Last year, I got diagnosed with breast cancer. My life fell apart. I lost my health, my energy, my job, my enthusiasm, my sleep, my appetite. My brain got sluggish. I was lost. Lethargic. Uninspired. Then I started treatment. It was brutal. I shrank my sense of time to smaller units. I wasn't thinking about … Continue reading Why I Became a Patient Advocate
Letter to My Forgotten Heart
When I finished radiation, I sank into grief, and became acutely aware of the fragility of life, and the human heart. It was clear that my body had suffered a great deal. But I also viscerally realized that my heart had been beaten up and terrified by cancer treatment. One night, I felt inspired to … Continue reading Letter to My Forgotten Heart
Why Answering “How Are You” Is Difficult As a Cancer Patient
Many people are unaware of how difficult it is to answer social greetings when one is in crisis. They ask "how are you" mechanically, without thinking. I've done that in the past. Before my experience of cancer painfully opened my eyes to the stress of social greetings. I suddenly became one of many struggling everyday … Continue reading Why Answering “How Are You” Is Difficult As a Cancer Patient
When Life Kicks You
The kick came for me in the form of breast cancer. Cancer has a way of showing up in your life, unannounced, and take up all the space in the house. It’s a visitor you can’t ignore. Rowdy. Overburdening. Demanding. Draining. It derails your routine, your plans, your work, your sleep, and your relationships. You … Continue reading When Life Kicks You
