I considered myself lucky. Not only was I close to a hospital but also I was with someone to take me there when I began hemorrhaging from a ruptured cyst. It was probably one of the most scariest and painful times in my life and I was in a relationship that I knew in my hearts of hearts that I did not want to be in. I was stuck. But being bed ridden, I had no choice and tried to work things out in tandem with working things out with my body. Three months later I was back in hospital with a ruptured cyst but this time on my left side. I finally starting listening…
And I could tell you about the times I overworked myself and went against my soul’s desire and pushed on through and then was hit again with another stabbing attack.
Now you may be sitting there thinking I’m a crazy woman, but I challenge you to question what your cysts are trying to tell you.
From every patient I’ve seen and through my own personal experience, the idea of cysts is much like road bumps being thrown in our way for us to pay attention. So here are some tips:
Slow down
I know this is easier said than done because even in my life, I have a problem driving at a slower speed (figuratively that is). But the constant push against the body’s natural flow creates anxiety, shoots up cortisol levels and creates a catalyst hormonal reaction that leads to cysts…or what I call speed bumps. So focus on breath, yoga nidra breaks and forcing yourself to get out for a walk.
Literally…I have to remind myself to do this like I have to remind myself to go to the bathroom at times.
Is it really fulfilling you?
Whether it’s your job or a relationship that you feel stuck in, you do have a choice in the matter. When I was only three months out of my first hospitalization and was sent back the second time, I had to make some pretty tough decisions. Three months of not working and hormonally askew, I bit the bullet, ended my relationship and went out and got myself a job. Did I love serving people during karaoke nights? No. But I knew that it was a means to an end and that while starting from scratch is scary as shit, it’s also incredibly cleansing and full of potential.
Now I realize that often when things go wrong with our bodies, we’ll curse at it and far too often I hear women curse at their cysts for their inability to conceive, for the stabbing pains and the hormonal anxiety. And while we may not speak the same language as our bodies do, those cysts are there to teach us a lesson and it will continue to do so until we listen.
Trust me when I say, I’ve not only seen patients with the exact same problem but I’ve been there myself. There are answers, but sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper and ask yourself some tough questions and we’ll be going through all of them soon. In the meantime…breathe and know, a success story resides here.