As
2012 comes to a close and I celebrate another birthday in a few short
days I'm really not feeling nostalgic about the passage of time.
On the contrary. I'm looking forward to 2013 and a new start.
Soon I'll be marking my second anniversary as a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with the disease in February 2011.
The past two years have been an educational experience, to say the least.
From hearing my doctor give me the news of my diagnosis on Feb. 11, to
two surgeries, to chemotherapy and radiation treatments, to losing my
hair, I've learned a lot.
One thing I learned is that keeping oneself healthy is a full-time job. Appointments abound!
I've also learned to appreciate the little things in life more than ever before.
Soon after I was diagnosed I joined a support group.
I'm part of the
Circle of Friends, which is based at the Center
for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in Derby. The ladies certainly live
up to the group's name. They are friendly! I've never been in a support
group before. New members are always welcome.
I consider myself a private person but a year ago I wrote a revealing (for me)
story about the American Cancer Society's
"Look Good...Feel Better" session I attended at Griffin Hospital.
And I've participated in three fund-raising walks - two sponsored by
Griffin and one coordinated this October by a dedicated Naugatuck mother
of four whose own mother is a cancer survivor. The walks benefited the
Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.
This year I formed a team. It was a lot of fun.
I'm looking forward to getting an even bigger team together next October. New members are always welcome. {grin}
This fall Griffin Hospital launched a survivorship program and I've been taking advantage of what the program offers.
Last
week I was one of only three patients who took part in a helpful
workshop run by licensed clinical social worker Donna Hayes.
My takeaway from that session was I need to make time for
moi, something with which many women seem to have trouble.
Women of a certain generation (myself included) have been raised to take
care of everyone, which leaves little time or energy for much else.
Maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, getting physical rehab,
socializing, participating in fund-raising activities, and writing about
all of the above. It's all a part of kicking cancer to the curb.
If you have gone through a bout with cancer as millions of us have you know whereof I speak.
And so...what about those New Year's Resolutions?
I haven't made a list yet, but mostly likely I'll jot a few resolutions down on a piece of paper.
And what about you?
