5 Years since I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer

5 Years since I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. It is hard to believe that five years have passed since my Thyroid Cancer diagnosis. In June 2014 my life and my family’s lives radically changed when we learned I had cancer. I still remember how afraid my family and I were, to hear the doctor say you have cancer. I recall thinking this can not be happening to me, this must be a mistake I thought. I am fine this is not true, I am healthy, I am not sick. I didn’t have any symptoms how could this be? This was my first response, extreme shock and denial as a coping mechanism for what I anticipated was coming ahead.

I knew cancer as terminal illness, I knew somewhat of its scary healing treatments. I had heard a list of horror stories from people I knew were captives to this horrible disease. I remember playing over and over in my head the possible treatments I would have to endure while the doctor was breaking the news to me and my husband Alvaro. It is difficult to put in words the endless emotional roller coaster my family and I were on.

Shortly after my diagnosis, I chose the road less traveled and followed a holistic approach to healing. At the time, I didn’t know much about cancer other than it was a very scary word tied to much pain, suffering, and even death. Something within me told me to take a different path than the one offered by the doctors at that time. I don’t know how to explain it other than our inner voice, our intuition, God in us. I quickly started researching on the internet what I could do tackle what I was facing. Somehow I knew removing my thyroid was not the answer for me. Removing a functioning body part didn’t make sense to help me find my cure.

Days and weeks after I was diagnosed, I had to not only stand in faith to cancer but I also had to face all those around me wanting me to have surgery. Surgery and radiation is how this is treated. This is what you must do.” There was this urgency when people spoke with me that I had to make a decision FAST! Which added more stress to the already stressful situation. But everything in me was saying “No! Surgery and radiation is not the best path for me. I want to step back, learn more, explore options.” After all, it had taken a long time for my body to develop cancer. My inner being said it is okay to wait a few days and explore…and this is what I did. Standing up to the pressure was as exhausting as cancer.

I was dreading the journey, I knew it was going to be long, and painful. I knew though no one could do it for me. So, I chose to arm myself with courage and follow the road less traveled. Shielding myself from negativity and fear was a must. I was making the decision to go against the flow of things, and everyone in my inner circle—my husband, parents, brothers, and friends—were trying to change my mind. Although their standard approach for doing so was coming from a good place in their hearts, somehow though negativity and fear kept popping up. They were trying to scare me into believing that anything other than surgery and radiation would be disastrous.

Dealing with all of that negativity and fear started to feel like another thing on my “to do” list, a thing that I absolutely did not want to deal with. It got to the point where I felt like I was being forced to deal with other people’s thoughts and inner battles on top of my own. Since their thoughts always seemed to come from a place of fear, I really just couldn’t handle it. As if facing this disease wasn’t challenging enough!

Little did I know of all the things that were going to unfold in my journey that my body formed cancer to wake me up. I thought I was doing life just fine, many of us feel this way. But to my surprise, the reality is that many of us are functioning in life, completely unaware of this truth. Focused on how to make money, meet deadlines, pay bills, earn the acceptance of others by having a long list of titles on their business cards. Working so hard to gain praise and recognition from the outside. Pretending to live in happiness when in reality they’re miserable wishing they had a different life. I am not saying this is the case for all of us but there’s so much truth in this. I’ve met so many people in my path that said if they could do it all over again, they would seize every opportunity their way.

Cancer knocked on my door and gave me an opportunity to live differently, to learn more about myself and further understand what truly matters in life. I know I was very lucky and I know many other people with cancer do not have this opportunity. I do feel blessed to look back to these five years and say to myself, I’m proud of you Karen.

Fast forward five years later, I am pleased and extremely grateful to say… I am CANCER FREE !!!

Yes, that’s right… Cancer-free. I had been experiencing symptoms on my left breast and of course everyone especially doctors think cancer. My awesome team of doctors all agreed and recommended I do thermography to check my breasts. Well, let me report to you that the findings were impressive, to say the least. Not only did we rule out any cancer activity but we found no activity in the Thyroid area which matches my blood results from the previous month indicating markers to be normal. Glory to my GOD!!

These past five years have taught me so much about many different things but most importantly what it means to be healthy. It is not only what we eat but also what we think, what we feel, our environment, etc. Just like four legs sustain and balance a table our health depends on balanced nutrition, a healthy emotional state, an spiritual connection to our creator, and a sound mind. My cancer healing journey has been a transformational process, a process of healing, growth, and rebirth to a new me. Cancer has been truly an invitation to live again and I am GRATEFUL!

Below you will see a picture of the thermography scan taken a few weeks back. You can clearly see the butterfly shape and on the left side (your right as you are looking at it) a highlighted area… I call it my mentor, my transformational scar. Proof there’s no cancer there!

Many people ask me what did it? what healed you? The honest truth is my body did it. I listened and provided the elements it needed to heal and it did. I give all glory and honor to my God for His faithful guidance, for pouring His grace over my life and for gently walking with me through it all. Thank you for reading this far and for all your prayers and encouragement all these years. Wishing you much love, peace & health & in your wellness journey.