1 Year Cancerversary

One year ago, on May 7th 2008 I heard these words, "You have cancer". To be honest, I don't remember a single word of the conversation besides those three. I had waited all day to hear the results of my biopsy and the later it got, the more convinced I became that it was bad news. I was right. That day and the day after and for many, many days after that, I heard that word in my head probably one thousand times. Cancer, cancer, cancer, you have cancer. I still hear it in my head every day, but it has slowed down to maybe 100 times per day instead of 1000. I'm sure it will be something that I think about every day for the rest of my life.

I'm not entirely sure when I am allowed to say that I am 1 year out. Is it the day I was diagnosed? The day of my surgery? The last day of chemo? Of Radiation? Is it a year from the first time I had a post treatment mammogram and was given the all clear?

I don't know the proper etiquette for cancer celebrations, but I will just toss etiquette to the wind and say Yippee! I am 1 year out from being diagnosed with Breast Cancer! Yay me! It feels good to be able to celebrate that milestone. In fact, I think I will just continue celebrating milestones when they come along. I think I will celebrate my 1 year cancerversary again on my surgery date, my last day of chemo date and anything else that feels like it deserves a celebration.

There are many who don't have the opportunity to celebrate one year, or five years or 10 years. I am grateful that I get to celebrate and grateful that I can be hopeful about a bright, shiny future with many, many celebrations.

Year of the Snake

Two years ago today, after taking a nice long walk with my children and the dog, I came back in through the garage, slipped on a plastic bag and broke my wrist. I had never broken a bone before and it wasn't a pleasant experience at all. I broke it in such a way that it wasn't going to heal with just a cast and ended up having to have surgery. I have a titanium plate and 9 screws in my wrist. 2007 ended up being the year of "the wrist". I broke it in February, had surgery in April and was in physical therapy from May when I got my cast off until the end of August. Everything was difficult that year. Working was difficult as I could only type with one hand for several months, getting dressed was difficult and I couldn't tie or button my own pants for several months. I thought 2008 couldn't possibly be worse than 2007.

In 2008 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and it became the year of "the breast". I was diagnosed and had a lumpectomy in May, had chemo from July to September, radiation from September through November.

2009 is the year of the Ox according to the Chinese. I don't know what this year will bring for me. I will work my last day at WaMu on March 31st, will take a few months off and then will be pounding the pavement looking for work, so maybe it will be the year of "the job" for me. I am also working on writing a book this year so maybe it will be the year of "the book". In September I will be walking in my first Susan G. Komen 3 day walk and am already training and fundraising. Maybe it will be the year of "the walk"?

On the other hand, I was born in the year of the Snake and for the most part, it rings true for me. I will wait to see what this year brings.

People born in the Year of the Snake are deep. They say little and possess great wisdom. They never have to worry about money; they are financially fortunate. Snake people are often quite vain, selfish, and a bit stingy. Yet they have tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate. Snake people tend to overdo, since they have doubts about other people's judgment and prefer to rely on themselves. They are determined in whatever they do and hate to fail. Although calm on the surface, they are intense and passionate. Snake people are usually good-looking and sometimes have marital problems because they are fickle. They are most compatible with the Ox and Rooster