Being Informed

*I know Wayne is on break. And we are not talking about cancer while he is feeling so good, but today I just needed to get this off my chest.

Since Wayne's diagnosis, I have looked at the world with new eyes. More fearful, less trusting, critical eyes.

I think about the radiation emitting from our cell phones. I think about how sarcomas can be caused by too much radiation (sarcomas can be a horrible side effect from radiation therapies designed to treat other types of cancer).

I think about the plastic we store our food in. About how harmful chemicals leach from it and into our food when heated (in dishwashers or microwaves, for example).

I think about all the things we come into contact with. The food we eat. The water we drink.

And I think of how the cancer rate just continues to climb - especially in the young.

I remember shopping for Christmas presents at Anthropolgie and seeing a large bin by the register. It was stuffed full of plush animals waiting to be adopted and sent to the children of Denver who were being treated in the oncology ward. I thought of those kids and the ones we've seen at MDA and the ones I've come across online, and I wonder why? Why Wayne? Why them? Who next??

I'm the type that tries to choose organic when the option is there. I go to Whole Foods when I can. I do not, however, bypass the conventional when it's on the grocery list and it's a lot less expensive. And then I feel guilty.

I wonder if Wayne was exposed to something toxic that caused his cancer and I wonder if I was exposed to it, too. And is it just a matter of time before I get it? What if it's genetic and what are the chances my children will have cancer? These are horrible, horrible things to think about. I obsess about all it, though.

Why this alarmist post today?

A couple of our non-stick pans are starting to show their age, the non-stick coating is coming off. They need to be thrown away. Do you need to do this too? Yes.

I use a lot of plastic to store food because I haven't wanted to spend the money by replacing everything with glass - but I am going to do it anyway. Have you thought about this? You should.

We are getting a land-line for our home phone again. We disconnected it when we moved to Rapid, and never reconnected it to save a few bucks, but our children are not going to be using or talking on cell phones until I figure out their risk. Already many publications I have read talk about the horrible danger associated with radiation exposure and brain development/or cancer.

This year I am following my in-laws lead and planting a garden for our veggies. I would have my own chickens, too, if I could. :)

Wayne has started taking multiple vitamins and drinking a lot of green tea as steps to keep his body fighting his cancer while on break.  I am so proud of him!

I don't know if any of this will help, but thinking for myself instead of letting advertising influence me- and being more proactive in my family's health - is a long time coming.

 

Glass Containers and  Food Storage found at Container Store.

Organic vegetable seeds for gardening.