🌀 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: Shocked, scared, exhausted, relieved Walking into the clinic for my first chemo treatment, I couldn’t believe this was my life. I checked in and first met with my oncologist. Just a few days earlier, on Tuesday, he had explained a treatment plan that would follow an 8-week cycle for round 1, using injections instead of IV chemo. Injections typically cause fewer reactions, so … Continue reading 8 – The First Chemo Visit
🌀 Mood: Exposed & Growing I’ve always been a helper. It’s not just something I do — it’s how I’m wired.If you know your Enneagram type, I’m a 2. The Giver. The Nurturer. The one who shows up, checks in, and makes sure everyone else is okay. That instinct didn’t just come from nowhere. I grew up in a house where caregiving was part of … Continue reading 7-When the Helper Needs Help
🌀 Mood: Disbelief → shock → quiet courage When my doctor called to tell me I needed to go to the hospital immediately for a blood transfusion, I was stunned. I didn’t know much about transfusions — except that it sounded serious. I had questions running through my head the whole drive over: What if I have a reaction? What if I get someone else’s … Continue reading 4-The Night Everything Changed
My Anchor Holds 