan
It is both frustrating to me as well as everyone else. It has been a week since I did my last MRI and still no word. The next step in this journey is removing whatever is growing in my brain. Right now I feel like I am in a holding pattern running low on fuel. I have found myself getting more and more temperamental with both myself and the ones I love. I know this is not me and I am fixing it. Last night, thanks to Sue Hamrock there was a healing mass for myself and others who are currently facing ailments that are out of their hands. I am so thankful for everyone who came including friends I have not seen since high school! Seeing familiar faces was a type of easing therapy. I know I am facing a monstrous wall and hearing how many loving people are in my corner continually shocks me.
It is times like these that people show their true colors- when people know you are in a tough spot and they stick it out with you. Nobody likes dealing with illness at such a high level- nobody wants to know 'the sick guy.' I am so grateful for the people that stick it out with me, you guys will never truly know. The truth is, I will be fine one day and I will come out bigger, stronger and exponentially smarter. I truly feel like I was living an ignorant life when it came to my health. Everyone knows how bad certain foods are for you, but do we truly grasp what they do to the inside of our bodies?
I am learning things now that I wish I was taught in school and I think should be. It is a mystery to me that we can consume the foods we do and not expect a single thing to happen to our bodies. The meats the average American consumes contain so many hormones and additives it is no wonder our cancer rates are astronomically higher than the rest of the world. Most people think we are a product of our genes and doomed to a certain fate if our loved ones carried a gene, this is not true. The truth is that over 90% of all cancer cases are due to external factors. That means that one way or another we made a choice or choices in our lives that directly contributed to our disease. This is the reason I am so insistent with my friends who smoke or use tobacco products. It is literally the only known carcinogen we ingest willingly. I am not going to become the health preacher and insist everyone change their diet, that is up to you to make that choice. Just because I have made a dramatic change in my life does not mean that everyone needs to. What I will say though, is you can make small changes that make big differences in your life. We consume on average around 150-175 POUNDS of sugar a year. This is up from around 2-3 pounds historically. The majority of the sugar we get comes from sugary drinks, i.e. soda, energy drinks and yes - juices. The truth is that most of the juices we drink and think are semi-healthy have just as much sugar as coke, some have more. So that vitamin water you love is not as good for you as you might think. Cancer cells thrive and depend on sugar to grow so just cutting the most sugar out of your diet as you possibly can goes a long way!
Disclaimer* For the people I see going forward who have not seen me in years, I have lost a litttttle bit of weight. It is not from the tumor or any ailment, I have dramatically changed my diet to a far healthier and fuller diet. In fact, today I feel healthier than I have in a very long time. I completely cut meat out of my diet, I no longer drink, except an occasional red wine or beer and I eat mainly fresh organic fruits and vegetables. I am starting to 'juice' and I think that everyone should do the same. (Look up juicing if ya dont know what it is.) I intake just as many calories as I did last time I saw you, the only difference is now they are healthy calories, not burrito, In n Out and milk shake calories. With this change it is totally natural and obvious to lose some bad weight. Also, these are my opinions and should be taken as such. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION! I think everyone needs to make well informed choices on what they find and think to be the truth. What we put into our body is what nourishes us, this is what our lives are based on. We should not depend on people who have board members, CEO's or share holders to inform us- we need to decide for ourselves. If you wish to carry on without making any changes that is your choice, there are millions of people who will never make a change and live a long healthy life, but like a gun with one bullet, if that trigger is continually pulled it will eventually fire.
I will be sharing more and more of my findings with you guys and will include credible sources and references for you all to follow up on, I hope you all will take the time to read up...
In conclusion: I know a riddle that will make you fiddle. It will tickle your griddle and spawn a piddle. Would you like to hear my riddle? What is black, why and red all over?
A sunburned zebra.
I just got a shiny new phone so my photos are going to blow your mind! Follow me on instagram @coffsauce
Also, I fixed the issue which was causing so much trouble posting comments, now any and everyone can post comments and even do it anonymously!
:)
Ryan
Rockstar Ryan! You have an incredible following of friends behind you who know you'll nip this in the butt and keep on keeping on.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I'm sending good thoughts your way. I hope you know that you deserve all of the tremendous love and support you have been getting. You're a fantastic dude who deserves nothing less than the absolute best!
Thanks friend!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Ryan,
ReplyDeleteYou don't know me but I came across your blog from someone who linked it on facebook. I've been following along your journey since your first post and I thought I'd leave a comment to say hi. I guess your story just hit home with me because we're about the same age and it's just crazy how life can change in an instant, no matter who we are or how young we are. Your positive attitude really shows through your posts and I, along with many others, am so encouraged. I laugh and tear up all at the same time while reading.
I guess I'm commenting now because I'm frustrated that the doctors are taking so long to decide what needs to be done. I wish they would just hurry it up. But your attitude is amazing and you are an inspiration. I pray you will get the results soon and for the best care and path to take to get the tumor out, that you will be safe over the procedure, and praying of course for the best outcome. Don't loose hope my friend. I know you won't.
If you ever need anything, please post. I am sure there are many others out there, your friends who know you but also those who don't, that would want to help at the first chance, me included.
- a friend in orange county
Thanks for your support! I hope through all of this I can help others. If I can, it will have all been worth it!
DeleteRyan I have admired your words & your willingness to share. If more would share their, what I call Food for Thought, more would find they are not alone. It is amazing how many are out there looking for answers to Why, When, Where, How . . . Life is given & we should be willing to touch other lives. I've not sent my words yet. I need an editor & honest critique. Hope your answers come soon. Remain positive. You are continuing to touch so many lives. What an awesome and worthwhile work.
ReplyDeleteRyan, I was extremely moved by your latest blog post. I too blog about cancer, not my experiences, but those of my boyfriend who is currently battling a rare, agressive type of cancer, Ewing's sarcoma. We both have been struggling with the loss of relationships that we were sure would endure this difficult time. Keep your head up, you seem like you have a very positive attitude.
ReplyDeleteOur blog is
www.threeinonemillion.blogspot.ca