September 2001. It’s a Monday. It’s also a Pro-D day. My youngest brother needs a new backpack. The last couple of months all of our focus had been on Mom, and any back-to-school shopping had been benched.
Read morecancer free!!...cancer free??
September 2012. This is my new normal. The journey, as they call it, has ended. Now what? I spent 9 months checking in at The Agency on a weekly basis. Now that it is complete, what happens next?
Read moreburning woMAN
April 2012. I made it! I literally moon-walked my way out of my last chemo treatment. I consider myself pretty resilient but seriously, the last four months nearly took me down.
Read morenods & jabs
March 2012. Kim is a champion. Before starting chemo, we have an appointment at The Agency, where Carl and I get the Coles notes version of how to give her this daily injection she needs.
Read morered devil
March 2012. I have successfully made it to the second half of my chemo plan. It is late March and I am about to start the second drug in my protocol – Taxol. Taxol is bright red, ‘the red devil’ as I like to call it.
Read morehair is overrated
February 2012. Round Two. I am looking forward to getting this one done. I measure this process in time and percentages. After today, I will be 25% of the way through. Amazing!
Read moreseven months
March - June 2001. It’s official. Mom has colon cancer. Stage Four. Here’s an interesting note. Unless you have had a family history of colon cancer, you don’t qualify for a colonoscopy - hmmm.
Read morehazmat suits & sparkly shoes
January 2012. I am scheduled to start chemotherapy on January 30th. I grew up in a family of women filled with fear. We are pretty much afraid of EVERYTHING.
Read morehere comes the sun
December 2011. I always love starting a new year. It feels like you’re shedding all of the bad stuff and leaping forward with a fresh new start.
Read morefluff & buff
December 2011. It has been three weeks since I found out that I have cancer. Too soon to tell the stage or grade of it. They will know more when they remove my breast.
Read morepowerless
November 2011. Kim and I’d only been working together for a couple of months when she got news that she had an aneurism and was having surgery. I remember her telling me - she was so calm and collected. I thought, an aneurism! That’s a BIG deal.
Read moregame changer
March 2001. Life is changing. Chapters are closing and new ones beginning, and in between there’s a little space for some freedom.
Read morepsychic pain
June 2011. It’s June and my pain is back. It’s a deep-inside pain that stops me in my tracks and makes it hard to breathe. Sometimes it brings me to my knees.
Read more