One of the top most things I am obsessed with is my teeth.  It stems from the fact that my teeth are hard to hide (even if I wanted to) because they are pretty big.  I get them genetically from my amazing mama.  I had braces in high school (thanks mom and dad) because I had a pretty large overbite.  Fun fact, we had the best Orthodontist and I did everything he asked me too, from brushing my teeth after every Meal (yes that meant at lunchtime in high school I would go to the bathroom to clean them) to wearing my retainer every day for an entire year.  I still wear my retainer at night for a couple of hours every month to make sure they stay straight!

There any many things that I do to keep them looking pearly white and I want to share them with you because I get asked all the time 🙂

1.  Drink Water 

2.  CREST whitening toothpaste

3.  CREST whitening rinse/mouth wash

4. Floss

5. Smile Pop whitening pen 

6. Tongue Scraper

Drink Water-

Drinking half you body weight in ounces of water every single day should be a habit as it is.  Water is essential for your organs to function, our bodies are made up of 75% water so it’s needed to live.

Water helps flush out toxins and keeps those stains off your teeth.  I don’t drink anything else throughout the day such as sodas or juices as they can cause staining as well. I do drink 1 cup of coffee a day, but that’s it. Water also helps keep your metabolism and energy up, so drink it up!

Whitening toothpaste

I know a lot of people have told me they stay away from these toothpastes because it makes their teeth feel sensitive. I have been using CREST brand whitening toothpaste for over a decade and have never had that issue, I can’t speak for any other brands. But I also am a good dental patient and get my cleaning done and teeth checked twice a year. Dental sensitivity can be due to multiple factors, make sure you see your Dentist on the regular.

Whitening Rinse

I again am partial to CREST Diamond Strength whitening rinse as it helps get those superficial stains off my teeth. If you know me personally you know my vice and love I have food a good glass of red wine (preferably a Malbec from Argentina) 😉 and even with me drinking my wine on the weekends, this rinse keeps my teeth shining bright.

Floss

Oh flossing the teeth can be such a tedious task, but those Dentist’s definitely know what they are talking about, flossing helps SO many things. From keeping your gums strong, decreasing cavities and in my personal opinion keeping those teeth clean so they stay looking white. I have a water Pik as well but that definitely make my teeth feel sensitive so I have switched back to standard floss picks. Side note: I have a 6 year old and 4 year old and have them floss once a week and they have been going to the Dentist since they turned 2 and they don’t have a single cavity so if you do it, your kids will follow.

Smile Pop Whitening Pen

My amazing friend, Dr. Courtney is a most talented Orthodontist I have ever know, follow her IG for some funny laughs and the most amazing tips. She has a practice in New York but we have known each other since Undergrad. I knew when she released this pen, I had to have one. She created the pen and it does wonders. I use it once or twice a week now right before I go to bed since I am at the color I want my teeth. But weeks that I indulge a little too much on my wine, I use it more often. I have purchased many more after for gifts and I have at least 4 extra on hand so I never run out.

Tongue Scraping

Being Indian, tongue scraping has always been a part of my life. But I started doing it consistently for the last 5 years when my Mother in Law brought me one back from India. My husbands family is all about tongue scraping because it has so many benefits such as removing bacteria which then reduces breathe odor, better sense of taste, activates organs and better digestion! For me personally I have noticed it helps keep my teeth clean and white!

Hope this tips and tricks have motivated you to incorporate these in your daily life so we can all white bright smiles 🙂

What I absolutely love is items from Lululemon, I have been obsessed since 2013 when I ran my first half marathon and needed an outfit that would last and not ride up.  Ever since then, I’ve been loyal to their products, and they have not been disappointing!

I know there are dupes out there, but they’re just not worth it- my personal opinion.  These are my must- haves for the busy active female.

