23. Diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer at 29 Years Old – Jackie Shea

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:39 — 48.5MB)

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Lauren Kennedy

At 29 years old, Lauren Kennedy was thriving. She had finally found some peace and healing after her boyfriend’s suicide five years earlier, and she was living an abundant, hopeful life filled with activity. When she started experiencing spotting between periods, a friend suggested she go to the doctor just to be safe. She never imagined she would have ovarian cancer as a young woman. The next many months were unexpectedly grueling, from the discovery of the tumors to grieving her great dream of having children. She showed up, put one foot in front of the other and today Lauren is thriving again, her eggs are frozen and she’s at peace with her new body.

Contact Lauren

@lolomaui

Weekly Challenge

THE FIVE MINUTE JOURNAL 

My friends, journaling is really really dope. There are so many studies on the positive effects of therapeutic writing for people with chronic illness. Research has shown that writing can reduce symptoms, help you sleep better, and help generate an overall better outlook on life. And then there are the wondrous benefits of gratitude (which the five-minute journal utilizes).  Gratitude is shown to significantly improve your coping and general happiness on a day-to-day basis. For some people this is a hard habit to get into—maybe you don’t like journaling or you just can’t find the time, or you’re a judgey judge and think it’s SO lame. Lauren suggested a great place to start. The five-minute journal (an app or paperback) makes it really easy and fun to use these tools. If you are already a seasoned journaler (like myself) then simply add these segments into your routine:

• In the morning, list three things you are grateful for and three things YOU can do to make today amazing.
• At night, list three amazing things that happened today and three things you could have done to make today even better!

That’s it. So simple. Seven days of journaling. Follow me on IG @sheajackie for my own gratitude list and “amazing things” updates.

Discussed in this Episode:

• Grief when loved one’s commit suicide
• Loneliness
• Denial
• Pushing symptoms aside as a woman
• Ovarian cancer as a young woman
• Surgeries
• Fundraisers and all of the feelings that come with them
• Freezing your eggs
• Losing both ovaries in your youth and no longer getting your period
• Depression and Anxiety
• Anti-depressants
• Strageic Support network
• Daily acts of self-love
• Choices
• The power of journaling
• Smoking when you’re sick
• The wellness in solitude
• Where Lauren is three years after her diagnosis

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Five minute journal 
• Therapeutic Writing
• Gratitude 

Want to know how you can support this podcast?

• Follow me on IG : @sheajackie
• Join the Healing Out Loud Facebook group 
• Follow me at toosickandnaked.com for more
• Subscribe/ rate/ review on iTunes
• Share with your friends

Thank you and happy listening, loved ones!