Surviving Breast Cancer Twice and Thriving

I want you to be of good cheer today if you have been diagnosed with cancer. I am now 48 years old and I am doing great. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36 in 2007. It came out of the blue. I was never hospitalized a day in my life before this happened. My Mom was a survivor at the time and I began to perform self-breast exams. This saved my life. I felt a hardness in my breast and called the hospital. I was told to make an appointment right away and to come in. I never thought for 3/% that I had cancer. To be told that I had cancer changed my life. I became very scared and I did not know what this meant for me.

It was a 10-month plan of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and more chemotherapy. I lost my hair and I was so embarrassed. But I had a positive winning spirit. You see, I had just changed how I thought. After being negative from 1999-2006, I read the Power of Positive Thinking book and it transformed my mind into a positive mindset.

It took a year after the chemotherapy for me to get back to my old self. I became grateful, insightful, self aware and proud. I knew my life would never be the same. In 2012, I was diagnosed again with breast cancer, but this time I was able to fight it with less fear.

I learned so many lessons from having cancer. I became grateful for having my hair. I had family and friends come to my aid. People were giving me money, food, calling me and texting me. I had one dear friend that text me every day. I know I would not be here if I did not have good friends like this. I became very close to the nurse that took are of me during chemotherapy. After cancer, I feel so happy to walk and talk, do my kickboxing classes and create great workshops.

Being diagnosed with an illness is life-changing. You don't know if you will live or die. But try not to think about dying. Fight to live. The body is so smart and it can detect when negative thoughts are taking over your thought process. Visualize yourself doing the things you love again. It was when I was fighting cancer that I became very close to God. I was so sick that all I could do was lay down and look up. I began to wonder why I was sick and what was the lesson. But I became so peaceful. I would enjoy my days watching great things on tv, reading positive readings and spending time with my Mother. I made the most out of every day because I now understood the value of being alive. I enjoyed my food once I got my tastebuds back. I enjoyed a brisk run, the wind blowing through my hair once my hair grew back. It really made me look inward and appreciate everything that I had. Things that I took for granted were not to be taken for granted again. Now I am a volunteer for American Cancer Society. I spread the good word about surviviorship and I conduct workshops to help others. As a therapist, I have clients that fight depression, anxiety and homelessness. I try to provide hope for the hopeless. Sometimes when we have an illness or a set back, we do not understand it. It is not only about us but about helping others. Using our setback to help someone get set up to be better. Trust the process through an illness. Trust the process through tragedy. Something good can come from it. It has truly provided me with a platform of gratitutude. I am glad to be alive and to see the sun shining. I appreciate my family a little bit more.

I am cancer free! I spend my time being a therapist. I went back to school and earned my Masters in Social Work. I am now a therapist helping others.

Please fight to live your best life and don't let anything stop you from thriving!