All my outfits are linked on my LTK shop – baby_unbreasted CLICK HERE

1)  Jacket

2) All Night Festival bag – Micro

3) Align Leggings

4)  City Adventure Backpack – Mini

5) Baseball hat

6) Belt Bag

7) Yoga Mat

8) Sculpt Tank

9) All Festival bag – large

10) Overnight Tote Bag

Define Jacket

The define jacket is so durable, can be layered for colder temperatures and has the best fit. I accents any body and it can be worn to and from class or to brunch. Such great quality, I have had mine for over 6 years and it still looks brand new!

All night Festival bag- Micro

This bag is my go to everyday bag since the day I bought it! It is easy to clean, has the perfect amount of storage and the black with gold accents make it stand out. I love this bag so much that you guessed it, I have gifted it to a lot of my friends as well.

Align Leggings

These leggings are the best, the fit like a glove and you never need to adjust them whether you are running, biking or doing a sculpt class. They also last multiple washes as long as you are washing them with clothes that do not have zippers or they can get snagged and only line -dry!

Here is the link to my LTK shop with my outfit

Backpack

My girlfriend posted this on her Deals page, called Daily Deals for moms when it came on sale and I didn’t I would need this in my life as much as I have used it. This backpack is the perfect size for those park walks where your kids need water or snacks- I have used this everyday last Summer and its the perfect size and durability! Of course I had to get the matching hat, this combo does not disappoint!

Here is a link to my LTK shop with all the Outfit

Belt bag

This belt bag is what recently put Lululemon all over the map again, EVERYONE has this bag and its the best thing ever, its the fashionable Fanny pack that was missing from all our lives. I have the black and the grey and really want to get every color – its perfect for traveling/quick errands/concerts/festivals basically everything! All pieces of this outfit linked in my LTK shop

Yoga Mat and Sculpt Tank

I do a sculpt yoga class 3-4 times a week at my local yoga studio so naturally I had to look the part and found this tank on the web site, I now own 8 different colors of it and its the best fit, never do I have to pull it down or up while I am working out and it goes with everything especially the align leggings 🙂 I have had my share of random yoga mats in the past years so almost 2 years ago I purchased this yoga mat and its been the best. It never smells, its so thick that it feels so soft when I use it and gives me the support I need to complete my workouts!

My entire outfit linked here in my LTK shop

All Night Festival Bag

Why do I need another bag, because why not? This bag provides a larger storage compartment than my Micro, I use my micro for day to day but I use this large for when I am going on longer trips with the kids, need to bring a lot more items than just my wallet. Its lasted so many trips and vacations. Love all these pieces and they are linked here

Overnight Tote Bag

This bag is the BEST size for those quick overnight get-a-ways, for trips to the spa and to the gym. It has a special pocket for your water bottle, lots of zippers for important documents and the perfect size to fit anywhere. Another great find from my friend, Daily Deals for Moms! All pieces of this outfit linked here.

There you have it, my favorite items from Lululemon tried and tested and they are ALL worth it! Hope you find your next favorite its worth the splurge.

Something I absolutely love to talk about and am obsessed with, is un-medicated natural birthing and the whole process behind it!

Majority of you may know with my background of being a chiropractor, I was very adamant and having the least interventions  (if any) when it came to birthing both of my kids.  Never really put much thought into it, until I became pregnant. 5 things that helped me prepare:

1. Affirmations
2. The Bradley Method
3. 30 Minutes of Movement
4. Being your own Advocate
5. Consistency

In addition to doing the Bradley Method, I was introduced to affirmations. Affirmations to ease your mind, everyone knows the saying, mind over matter and that is the most true statement when it comes to letting go and giving birth un-medicated.

I had 4 affirmations that I kept repeating to myself that helped me get through it all.

“My body was made to do this”

“ I am strong enough”

“ I breathe deeply, and I am calm”

“I trust my body”

In addition to that, I was making sure to move my body for at least 30 minutes a day-  for my work day I used to see patients in the morning for a shift and then again in the afternoon.  Between that break time I used to go home take our dog Harrison out, do a yoga you tube video by Denise Austin, eat lunch and head back to work.  There were many days where I was super exhausted, but I knew I had to do these things to prepare for the marathon of giving birth ahead. It helps so much that my job in practice was  being on my feet and moving around constantly. Movement is key!

