During my battle with cancer, there were five elements to my life that I felt were conducive to winning this battle. The first element was faith. My faith was tested in this process, especially because it was the only thing I had to rely on. God was the only one who would see me through this. The second element was family, including those loved ones who aren't closely related. It was my relatives, coworkers, church family, and friends who were my biggest cheerleaders. They sent cards, bouquet of flowers, fruit baskets, and encouraging messages to help keep me going. The third element was fitness. Although it had become quite challenging to work out, I would try somedays to take a walk outside, get some fresh air, and even sit and gaze at the water for serenity. Fitness for me was at a basic level, I considered myself a beginner. Most days, I looked forward to going for a walk at a outdoor mall or park. The fourth element was food. Nearly everything I ate became challenging. I couldn't tolerate certain smells. After expressing these concerns with my doctors, they recommended I eat what I could tolerate and what I enjoyed. This was much easier to wrap my mind around once realizing what triggered me. Lastly, the fifth element that kept me going was doing something fun. I didn't embrace this as much during the journey as I did thereafter. However, I made it a point to draft a list of activities I wanted to do or trips I wanted to go on once I finished treatment. I knew I wanted to capture every moment I could with lots of pictures and fun times. Since the day I rung the bell, I can say I have lived by these very five elements to keep me pushing in this journey.
(5 Elements of Life)