I’ve been snippy lately, and it isn’t just because of the country’s political climate. For the past few months, the occasional discomfort, muscle twinges, and tingly jolts on and around my chest since my breast cancer journey began have crescendoed into constant pain. When I first get up in the morning, I feel normal. I awake without thinking about… Read more »
amy
October 13, 2016 Comments Off on The Day No T-Shirt Slogan Worked
Throughout this essay, the quotes depicted are found on actual t-shirts for sale on the Internet. My breast implants are shifting. The plastic surgeon warned me two years ago that it would likely happen. At the time, I had just finished up an intense year of multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. I was set to begin physical therapy to increase… Read more »
amy
September 29, 2016 Comments Off on The Day I Didn’t Laugh
When nervous, I break out the comedy. It’s a family trait; my dad and my brothers do the same thing. We go into full stand-up mode when tension gets thick. I’m not sure how my mother has dealt with it over the years, and I suspect she considers all four of us annoying because of it. It’s tough to… Read more »
amy
June 30, 2016 Comments Off on The Day My Doctor Didn’t Inject Me
The first time I met my oncologist, a few things caught my attention immediately: His tall, lanky frame His English accent His bowtie His wit His title of “Doctor.” My geek was in danger of showing, thanks to my husband Jason’s years of influence. In those first few moments with the oncologist, I was desperate to work a Doctor Who… Read more »
It’s no secret that my breast cancer diagnosis rattled my perception of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle, and I live my life now recognizing that “good health” and “ideal body weight” are not necessarily related terms. I had thought that I was healthy before breast cancer, but my lack of exercise was not doing me any… Read more »
Lately I’ve fallen back into some worn, comfortable habits. Instead of consistently preparing a healthy, balanced meal, I’ve thrown frozen fishsticks in the oven and sliced up whatever fruit is on hand. I’ve convinced myself that pushing a full shopping cart around BJ’s Wholesale Club and loading its contents into the minivan’s trunk count as a daily workout. I’ve told… Read more »
When I saw Angelina Jolie’s comment saying “I actually love being in menopause”, I rolled my eyes. I have been grateful for her honesty about carrying the BRCA1 genetic mutation. She has done much to raise awareness of the plight of previvors, as those who are cancer-free but carriers of cancer-causing genetic mutations are now being referred to as. I… Read more »
Exercise and I are not friends. We have never pretended to like each other, even in my youth. While other kids were riding their bikes, I was sitting under a tree with a notebook and a pen. While they were playing organized sports, I was playing the piano and guitar. I signed up to play volleyball in 6th grade to… Read more »
