April 24th is a kind of birthday for me. It's the day I completed breast cancer treatments. And fittingly, this year's local Relay for Life is on April 25th. So I'm looking at this year's Relay event as a "birthday" celebration of my third year as a cancer-free person. But I'm not only feeling celebration … Continue reading An Upcoming “Birth”day: Three Years After Cancer Treatments
seroma aspiration
The 18 Month Mark
Yesterday was a day of seroma aspiration followed by mammogram followed by ultrasound. It was 18 months to the day after my breast cancer diagnosis and a check-up to see if everything is okay. And everything IS okay, I'm very happy to say! According to my doctors, the first two years after a cancer diagnosis … Continue reading The 18 Month Mark
Taking off my armor
“When we protect ourselves so we won't feel pain, that protection becomes like armor, like armor that imprisons the softness of of the heart.” ― Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times I read this Pema Chodron book several years ago, and her image of armor has stuck with me. I've … Continue reading Taking off my armor
Endings and births: Goodbye 2012, Welcome 2013
I'm ending this year so tired, really tired, very tired, but in a lovely way. Not in the so-tired-and-weak way of February right after the end of chemo when I didn't have the energy to walk to the mailbox. No, a different tired. One that says I'm still not recovered from eight weeks of chemo … Continue reading Endings and births: Goodbye 2012, Welcome 2013
Still processing
This seems to be a time in my life for processing - the breast cancer journey, bringing Sahkanaga home, my life in general. Processing always takes me a long time. I suppose ultimately it takes a lifetime. I'll begin with Sahkanaga. The movie did very well in Chattanooga. Last weekend it played to a pretty … Continue reading Still processing
Aspire to aspiration
As many of you know, I went for my first post-breast-cancer-treatment mammogram yesterday. I was anxious on Sunday afternoon, but that feeling subsided as evening came on, and I actually slept well. Since I've had several mammograms, I know the drill. But I was worried about the soreness and tenderness I've been experiencing. And about … Continue reading Aspire to aspiration
Aspiration Savannah
Those of you who know me know that I like words and playing with them. I had an aspiration today. Until I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I'd have thought of an aspiration as a kind of goal, an ambition. When I use that word to describe what I experienced today, it means "the act … Continue reading Aspiration Savannah
eddies and currents 