posts category

Reflections

“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails.”   Elizabeth Edwards
Eight years ago today I finished treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.   I’m having a pretty good run. I’ve seen my son graduate from middle school, high school …

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Knowing it exists is not enough. Get informed. Pass it on.
We’re drawing to the end of October, the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, sometimes known as “Pinktober.”  We can all joke about the pink products, pink apparel, pink food and drink but while 1 in 1000 males …

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I’m on vacation so thought I’d share some suggestions from WebMD on how to feel better during treatment.
Feel Better During Breast Cancer Treatment
By Gina Shaw
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS
Cancer medicines are strong. And their side effects can be intense, but you …

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“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln
Quality of life is mentioned frequently in the context of cancer survivorship. While this is obviously subjective, it demands attention. There has been research indicating that the …

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“One night after my mastectomy, I went for a walk in Central Park, and there was this mob of people blocking the road. I thought, ‘Oh, great, now I’m stuck!’ but then I suddenly realized that it is was a breast cancer walk.” Hoda Kotb
Yesterday, October 1st, was …

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“Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” – William Cullen Bryant
The first day of fall 2015 was September 23. The Autumnal Equinox, symbolizing the balance of light and dark, the end of summer with its whisper of winter on its way. The air mercifully cooling, brown, gold and red leaves …

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“Not knowing when the dawn will come I open every door.” Emily Dickenson
Last week I drove my son back to college. That’s always a bittersweet journey with detours into the massive halls of IKEA and Costco along the route.  Excitement at the prospect of adventure and the vast …

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When was told I had an aggressive breast cancer, my first thought was not “thank you, I am absolutely thrilled with this gift!” Attempting not to hyperventilate, keel over and hit my head thereby fast tracking my death, I called my husband.  He was not excited either, we did not …

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“The ultimate aim of the quest must be neither release nor ecstasy for oneself, but the wisdom and the power to serve others.”   Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth
In 2007 I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
In 2009 I introduced Breast Cancer Survivor Support with the intention …

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“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
I am attending the International Psycho-Oncology/American Psychosocial Oncology World Conference in Washington, DC.  Nearly 1,000 people from 29 countries have gathered to discuss the vital importance of …

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