One bird at a time
“I gazed at the blank paper on my easel, listening to the birds outside my window. Sometimes it was that moment just before I put brush to canvas that was hardest. Besides, this was… Continue reading
You never think it will be you. You go about your days making plans, imagining futures, dreaming ordinary dreams. Life feels steady, predictable. And then it isn’t. One phone call. One scan. One… Continue reading
In 1948, two French scientists noticed something unexpected in their lab samples: fragments of DNA drifting in blood plasma. At the time, the discovery seemed trivial, even puzzling. DNA, after all, was supposed… Continue reading
You’ve likely heard people talk about “chemo brain”—or maybe you’ve even felt it yourself. It’s that foggy sensation that can make it tough to find the right word, recall a friend’s name, or… Continue reading
So few grains of happiness measured against all the dark and still the scales balance. – Jane Hirshfield “The Weighing” I’ve been reflecting on these lines from Jane Hirshfield’s poem The Weighing and how its… Continue reading
In many cultures, greetings are often seen as polite and routine exchanges. However, in some Muslim cultures, there exists a profound dimension to these everyday interactions. When someone asks, “How are you?” in… Continue reading
I discovered that today, September 16th is ‘Tattoo Story Day’. While I am not sure if this is a day that’s universally marked, it gives me the prompt I need to tell the… Continue reading
Checking my August Awareness Day Calendar, I discovered that today, August 30th is designated as Grief Awareness Day. Sometimes I feel we are awash with grief in our community. Not just in our… Continue reading
Are you looking for a new job after cancer treatment? Perhaps you left your last employment after your diagnosis, or maybe you are still in your current job but want a fresh start… Continue reading
“In a society which is much more inclined to help you hide your pain rather than to grow through it, is necessary to make a very conscious effort to mourn.” – Henri Nouwen Grief… Continue reading
T for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just […]
The Thing Is to love life, to love it evenwhen you have no stomach for itand everything you’ve held dearcrumbles like burnt paper in your hands,your throat filled with the silt of it.When… Continue reading
The Butterfly Effect For Marie Ennis O’Connor So close and still Quietly far away From the company Who chose you The day you heard The word we all Heard. Echoes In a canyon… Continue reading
26 posts. 26 days. 26 letters of the alphabet, one blog post beginning with each letter. H is for Hair I started this blog a few years after my breast cancer diagnosis and… Continue reading
“I gazed at the blank paper on my easel, listening to the birds outside my window. Sometimes it was that moment just before I put brush to canvas that was hardest. Besides, this was… Continue reading
A mastectomy is prudent when breast cancer returns after a lumpectomy, because survival rates are better than with another lumpectomy, according to a report published in October 2008. “We were surprised to find… Continue reading
The discovery of tumor-suppressor genes has been key to unlocking the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation the hallmark of cancer. Often, these genes will work in concert with others… Continue reading
Making the decision between a mastectomy and a lumpectomy can be a very difficult choice for a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, I read about a new procedure called oncoplastic surgery, which offers… Continue reading
Breast cancers that respond to female hormones, such as estrogen, generate specific proteins that help tumor cells survive and grow. One such protein, HDM2, is known to be present in higher levels in… Continue reading
Thanks to Steph at the Biopsy Report for directing me to a new book which has recently been published. Designer Genes tells the fictional story of Emily Cusack, who has a loving husband, two… Continue reading
For many cancer patients undergoing mastectomies, reconstructive breast surgery can seem like a first step to reclaiming their bodies. Last month I wrote a piece on reconstructive breast surgery and specifically the lack… Continue reading
I am one of those people who cannot bear to throw a newspaper or magazine away until I have at least glanced at the content, in case I may miss a good feature story.… Continue reading
I reported a while ago on research which indicated that the stress of waiting for a breast biopsy result may cause adverse health effects in women. Now thanks to a very generous donation by a… Continue reading