As Featured on FIG

So FIG- Lancaster has asked me to share my Journey and the experience has been amazing.  There is something about receiving Love and encouraging internet smooches (no nudey pics...just good vibes) from complete strangers that has brought me to tears.  I don't see myself as particularly strong and I certainly do not see myself as handing this cancer journey with much grace.  I see myself as stumbling through this experience with sarcasm wrapped tightly around me as my lifeboat. Seeing myself through the eyes of strangers has been humbling and an absolute blessing. 

My Mamalicious Journey

"I am a mom living the perfect life. My house is a mess, my daughter is sometimes the one in Target yelling just loudly enough for you to walk by and judge my parenting, and my husband I argue about who takes the dog out more...

Oh, and I ...have cancer, stage III colon cancer to be exact, and just in case that’s not enough my baby sister has cancer, too. We were diagnosed 7 weeks apart."

A Case of the Cancer Crybabies

There was something in the way they acknowledged that this whole experience is awful and shattering and worth tears that gave me the freedom to be weak and acknowledge that this all sucks (even the parts where I am fine) because having cancer is devastating, no matter how strong you think you are.  There was something in their simple acknowledged understanding, that finally let me cry.

Getting Out Of My Head With Float Yoga

I went to Float Yoga because while I would not admit it audibly, I was petrified to get back on the proverbial horse. I had gotten so lost in my head that despite being cleared by my doctor, four times, in the last month, I was afraid to move. Float Yoga was my way of telling myself I had exercised, when I had not. Float Yoga was my cheat, except in the end there was no cheating.

Chemo Round 5,  Chasing My Waning Optimism

It is hard for me to let cancer boss me around so much. However this cancer is a bossy asshat, so for the time being, I am going to try to listen to my body, I am going to try to actually take the naps when I need them and in the spring I am going to put cancer on a one way bus, with no air conditioning, back to the hell it came from.