About 30% of people diagnosed with breast cancer at any stage will develop distal metastasis. I am one.
Today isn’t really a good day, physically. I’m very tired and ache-y. It was beyond me to get up and get dressed so I spend the day in a housecoat and house shoes, not moving much more than from bed to kitchen to make some tea, over to the computer...
When I was a teenager my little brother was pretty sure I wouldn’t make it to 21. When I was 28 a plane I was on had to make an emergency landing, and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t see 29. For an infinitely long split second when I was...
Today I read a wonderful post by Nancy Stordahl of Nancy’s Point about the phrase “lost his or her battle with cancer”. I agree very strongly with Nancy on this point and it made me think of some posts I’ve written on the same topic, but with a more personal...
On the phone with my dear friend Aliza: “I want to write a new post but I don’t have a topic.” “A good day.” “What?” “Write about a good day.” Hmm… It never occurred to me, but what a great idea! So here it is: what a good day looks like...
I recently read a blog by Dr. Danielle Ofri in the New York Times “Well” blog about how as a physician she learned to respect the patient’s wishes even when they contradict her professional inclinations. It’s called Doctor Priorities vs Patient Priorities” She writes that the patient is looking through...
I know that no one ever promised life would be fair. I know there is no reason that this shouldn’t have happened to me and no reason why it did. I know that sometimes things just happen and we don’t know why. I also know that I’m fine in myself,...
Yesterday I was in enough pain to take the stronger medication for it. I was also sad and upset about several unrelated bits of bad news that I’ve received recently. I was feeling alone and needy and, truth be told, more than a little sorry for myself. I spent most...
It’s no secret that a cancer diagnosis makes people depressed and anxious. It is less known that some medicines used in the treatment of breast cancer can cause anxiety, particularly hormonal treatments.(1) It is even less well known that, in contrast to the depression, which tends to decrease over time,...