Once the day arrived I couldn’t believe this is where I prepared for.  Read more about Kiaan’s birth story here.  

For Aria my contractions started at 9pm and came on quick and strong.  We got to the hospital at 10:30pm and I was 7CM dilated they took me up to Labor and delivery, they asked if I wanted an epidural and I kindly said no and requested to opt out of getting an IV put in as well (my veins are pretty shot from Chemo and I didn’t want anything else to irritate them)  they complied and were very supportive of my advocacy.

I was then dilated to 9cm, my water broke and then Aria made her appearance at 11:37pm.  It was surreal and I clearly remember saying to my husband “I can’t believe me and my body did that again “

Giving birth un-medicated and naturally is something you have to prepare, not only your body- but your mind alike, both experiences were just as I wanted and I encourage you to do your research and prepare if that is something you want to do as well!

Click here to check out my podcast (Spinal Tap )episode about Natural birthing featuring my sister Sadhna!

If you know me at all you you know I absolutely love a good blazer!

They help dress up and really give any outfit the boost it needs.  It helps make you feel put together and they never go out of style- as a working mom of 2 I always need items that will last me because let’s face it who has time to go shopping in a store anymore! 

Unless I am traveling that is 😉

Here are 5 different ways to wear a blazer: Majority of mine are from H and M, Zara and Express!

1) with a skirt

2) with shorts

3) with a dress

4) with Spanx

5) with jeans

With a skirt

 Skirts come in so many different styles, long/ short/straight and pleated-

I prefer my pleated skirts with a short blazer and my straight skirts with a long blazer.  Long meaning long enough to cover my bum.  The thing about blazers is, if the fit is right it really slims the look and really pulls it all together.

With shorts

I live in Chicago where we get all the seasons and then some.  I love the changes on our weather and I plan for it accordingly.

I wear shorts in the Summer and add my favorite crop top from Amazon, more on my favorite Amazon purchases in my next post – I have it in 4 colors, best cut and fit and add a blazer on top. 

Everywhere you go it’s hot outside and freezing like the arctic inside because of the AC, so a blazer is necessary! 

For the winter, I wear my darker colored blazers and add tights and boots to be comfortable for the climate and usually pair with these faux leather Shorts that compliment literally everyone, the softest faux leather ever!

With a dress

For me being 5’7” I don’t prefer wearing dresses, for me.  If I do I usually add a blazer because it gives me that complete look. It’s a great addition warm or cold weather because a dress is usually thin and you need that extra clothing to be prepared!

With spanx

Spanx is by far my absolutely favorite way to wear pants! 

I have the original faux leather leggings, the Moto pair, the athletic pair you name it,  The fit is amazing and adding a blazer to any top you wear under it gives it that complete look, add a heel or boots and this look is made for any occasion.

With jeans

For my work trips on order to be causal and not too dressy I wear our logo-ed t- shirt with my jeans and add a blazer on top. If I am going to be presenting at an event, I will go for my fitted blazer if it’s more of a social event I will chose my loose ones – regardless of which one I choose if helps me be comfortable yet professional when I am traveling!

Hopefully these tips help you to incorporate more blazers in your life, they are my top favorite piece of clothing as they never go out of style and usually fit forever!

Something that I absolutely love is my daily routine.  I am a creature of habit and I perform well in all aspects of my life if I stay on routine – here is my day to day breakdown, hoping it helps you stick to yours!

1. Honey Lemon Water
2. Ice Roller
3. Movement/Exercise
4. Nutrition
5. Standing/Walking
6. Lavender
7. CBD Oil
8. Teeth whitening pen
9. Reading
10. Gratitude Journal
11. Mediation

My amazing dad got me into drinking honey lemon water, for as long as I can remember growing up he would wake up and make hot water and squeeze a fresh lemon and a Tsp of honey in it.  There was so many benefits to drinking it such as increasing immunity, helping regulate your digestion and revving up your metabolism.  

