Yesterday I explored Alum Rock Park (Penetencia Creek area) on my bike. It is the first time I’ve ridden in the hills since chemo. I look back and see that the first photos I shared on this blog were that of my climb up to Mount Hamilton, back on June 20 and 21st. The significance of yesterday’s…
Over the last week I’ve been amazed at how quickly my wounds are healing. For so long the progress has been slow. Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a skin infection and treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic. This week, my breast wound has all but closed (it wasn’t really healing before) and my stomach wound…
In my ‘new normal’, I here by declare that all Fridays will be mental health days. For me, this means that I will prioritize things that improve my mental health on Fridays. I will avoid doctors appointments and treatment appointments that are not directly related to improving my mental health. Just as I make exercise…
I’m not yet sure how I feel about it, but today’s appointment with my oncologist was kind of weird. He did examine me and validated that it is “just a stitch“. I have no outward signs of breast cancer, and as such, this means I officially remain in remission or NED (no evidence of disease). So, today my…
Yesterday, I gave a talk relating to my upcoming free online course – Should I blog? In it, I introduced myself as a breast cancer survivor/warrior. One of the participants challenged that language – preferring the use of the term ‘thriver’ rather than ‘survivor’. In deciding how to introduce myself, I was fully aware of the…
Yesterday was a turning point in my journey towards wellness. I pushed outside of my current comfort zone and drove up to Berkeley to attend an academic conference. It was located at the conference center, which inside was rather dreary, but had a tulip tree in bloom in the sunny outdoor quad (thought I’d taken…
I never thought I’d be asking myself that question. I did a nipple sparing breast reconstruction, so I have all my own skin – and mostly the breast skin – but my areola’s have faded. Since they didn’t have a lot of colour to begin with, fading means that they are barely there. So, now I…
I am watching wantingly as many of my Canadian friends share their photos of cross country skiing. February and March are the best months for it – the temperatures usually warm up a little in late February, and there is ample snow to keep the trails fresh. As I see the photos, I can smell…
“It’s just a stitch” – http://bcbecky.com/2015/02/sigh-and-some-tears-of-relief/ That is officially my new saying. When I was first diagnosed, we could often be heard saying “It is what it is” – I reflected philosophically about it in this post: http://bcbecky.com/2014/06/why-me-versus-it-is-what-it-is/. Now, I have banned the expression “It is what it is” … unless you are telling me I have cancer…
It was another beautiful day in Northern California (highs in the mid 20s) – I was biking in shorts :-). At one point, I noticed the great white egret sleeping by the banks of the Guadalupe River. With the green grasses, the white feathers provide a dramatic contrast, which is not nearly as impressive when…
