It has been an interesting summer with our almost 8 year old going on teen … he has really begun to exert his independence, voice his opinions, defy the rules (or at least attempt to), and push all boundaries. His negotiations are impressive, if not frustrating, and the tempers – though not tantrums – are tiresome. He wants what he…
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.
June is a challenging month for me. It marks the occasion I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Each year that memory floods my conscious thought. I remember the gripping fear, the dimly lit room, the feel of the warm gel on my chest, the beeps and whirs from the machine, and the sound of the gun snap the moment the…
Good-bye grade two. Adieu. Adieu. It has been a very challenging year for our little one. To have missed the final three months of school in grade one due to the onset of the pandemic [in Canada]; and then find himself in a tumultuous, inconsistent grade two school year because of our provincial government’s decision to open, then close, then…
As the warm weather settles upon us, a common [social media] post I often find in my breast cancer support groups, is the search for an effective, natural deodorant. Wishing to eliminate potential risks by applying harsh and potentially hazardous chemicals to our tender armpits we – breast cancer warriors and survivors – want something that is safe for our…
As I reflect upon this pandemic, the duration, the isolation, and the devastation, I cannot help but feel a great sense of bewilderment, perhaps even loss, within myself. My path is altered. My life is changed. It feels so unfamiliar to me. And I know that I have experienced this before. It is a parallel experience lived to that of…
Postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) – a chronic pain that does not go away over time. It is a very real condition that can affect women who have had a radical mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy, or breast-conserving surgery. Symptoms can vary from feeling persistent or intermittent pain in the chest, armpit, arm, and/or shoulder. In addition to the chronic pain, there…
We are only 20 days into the third provincial lockdown, yet it feels like months. Probably because here in TO, life has not changed much since November 23, 2020. We have remained in some variation of lockdown for 22 weeks and counting… In the past seven days, Ontario has reported 27,215 new COVID-19 cases, making the rolling average 3,887. Of…
Here we go again. Canada has surpassed 1 million COVID cases since the pandemic began. It is a sobering number, and it comes as we battle what should have been a preventable third wave – a wave proving deadlier to the younger demographic. Canadians in their 40s and 50s are falling seriously ill from the variants of concern and in…
March 2020. The world went still, quiet. People were afraid. The pandemic tore through our society altering how we communicate, work, and play. It altered every aspect of our lives. One year later we have not witnessed the return to normal. Here in Toronto, we are just barely out of lockdown, with most everything remaining closed. It has been 16…
Okay Breast Cancer warriors, lets talk about the after effects, post-adjuvant therapy treatment. I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years. I was fortunate to have minimal side effects – hot flashes, mood swings, sensitive skin, and fatigue being my greatest symptoms – but I was prepared for those. I was mentally prepared to experience many uncomfortable side effects in the…