Breast Cancer

Dear Cancer: I Will Never Say Thank You

Dear Cancer,

If I tell you this, promise not to tell anyone else, because I can barely bring myself to write it, and I will never say this out loud.

Dearest Cancer

Dear Cancer,

July 1, 2020. You entered my life like a subway train speeding to its next stop. You brought so many words. Terrifying words. Confusing words. Complicated words. Hormones. Invasive ductal carcinoma. Margins. Stages. Lymph nodes. Metastasis. Surgery.

Two Ribbons

Dear Cancer, I never would have thought that December 31, 2019, would be a day I would receive news that would change my life forever. I was in a complete state of denial, shock, and disbelief as I sat in my car in a parking lot.

Dear Cancer, You Came Into My Life…

You came into my life as a nagging change—a slight pull to the left and a dimple on my breast. “It’s nothing. I am too young for it to be something.” I took you with me to visit my doctor.

Dear Cancer, You Became My Silver Lining

Dear Cancer,

May 19, 2015, the day I discovered you were living within me. At just 26 years old, I was gearing up for a rollercoaster ride that, little did I know, I would never get off. I thought there would be an end to you, a day where my life would go back to what it was, and I could act as if you had never happened.

Dear Cancer: The Chaotic Voyage

Dear cancer,

You made life messy. I expected it to be clean, linear, and perfect. But it’s none of these. Rarely does life sail along without at least a few waves crashing into my fragile vessel. Why do I expect perfection from a world that’s flawed?

Dear Cancer, You Will Ruin My Life

Dear Cancer,

You will ruin my life. If I let you. But I choose not to give you that much power. You don’t deserve to take anything else from me. My life got turned upside-down, sideways, and every other direction a year and a half ago because of you. It’s like I’m still spinning out of control sometimes.

Dear Cancer, Are We Friends or Foes?

Are you my friend, foe or imaginary friend?
The way this story starts doesn’t make sense with how it ends.
It seems like you only made yourself visible to me,
Through these waves of endless grief, what is it you want me to see?

Dear Cancer: An Evolution of Hope and Advocacy

Dear Cancer,

It is with a mixture of relief, gratitude, and determination that I address you today. You, who once infiltrated my life with fear and uncertainty, have now become a symbol of resilience, hope, and the power of human spirit.

Hostage

i wanted to run away-
trapped by a body
that no longer felt safe.
it was inside of me.
there was no way to escape.