Cervical cancer: my futureAt this time, my Pap tests show negative for HPV. Yeah! The doctors told me that that would happen eventually, but I just felt so unlucky for so long that I didn't quite believe them. What happens is that your own immune system knocks down the HPV. It's a virus like any other virus in that it's in your body, but under control. Like chickenpox--some people get shingles later on, but most of us don't. To help my immune system, I take a lot of vitamins. I take 8 mg of astaxanthin, 5000-8000 IU of vitamin D, and a multivitamin daily. I also take fish oil and some other antioxidants, which vary from time to time. I take chlorella, too, and I had my amalgam fillings removed. I eat better. I eat fresh fruits and vegetables and hormone-free meats and dairy. I don't eat much bread or starches or candy because I read that sugar consumption weakens your immune system. I also make sure I get my sleep. I will often nap when the baby naps, and I don't feel guilty about it! Sleep is very important for your health. The bonus to all this is that I don't get colds or flu anymore. My baby is also very healthy and doesn't get colds. I can't say that I'll never get sick in the future. I just want it to be a minor cold, not cancer again. I don't take my immune system for granted anymore. It must have been weaker back when I was diagnosed with cancer because it didn't fight the virus off well enough. I try not to kick myself too much for that because I can't change it, but it is a reminder of what can happen when I don't take care of myself. In thinking about why my immune system was weak then, I can pinpoint a few things: I didn't eat all that well, and I didn't take vitamins to supplement what I don't get from food. I also ran a lot in preparing for a marathon, which is very physically stressful. I looked pretty good because I was fit, but I didn't eat enough protein to rebuild what I was losing. I'm looking forward to a great future with my long-awaited child! And maybe there will be more, but at least I feel like I have that option now. For fun, I built this website and another one on rosacea--unlike cervical cancer, rosacea is never cured, so that project will continue forever! I love helping other people as they search for answers, too. I hope my website has helped you.
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