2017 is a bit of a blur for me. There are some moments that stick out; however, not many. It was the most eventful year, medically, for me and the addition of chemo to all the surgeries and hospital stays and procedures, its no wonder that it feels hazy and not quite real. Since there … Continue reading Neuro-Psychological Testing
This is a real thing. I've read several times that doctors are not convinced that it exists and that it is hard to test. Nearly everyone I've talked to who has undergone chemo experiences various cognitive affects. It is hard to quantify at times, but it is a real thing. A rather humorous example that … Continue reading Chemo Brain
When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2017, the "fight" language/metaphor appealed to me. As a recovering lawyer and high "type A" person, the illusion of control is really hard to relinquish. Thinking in terms of fighting to win, of beating cancer, of taking control, of having a say in the … Continue reading Fight or Flight
February 2, 2019. Last summer, I met Lindsey Scholl at a conference in Tampa and she was the first to tell me that the wildly successful model of holding METSquerades to raise funds for Metavivor that started in Arkansas was coming to Orlando. I immediately knew that I wanted to be involved. I live in … Continue reading Inaugural Orlando METSquerade
I posted last week about why I don't want to be called a survivor. That begs the question, what do I want to be called, what label do I embrace now that I've had nearly two years of living with stage IV metastatic breast cancer under my belt? I've had a lot of labels in … Continue reading What do I want to be called?
For those of you who didn't read my blog post about early stagers vs. metsters, suffice it to say, I have encountered some conflicts with labeling since I was diagnosed de novo metastatic in 2017. If anyone is interested in the details, the earlier blog post lays some of those out. There was an ongoing … Continue reading Why I don’t call myself a Survivor.
I learned this new acronym recently from a dear friend and fellow metster, Emily Garnett, who has an amazing blog (Beyond the Pink Ribbon) and podcast (The Intersection of Cancer and Life) that all of you should follow if you aren't already. FOMO = Fear of Missing Out I had never really experienced this concept … Continue reading FOMO
Ever since I knew that I have a terminal illness, I've been much more intentional about creating lasting memories with my boys. They are currently five (5) and three (3), so I am quite well aware that their actual memories of me may not be all that vivid if my life expectancy follows the median … Continue reading Creating Lasting Memories
I realize that's not the most inspiring title; that's just want I'm thinking about right now and have been for quite a while. Last week, while I was experiencing a small version of my blog post going "viral," I learned that a friend of mine had died. I use that word a little tentatively since … Continue reading Death
As some of my readers (all 2 or 3 of you) have noticed, I've mostly been posting updates that were originally posted on my Caring Bridge site in 2017 and early 2018. While I do enjoy that platform, I think a more formal and more public blog is more my speed now. That wasn't the … Continue reading 2019 Blog Entries
No Half Measures 