On the downhill side of the mountain! (by Susan)

I was telling George that going through the cancer and chemo this year was like climbing a big mountain on your bike - hard, sometimes boring, sometimes feeling like you're not going to make it going up - then, just when you think your're going to collapse (or maybe you have already collapsed several times), you hit the top - pause for a moment to take in the view, and then start the long, fun descent that you've earned.    We've been sitting at the rest stop for the past week, just enjoying the scenery, catching our breath, and now we're about to hop on our bikes and start down. 

George is definitely getting better each day - getting his strength back, breathing better, voice more normal, and getting more hair!  He has actually been getting bored at home, which is a good sign because it means he's getting back to his old self.  I am also starting to feel as if I'm awakening from a long nightmare.   We are planning all kinds of fun stuff this fall - we're calling it "Fabulous Fall".  One thing these experiences make you realize is that you should just take your fun and good times whenever you can get them!  So, in the spirit of Fabulous Fall, I am declaring some things I am going to stop doing:
- Feeling guilty
- Doing things out of obligation
- Working too much (some people I work with might dispute that I have EVER worked too much, but I feel as if I have!)
-Worrying
- Justifying myself

And that's not even the whole list - I'm just getting started!

People have been so great to us throughout this whole thing - I am awed by the level of caring that our family and friends have expressed.    This is something you just can't buy (hmmm - wasn't that a Beatles song?)

A few people have asked how the veganism is going, so here's an update.  I have found, to my surprise, that after weaning myself from meat, I no longer miss it at all.  I have cut out all eggs and dairy, except for occasional cheese (because, as I've posted elsewhere, it is addicitive with opiates in it - no joke!)  The other thing I've fallen off the wagon for is sushi on several occasions.  So, I guess you can call me a Vegan with Occassional Cheese and Sushi.   George has never totally given up meat - he still has turkey and chicken for lunch, but he has given up most dairy and eggs and red meat, so he is eating much smaller amounts of animal products than he used to.

I am feeling really GREAT on the vegan diet!  Now that George is off chemo, my energy is coming back too.  It is weird that I used to collapse on the couch every Monday night after George's chemo sessions.  I think I was more stressed out about it than I knew consciously.    I have not lost any weight on the vegan diet (darn!) but I have not gained any either - I am pretty much at a stable weight eating basically as much as I want to.    I have not had my blood chemistry checked yet, but I will let everyone know the next time I get my cholesterol checked. 

Here are some of the vegan benefits I've noticed:
- Digestive system feels really good
- Joint pain has gone away
- Yoga feels really good (maybe due to absence of joint pain?)
- Energy level has been good
- You can eat batter and cookie dough without worrying about salmonella
- Don't need to worry about germs and rotting meat in your kitchen
- Improved sense of smell
- Don't need to worry about gross uncleanliness and e.coli contamination from Big Food enterprises (because we also eat organic)
- I feel like I am karmically one with the universe because I'm not eating animals!

If anyone is interested in going vegan, I highly recomend the 21-Day Vegan kickstart.  It has menus, shopping lists, recipes, and moral support for people trying to change their eating habits.  There is a new one about to start next week.  Here is the link:

http://pcrm.org/newsletter/sep10/kickstart.html

I am hoping that this new eating lifestyle will help create a healthy future for George and me. 

We are both looking forward to having a fun, relaxing Labor Day weekend, then George is back to work next week.

We thank all of the people who contributed to help us get vegan, organic meals delivered to our home during these next few weeks - what a wonderful gift and so perfect!  You have obviously been reading the blog!