🌀 Mood: Uncertainty, Waiting, Reflection After such a hopeful week, I thought I’d finally caught a break.But pain has a way of showing up uninvited. About three weeks after my kyphoplasty procedure — the one that was supposed to help stabilize my T8 vertebra — my back started aching again. At first, I thought maybe I had overdone it. Too much sitting and walking during … Continue reading 20 – The MRI
🌀 Mood: Normalcy, Hope, Gratitude, Progress This week felt different — lighter somehow.For the first time in a long time, I got to be in a room where no one knew I had cancer.And it felt so good. Before chemo #9, I attended my Year 2 CUCME class — that stands for Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive. It’s a three-year program. Last year was in … Continue reading 19 – Feeling a Little More Like Me Again
🌀 Mood: Discouraged but clear-eyed. This cancer journey is a roller coaster. Every day brings something new. One week, you get good news; the next, something changes that sends you into a tailspin. After chemo #7, I found myself feeling low — probably for the first time since my diagnosis. I’ve worked hard to stay positive no matter what this disease throws at me, but … Continue reading 18 – Chemo #7 – The Unexpected Conversation
🌀 Mood: Worn down but hopeful Some weeks bring setbacks, others bring blessings. Week 6 gave me both. After the roughest week yet, I went into my oncologist appointment both anxious and desperate for answers. What I left with was more than I ever imagined. I gave him the full rundown of my Week 5 reactions: the chills, the skin sensitivity, the pain in my … Continue reading 17 – The Turning Point
🌀 Mood: Shaken but watchful It only took one routine shot to remind me: cancer doesn’t always follow the rules. By Chemo Week 5, I thought I knew what to expect. I’d had this shot ten times before without a problem. Routine. Predictable. I didn’t think twice about it. But this time was different. First came the chills, sudden and deep — no amount of … Continue reading 16 – The Unexpected Side Effects
🌀 Mood: Grounded, resilient, and quietly courageous. Today marks a big checkpoint: I am officially halfway through the first phase of my chemotherapy journey. My doctor mapped out 8 weeks of weekly treatments, and this week I completed week 4. It feels both like time has moved slowly and like it’s flown by. Each week brings its own challenges — the appointments, the side effects, … Continue reading 15 – Chemo Journey: Halfway Through the First Milestone
🌀 Mood: Relieved, hopeful, and deeply thankful. Wow — what a difference a week makes! I want to begin by thanking my neurosurgeon who performed the kyphoplasty. The procedure itself was a rough experience, but it was absolutely worth it. I also want to thank all of you who prayed for me, sent encouragement, and checked in. I’ve felt carried by that support every step … Continue reading 14 – After Kyphoplasty
🌀 Mood: Raw, intense, faithful, relieved In my last two posts, I shared what led me to Kyphoplasty — the fractures, the back brace, the hope for relief. Today, I want to share what the actual procedure was like. I had a really difficult time sleeping the night before the kyphoplasty procedure. I didn’t feel especially nervous but sleep just wouldn’t come. That morning, before … Continue reading 13 – The Kyphoplasty Procedure – Bones, Bravery, and Balloons — A Day I Won’t Forget
🌀 Mood: Grounded, sobered, resilient If you read my last post, you know I’ve been preparing for a procedure called Kyphoplasty. But I wanted to share more about what exactly that means — and what brought me to this point. When I was in the hospital after I was given the diagnosis, there were several other things that came along with it. One of those … Continue reading 12 – Living with Fractures
🌀 Mood: Heavy, vulnerable, cautiously hopeful When I was in the hospital, I found out something I wasn’t expecting – cancer hadn’t just been growing in my body — it had already started breaking it. Multiple fractures in my vertebrae. The cancer had weakened the bones in my spine to the point that they could no longer support me on their own. That’s why I … Continue reading 11- Preparing for Kyphoplasty – Another Step in the Fight
My Anchor Holds 