Cancerversary

February 7th was my one year cancerversary. There was no celebrations to be had. I was lying horizontal with mounds of tissue about swallowing me up. The icing on the cake was getting pink eye on top of the cold.

Now that I am feeling like I am among the living again, I have begun to reflect on this year of cancer. I never imagined I would of had to endure this so early in my life. Then I think, what would make me the exception. There are plenty of terrible things people have suffered children, young adults, and the elderly. I know when someone first gets the dreaded C diagnosis, they may start to think what did I do to deserve this. This hasn't been something I have really thought although I have had one or two wonder it to me. I can honestly say that I am genetically predisposed ( BRAC2 +). I have thought what if I ate a certain way, exercised more, but would I ever have an answer? No!

Back when I began chemo, I just realized this was my life. Life happens differently for each of us. Sometimes we must endure and live. So, I could sit here and recap this year but it is really how my life has unfolded. Life is ever changing. Life is a collection of moments. Life continues until our last breath. So, I will continue to live. I will not celebrate the cancerversary because I plan on being too busy living!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you are having a lovely day. Make sure that you are telling how much you care to all your loved ones. I have been knocked down by a terrible cold and add on pink eye this morning. My oncologist put me an a z-pack, Claritin D, and eye drops. My energy has been totally zapped. So, no projects to show. Just mounds of tissue surrounding me. But last week, I vowed to post once a week. This is my pathetic excuse for a post. Just trying to keep my word.

Enjoy your loved ones today (and stay healthy)!

 

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Take a seat

Well, I have been a busy bee this week preparing for my daughter's birthday party this weekend. I will save that for a later post. But as I promised last week, here is my latest project.

This settee sat in my booth for months but not even a nibble. It wasn't really my taste in fabrics.  I knew I would have to bring it home for a makeover. Lucky for me it was pretty easy. After I stripped the fabric, I painted the frame. Of course I used the DIYers fabric of choice, the 'drop cloth.' Quick and easy.

Here is the settee all pretty in my booth. Heavenly, isn't she?!  What a difference some paint and fabric make.  It went from a little dated to sweet and sassy!  Let's look at her again.

She was snapped up in no time! I hope the new owner loves her. 

Love to know what you think. Sharing at:

  

Oh, life

Hi! Do you remember me? I know. I have been gone all this month. Oh, life. Yes, that is what I have been up to. You see, I have been meandering through life just like I never had cancer. Yes, ever since my daily zaps of radiation ended in October, I put my head in the sand and lived like I did before this crazy cancer ride strapped me in. Denial can be such a strong thing.

Well, in mid-December my radiated breast got swollen and rashed out. We tried oral antibiotics. It got better. After a week, it was back. So, back to the doctor. The doctor said it wasn't cancer. Wow! What?! I wasn't even thinking that. Remember I have been an ostrich for a couple months. So, we try another oral antibiotics and I start freaking out that my doctor even mentioned cancer. Doc thinks it is cellulitus (skin infection) just on damaged skins from radiation. Of course, one has to google to get all the information. After my google research, I get worried that maybe I will be a freak case that has to get admitted to the hospital for IV antibiotics, contract a staph infection and die! Thanks google!

Well, I didn't get admitted but doc did say I had to go in daily to the hospital for 7 days of IV antibiotics. About halfway through the IV antibiotics, my doc takes a look. No better. We switch gears. Perhaps this is just a skin radiation thing. So, now I get to take steroids while finishing up the IV antibiotics. Since I have had so many lymph nodes removed from one arm, they can only use my left arm for the IV's. By the last IV, my veins were toast. I think the nurses were drawing to see who would get the "short" straw to poke the girl with genetically bad veins in one usable arm. It took 6 tries to get it for the last day. So after all of that, everything got better only with the steroids.

So you might ask what the hub bub is all about?! Well, I guess I just wanted my old normal life. But after something small like this, I realize I just cannot pretend like everything was the same as before. My treatments may have ended but putting my life back together seems a bit difficult on some days. When you have faced cancer, it just puts a new spin on everything. You feel like every decision you make could determine the chance of recurrence. It was so great to just live life. Now, I feel as if my every move should and will have a life altering impact that I need to examine. I am starting to think the easy part was my treatment. I find it more difficult to navigate this new area called 'survivor' status. All of these feelings get to coincide with my cancerversary. While I am figuring out this new normal, I pledge to blog at least once a week. I just am grateful that you let me put it all out there. Thanks!

 

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