5 years ago today…

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(a pic from 2007)

I was a wife of 19 years.
Five years ago our daughters were 7 and 11.
Five years ago I was writing books
Five years ago I had started teaching Creative Writing and Lit to a bunch of 6th graders.
Five years ago I was 5’10” and trying to lose 5 pounds.
Five years ago I dropped those five pounds in about two days as a result of the next item.

Five years ago I heard the words “you have cancer, ” for the first time.

That was the moment I became a survivor of a disease that has taken loved ones from all of us. I can’t help but think that  day  was the true beginning of a journey that I am still on. I consider my real anniversary to be October 9 as that was the day I became cancer free with my double mastectomy a month after that I would start chemo. You can read all about it by going back to the beginning of my blog. It was quite a trip. My plan for today is to write–only what I want to write…my book and get it seriously moving forward.
 Approximately 250,000 women will be diagnosed in the next year. 2400 men will also be diagnosed. The earlier you catch it the easier it is to get rid of.

I still do my breast self exam because a true self exam covers way more territory than just your breasts.

Have you done your exam this month? Male or Female you need to do it–learn how to do it at Get In Touch 

I will never forget my time in the trenches. How could I? I still have shortish hair and I still have scars I see everyday. I don’t dwell on them but I am reminded every time I find out about someone else I know that has been diagnosed and every 4-6 months when I enter a building in Beverly Hills and press the button for the 2nd floor, Tower Hematology and Oncology. The nurses know me by name and laugh at my jokes. The techs recognize me. And there is a bond between the people sitting in chairs in the lab that was hard won. Fear has no home in me and I use humor to help others evict it as well.

Today I am a wife of 24 years.
Today our daughters are 12 and 16.
Today I am writing books.
Today I have taught over 450 young women the importance of and how to do Breast Self Exam
Today I am 5’10” and trying to lose 10 pounds
Today I am a survivor.
Today I am an advocate for early detection.
Today I am in the best physical shape of my life.
Today I am in the best health of my life.
Indeed, With every given there is a gift. You just need to be willing to look.

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