First post:
Jul 13, 2020 Latest post:
Aug 27, 2020
Oh wow!!! Thank you for taking (and continuing) this journey with me. What a learning and growth experience!
I recognize this journey has impacted so many of you and I don't know how I'll ever truly be able to fully thank you for everything you've done for me and my family. To start - Thank you 🙂
The short story: I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a bilateral mastectomy. I've transitioned to a healing phase and am actively working on preventing any recurrence.
The longer story: My connection to you all is extremely important to me and your support, well wishes, prayers, and healing thoughts have created an amazing healing space.
The past several months provided many physical and emotional challenges. The vulnerabilities created opportunities for greater connection, wise action, and helped me make a space to find a greater sense of self. We utilized our 10.5 acres of secluded forest land in the foothills of the Cascades as a healing sanctuary that has supported equanimity, growth, and helped me come out stronger, more empathetic, and more curious.
I’m incredibly grateful for my amazing family (Byron, Theo, Atticus, Tupper, Majita, & Oreo) - Byron & Theo made the seemingly impossible possible. Theo has been a fantastic communication manager & did a fabulous job of keeping me entertained & mentally healthy. He is also doing an incredible job of COVID security & safety (gave up months of hanging out in person with Emma & his friends to keep risk to a minimum). Byron has done so much to help keep the household going, and tasty meals on the table for us all. Both Byron & Theo provided round the clock care, shoulders to cry on, and all with a tremendous amount of grace.
My friends and the incredible Kaiser Permanente team (past & present) were so creative, supportive, kind and compassionate. I'm completely blown away at the generosity, time, coordinated check-ins, gifts, recipes, book recommendations, cards, texts, phone calls, and e-mails. The KP team video and continued messaging of "You got this, We got this" provided confidence, helpful reflection, and inspiration to thoughtfully navigate this chapter of the current book we are all in.
My health care team has also been tremendous and is willing to embrace my approach, thirst for knowledge, and advocacy with open arms.
I'm ready to slip back into our world of unrest and COVID. I will be released early to return to work sometime next week. I still have months of rehab to gain full functioning and future surgeries are in the plan to complete my cancer treatment.
I greatly appreciate this CaringBridge site. I was actually going to take it down weeks ago and received a tremendous amount of feedback to keep it going. I am so grateful that it is time to move on. :)
Thank you for sharing your strength, healing energies, positive vibes and for helping me get back to the partner, mom, athlete, friend, coworker, fisher person, daughter, leader, and active person who’s on a journey to do what I can to make our world a better place.
