My Walk With Cancer

“Do not partner with fear to help you make decisions.” —Jeannette Gregory

I can't talk about flashes of light without taking about my years in cancer treatment.

Two really big insights, bright as sunlight, came to me during these months.

1) Replace fear with curiosity.

2) Look into the faces of everyone you encounter. 

 Cancer is a six letter word that strikes fear into many hearts. Some of that fear is justified and some is based on a myth that life should always be happy. When cancer makes an appearance we feel betrayed. Why is this happening to me? As my granddaughter reminds me, why shouldn't it happen to you? Are you so special that all adversity should pass you by? What important lessons would you deny yourself if you could zap those malignant cells without consequence?

Here are my thoughts about this journey.

I can promise you that these posts will not be written to strike fear into your heart. I have been mainly positive on this journey. Join me if you are curious or if you have been there too.

I am a Christian and this faith walks with me everyday. Maybe you don't belong to a denomination or maybe your belief in God is more like a great energy force. My intent is not to convince you that my faith is more true than yours. My intent is to tell my story with as much truth as possible. 

1. Finding The Tumor and Holding Space For Truth
2. Inviting My Loved Ones To Weigh In
3. The Mammogram 
4. The Results Of The Biopsy
5. Meeting With A Surgeon
6. The MRI
7. Two Surgeries After Christmas
8. Remembering The Goodness Of God
9. Help From My Acupuncturist
10. Meeting With The Radiologist
11. The Oncologist
12. Putting In the Chemo Port
13. Then Covid-19 Became A Reality
14. A Time Of Waiting
15. The Whirlwinds
16. I Need A New Oncologist
17. My First Chemo Infusion
18. Vulnerability Is Tied To Wholeheartedness
19. How Covid-19 Changed Cancer Treatments
20. Losing My Hair
21. My Dream Medical Team
22. Hope
23. Ways To Cope With Chemo
24. What Is The Underdog?
25. My Last Chemo Infusion
26. The Stress Cycle and Burnout
27. The Radiation Journey
28. I Am Finished

So let's put aside fear and look cancer in the eyes.

The first time I was brave enough to look at a cancer patient with curiosity and openness I saw a beauty that took my breath away. There

 is beauty in vulnerability. 

I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. — Anne Frank 

 

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