Last Christmas my daughter was engaged and a week later we were exchanging the words “ Happy New Year”, looking ahead at 10 months of wedding plans. But 4 days into the New Year I was diagnosed with IDC /2 node positive. A “good”ONCOTYPE suggested no benefit to chemotherapy… (so I was to keep my hair for my daughters wedding). She offered to postpone her timeline but I said absolutely not! We are going to live our lives as well as taking care of them.

I had a unilateral mastectomy and beginning reconstruction mid February … exchange surgery in
July. Beginning month 10 of Aromatase with very mild and lessening side effects. I do worry about bone loss so I’ll have a DEXA at one year to assess.

A BC survivor whom I befriended just as I was diagnosed and she was completing a bilateral exchange surgery offered me these words , “ looking back it wasn’t so bad”. WOW!

Those words, uttered by a complete stranger, became my shining light and shifted my fear. I focused on each task at hand and looked forward to “ looking back” with her.

Here I am, looking at a New Year, and “looking back” at 2022. Of course the journey is ongoing but I made it through a traumatic medical year. The diagnosis was the most traumatic aspect for me.

And there were also many joys along the way. And we had the most wonderful wedding for my daughter in September.

Congratulations to all of us for making it through this year and years before and “ looking back” together.

For those of us who are beginning our journey now, stay focused, stay strong, educate yourself and advocate for yourself. It’s a tough road right now but I look forward to looking back with you! 🌸