Category: Coping skills

Icebergs

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I am two days late (as always), but Sunday was National Cancer Survivors’ Day.  Yay, I think.  I am definitely lucky.  I get to call myself a survivor.  My cancer held at stage 3 (meaning it didn’t spread to other parts of my body, despite being present in a large… Continue reading

Gratitude

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“I see skies of blue And clouds of white The bright blessed day The dark sacred night And I think to myself What a wonderful world”   I am channeling some Louis Armstrong this morning.  I am sitting in my patio staring at the clear blue sky, puffball clouds, and… Continue reading

Maintaining distance

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Social distancing day 10,548:   Not working today, so lazing at home.   Agenda: Discussed the news with the hubs. Made menu and grocery list for next two weeks. Studying my Spanish book. Getting ready for a continuing education webcast. Gave the cat her flea treatment.   Living the dream?… Continue reading

Transitions

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Just stopping by to say “Hey”.  It’s been awhile.  Most of 2019 as a matter of fact.   This year has been a year of re-tooling for me.  In August, I celebrated 4 years of being NED (“no evidence of disease”).  Coming into 2019, I had a full slate of… Continue reading

Mother’s love

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It’s Mother’s Day again.  How many years has it been since I spent one with Mom?  Forty-three years?  Something like that?   It’s a long time, that’s all I’m saying.  While I have now shared some of the same journey, I still wish I understood what this dear woman went… Continue reading

Driven to fear

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A wise friend who also helps guide me on my healing journey posted a quote from Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic” as part of a workshop the other day:   “It isn’t always comfortable or easy – carrying your fear around with you on your great and ambitious road trip. I… Continue reading

What’s up with keto?

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I have noticed a significant interest in my breast cancer communities about the effectiveness of the keto diet in managing future risk of cancer and weight loss. Full disclosure, I oppose most drastic, structured “diets” as they seem to contribute to “yo-yo” dieting. A lifetime of fighting my own weight… Continue reading

Tell it like it is

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This is the next installment in my series of pet peeves about breast cancer…     We have things that people say that grind our gears.  I have heard it all.   I’m a warrior.   I’ll beat this.   Chemo isn’t that bad.   I just have to push… Continue reading

In the end

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I have the angry music playing today.  The heart-pounding, I would like to scream, but I’m at work so I can’t kind of music.  The kind that dries my angry tears and lets me get back to business.   Specifically, I have an earworm from Linkin Park.   “In the… Continue reading

Forget about it

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One of my favorite side effects is chemo brain.  It’s great.  You can’t remember anything, so there are no worries!  You won’t remember this in five minutes anyway.   And words.  What are those?  I routinely blank out in the middle of sentences and can’t remember a word I need.  It’s… Continue reading

Knowing when to shut up

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I talk to lots of ladies who are at various stages in their breast cancer journeys.   I make no secret of the fact that my mission in life now is educating anyone who will listen to me on breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.  I have learned so much through… Continue reading