I have a great Tea pot that warms up my water and I prefer local honey but when we run out I like Costco honey.  My favorite honey by far has been sugar bee honey from Japan.

While I wait for my water to heat up I grab my skinny confidential Ice roller and ice roll my face it helps to increase circulation, de-puff and tighten skin. I have learned so much for following Lauryn Bosstick and her amazing brand The Skinny Confidential! I have purchased these rollers for myself and have giving them as gifts too 😉

Movement

I usually wake up around 4:45am (If I am heading to my sculpt class) or 6am if I am taking the later class. I grab my honey lemon water and head to the my yoga studio. I take a sculpt class 3 times a week, do a peloton lane break workout twice a week and walk a treadmill to do 12/3/30 once a week. In addition I try to get outside for 30mins for a walk.  

It’s so important to keep your body moving- the healthiest places in the world called the blue zones are because people are constantly walking and moving.  The Apple Watch is great for many reasons (more on my technology obsessions in a future post) but I love that it has rings for movement and stand because us Americans are so sedentary so the reminder is essential for our well being!

Nutrition

After my workout I eat breakfast with a cup of coffee, I have the Ember mug so I actually drink my coffee for the next 3 hours and it stays, hot- best investment!

My breakfast is usually the same thing but a major combination of Protein, Carbs and Fats.  I switch between egg white bites from Costco or boiled eggs and a half a bagel or slice of bread from Dave’s killer.  A Tsp of butter or avocado on my bagel and a Tsp of cream in my coffee with a touch of cinnamon on top.  I love taking the guessing out of my day and enjoy this breakfast.  I have many specific brands that I am partial too, like Dave’s that I will get into in a future post. 

Then I make kids breakfasts/lunches and get them off to school. This is my general Monday/Tuesday and Thursday routine.  On Wednesdays and Fridays my husband does mornings for the kids so it’s a bit different.

Then I work and take as many phone calls as I can walking around so I don’t sit. For lunch I focus on making sure its protein and veggie centric! I have learned so much about nutrition and portions from the sorority nutritionist her posts have been so helpful because I want to indulge on weekends or if I have dinner planned with family or friends and don’t want to have to worry so I know if I am 90% consistent with my eating I can indulge and not worry about not being able to maintain my weight.
Our evenings are usually pretty quick, pick ups for our kids, making dinner, spending time as as family and then bed time.

Winding Down

After we put our kids to bed, I wash my fave with my 8 step skin care routine, turn on my essential oil lavender diffuser, use my whitening pen – I have been using this 3 times per week and it makes a major difference, more on my teeth routine in a future post, I take 2 CBD drops and snuggle up with a book. My favorite way to wind down at night is to put all of my technology away and read a book for at least an hour. I am currently partial to Colleen Hoover but recently also finished Michelle Obama’s book, The Light we Carry and I learned so much! I also started reading Prince Harry’s book Spare and it is EYE OPENING.

After reading my “fun book” I write in my gratitude journal and then my husband and I do 10 minutes of meditation from the Peloton app, its helps so much to ground ourselves after a long day. We always go to bed together usually by 9pm, on the weekends by 10:30pm 😉 We need our sleep and unfortunately kids have no idea yet what it means to sleep in.

Having a routine is essential for me to go about my day to day and it helps my body and mind stay regulated. I hope you are able to pick something up and incorporate it into your daily routine as well!

I have an obsession with giving gifts, if you know about the love languages, mine is this one!

I love when I get gifts for all the women and mamas in my life and they reciprocate by loving each one of them. Every year my “mom” friends and I do a Galantine’s day and do a favorite things gift exchange along with it. Its my favorite tradition we all do by far and here is the round up for 2023!

1. Mama Necklace
2. Personalized pendant
3. Peloton Sweat towel
4. Shiseido Eye lash curler
5. Beauty Counter Blam
6. UGG socks
7. Colleen Hoover Books

“A friend is a someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are”A friend is a someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are”

Personalized necklace

This pendant is my most favorite necklace and I get compliments on it daily.  It’s less than $20 with the personalization included from the Jane web site and you won’t regret it. I wear mine all the time, even wore in the ocean at the pool and it’s been going strong for over 2 years.

