5 YEARS AGO TODAY!

Keeping it short tonight. January 5, 2021 marks FIVE YEARS since my mastectomy. This is when the cancer was removed from my body. Since that day, the journey has been filled with bumps and potholes, u-turns, and scary s-curves. I talked about this a bit in my healing posts. This is a thank you post.

To begin, I have to thank my best friend and partner in life, Allen, for being my rock every step of the way. He completely supported every decision and took on the role of caregiver with such care and grace. I never could have done this without him. He set such an amazing example for Michael and Adam. All three of my boys were incredibly supportive!

Today, I dropped off thank you cards to my breast surgeon's office and my plastic surgeon's office. Each year, on this date, I have been acknowledging them with a card and sweet treats. With the pandemic, I decided to avoid any food items. I guess that just means double the sweets next year!

Next, I have to thank my friends and family. From meal trains to lunch dates, the support from everyone showed no boundaries. I learned the definition of community. I love you all so much.

I have heard some people say that when you have a cancer diagnosis, that you have "joined the club". It is a club that no one wants to be a part of. It is a club that does not discriminate. I know too many people who have "joined the club" since my diagnosis. Yes, it is good to have peers who can empathize. We share stories that have similarities and differences. We talk about our fears and our hopes. We also might agree that we never wanted to be a part of the "club" in the first place. But, we are in the club. This is a fact that we cannot change. We can, however, continue to pay it forward.

I have always been a positive person who could always find the silver lining in any situation. I admit that there were a few points during this journey where I had to squint really hard to see that lining. It was always there, but it sometimes covered with too many storm clouds. In spite of the situation going on in our world at this time, I know that the sun is shining. I will continue to find that silver lining. I will continue to spread as much positivity and kindness that I can. I hope that you can find your silver lining too!

Thanks for listening! xoxo