skin cancer

Scar Protocol

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“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

Maya Angelou

When I first started using essential oils over twenty years ago it was all about the smell for me. I loved the way that they blended together to make a custom perfume or to use in yoga classes. It wasn’t until many years later that I actually started to learn that the powerful molecules in plants are actually incredibly beneficial for our bodies. Let’s face it, prior to a Walgreens on every corner our ancestors used plants to heal many ailments–peppermint, chamomile, aloe, etc. In time I have filled my house and my work with essential oils for all purposes and I am so glad that I did. When I get a headache or a belly ache, I know that I can reach for something as simple as peppermint to soothe my body. Pure and potent without any side effects or long term risks that can come with over the counter medications.

One of the most common ways I use oils on a daily basis is on my skin. Growing up at a swimming pool and being a redhead lends its self to some sun damage. I couple of years ago I did a horrible treatment on my skin and chest to kill pre-cancerous cells. You basically put a very strong cream on and for two weeks and wherever you had cancer cells, the skin would turn black and die. My entire chest was covered in raw, red, black dying skin. It was horribly painful. My face surprisingly did not have much.

Once the process of that was over, I have been consistently applying essential oils to my chest to help the brand new skin stay rejuvenated and healthy. And of course, I wear sunscreen every day on my body and my face.

Despite the torture of the cream and a couple biopsies, Basal Cell has made its way into my life again. Thankfully I have an incredible dermatologist who is on it. Yesterday I had to have an area on my collarbone cut out and stitched back up. Once the stitches are out I will be addressing the scar and tissue with essential oils.

Since having to deal with the issue for the last two years, I have never leaned on my oils more to support my skin.

Here is the process of what oils I will use for scar revisioning and healthy skin.

Full face application: Immortelle followed by Yarrow|Pom, focuses on the scar. Applied morning and night.
Magnolia and Rose Touch, floral oils are

INCREDIBLE for skin health and regeneration.
Custom Blend: 15 drops Yarrow|Pom, 10 drops Helichrysum (promotes great blood flow), 10 drops Frankincense, 10 drops Sandalwood, 10 drops Myrrh. Topped with Fractionated coconut oil and I will apply it probably every 30 minutes or so…it is also soothing so will help with any discomfort.

Not only are these oils incredible for skin rejuvenation, but they also help with the huge swing of emotions that have come along with this process. Flowers are so soothing for the mind and really foster a sense of love so as I walk through this I am reminded of love for my body, the process and deep trust. The investment is big, I get that. However, these oils are versatile and can be used for may things beyond just the skin. If you only used them on your face and chest this investment will literally last you months if not years. Think of how many garbage products you have used on your skin that aren’t pure and are filled with extra junk and the money literally tossed down the drain.

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Why I Have Been Laying Low

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If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed that I have been laying low the past month or so, and perhaps you have wondered why my teaching has been so much less these days. This month I had only two classes in my yoga studio and did not create any new virtual content. I have been working really hard at choosing radical self-care and balancing the demands of pretty challenging clients that I am blessed enough to see. My version of radical self-care is plenty of time to walk, working out everyday (in fact, I started an amazing strength training program five weeks ago that has rocked my world), and making the time for myself to feel my best in whatever that might be on a given day.

A couple months ago I mentioned to my doctor that I have been feeling pretty lousy, and the feeling was more than the usual chronic pain/fibromyalgia/lupus yuck that I experience most days. I explained to her that this new pain and not feeling great felt different, but I could not put a finger exactly on what I was experiencing. After listening to my symptoms she ran some additional blood tests to see if anything showed up. Indeed it did. She explained that my unexplained symptoms (extreme fatigue, soreness, loss of hair, weight loss, and overall malaise) might be contributed to very high iron levels. She ran some more tests and it was discovered that I have a single mutation of a genetic blood disorder called Hereditary Hemochromatosis. The way to remove the iron overload is a series of blood donations done fairly frequently. Many people donate blood and it is not a big deal. Well, since I am not like the average person (and if you ask my family, they will all say I am the difficult freak in the family when it comes to medical stuff), it is REALLY hard on me. It wipes me out like nothing I have ever experienced. I am exhausted, worn out, pale, puny and extremely weak for several days following my every two weeks blood letting.

At this same time, I committed to following my dermatologist insistence to begin a treatment to rid my over exposed skin to an intense skin cancer treatment. Essentially this topical treatment will eat away any pre-cancerous or cancerous cells. Because I have so much damage from the sun, he suggested I take three months to complete this protocol, rather than the usual two weeks regimen. Aye aye aye is all I can say. Imagine second degree burns and extreme itching for three months; blisters, scabs, abrasions, etc. all over my face, neck and chest. It is so uncomfortable and so painful, and really ugly.

Between the horrible blood treatments, the intense skin issues and my everyday pain and feeling miserable, I haven’t had the mojo to put on my pretty face and teach a ton of Yoga online or in my studio. These days I am lucky to make it to my assisted living sites and keep up with running a business to earn an income. The behind the scenes of any small business is bigger than one might imagine, and in normal months, it takes a TON of my energy. Over the last few months, it has been a real struggle.

So, if you see me walking in my neighborhood in a sun hat and a scarf, that is why. If you don’t see me producing tons of online content or hosting classes in my studio, that is why. If I don’t respond to your texts, emails or messages as fast as I used to, that is why. If I am grumpy and short with you, that is why.

As I teach so often, I am reminded that everything is temporary. That mindset does not mean that this is easy because it is not. But, I do try to hold on that this too will pass. My blood will be normal again. My skin will heal beautifully. I will manage my pain as I have for decades. In the meantime, I encourage each of you who is reading this to never underestimate the power of the human spirit, and also to remember that you may have no idea what kind of battle someone is fighting, so always err on the side of compassion.

Hopefully this will clear up some of the wondering some of you have had about my stepping back a bit.

Blessings to you and yours.