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!!
Reflecting on 3 Cycles of Piqray
We're halfway through November, 2019, and I just picked up my fourth cycle of Piqray from the specialty pharmacy at my cancer center yesterday. I also found out yesterday that my first PET scan since starting Piqray demonstrated that my cancer has had a partial response to the medication over the past three months. While … Continue reading Reflecting on 3 Cycles of Piqray
Self Care
I've seen quite a bit recently about how important it is to practice self care. Self care looks very different for different people and, I believe, can reflect the personality of the individual. I confess that I've not always been particularly good at self care and I would often push myself much farther than I … Continue reading Self Care
Showing up
What does it mean to show up for someone? I've thought about this quite a bit over the past several years. Prior to breast cancer, I would have focused only on tangible things. Like literally showing up at an event, delivering a meal or donating necessary time. I still think of these things first. I'm … Continue reading Showing up
Book Review: Flash Count Diary; Menopause and the Vindication of Natural Life
Finally, a book about menopause that I wholeheartedly agree with. Like the author, Darcy Steinke, I've attempted to understand the affects of menopause rather than medicate it all away. The author talks about the mainstream menopause authors and how each falls prey to the traditionally male conclusion that aging women must take hormone replacement therapy … Continue reading Book Review: Flash Count Diary; Menopause and the Vindication of Natural Life
Changing the World
I saw the meme below on Facebook some time ago and it made me chuckle. And then I thought, is this really funny? Why would I automatically find it funny? Could have been the person who posted it or could have been the context. I believe the concept behind this meme, strongly. Here in the … Continue reading Changing the World
Did you know?
While I've added my own words and experiences to the blog posts, the informative metastatic breast cancer graphics were created by Andrea Parker, who was born only a few months earlier than I in 1978. Andrea created the graphics with Ginny Knackmuhs offering the statistical information for them. Andrea’s life was stolen by MBC in … Continue reading Did you know?
No Half Measures 