Zinedil's World

  Writing is therapeutic and I’ve been enjoying its benefits early on without even realizing it. I started journal writing in grade school but as I grew older, the format started shifting and I eventually dropped doing it as a daily habit when I’d be too tired at the end of the day. Nevertheless, I still turn to writing when things start going crazy or I need to get rid of all that noise in my head just to make myself feel better and more in control.  It didn’t come as a surprise then when I found out that there’s such a thing as Writing Therapy. I didn’t pay much attention when I first encountered the term since it only served as an affirmation of something I sort of realized already over the years.   When I did decide to briefly look it up again, I found it nice to discover that I’d been doing things right somehow. As someone who’s been writing down personal thoughts and experiences most of her life, I know that Writing Therapy or Expressive Writing really helps, and I don’t need mor

  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I’m sharing this part of my journey in the hope of assisting those who are seeking a bit of enlightenment as my way of contributing to the advocacy. With the daunting road up ahead, it usually helps to know what to expect to ease the burden somehow.   After having completed the screening (Mammography and Breast Ultrasound) and diagnostic (core needle biopsy) tests and it had been confirmed that I have breast cancer, more tests were required before therapy starts. As I mentioned in my previous post , my oncologist recommended neoadjuvant therapy, where I would undergo chemotherapy to downstage or shrink the tumor before going under the knife to remove the lump.  Below is a run-through of the list of tests and procedures I had to complete to prepare for my treatment: Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG)  A common and simple test to check the heart’s electrical activity and rhythm via sensors attached to your skin, ECG is a test to monitor and dete