Wednesday, April 4, 2012


Why do I talk about my health in such a public forum?  That is today's prompt.....  write without stopping.  THIS could become very funny, completely incohesive and choppy, incorrectly punctuated and finally, let's just add auto correct to the mix....  Might actually highlight my claim to my brain....

I write about my health to help others learn about their own health.  I never anticipated that I would become an activist when I began blogging.  I thought I would stick to the silliness of chemobrain and there are plenty of days, I still do that. Then, there are days when something really irks me and apparently, I need to chill when I see something that is wrong. But, I can't chill and I won't chill because I'm not a do nothing kind of person.  I'm not at the forefront of anything, but I write about my health to bring my own experience to the table.

I believe that it is of utmost important for each of us to be An Empowered Patient.... to be our own advocate..... to understand our diagnosis..... to ask questions of our doctors...... to expect answers, respectful explanations... not simply "because that's the way it is."  When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the actual diagnosis part played out over a three month period of time.  I had time to do my homework and I had a good foundation of cancer language by the time I actually heard the words.  It helped.

I am an open book with what happened to me, the decisions I made, the reason I made the choices right for me.  I hope writing helps others realize there can be, at times, many choices and it's not easy to make a decision.  When given options, it can be daunting.  I didn't go to med school.  I don't know what to do.... and then, STOP... This is my body.  I need to learn about what is happening and ACT.  What is right for me may not be okay with another person whose diagnosis is exactly the same.

Sometimes I am frightened and I reach out through this blog for support.  Sometimes, it is because I like to think that someone, SOMEWHERE is nodding there head in agreement over what I am sharing.  Maybe one person feels a bit less lonely and a tad bit validated because they can relate to what I shared.

I began writing to "unclog" my brain.  I continue because there is such a sense of community and a sense of support. Speaking only from the point of a breast cancer patient/survivor, I know there are many treatment choices.  Mostly, I want people to realize they should be getting all of their options before they make decisions.  AND, it is most important that they understand as much as they can about the choices they do make.  I certainly don't have many answers, I do have some. But I know how to ask "good questions" and I learned how to decipher the answers.  Cancer has a language all its own.

It's not black and white......  especially with breast cancer...... It's about understanding the grey... and I write hoping to shine a light on that.... and Self Advocating is of utmost importance.

OK... THAT's what my writing looks like without edits, corrections or the time to really dig into the corners of my brain...

NOW do you believe I have chemobrain?  ;)


  1. I'm glad I've got you on my side:) You are a wonderful advocate for all of us "chemo-brains". Something resonated with me: the part about choices. Unlike other cancers, breast cancer has so many choices and I felt overwhelmed by them! Lumpectomy or mastectomy? One or two boobs off? Prosthesis or re-construction? And it seems that EVERYONE has an opinion! Society in general seems to promote the notion that the more radical the procedure, the braver the woman. How many times did I hear, "If it were me, I'd have them BOTH cut off!" Well honey, it is not you, it is me, and maybe you would have a different opinion if it were you.
    Cancer Warrior

    1. Yes, choices and OMG, yes with the opinions. I think that's why there is such a sense of community among those of us who stared down a bc dx. We get is. The decisions. Those decisions were the hardest part of the whole mess. Sorting through SO much info and trying to understand rather quickly from so many different "what ifs" .... during a time when my brain felt like it was on the spin cycle in the washing machine.
      I'm glad YOU are on my side!



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