I also grabbed a “Mama” necklace from Nordstrom rack and added my pendant to it so I could be represented as well.  I love it so much when I ordered these for my friends I got myself a silver one so I could have one of each. The best quality, my sister was just telling me yesterday how she wears it to workout and shower and sleep and its been over a year without any tarnish or wear.

Necklace

Personalized Pendant

Peloton sweat towel

My husband got a peloton last year, I just recently started using it to do their lane break workouts, will talk more about that in my upcoming fitness post.  But I absolutely love “looking the part” when it comes to my workouts.  So of course I landed on the peloton web site and grabbed a bunch of items they had one sale, one of them being this sweat towel.  Before I used to grab clean kitchen towels to use for my sculpt classes but realized I needed a towel that served this exact purpose.  These towels do not disappoint, they are amazing- soak it up and hold the quality along with it.  They come in a pack of 3 so I ordered 2 sets and gifted a towel each for these gifts- if you have friends like mine who love working out, they will love this simple but much needed gift.

Peloton Sweat towels

Shiseido eye lash curler

I have been obsessed with shiseido products for a couple of years now but we were lucky enough to have had the chance to visit Tokyo, Japan last November 2022 and it was a Dream. More on travels check out my upcoming travel post. I had to grab this authentic curler straight from where it was made, not only was it amazing but SO affordable.  Best way to curl your eyelashes hand down! Make sure to grab extra pads so you can replace them often and keep your eyelashes perfectly curled!

Curler

Beauty counter balm

I absolutely love all these “clean” products. After having breast cancer I have been on mission on being more mindful on what goes in and ON my body.  We don’t burn candles anymore etc check out my upcoming post cancer detox post for more details and reasons. But beauty counter was introduced to me years ago when in Chiropractic school and now I have been using their products for over 4 years, I have noticed a huge change in the way my skin looks and feels and It’s the best, this balm is good year around but especially for these crazy Midwest winters where everything is so dry!

Balm

UGG

I absolutely love and am obsessed with all UGG products.  They make everything and it’s all so great, my recent obsession began when I won a Ugg throw from our sibling white elephant gift exchange 2 years ago and was a gift from my sister Sadhna (you will see more of her on my upcoming natural birthing post).

Ever since I got that throw, I started seeing the products everywhere I grabbed UGG throw pillows, then UGG snow boots, then more UGG throws and then same sister bought me UGG house slippers! Best brand hands down and the quality is beyond- so of course I had to grab my best mom friends some UGG socks – they are so soft, everyone will love.

Socks

Colleen Hoover books

I absolutely love to read – I am a person of routine and every night Monday – Thursday after we put our kids to bed, I got into my reading nook and read the latest book. Check out my post on my daily routine, to see how I make reading a part of my everyday life. Reese Witherspoons book club has the best picks and they never disappoint. I read over 30 books a year and my idea of heaven and relaxation is a good book, cozy blanket and a coffee. You will find me reading when I travel for work/leisure the works!

Back to the gift, Colleen Hoover has yet to publish a book that is not a page-turner. Coming from someone who has read over 8 of her books. Her books are engaging, unique and genius. Some of them connect to one another so its fun to read and then be like wait that character or band was in another one of her books. She is amazing and I had to gift each one of my friends one of her books so they could fall in love with her just like I have!

So there you have it, my list of my personal favorites and items that I absolutely love and all the girls/women in your life will love as well. These gifts will not disappoint!

Colleen Hoover book

Link to my You Tube Video talking about each of these items!

After a 5 year hiatus of trying to figure out my new life and navigating all the twists and turns of post-cancer life, I am here and feel like my ‘old’ self again! The last 5 years have been chaotic, stressful and crazy. I have had SO many ups and downs emotionally and physically. I gave birth to our second baby, Aria in May, 2018 – a true miracle. We were able to conceive her naturally; she was born in record time…unmedicated labor 2 and 1/2 hours long… (more on that story later). Both of my kids, work, travels and new life in the suburbs have been keeping us busy… and life has never been better.

