Today, I was a Beauty Queen. I walked in the Astoria Regatta Parade at the front of the Blue Scorcher “Float” which we put together out of banners we made yesterday, combined with the signs from our farmers market booth, and flags made for the Lughnasa festivals of the past. It was held together with bamboo and zip…
Category: breast cancer
Dreams of Yew, or coming to terms with Taxotere
While reading on the blogs of some gals, who are currently going through chemo, I have been reminded of the immense respect and love I now feel for the beautiful Pacific Yew tree. These complex and gnarly trees are in a fabled family associated with mystery from way way back. Like two hundred million years…
Any way you slice it, the fiscal realities of cancering
Let me start by saying I am immensely blessed. That even though the financial consequences of my cancering extend into the foreseeable future, I get just how lucky I am. I get that the good fortune is inclusive of my financial picture. Despite the fact that my healing sabbatical led to taking on debt to cover my lost wages,…
Chapter One: Waiting
The other evening on my walk home from work in the beautiful summer warmth I started thinking, “What if learning about a serious diagnosis could be empowering, and life affirming rather than terrifying?” What would that look like? Here is the first installment of the story I imagined. I will add to it in the coming weeks. Sort of…
Cancer is a Dinosaur
For those who have been reading since the beginning my slight obsession with the idea that cancer is a verb and not a noun, hence my use of the word cancering, is very familiar. For those of you who have only recently happened upon my blog – my word choice might seem a bit peculiar. Sort…
Joseph Campbell and Me
The Journey. Okay. This summer I’ve had the chance to read a whole lot written by other breast cancering babes. I have also ended up clicking through to many editorial articles. After about the third time I saw a snarky remark about the “ubiquitous journey” of breast cancer I changed the byline on my blog…
Going Public . . . and now the rest of the Story
To what purpose is this blog? The universe deemed that my little intro draft be published when I merely wished to save it yesterday. So the question still stands, is this blog meaningful to anyone besides myself? Are there standards as to how many people need to be reading or liking or commenting in order for…
Looking for a Three Legged Cat
There is a most amazing creature living in my house. She is so beautiful, and funny and fierce. Sometimes when I see her I think if she can be happy with three legs, I can be happy with one breast. Other times I feel a crushing wave of sadness that her exquisite perfection, her athletic…
Portals to ALL ONE!
Recently I connected with a another blogger, after words on her blog sparked a chord within me. She got me to thinking about how our actions and choices and approaches impact others – often inadvertently. Arriving at work today, still thinking about her post, a convertible pulled up beside me with the radio blaring, it was the…
Ah Statistics! Tamoxifen Update #3
As I continue to question and research Tamoxifen I see that there is no way of applying statistics to the individual, just the possibility of having a generality. Statistics are like a squall passing through, who knows where the rain will fall? Or who will be at the right angle for a rainbow? There are always those…
“Mama More Berries!”
If you haven’t noticed before I am fairly obsessed with berries, enough so that my firstborn son uttered his first sentence about them. All the wild berries are frankly one of the best parts of living in the Northwest. They are like jewels, filled with vitamins and a microcosm of yum. I love them all, even the…
Loan Sharks and Cat Naps
“Better listen girl to what I’m tellin’ you You better listen girl, or we are through You better stop all your foolin’ around Stop your runnin’ all over town ‘Cause you’re pushin’ too hard Pushin’ too hard on me (too hard)” The Seeds 1966 Crash. Time’s up. Your goose is cooked. I think that I…
Riding the Pooka 