I have learned that my cancer journey has been more about laughter than the surgeries and treatments. And it’s that focus on laughter and love that has made my journey do-able. I owe a lot of that to my family and friends.
A perfect example of dealing with breast cancer with laughter is my hair cut party. It was shortly after I started chemo in 2008 and we gathered with family and friends to cut my hair. My kids did the initial trim and they loved it. I mean, how many kids get to say they cut their parents hair without getting into trouble! Then my husband finished it off. It was a celebration and a symbol. This was a fight we have every intention of winning, and we were going to enjoy our life while we did it.
I was NED after chemo and radiation until 2010. It was a routine CT that showed my cancer had spread. I am now stage 4 with mets to the liver. Surgery isn’t an option so I am on chemo and a hormone blocker treatment.
As a promise to our kids, I told them if I ever had to go through chemo again they would get to color my hair pink. And so, less than a week after my recurrence, we spent an evening in our kitchen as my family became my private boutique. Our girls get such a kick out of telling people about my pink hair. “It shows she’s fighting breast cancer and she’s going to WIN!” I love the smiles they have when they tell people.
So I’m here saying I’m not giving up the fight and I am going to enjoy every minute of my life’s journey with all the laughter I can get.
Olathe, KS
