Do you remember when you were in grammar school and the year seemed to drag on forever until the Summer finally arrived? Then, the Summer flew by and before you knew it September arrived and you had to return to school? Well, at that same time, your parents felt that the school year flew by and the Summer dragged on and on. They were thrilled when September finally came so…
In November of 2016, breast cancer entered my life. Why did it have to be November? As a nation, November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is the time of year we practice gratitude. We gather with friends and family, we share a huge meal and eat way too much. Our drinks become pumpkin or spice-flavored; ditto on pies and donuts too. We decorate our homes with lovely…
Hope is a compelling word. What does hope mean to you? Its meaning fluctuates from situation to situation and person to person. For me, hope was the anticipation of the day I would be well. The Hope sign in the picture above sat on the shelf adjacent to our television in the den of our old house. The den was the room that I spent my time in when not…
I know why everything looks different now. Breast cancer has opened my eyes. The flowers are more colorful, and the trees appear greener. I am more aware of my surroundings. I see things that have been in my line of sight for years but only now recognize. I know it sounds bizarre, but I swear it’s true. My newfound clarity is not strictly visual; it encompasses all aspects…
Trying to stay positive while undergoing treatment for cancer was quite a challenge for me. It was good that I was naive going into it! I was very afraid to google my diagnosis because all of my doctors had strongly recommended against it. They suggested I simply google the actual disease – Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. This way, I would access medical journals instead of blogs (such as this one). It…
It was 9:30 pm and I was driving home from a lovely dinner with my friend Denise when I got the dreaded call. There was no caller ID and I was driving, so I am not even sure why I answered the phone. It was Dr. Chen, the surgeon that performed the removal of a benign papilloma in my right breast the previous week. My heart sank as soon…