After a week of being poked, prodded, stretched and contorted (thank you, breast cancer!), the timing to relax in a beautiful environment, with delicious food and amazing people was impeccable.
Outstanding in the Field lived up to its incredible reputation. If you have the opportunity to participate in one of these events, don’t walk…RUN!
Today, I officially entered the breast cancer radiation road. Unfortunately, it is a heavily trafficked road. The Silver Lining news is that I am being cared for by an extraordinary team…including a bolus!
The following poem is a classic. I cannot read it enough – especially since my breast cancer diagnosis. It is the most wonderful reminder of the most precious and delicious things in life…and the ways to enjoy them. I hope that this Silver Lining enhances your life as much as it does mine.
This trip to New York is further deepening my appreciation for the great and wonderful gift of friendship in my life. My mind and spirit are fueled by being surrounded by a profound level of love and support, which is the ultimate Silver Lining.
As it turns out, despite my jitters of yesterday, traveling after being on the breast cancer Isolation Island is (fortunately!) just like riding a bicycle. I hopped right back on and rolled easily, which was a real Silver Lining. Additionally, a five-plus hour flight enabled me to reflect on life lessons, lymphedema and cancer lingo.
Our daughter (a/k/a Finally Five) has not been herself lately, in all likelihood a combination of being fed up with my breast cancer (aren’t we all?) and being on the verge of a big developmental shift. I decided that now was as good a time as any to make a withdrawal from my Energy Bank and go on an overnight Mommy trip to the Alisal Ranch in Solvang, California. After a glorious day, I reflected on the quantity and quality of Silver Linings in my life.
My all-time favorite salad recipe is found in Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook. It’s easy breezy and so delicious (double Silver Lining!).
Chemo clutter (a/k/a mind fog or chemo brain) has truly been the most frightening part of my breast cancer experience because it inhibits my ability to think, problem solve, follow directions, and make decisions. When you think about it, cognitive ability (or lackthereof) is a huge factor in defining who we are as individuals. Having my cognition altered to radically has made me feel incredibly vulnerable. (F-Bomb!) Don’t worry, I do find some Silver Linings!
As I continue to move beyond the side effects of breast cancer chemo, I am able to see the light at the end of the long, long tunnel. (The light is still a long way off, but it is there. And that is a huge Silver Lining!). During this visualization, “Re” words keep popping into my mind, beginning with: Recovery.
After a long six months of breast cancer induced fatigue, feeling an inkling of energy in the past few days has been a Silver Lining. However, what I learned after a day of too much too fast, the faster I go now, the longer recovery will take.
