Dearest loves,

This is a long overdue update on my progress and my current health situation.  I am so proud and happy to share (if you hadn’t heard already) that  am cancer free still after one full year of finishing treatment!  For my type of breast cancer this is amazing news!  The rates of reoccurrence go down dramatically from here!  So again….Fuck you Frederick!  And thank you so much to everyone who has been there for me and my family over this past year!!!  Phil, Harry, Stella and Moriah have been through more in their lifetimes thus far than most in an entire lifetime.  They are so strong and I am so proud of them.  I know they are grateful for you all too!    

For those of you who might be learning this for the first time, I’m sorry and again thank you to everyone who has reached out to support my sister in her ovarian cancer diagnosis.  She has finished chemotherapy and shows no evidence of new disease.  She is in a study and they are watching a spot on her liver but she is a fricken rockstar just like I knew she would be.  Fuck covid-19 and the fact that I have only been able to see her twice and hug her once through all of her challenges.  Because our cancers are closely related, despite no genetic mutations in either of our DNA’s, my oncology team all agreed that it would be a good idea to have my tubes and ovaries out.  So, I did that today!  My surgeon is amazing and I’m so happy to have this last little challenge behind me so I can focus on what are proving to be very difficult parts of this cancer journey… self care, confidence, whole health, self love and learning about who I am having stared my own life force in the face and said “Let’s do this shit!”  I was strong, I endured with grace, strength and hope.  I am different now.  Not exactly sure of any of it yet.  But it is different and I am getting stronger each day in many ways.  So thank you for being such an integral part of that!  I love you!      

Next up is an appointment with a specialist in endocrinology to rule out thyroid cancer.  So…as scared as I was to hear the big fucking C word AGAIN…this is not going to be a thing!  It is just not!  They say they are just practicing extreme caution given my history of this past year.  Just being extra careful and doing imagery and blood work to rule shit out!  This is happening in December and was prompted bysome swelling noticed by my primary care physician at a check up and since then, not being able to stabilize my thyroid levels with medication.  I’ve had low thyroid and been on medication since my 20’s.  Just out of whack!  surprise surprise.  I do everything with sparkle and pizzaz!  

One more mild but irritating condition I’m navigating is lymphedema on my right side where they took out the sentinel node.  Its not too uncomfortable but it hurts if I bump something or accidentally roll onto my stomach in my sleep.  I’m working it out with my physical therapist who I originally referred to because I had a micro tear in my meniscus from dragging a rug up the stairs of our new house!  Which I LOVE bu the way!  That is healing and I have a really hot looking brace.  I look very futuristic and bionic!  Its kind of badass!  

So, here we are!  I love you all and I am so blessed to have such a wonderful, caring, fierce tribe of friends and family literally walking me through these times of fear, exhaustion, sadness, hope, love and strength.  You know who you are!  I adore you!  I honestly don’t know what I would do with you guys!