My Book – More Mighty than Cancer – is Published!

It’s done! My book is finally published.

I’ve poured myself into this book, it’s my story, and my truth. Thanks to all those who have helped me along the way, and helped to get this book over the finish line.

Thanks for stopping by, if you think the book is great, feel free to drop me a line, leave a review, maybe click on a bunch of stars on Amazon.

As always, for those affected in any way by this disease, sending many healing thoughts your way.

Available for purchase on Amazon by clicking this link: More Mighty than Cancer

As an amazon associate, I can earn on qualifying purchases. If you want to know more about it, please click here.  

How to Help a Friend Who’s Been Newly Diagnosed with Cancer

“What can I do, how can I help?”

Most friends ask these exact questions upon hearing of your cancer diagnosis. It seems like the best thing that a friend can ask. A caring, compassionate sentiment that shows you are there for them. A person newly diagnosed with cancer often doesn’t know how to answer this question. Often this question can actually be a burden to answer, especially since those newly diagnosed truly don’t yet know what can help them the most.

I devote an entire chapter of my book to this exact topic.

Sneak peak though…the short answer is food. Take them food. There are other ways to help too, but food is the top of my list.

More Mighty than Cancer offers advice not just to those who have been diagnosed with cancer, but also how family and friends can help their loved ones during this rough time.

Available on Amazon and Kindle: More Mighty than Cancer

#moremightythancancer

Chemo – When the Hair Starts Falling out…

Hair loss is one of the most recognizable, and most known side effects of chemo. As a working mom, I had to make decisions on what to do when my hair started to fall out.

In my book, More Mighty than Cancer (available on Amazon & also currently on Kindle Unlimited) I talk about hair loss prevention techniques (Cold Caps), hair loss hiding techniques (Wigs, caps and scarves) and what worked best for me.

I also share insights on letting my ten-year-old son shave my head, and how that activitiy helps kids cope with their mom dealing with cancer and chemo.

#fcancer #breastcancer #chemo #hairloss #coldcaps #moremightythancancer #bcsm

Cold Caps to Prevent Hair Loss

As part of my cancer treatment, I decided to use Cold Caps as a means to prevent hair loss.

I ended up not sticking with it, but I do understand how it can be helpful for others.

You can read about my experience with cold caps, as well as the rest of my cancer treatment, in my recently published book, More Mighty than Cancer. Available on Amazon: More Mighty than Cancer

More Mighty than Cancer is on Kindle Too!

Everyone!!

I’m so happy to share that my book, More Mighty than Cancer, is now available on Kindle!

Any weird format/font issues, please do not hate me for. I seriously uploaded no less than 16 versions of this book in the EPUB/Kindle format. I tried my best is all I can say in my defense for any weird formatting issues. Please forgive me, and please don’t put any of that in your 5 star review of my book. 🙂

I also had to re-upload any pictures because they didn’t convert well to the kindle format. @$$holes!. (the pictures, not you!)

Kindle has a subscription program, Kindle unlimited. If that is your thing, I think you can get my book free of charge to you. I will preface this with a disclaimer that it is a limited time. I have lofty goals, and once I offer this book outside of Amazon the free for you offer won’t apply anymore. Right now you have 90 days (I think.) Since I will likely be delayed in the other offerings, I’m sure it will go at least 180 days on Kindle unlimited. Score for you!

I hope for all that this book offers hope, helpful advice, and knowledge that can be shared.

Thanks for stopping by & #fcancer #moremightythancancer

Are You Ever Really Done with cancer?

I remember, it was sometime within the first year after completing my cancer treatments, my son saying to me, “But Mommy, you’re done with breast cancer now.”

It caused me to pause, and really think about that comment. It gave me strength, happiness, relief. In all of my being I felt that same sentiment, that I was done with cancer. It flowed through me like a closure, THE closure I needed. When he said that, I did feel in all of me that I was “done” with breast cancer.

