One of the best decisions I’ve made in the past week is sharing my colonoscopy results with you all. Seriously. The outpouring of support is overwhelming, in a good way. My heart was encouraged by the comments, messages, texts and phone calls all weekend. It took me over an hour and a half to read […]
Read MoreI had dreams of posting a blog about my colonoscopy earlier this week and sharing that I was polyp-free and the coast was clear in my colon. Although I didn’t leave the clinic like I have in previous years, worried and concerned cancer was growing in my body, I didn’t leave like I’d hoped. During […]
Read MoreIn 6th grade, my body image was so poor, there was a short stint of time where I’d order a salad for lunch, take a few bites of iceberg lettuce and then dump the remainder of the bowl – yellow-shredded cheese, plump-red tomatoes, crusty croutons, crisp-green lettuce and diced ham – into the trash can. […]
Read MoreSometimes I step back and realize it’s a miracle I only post personal health updates a few times each year, if that. I don’t take this lightly. Seventeen years ago, after my colon cancer diagnosis, my parents were frequently emailing a list of friends and family with the latest surgery updates, chemotherapy stories and reports from […]
Read MoreI deeply struggled to accept and explain the pain of infertility – zero chance of becoming pregnant – after my hysterectomy. At 28 years old, I’d elected to have a surgery that made me infertile for the rest of my life. No turning back, the decision was permanent. Why I became infertile Initially, I pointed […]
Read MoreFor the past 17 years, I’ve been telling my story of being diagnosed with stage III colon cancer just a few weeks after I turned 17 years old. Today is my 17 year cancerversary. Some years on this cancer anniversary, I’ve felt empowered and strong. Other years, I’ve wanted to crawl into a hole and […]
Read MoreScroll down past the big trees – he told us on his personal blog – and there you’ll find me. In a picture from one of his hiking trips, surrounded by beautiful tall trunks of some of the world’s tallest trees, there Tom Marsilje didn’t only find himself but introduced himself. Humble. Happy. Hopeful he […]
Read MoreQuick report from my 12th colonoscopy (in 16 years) where I used the MiraLAX and Gatorade colonoscopy prep. Also, I encountered some new billing procedures and expenses during this visit, and my GI found a polyp. Here’s the story. MiraLAX and Gatorade colonoscopy prep For this colonoscopy, my GI doctor, Dr. Marc Taormina, recommended I […]
Read MoreTalking to kids about cancer isn’t easy, but if a close friend or relative has been diagnosed, it’s a critical conversation. Kids are observant and if cancer has entered your inner circle, I guarantee it’s on their minds in one way or another, especially if they’re preschool age and up. I learned this when my […]
Read MoreSometimes I sit so comfortably in cancer survivorship that I forget to write health updates. I think that’s normal. Oftentimes when we’re sick, we’re diligent to update friends and family when we’re in the thick of treatment and surgery. People are praying. Cooks are cooking. Friends are offering to do everything from errands to laundry […]
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