Do you remember the childhood game tug-of-war, where both opponents tug hard on a rope, pulling away from each other in an attempt to tug their opponent over to their side, across the line, and if they succeed, they win? Yes. You remember. It was a fun game to play as a child … not so fun to play against…
Crystal Joy
I am a dreamer. I am an artist. I am an adventure-seeker. I am a storyteller. I am a wife. I am a mommy. I am a cancer survivor. My name is Crystal Joy Hall. Share in my journey at crystaljoyhall.com.
It has been a season of good-byes, as I had previously confided in my post Love and Loss; and here I am enduring yet another difficult parting. My Physiotherapist of 7 years has moved on. She is leaving the city as well as her practice. Although I wish her nothing but love and happiness as she embarks on her newest…
These past few weeks have been emotional. I said my final good-bye to someone I loved, and then I learned of the abrupt loss of a beautiful friend. Two people whose light has forever dimmed, and my heart aches for the loss. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss I have always been mindful of…
Autumn It is autumn in Canada. This is the time of year when the rich greens of trees, and full blossomed flowers wither and fade; leaves turn to vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow; morning dew coats the browning grass; wasps flit all around, buzzing on their sugar high; and the wildlife surrounding us prepares for long, cold winter…
For those of you who follow my blog, first let me apologize for being MIA once again. It seems to be an annual occurrence – me, missing in action during the summer months. Although I did upload a post on July 20th entitled Healing From Trauma, I truthfully haven’t written or invested time in my blog since. I wish I…
June was challenging. I slept walked through most of it, working hard at keeping emotions, memories, and phantom sensations at bay. Seven years since diagnosis. Seven years since multiple mammograms, ultrasounds, scans, blood work, biopsies, and a mastectomy all in a span of 22 days. And my journey has not ended. The healing begins after the trauma. And healing takes…
And so we find ourselves near the end – the end of the school year, the end of grade 3, the end of primary level. This month signifies a great shift in our home. As I sleep-walk through this month, overwhelmed with the memories of mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, an MRI, blood and genetic testing, as well as a mastectomy, all…
Last June I composed a list of six – six natural deodorants I have personally tried since my breast cancer diagnosis, where I highlighted the pros and cons of each deodorant in hopes to share some insight. You can view that list in my post Hot Time Sweating in the City . However, a year has since passed. I no…
Cancer. It is a foreboding word. When spoken aloud, the word cancer can elicit an array of powerful emotions – shock, dread, fear, isolation, loneliness, terror, panic, anger, sadness, anguish… Cancer. I remember vividly, the multitude of overwhelming emotions I felt when I knew the radiologist found cancer in my breast. I remember the icy sensation that seeped through my…
I love using essential oils – drops of frankincense oil mixed with whipped organic shea butter as a topical ointment has provided me with relief from swelling caused by lymphedema; lavender oil mixed in a carrier oil and rubbed on my pressure points eases my anxiety as do drops of lavender oil in my diffuser to induce relaxation and calm;…