As you might have guessed, Pinktober is not my favorite month. Every year when October rolls around we are inundated with Pink Ribbons and Facebook posts asking us to do something silly like posting the color of our underwear or other such foolishness.
I will admit for the first 7 years after my original diagnosis I was sucked into believing that it was all a good thing. I have tons of breast cancer awareness shirts, cups, mugs, wristbands, etc that I purchased over the years, or that others purchased for me.
I fell into the trap of thinking I had done everything right and that because of that I was GOOD. After 7 years, I had been lulled into believing that I HAD BEAT CANCER.
If you have read any of the previous posts, you know I did not BEAT CANCER.
In August 2011 I had surgery to repair my hip destroyed by metastatic breast cancer. This photo is in the rehab hospital. Note I’m sporting the Pinktober shirt.
Just as I celebrated 7 years of being cancer free, I got the phone call.
My journey took the Stage 4 Exit onto a new cancer highway.
Last week was my cancerversary for my stage 3 diagnosis 13 years ago. This week I can celebrate my Stage 4 cancerversary. The celebration is that I am still here to share my story. But it is a bittersweet celebration. One that I wish no one would have to celebrate. Continue reading