Interlude

Interested in what the medical side of a cancer journey is like?  Mine started with a routine mammogram this summer, which disclosed a suspicious area that had to be biopsied. On August 11th, I was diagnosed with noninvasive stage 0 DCiS, a very common diagnosis, and opted for the lightest course of action recommended to me, which was a lumpectomy followed by radiation. I was assigned a cancer navigator, who helps me coordinate all my care. Unfortunately and very surprisingly for me and my medical team, the surgical pathology results from my lumpectomy came back with a serious and rare form of invasive cancer: HER2+ ER+ PR+ Grade 3 micropapillary invasive carcinoma. Suddenly, everyone's demeanor became very serious. I then had an MRI and a second surgery to remove my sentinel lymph nodes, which thankfully came back clear. My tumor was small, 6 mm, and caught very early, so I’m at stage 1A, which is very curable. But my oncologist told me it's possible that it may have spread un

What does love look like?  Here's how I see it: My lifelong bestie picking me up at 7:23 am (even though she is easily able to sleep in past 10:00) to spend 300 minutes keeping me laughing and totally distracted during my first round of chemo. And insisting on cutting off her hair with me this weekend! Here's how I see it: Members of my devoted boob crew showering me with attention, including poignant prayers and an amazing talisman visit connecting me with my late parents. RMS peeps showing up in PINK on day one of my chemo, even though it definitely isn't everyone's personal favorite! ;) Here's how I see it: My 25 yearlong bestie wrapping up Russ & me in her family holiday traditions for one of our most wonderful Thanksgivings ever. And always encouraging me with her zesty spirit and conviction that we can do hard things ! Here's how I see it: The light of my life fulfilling yet another tongue in cheek "make a wish" with fabulously classy coc

Never realized what an exercise in patience cancer would turn out to be. From the very start, it's been one continuous series of waiting waiting waiting waiting. It was early evening on Friday, August 11th, when I first saw my diagnosis pop up on my chart online. I didn't understand everything my biopsy results said, but I knew "malignant carcinoma" was not what I wanted to see, and it was an excruciatingly long weekend before I finally heard from my brand new cancer navigator on Monday afternoon. But that really just set the stage for what was to come, as here it is November now, and I'm still always finding myself in waiting. Waiting to schedule procedures and surgeries, waiting for results to come in, waiting to hear about treatment plans, waiting to heal from the latest assault to my body, waiting for the okay to return to the pool, waiting to have pressing questions answered, just endlessly waiting for one thing after the next, I guess it just goes to show my