1: Number of times a doctor told me, “Best-case scenario, you’ll be stuck with a ‘frankenboob.’ ” 0: Odds a doctor gave me that I’d be able to get chemo in ... Read more
I hate giving advice, but I’ve learned lessons through my breast cancer journey that may be helpful to others in similar situations. After my diagnosis, a doctor told me I ... Read more
My boss brought it up a couple of times, but the rule was clear: Polite people don’t mention it. Norma didn’t follow that rule. She’d walk down the hall fanning ... Read more
The bad news? It was cancer. The good news? It was in the early stages, a baby tumor at 1.5 cm. It’s hard to believe something so small has such ... Read more
I dated a guy in college who described the time he saw a nasty brown stain on his shower floor. When he called his mother, she explained that he would ... Read more
“It’s cancer,” my friend said. She had seen a doctor for something unrelated, but now she’s freaking out. Mostly about the money. The tumor they found in her right breast ... Read more
I could smell cleanliness when I opened my front door. Lemon. Pine. The glorious absence of dust. It’s that elusive moment right after my housecleaners leave and my home looks ... Read more
A young woman weeped. Pretty blond hair swung in front of her face, but it didn’t hide her angst. From where I sat, I could feel the panic running though ... Read more
I remember when my daughter performed at a talent show at her school. I’d just had my fourth round of chemotherapy, and my condition was critical. For me, every chemo ... Read more
My family and I stopped to look at art this week. While we wandered among sculptures, someone smashed the window of our truck and stole our stuff: all three passports, ... Read more
