I’ve been dealing with a personal, major health issue the past few months. Before I say what it is, let me say why I am coming out about this.
- I am a 16 year survivor of bi-lateral mesothelioma. I have inspired a lot of people with my courageous battle by overcoming the odds leading me to finding my passion of creativity through photography.
And
- I want to continue to inspire people no matter how bad things may get. You may not know it, but creativity keeps us going. It’s a spice of life is what I always say. I’m dealing with a major health battle right now, but I can assure you, I will not stop creating.
Now for the news…
I found out a couple of months ago that I have Stage 2 Breast Cancer. Finding out that I had another type of cancer after going through hell sixteen years ago was a tough pill to swallow. Those of you that know me well, know that I have a positive attitude. I don’t dwell on the negative, because why? It goes nowhere. And I am remaining positive on this. I will beat this. I know there are many survivors of breast cancer, I’ve met quite a few warriors in my support groups.
As for treatment, I don’t have to have chemotherapy and radiation. After going through chemo sixteen years ago, I will say that it was the worst part of my battle. I’ll spare you the details, but it was downright awful. So, I consider myself fortunate that I don’t have to go through that again. Here’s where it gets personal. I have to have a mastectomy. I also have to make a choice of having reconstructive surgery or not. It’s a lot to process. I have a wonderful support group that I am in, and also, my family and friends who are always there for me.
Cancer sucks, but I won’t let it overtake my life. Losing a breast doesn’t define who I am. No matter how many bad days I have, I will always try to keep on creating. Whether it’s through my photography, blogging, journaling, drawing, whatever. When the going gets tough, the tough keep creating.
