July 14, 2015

Flag Day

 

and Happy Birthday to Meg and TJ.

 

The blog has been viewed over 15,000 times since it began over a year ago.  I appreciate those who take the time to look at past entries and share with others.  People are diagnosed every day, which means family and friends are faced with understanding and accepting the change that cancer has on their lives.

 

One thing that I don't discuss too much is mortality.  I continue to put faith in the medicine that is extensively researched and proven to work. Even knowing that the standard treatment of surgery and chemotherapy will not save me. Research has proven that catching breast cancer early and treating it aggressively can ensure a long, cancer free life.  Research has shown that those with cancer that returns later in life, can continue to live life with available treatment.  Quality of life is improved because medicine controls the spread of the disease. 

 

That means more people are living after being treated for breast cancer. 

 

And, more people like me are living with the treatment for breast cancer.  That means my quality of life is good, because of improvements in medicine.  I will continue on my current non-chemo treatment until my doctor decides chemo or surgery is that way to go.  It is not an easy task not to think about cancer every day, because it just isn't.  That is part of my life now.  But it is not my whole life. 

 

I do not think abut dying as if that's my only reason for living.  Yes, cancer is devastating because it affects the patient and their friends and family.  But, unless it has taken over your everyday functions, it doesn't have to be everything and anything.  I remain very active and live with the disease.  It's all I can do.  I am no more different than anyone else, but I adapted a different perspective on a lot of things. 

 

Accepting my disease means I accept my mortality.  Some things may happen to me sooner than others, or not.  Some people will be diagnosed after me, and leave this Earth sooner, because of the disease they have and the journey chosen.  As anyone who has experienced the trauma of loss can attest, the experience is not easy, or brief, or simple to explain.  But, after time, and education, and support, and grief, acceptance will eventually come.

 

One day, it will get more difficult.  One day, it will become very, very hard.

 

But I don't think about that day.  I think about tomorrow.

 

Love, Sosa

 

Go Dubs.