Never thought I’d want to be a breast cancer survivor
-
A long overdue post
Read more: A long overdue postIt has been so long since I’ve written, I don’t really know where to start. Health-wise, I’m doing okay—or at least I haven’t had any new health crises. I’m writing this from Stan Fest. Last year, we found out 20 minutes before we left for Stan Fest that I had cancer. It was good to…
-
Navigating the Side Effects of Trastuzumab: Finding Balance and Embracing Summer
Read more: Navigating the Side Effects of Trastuzumab: Finding Balance and Embracing SummerI’m more than half way through my Trastuzumab (Herceptin) treatments – I’ve actually lost count. I think I might be 10 out of 18. Anyways, I realize that I’m have side effects from it. It is causing fatigue and making my joints ache. The side effects last just shy of a week and then I’m…
-
Sunshine and Sunflowers
Read more: Sunshine and SunflowersLori was sunflowers. Lilani was sunshine. Will the sun shine again? I wrote this poem during a writing workshop. The prompt was “Sunshine feels like …” Immediately sunshine reminded me of Lilani. A ray of light. Then I thought of Lori, and how her favourite buff and compression sleeves are contain sunflowers. I miss them…
-
Rediscovering joy
Read more: Rediscovering joyCancer treatment is a gift that just keeps on giving … more like an anti-gift keeps on giving. My latest issue is radiation fibrosis. The area of my collarbone and underarm that was radiated is now tight. I asked a friend who is a physiotherapist about it – she explained it as scar tissue like…
-
10 km later
Read more: 10 km laterI planned to go to Santa Cruz to visit a few friends, but it didn’t quite turn out that way. Since my meetings were in the morning, I wanted to go for a hike first. Cara reminded me that there were lots of trails in the Santa Cruz mountains and that I should look there.…
-
California 2024 – Hiking
Read more: California 2024 – HikingI’ve been in California for the last few days. I had great aspirations of hiking the day I arrived, but I was so tired. I hadn’t slept well the night before, then needed to be at the airport for 3:45 a.m. and then didn’t sleep well on either flights, and throw in a 4 hour…
-
Forgiving my body again
Read more: Forgiving my body againBack in February 2016, I wrote a blog post about forgiving my body. I just re-read it and it still resonates with me. At a recent writing workshop, I reflected again on forgiving my body. Here is what I wrote: I had forgiven my body for the cancer that grew it – for it trying…
-
Accomplishment versus joy
Read more: Accomplishment versus joyMy therapist asked me, how much time I spend on “accomplishments” rather than joy. I have been so focused on “doing things” that made me feel like I had accomplished something, that I wasn’t spending any time focusing on things that bring me joy. She encouraged me to try setting up my days so that…
-
Can I call myself a writer …
Read more: Can I call myself a writer …if I don’t write? I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. I’ve been reading Wil Wheaton‘s book “Still just a geek”. It has reminded me to write more regularly, but it has also encouraged me to work more on my next books (I have two in the works). His writing encouraged me because I’m…
-
Halfway
Read more: HalfwayI am halfway through my trastuzumab (Herceptin) a type of targeted therapy drug called a monoclonal antibody. This is the magic drug that kills HER2 breast cancer. I am due to take 18 doses, 3-weeks apart. That works out to a full year. Since I just completed 9 of 18, I will be doing this…
