Skip to main content

Can the way you think influence your health?

Can the way you think influence your health? It must have an effect on your health, they say there is science behind it to prove it, I believe it does help to think positive. I have noticed living with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), and having follow up scopes every 3, 6, or 9 months effects a person, you have a feeling of not being in control of your future, or what it may hold for you. I guess I kind of knew it all these past 45 years, but found some ways to deal with it, some good and some not so good. I made decisions a lot of the time to do things that made me happy, sacrificed some opportunities, I made lots of mistakes, or just ran away from situations.
 
My current therapist helped me start to realize what I have been doing and how to deal with a future I feel I can’t control. She pointed out that I had made it to this point by doing just what I talked about above. I can’t control what will happen, but I can make choices, and decisions that help me, and get me over the tough things in life. Not sure anyone or even my self understands why I do or did somethings.

I made it through the Whipple Surgery, a long complicated recovery, and maybe I did because I wanted to return to a happy, healthy and active life. Yes I can’t control the cells that are growing, forming polyps, and maybe changing, but I can try my best to stay positive. I still have really bad days where it’s hard to get out of the negative funk, that’s when I have work the hardest. Sometimes something simple like a random dance party in my tiny home works, or sitting and watching the birds at the feeders. Getting out in nature on my bike or by foot can make me realize how lucky I truly am. No Idea what the future holds for me, but I am going to keep plugging along, and do my best to stay positive, it really has helped me. Cheers


 
The Happy Flag Salute.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The number of polyps / adenomas increase after Whipple Surgery, and start of taking a Proton Pump Inhibitor(PPI) why?

   UPDATED Jan 8 2026 The number of polyps / adenoma, in my remaining colon, rectum and stomach, has increased since after my Whipple Surgery , and I started taking a Proton Pump Inhibitor. The Whipple re-configures the digestive tract, and creates a new connection between the stomach and the small intestine (jejunum). Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prescribed to patients after a Whipple to prevent ulcers and bleeding in the upper digestive tract . Do Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) cause an  increase the numbers of polyps with   Familial Adenomatous Polyposis , FAP ? There is a study,  Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science, that seems to suggest that using a Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) for over 12 months is a significant risk factor for developing advanced colon polyps. As of June 17, 2025 there are now several small  Fundic Gland Polyps in my stomach, this is the 1st time I can remember or seen any word of these, and not sure if this because ...
Post a Comment
Read more

2 year Whipple Aniversery and Update.

 It's hard to believe but 2 years has passed since my Whipple ( Nov 17, 2023). I am loving my new post Whipple life, and wasn't sure I would be able to say that. The first 5 months after the Whipple were really rough , I was in hospital for all of it other than the 21 days at a friends place struggling with drains, leaks/fistula and pain. Around the 6 month anniversary things started to improve, the fistula/leaks had healed,  and the feeding tube was removed. Life was slowly starting to return to the new normal. I turned 62 in August and can't believe the things I have been able to do this past year. I returned to part time work as mountain bike guide and coach with Alberta66 MTB . Spent more time on the bike with friends ( biked 3200 km with 64000m of elevation gain), got to see most of my Happy Places . I Volunteered with Friends of Kananaskis and West Bragg Trails , helping with trail maintenance and as a trail host ( to date over 300 hrs this year). The tra...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ferritin and Iron levels.

 UPDATED Dec 12, 2025 Happy to report that what I have done over the past 12 months has helped my Ferritin and Iron levels stay stable and a slight increase. Part of the on going follow up after my Whipple Surgery is having blood work done at 3 and 6 month intervals. Blood work done in Nov 2024, a year post Whipple, showed my iron levels to be in the normal range, but the Ferritin levels had started to drop. Both my primary Doctor and dietitian recommend me increasing my daily iron intake to see if that would help raise my Ferritin level . The duodenum is removed during the Whipple, and it plays a crucial role in iron absorption , so removing of this section of the small bowel reduces the body's ability to absorb iron. Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body's cells and It's found in many cells, especially in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow . A low ferritin level after the Whipple is common and is often due to impaired iron absorption caused by the remova...
Post a Comment
Read more