Being Thankful ... 2 Year Breast Cancer Survivor 2018 #23

It's hard to believe that 2 years have passed. I feel great! My appearance? I look pretty much like I did before I had started my Breast Cancer Journey. What am I most thankful for?  I had my dear Hubby with me every step of the way.

Mammograms will now be every six months for the next 3 years. My follow-ups with my oncologist, breast surgeon, and radiologist are now once a year. I have come a very long way. I still feel stressed when these appointments are coming up ... and probably will feel that way for the rest of my life. Nonetheless, I persevere and remain ... thankful. 

I still have episodes of "Brain Fog" where I'm struggling for thoughts, words, or memories. Sometimes, I will forget what I am about to say in mid-sentence. It's a common problem for BC Survivors.  It's frustrating ... but I have learned to cope with it as best I can, and I am  ... thankful.

 When you are going through Chemo it's not unusual to have problems with taste and sense of smell. I absolutely couldn't stand fried eggs when going through treatment. To this day, I still detest them. It could have been worse. I am so thankful it wasn't chocolate!

Chemo can be very hard on finger and toenails. Months after Chemo ended, some of my nails had begun to lift and separate from their nail beds. My fingernails fared pretty well, but I had lost both my nails on my big toes. They did grow back, but even now, they still show slight signs of discoloration along the top edges. I also developed ingrown toenails on both my big toes. Pedicures and manicures do help, but I prefer no polish on my nails unless it's for a special occasion. If I choose to have polish on my nails, I don't leave it on for more than a week. Once I remove it, I put a dab of olive oil on my nails each night and every morning. I believe it makes  them look healthier! And for that, I am thankful.

With Chemo, I had lost all my hair. After my 4 sessions were finished, my hair slowly started to grow back. It's now a bit thinner than it used to be, but every time I pick up my hairbrush and look into the mirror, I remember when I had no hair.  And I am thankful.

I won't lie. Sometimes, there are days when I start feeling sorry for myself and dwell on the negatives. Why did this happen to me? What if my cancer comes back? How will I cope?

 I have to remind myself ... woman, you are strong! You can handle anything that comes your way. You are a SURVIVOR. Just keep on doing what you're doing.  You and God got this! Be thankful!

*If you would like to read about my journey from the beginning to the present, check out my previous blogs that are in numerical order from #1 - 23.