2019 marks the 2nd year in a row that I was able to attend the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). This conference is the largest annual gathering of breast cancer medical professionals in the US and includes attendees from all over the world. The sheer number of languages I heard while walking around is … Continue reading San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2019
Author: Abigail Johnston
I'm a daughter, a wife, a mother, and I've been living with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer since March, 2017. All of the words I publish are my own.
Epitaph
By Merrit Malloy When I die Give what’s left of me away To children And old men that wait to die. And if you need to cry, Cry for your brother Walking the street beside you. And when you need me, Put your arms Around anyone And give them What you need to give to … Continue reading Epitaph
The Language of Respect
Today, I fly to San Antonio for the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). This is the second year I've attended and I'm looking forward to learning a great deal and meeting lots of new people. I'm also looking forward to seeing advocates and allies that I've met. It's like a big family reunion … Continue reading The Language of Respect
Compassion and Choices
I wrote a blog post a while back about how I believe the government needed to back off of their involvement in personal choices having to do with bodily autonomy. If you want to read more, you can access it here. I completely understand that regulations are sometimes needed and that a functioning society often … Continue reading Compassion and Choices
Book Review: No Visible Bruises; what we don’t know about Domestic Violence Can Kill Us
It seems like another life sometimes when I handled divorce cases, but it wasn't that long ago that I regularly worked with clients to develop safety plans. The most dangerous time for a woman and her children is when she is attempting to leave a man, sometimes this means filing for divorce even after years … Continue reading Book Review: No Visible Bruises; what we don’t know about Domestic Violence Can Kill Us
Community
Community is so important for everyone at every stage in life. Community becomes even more important when an illness intrudes into "normal" life or when life changes. When one does not find that community amongst the relationships or groups already in place, then the question becomes, where does one find that community. There have been … Continue reading Community
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, celebrated yearly on the fourth Thursday of each November. I didn't know that George Washington issued a proclamation after a request from Congress to recognize the holiday in 1789 but it wasn't officially declared a holiday until 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. What is Thanksgiving? In the … Continue reading Thanksgiving
Am I really making a difference?
Translating the world of living with a terminal illness to the world of the healthy is fraught with pitfalls and odd experiences. Language and details that I'm so used to now feels like a foreign language to healthy people. Yet, despite all of the talking and blogging and sharing articles about how to talk to … Continue reading Am I really making a difference?
Book Review: The Vagina Bible
"Power and health are inseparably linked." Dr Jennifer Gunter didn't say the above quote until the end of the book, but it sums up all of the nitty gritty details she reviews, debunks and explains in exquisite detail. I can't say enough about how important it is for all people with vaginas and those people … Continue reading Book Review: The Vagina Bible
Stop Comparing!!
A little while ago, during the month of Pinktober, Rethink Breast Cancer shared this meme on Instagram. The mission of Rethink breast cancer is embedded in their name, for people to rethink what breast cancer is and, if I'm allowed to extrapolate a little, to think beyond the pink fluffy stuff touted by the pink … Continue reading Stop Comparing!!
No Half Measures 