The last 5 years are a blur and also right at the forefront at the same time. I have been through more health scares of ‘cancer being back’ than I would like to count. I am healthy as ever, but recently in Jan 2022 was diagnosed with BPPV vertigo that was a side effect of having gone through chemotherapy… like what?! That was 5 years ago, how is that even possible. My immune system has been different for many reasons…like all of us, with the lack of human interaction for 2 years (dang COVID). But I feel my best and I can proudly say that at the age of 37 I am the strongest and fittest I have ever been! Cancer was a crazy hiccup in my life and it taught me that life is short, you don’t get to decide your path so roll with the punches and give each moment the best you can. So I made a decision that I wanted to do all the ‘good’ things to my body so that Cancer can NEVER play with me again.

I wanted to come back because in the last 5 years with a lot of trials of successes and failures I have been able to do things that make me be my best self… and I want to share what I know. I am always trying to improve and hope that these tips and tricks will help you live your best life today and everyday! xoxo Narmda Stay Tuned …

Hey Everyone, my LAST day of ALL treatments was May 9, 2017!  I haven’t had a chance to update because I was trying to figure out my new normal.  Not having to go to radiation everyday has been the best thing I could have imagined.  My last day of radiation was the best celebration, it felt like my birthday all over again.  Which in a way it was, considering I am now a SURVIVOR!  It is still so surreal to think that this journey is essentially over.  Starting treatments on September 17, 2016 and ending May 9, 2017 is a whole 8 months of my life that has a whole new meaning.  Little did I know becoming a mom and then getting diagnosed with cancer that there would eventually be a light at the end of this terrible tunnel and I would come out a new person.  (literally and figuratively)  I am still waiting for my hair to grow, my body to return back to normal and to just look in the mirror and actually recognize the reflection but I know deep inside with time this will all be a distant memory but for now its time to celebrate life!

 

I went to my last day of radiation and it was a celebration to say the least.  The radiation technicians were so kind and accommodating with every change that I made each week that I got them both a care package from Starbucks.  Little did I know, they would have gifts for me too.  They gave me a sweet sign, a bag of goodies and even a trophy, I can now say I am a Radiation Star 😉  Rush Oak park has a complimentary valet service for all their radiation patients so I got the valet guys some donuts and coffee gift cards from Dunkin because each time I would come they would let me park anywhere I wanted because they knew I was always in a rush to get back to work.  Aside from the issues I had with my care at Rush Oak Park I can’t thank the Valet, the radiation techs and the front desk staff enough.  They were all so considerate, kind and always helpful with any concerns or questions that I had, I am so grateful.

 

After my appointment ended I got home and Bar, Kiaan and I had planned to go out to have a drink and celebrate.  Little did I know my sweet husband texted all of our closest friends and they started to show up at the restaurant we were at and it literally turned into a party!! One major thing I have learned from this journey is friends and family can get you through the toughest times.  These amazing individuals always made time in their busy schedules to celebrate each and every milestone with me.   They also were great to always keep me distracted when it came to talking about my treatments and always reminding me that this is all temporary.

Now that all these daily treatments are over I can finally start living and celebrating this LIFE I have.  One of my main goals as always been to travel and try new things.  A goal I have set for myself is to try and go to a new place every month to expand my horizon and it helps get me excited when I have something to look forward to that’s different than our normal routine.   Another thing we need to do is getting used to traveling with Kiaan.  Any parent knows it can be such a process to travel with a baby because of all the “stuff” that comes with taking the tiny person.  I made it a point to make that happen as soon as possible so I could achieve this travel goal of mine without any obstacles.  Since Fathers day was coming up I decided to surprise my husband with a trip to New Orleans with just the 3 of us!  I booked our flights, planned out hotel stay, rented a car, figured out dog-sitting for Harrison and even had our days all planed out.  Bar and I have been together for 11 years and have been on countless trips together, not once have I planned any of them.  Bar is so great with planning and figuring out the best deals that I usually just go along for the ride.  It was great to plan this trip and really give this amazing dad, co-survivor and husband this gift of relaxation and fun.  So far post-cancer life has been treating me amazing and I can’t wait to continue to #celebratelife!

