Holding on to the belief that life is fair is another way to avoid the truth of uncertainty.  Years ago I was in a local market and overheard a conversation between a mother and her little boy. The boy was angling for something he wanted, and quite persistent in his requests. Mom held her ground [...]

“He who sings scares away his woes.” – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Each day my dog and I take a stroll past a small home in our neighborhood.  On the porch of this place is a cage where two small cockatiels make their own little home. Covered by a maroon blanket faded and worn by the [...]

“Are you ready?” Klaus asked finally.
“No,” Sunny answered.
“Me neither,” Violet said, “but if we wait until we’re ready we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives, Let’s go.”
― Lemony Snicket, The Ersatz Elevator
In the world of cancer, we are always waiting for results.
After we enter the world of post treatment … we continue to wait … [...]

“You are what you think … geez, that’s frightening.” Lily Tomlin
From the moment you are told that you have cancer, that the biopsy was positive, that those shadows in the MRI were malignant, that the scan “lit up” with the colors of disease, your breath sucks in and stays there, landing in the pit of [...]

“ A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”
Agatha Christie
I’ve been fortunate in my life to have meaningful work, a strong marriage and deep friendships. I’ve traveled to many [...]

You didn’t want to have cancer.  When someone asked you what you wanted in your life, odds are good you didn’t say, “hey, I think I’d like to have some cancer!”  And when the waiter took your order I’ll bet you didn’t say, “hmmmm … how’s the cancer today?  Think I’ll try it.”
Yet all too [...]

“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” Maya Angelou
How do you disappear from cancer?  How do you get away – even when you can’t take some fabulous vacation or spend a [...]

“Whoever thought up the word “Mammogram”? Every time I hear it, I think I’m supposed to put my breast in an envelope and send it to someone. ”
– Jan King
I went for my annual mammogram yesterday. It’s been 8 years since the mammogram that showed it was extremely likely that I had breast cancer. Since [...]

When I had cancer I was surprised by how much support I received from others in an online group. I’m still in contact with some of these people – most of whom I have never met face to face. I continue to be a part of several online communities and find a great deal of [...]

“I’m not sure that you actually have the ability to recognize when you’re tired, because you’re so used to pushing through it,” the doctor told her.
This statement is from an article in Cure Magazine about Joan Lunden’s experience while she was in treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.  When I first read it I was [...]