Survivorship
The stories and experiences are written by people after cancer treatments. These stories are written for those learning how to get back to work, college or just trying to be themselves again. Just getting past treatments isn’t enough, it is surviving and thriving that is key to being you again.
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Infirmity Gave me a Reason to Believe
Adopting a life of spirituality to gain internal strength, resilience, faith, and optimism allows one to conquer the external yet strenuous trials and tribulations that life may present. At the age of 13, on my bed of affliction, my life changed forever.
Read More...“Why Didn’t You Ask for Help?”
“Why didn’t you ask for help?” Moving Beyond Shame and Into Community. This question was asked by a relative as we were packing my family’s apartment in preparation for moving into our new home, and I have been thinking about it since.
Read More...Faith is a Feeling
It’s late at night, but I feel like writing. Throughout my day I’ve scrolled through The Cancer Patient Instagram stories. The topic has been primarily centered around religious people, and the stupid things they’ve said and the myriad of ways we’ve been hurt by them.
Read More...From Melanoma to Mindfulness
Malignant melanoma. The words glowed back at me from my work computer screen as if they were highlighted in neon yellow. “That must be a mistake,” I thought, as I glazed through the remainder of the virtual pathology report.
Read More...The Botany of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
It’s a wonderful coincidence that elephants are my favorite animal. My elephants, my cancer, were lurking inside my private rooms. I’d been very reluctant to go public, to put a big reveal out into the world that I have breast cancer. I didn’t want to post an announcement online about my cancer.
Read More...Serenity in the Big Ditch
Adversity creates a yearning for serenity. With struggle a calm moment is desired, and the appreciation for when it occurs is significant. I first found whitewater learning to kayak in Glacier National Park with First Descents. Anxiety was a real concern I had with anything done around that time.
Read More...Prescription of Nature
I’m tired. Like to-the-bone weary, at a point where I switch into autopilot mode and float, not present in the moment, or really in the past or future, just tired. So, let’s talk about how I got here. It’s a mix of a glorious adventure in nature and sterile walls and fluorescent lights all in the matter of a week.
Read More...“It’s cancer. I’m sorry.”
“It’s cancer. I’m sorry.” I remember things immediately going silent. My brain and everything around me suddenly went dark. Hearing the words “rare and aggressive” and “I’m sorry” are a few things that I do remember.
Read More...Cancer Didn’t Care
Cancer didn’t care / Cancer didn’t care I was only nineteen / Cancer didn’t care I wanted to go back to school / Cancer didn’t care I loved my body and was comfortable with myself / Cancer didn’t care I was happy with my life
Read More...In the Mountains, I am Free
The golden sun warmed the brown and gray mountains. Short alpine grasses leaned into the wind and reached for oxygen at the high elevation, always finding a way to bloom. I was sitting in the passenger seat of my mom’s car with the windows rolled down, so I could take in the sweet smell of pines and the crisp Colorado air.
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