These are breast cancer cells. I wear this necklace to celebrate that I no longer have them in my body. Though it has been over nine years since my breast cancer diagnosis, it is still an everyday reality for me. Lately it has become even more so. My mom has breast cancer. I am leavingContinue reading “An Update on Breast Cancer”
Category Archives: Grief
Where Are You Christmas?
In 2000, there was a live action remake of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Honestly, I prefer the original cartoon or the remake in 2018. The best part of that 2000 film, in my opinion, was the hit “Where Are You Christmas?” You can read about the origin of the song at https://www.wideopencountry.com/faith-hill-where-are-you-christmas/. The videoContinue reading “Where Are You Christmas?”
Garage Sale
This month I have been consumed with a garage sale. The prep took 3 weeks of sorting, making decisions, and letting go. The actual sale was 3 days of sorting, making decisions, and letting go. It was all worth it, and now I am exhausted. My girls don’t really play with toys anymore. When KContinue reading “Garage Sale”
Suicide Prevention
Someone that I cared about a lot recently died by suicide. He was 16. I could go on and on about how great he was. His smile was contagious, and every time I think of him, I smile. More importantly, I want you to know this resource: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ (en español: 1-888-628-9454; deaf and hard of hearing: 1-800-799-4889)Continue reading “Suicide Prevention”
Six
I don’t remember his name. His countenance is fuzzy. Yet I can still hear very clearly the sound of his stool wheeling across the floor. I had just asked, “so calcifications mean no cancer?” I was on a table having a needle biopsy on my right breast, waiting to make sure the sample was enough.Continue reading “Six”
Stolen October
Originally posted on running the dream living with boys:
I used to love October, maybe someday we can be friends again. But this year, October is my enemy. A thief mocking me into the holiday season. October is breast cancer awareness month. Oh my how I am deeply aware. Breast cancer stole my mother. And…
Grandmas
When I was born, I had 8 total grandmas, including three great-great-grandmas. I also had one bonus grandma, Aunt Mae, who was my Grandma Helen’s aunt . I don’t remember two of my great-great-grandmas, Great Grandma Harris on my dad’s side (Grandma Helen’s maternal Grandma), and Great Grandma Yount on my mom’s side (Grandmother’s maternalContinue reading “Grandmas”
Loss of Future Story and Anticipatory Grief
In seminary I took many pastoral care classes. One of the things that has really stuck with me is about grief. We not only grieve what was, but we also grieve what we hoped would be, our future story. Ending a relationship often requires grieving all that you had imagined your future together would beContinue reading “Loss of Future Story and Anticipatory Grief”
On Not Celebrating a Cancer-versary
November 5, 2020 was my five year cancer-versary. I thought that it would feel like a huge celebration if I made it to that benchmark without a recurrence. I believed I would feel relieved. However, that is not how I experienced it at all. Celebrating is something I am not good at, in general. EverythingContinue reading “On Not Celebrating a Cancer-versary”
Redheadedrev 