Last year I made a comment in a LinkedIn post: “I’ve never been the kind of person to give myself a Birthday party and I always admired people who did.” To my amazement, over 200 people viewed that post and gave me support. I was blown away!
This year I am emboldened to actually give myself a Virtual Party.
This year is particularly important to me because I feel it’s a miracle that I am alive and experiencing robust health and the most Joy, Peacefulness, and Happiness I have ever felt in my life.
For those who haven’t been following me, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Pancreatic cancer on October 7, 2020. I had a Distal Pancreatectomy on October 23, 2020 that removed 40% of my Pancreas (which contained an 11mm tumor), all of my Spleen, and 8 lymph nodes. That major surgery was followed by 5 months of the chemotherapy Gemsar. I developed blood clots in the bottom segments of both lungs, due to the cancer and the chemo, and was on the blood thinner, Eliquis, for a year.
After 30-months of “no detectable trace of cancer,” an 11mm metastatic Pancreatic tumor planted itself in the upper Left segment of my Liver. At that point, all the doctors were very pessimistic about my prognosis. I chose to have an Ablation of the tumor performed by an Interventional Radiologist – despite the circle of doctors in the Pancreatic department saying, “We never do Ablations for Pancreas patients.”
Following the Ablation, I chose NOT to start systemic chemotherapy. I firmly believed my body could heal herself with the same Holistic Cancer Recovery methods I had been using for the last 3 years: anti-cancer diet, rigorous exercise of 1-2 hour walks up and down steep hills, art therapy, prayer, gardening, mindfulness, and living with a purpose to inspire cancer patients around the world. I leaned heavily into the LOVE and SUPPORT I received from God, my family, my Judith Anne Desjardins Support Group, my followers on LinkedIn and YouTube.
It has been my great honor to share my Cancer Journey and to be a witness to the POWER OF GOD to guide and help us in our times of need. Truly He has walked with me every step of the way, on my darkest days and my days of celebration.
I never expected to have this experience with cancer, but to tell you the truth, I am grateful that I am having it. Cancer gives us the opportunity to dive deep within ourselves, to shut the world out and listen to the Divine and our own Inner Wisdom.
There were times when I was so frightened, doubtful, quivering….about Recurrence, about tests, about what becoming “Stage 4” would mean to my life, but I finally realized that FEAR IS WORSE THAN HAVING CANCER.
Once I had that realization, I FINALLY BROKE FREE FROM FEAR. Cancer has taught me to celebrate each day with gusto. To Celebrate each birthday with Thanksgiving and Love for myself for being a strong, vulnerable Warrior Maiden. To APPRECIATE each blessing I receive from people. To WRAP MYSELF in NATURE, DANCE, TAI CHI, PRAYER. To spend HOURS EACH DAY KISSING MY DARLING KITTY HOPIE.
I now have had “no detectable trace of cancer” anywhere in my body since my Ablation on June 13, 2023! All of my doctors – my Pulmonary Dr, my Interventional Radiologist, my Oncologist – credit this amazing result to the power of my determination to follow a Holistic Cancer Recovery approach to healing cancer.
First and foremost, I credit the Holy Trinity. Then I credit the power of Love, Support, and Prayers from my family and friends. I also credit each and every doctor, Nurse Practitioner, nurse, scan technician, scheduler in the UCLA system who have worked with me. I am grateful to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research for giving me a community of people who love and support me.
As a present to myself, I created my new website, which chronicles my cancer recovery and the wisdom and resources I accumulated along the way: www.HolisticCancerRecoveryHub.com
I dedicate it to God and cancer patients around the world. It is my deepest hope that it will bless countless people and become a global community of interactive sharing and support.
Thanks so much for coming to my Party. I send you my Love,
Judith Anne
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