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…
Courage
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…
I do believe that on New Year’s Eve there was a collective global sigh of relief – thank goodness THAT year has passed. It was a year of loss, fear, and turmoil. All across the world we grappled with ever-changing circumstances forcing us all to adjust how we function within society – how we work, how we interact, and how…
As the weather grows colder and as winter begins to present itself we find no refuge from the grey skies and bleak days. No theatre. No cinemas. No shopping [in malls or small retails stores]. No museums. No art galleries. No science centre. No aquarium. No farm. No libraries. No recreational sports. No gyms. No fitness classes. COVID-19 cases are…
It has been nine days. Nine full days…. Nine days ago my treatment for breast cancer ended. Nine days ago I completed adjuvant therapy. It has taken these past nine days for me to comprehend the significance of this, and to wonder what the next part of my journey will entail. It has been strange hitting these milestones in the…
My time, during these past 3 months was entirely monopolized by home-schooling/virtual learning. Day after day for 70+ days I sat next to my son guiding him through his assignments, helping him grasp new concepts, ideas, and subjects, as well as organizing and prepping his assignments for the following day. With me by his side, he progressed rapidly in reading,…
This month marks 5 years since my breast cancer diagnosis. June 02nd – mammogram, ultrasound, needle-aspiration biopsy, core biopsy; June 10th – MRI; June 16th – first visit with my Oncologist; June 17th – second needle-aspiration biopsy, second core biopsy; June 18th – Rapid Genetic Testing for BRCA-1 and BRCA-2; June 23rd – Pre-Op Clinic and follow-up appointment with my…
It’s that time of year again. The annual blood work and the mammogram. How am I coping? This year, I am not. I am drowning in the scanxiety. Over the years I have written a few blog posts outlining the realities of scanxiety and even offered tips on what to do to alleviate the symptoms. But, how does one cope…
Hmm… is home-schooling an art? Perhaps I should alter the title to read The Challenges of Home-Schooling… We are in our sixth week of home-schooling with no clear end in sight. Provinces are slowly opening up across Canada, however Ontario is still in lock-down. Our state of emergency has been extended to June 02nd. Although select non-essential businesses have been…