If you are have been keeping up with my blog you know much I appreciate the staff, hospital, doctors, service and everything in between at Northwestern.  A month after Surgery I was told I would need to undergo radiation since I had a lumpectomy and getting radiation would decrease my chance of recurrence by 5% rather than if I didn’t it would only be 30%.  My surgeon had explained to us that radiation would be everyday for a month and then I would be considered cancer free.  Knowing that I would have to have yet another treatment and nonetheless everyday,  I wanted to make it as easy as possible for my daily routine.  Unfortunately since Northwestern is located in the loop and has garage parking at $11 a day we knew we had to look elsewhere.  Ironically a block from my office there is Rush Oak Park hospital.  I called them up right away to schedule a new patient consult.  On Friday March 3rd, I met with Dr. Wong and his fellow Dr. Walker, they were very considerate about me and my case and kept telling me that I would be one of the youngest they had treated.  Because of my age we talked about the different approaches to radiation to minimize any contact with vital organs such as the heart and lungs (since they are both so close to the chest wall).   A week later on March 10th I was scheduled for my CT planning appointment.  At this appointment I would be under a CT scan so the doctors could mark where the surgery was done and get coordinates so they knew where to perform the radiation.  Prior to going into the CT scan the nurse mentioned that I would be getting tattoos to make it easier to target the area at each appointment.    I don’t have any tattoos and didn’t think my first time would be in a hospital!  Now I have 4 “dot” tattoos around my radiation area that are going to be permanent reminders of my battle.  A week and half after this appointment I began radiation on March 22nd.  I was told I was going to have 7 and half weeks of treatment and not the 4 weeks that I had originally thought.  The treatment itself is painless, I go into this giant machine after a hospital band is placed on my wrist and the technicians set me up at each appointment like I was during my CT scan.  I get radiated first on the right side of my chest for 20 seconds and then the machines moves to my right side and it radiates the left side twice-first for 15 seconds and second for 45 seconds.  The technicians are great and get me in and out in 5 minutes.  I was lucky that after my first 3 treatments, my sister Sadhna was able to come with me to see exactly what happens.

The major side effect of radiation is burning at the site, like a sun burn.  I have been following other survivors on social media and came across Meg from shesparkleson and as I was reading her story she talked about cannabis based cream that helped prevent any radiation burn for her.  I quickly messaged her and she connected me to the website for purchase.  I have been using rxcanna based products since my first radiation and have had zero burning.  I have shocked my doctors as usual 😉 They say that everyone usually experiences burning at least 2 weeks into treatments, now being in my 3rd week or 18/33 treatments in and I am still burn-free!

I have realized even more now how much I appreciated the world class treatment Northwestern had provided me.  Besides my first 2 appointments at Rush with Dr. Wong and Dr. Walker, the last 2 weeks have been a mess to say the least.  Every Friday I meet with a doctor to go over how I am feeling and so they can do an exam on me.  The first Friday of my treatments I met with a female doctor, and she nonchalantly told me that I should start holding my breath during my treatments to prevent any exposure to my heart.  I was concerned because I had never been told this before and already had 3 treatments.  I started holding my breathe the following week. At my 5th treatment the technician noticed that my chest was shiny, she asked me if I had used any cream/lotions on it prior to treatment.  I told her yes that I was using my cannabis cream.  She told me that it is not recommended to use ANY creams/lotions 2 hours prior to treatment, I told her I had no idea since no one told me and made a note of it.  The following week at my second doctors visit since starting radiation the fellow asked me if I had any questions.  I told him I wanted to make sure I was holding my breathe right.  He looked at me puzzled and said I shouldn’t be holding my breathe, that its not apart of my treatment plan.  I lost it.  I am SO emotional when it comes to my health that I started crying.  I told him that this is the 3rd thing that I didn’t know and I feel as if I am not valued as a patient.  I was so upset because I had never experienced anything like this at Northwestern!  He apologized and I am fine now. But I do want to raise awareness that you should ALWAYS be proactive in your own health because after all, it is your body.

