Cancer

My Cracked Earth

When I woke up from surgery,
Something was amiss.
The monitor beeped,
The plink plink of the dripping ringed,
The tubes were plugged into me
And my head felt numb
Like a dried-up earth
Ripped from nourishment
And cracked in pain.

An Imperfect Metaphor

I recently got unexpected good news within a still terrible situation. I’m 31 years old with metastatic breast cancer.

Did I Ask for Cancer?

Did I ask?

I didn’t choose cancer

But I did ask for it

The Stairwell

You never can make sense of the whole picture until you remember the trepidation you felt at nine years old when you went back to school, fresh out of the children’s hospital. Not only were you a little girl with barely-there hair and a chemo-induced puffy face, but you were still relearning how to go […]

Genito-What? Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause Part II

Welcome to Part II of our series all about genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM)—t he sneaky but significant side effect you’ve never heard of! If you haven’t read Part I, I’d suggest going back and starting there. It’s a good intro into our current convo because it gets into the nitty gritty of what GSM is and why it can develop in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) after cancer.

Fake It Until You Make It

When you see cancer portrayed in the media, there are two common storylines. Either the patient is dying, or they are living their “best life” despite it all.

What Do (and Don’t) You Expect?

Expectations. From the second we come into this world, there are expectations. They expect their bouncing baby girl to be a prom queen, or a genius, or an author, or a myriad of things.

A Groundless Place

As a pre-med student majoring in psychology, I was fascinated by the brain and engrossed in my neuroscience courses. Oliver Sacks’ books filled my shelves, days spent shadowing in neurology clinics filled my summers, and research into the evolutionary origins of human cognition filled my college years.

The Misunderstood Tragedy

I have a confession. Last week, I did something I never thought I would—I signed up for a 5K. Let me be clear: I’ve never willingly run that far in my life, and I’ve never felt the desire to.

I Didn’t Expect to Live

Expectations.

I expected to live a long, healthy life without wondering if I’ll reach my thirtieth birthday.

I expected not to lie awake tonight, stunned and saddened because Alex is gone.