I’ve learned differently over the past five years though. No one is ever truly “done” with cancer. It invades every part of your being. Every twitch, twinge, ache, or pain whispers back at you a reminder of the past, and also an unwelcome threat of what could return.

Every time I hear of a club member whose course has turned for the worst, it is a reminder of my own mortality.

The answer is, “No.” No one is ever really “done” with cancer. We endure. We survive until we can’t. We try to help those that need help, especially the new inductees into the club that we wish with every fiber of our being we could reject from our club. And at the same time, we continue our best to survive.

Never done. Never giving up.

#fcancer

January 24, 2022 & Coming Soon (My Big News!)

Today’s anniversary post brings big news!

I’m very stoked to share with you that I’ve finished my book!!

I’ve poured myself into this book in a way I didn’t know I could, I’ve re-lived so many times the very worst times of my life during the writing, editing, and proofing of this book.

My story is very different from so many others who have received cancer diagnoses, but this story is mine alone, and I’ve done my best to tell it with all honesty, and in my own way.

I’ve tried to cherish every single day of the past five years, today is the 5th anniversary of my completion of chemo for breast cancer. Every day, I love my family more than I did the day before, and love them for their support, and their love back to me.

Taking a stroll down memory lane on the January 24ths of the past five years…

Last day of chemo – 1/24/2017

1/24/2018

1/24/2019

1/24/2020
Late Jan 24th pic – 1/28/2021

And at long last, here is my Jan 24, 2022 pic.

1/24/2022

This is my author’s copy, I’m going to make sure it is just how I want it to be, then it will be available for purchase.

Thanks for your support!

I’ve Been Busy!

Wow, so, while doing a wee bit of prep work for my tomorrow’s post, I looked at my posting list for this blog, and realized…I’ve not really done anything in a year. Well, not really not done anything, but not done anything on my blog. Wow. My first year of this blog, I posted very regularly, and this past year, nothing.

It’s weird, I’ve not had much to say. For those that know me well, they’ll understand how unusual that is.

But, I’ve been trying to focus. I put a ton of time into trying to write a book, and I really wanted to make sure I spent my writing time actually finishing that task. I had so many ups and downs during that process, weeks and weeks where all I did was work on my book, followed by weeks of just needing a break from it. For real, it can get a bit overwhelming and depressing at times re-living that. But I feel it is for a greater good, and good things will come of it.

Thanks to all my followers who have stuck with me, and thanks for encouraging me and reading my ramblings over the years. Big news is coming.

F*Cancer!

5 Years Folks…

That’s the ticket, the five year mark.

That’s what all cancer…what do you call us? Survivors? Endurers? Warriors? Journeyers?

No matter the name, five years is the carrot that is hung out in front of us, the beacon we strive to achieve.

A five year survival from our diagnosis. A five year survival from our treatment. It’s what marks a turning point from that original kick in the head call saying “You have cancer.”

It’s around the corner for me right now. Weeks away in fact. It’s terrifying. Thinking that I’m on the verge of that milestone. Hoping always that cancer is in my rear-view mirror.

I am anxiously awaiting my milestone.

Jan 24-ish, 2021

I missed it. I missed taking my annual January 24 picture. No surprise, during these crazy times we are in, all the days sort of run together as one, every morning I have to consciously think about what day of the week it is.

So, it’s a little late, I took this pic on January 28th. Four years and a few days past my last chemo treatment. At my annual check up, my doctor asked me if I knew how big of a deal it was, the fact that I’m coming up on the five-year mark of my diagnosis. I told her that I honestly didn’t know what date was used to mark that all-so significant five-year milestone. She said that some people use the date of their diagnosis, some use the end of treatment. She also said that since for me those dates fell within six months of each other I could use either, or both, why not celebrate twice?

So, yeah, five years is a huge deal. A turning point if you will. I honestly don’t know what next milestone I will set my sights on, but glad to have this one just ahead, in plain view.