 

 

Bar and I have always loved to travel and knew that our life would always be full of new places to discover.  After we got pregnant we knew that as soon as Kiaan was born we would be back to our old traveling selves.  Little did we know, cancer would have other plans.  Because of my Chemotherapy treatments all our weekends off together were not available to us and all our travel plans had to be postponed.    Since Chemotherapy started we both started counting down until we would have our weekends back.  We kept telling ourselves 4 more months until we can plan a trip again.  Once Chemotherapy ended and my surgery date was set, we decided the best time to travel would be post-surgery (as long as my surgeon cleared it, of course) 😉 and before I started radiation.  After we spoke to my surgeon we were told I would need 3 weeks off of work since my job is so hands on.  My body would need time to heal and 10 days post surgery I would be cleared for travel!  My research savvy husband then got to planning.  I gave him 3 destinations I wanted to go to: South Africa/Fiji, New Zealand/Australia and Bali.  With his drive for research he gave me the pros and cons for all the destinations and we both then decided on Bali.  I am so glad we did.  Bali is one of the most serene, kind, positive energy  filled places we had ever been.   We were also so lucky to have my mom agree to watch Kiaan while we were away.  It was nice to know that he was more than well taken care of and all we needed to do was focus on relaxing.  We spent 8 days in Bali.  2 days in Kuta, 2 days in Gili Meno (a secluded island off the coast of Lombok) and 4 days in Ubud.  It was magical to say the least.  Each person we met in Bali emitted a positive energy that made you feel relaxed and just happy.  We landed and stayed at the Kuta Sheraton for 2 nights.  The views were beautiful overlooking greenery.  Kuta is more of a city so we got to eat a lot of delicious food and see how the locals lived.  The pose I do in a lot of photos is the ‘tree of life’ pose from yoga.  It signifies inner peace.  Which is what I want my post-chemo/surgery life to represent.

 

Our next stop was Gili Meno which is a secluded island off the coast of lombook.  It took us a 1  hour plane ride a 2 hour car ride and 45 minute boat ride from Kuta to get here.  Well worth the trip since once we got there it lived up to its standards.  It was so beautiful and reminded us a lot of the Maldives because of how clear the water was.

 

This island is known for being the “couples” island which is exactly what we needed to reconnect.  With having Kiaan and then getting diagnosed with Cancer it takes such an emotional toll on your relationship.  We have been trying to stay strong for Kiaan and for each other so this time away along with the beautiful scenery is what we needed to remind us how our love journey began and what marriage is all about.  Getting diagnosed with Cancer has tested us in so many ways and throwing parenting in to the mix has not been easy.  After overcoming these obstacles together has made us realize we can literally handle anything life throws at us.

Our last stop on our Bali trip was Ubud.  Ubud is known for its rice fields, culture, yoga and temples galore!  We stayed at the Kayon resort which is about 2 hours away from the airport and it was one of the most relaxing hotels I have ever stayed in.  They only have 23 rooms and know each of the guests by name.  They had yoga classes 2 times per day, tea time every day, an infinity pool, a waterfall and all while located in the mindst of a jungle.  It was so serene.  While in Ubud we went to visit two temples.  One that is popular for his natural spring.  We got to get blessed by this sacred spring which is exactly what we needed during this trip.  We took a cooking class in Ubud as well and it was so interesting to see how many different flavors are included in Balinese dishes.  The best part about traveling for us is meeting other travelers from around the world. In the cooking class we met people from China, Canada, Austrialia, India and Latvia.  It was so beautiful to be immersed in this culture and it was the best way to re-start our love for travel.

After we came back from our amazing trip, we knew my Cancer journey wasn’t over yet, as I was scheduled to start radiation on March 15th.  But if I learned anything from life and the Balinese culture is to take life a day and at a time and take nothing for granted.