01/07/2024
Happy New Year!! After my dad passed away in 2022, I made my New Year’s Resolution to just put one foot in front of the other and take one day at a time knowing that a year can turn out so much different than you had hoped for. I’m glad I did because 2023 brought about its own annoyingly, terrible challenges. In January I was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer. Before you feel sad for me, know that I’m lucky…it was caught on a routine mammogram and was a type of cancer that doesn’t spread. At stage 0 that means taking it out is the only treatment. After meeting with my cancer surgeon at Penn (on the one-year anniversary of my dad’s death), I made the decision to have a double mastectomy and I know he was with me when I made that very difficult, scary decision. On May 25th (my dad’s birthday-which I know was not a coincidence) I had the first of 2 surgeries which went awesome. I spent the summer recovering and enjoying my first experience with what I hear is called “resting,” before my second and final surgery in September. 4 months later, I’m finally back to feeling like myself, able to play tennis and do most other activities that I previously took for granted.
2023 was a blur of worry, doctors’ appointments, spending (much appreciated) time with family, and recovery. I hate a pity party, so I chose to keep this journey to myself and a small group of close family and friends. I asked my family not to talk about it, which I am sure was very tough for them, but it’s what I needed to be able to enjoy the year, talking about it when I wanted to, and forgetting about it in moments we could. I prefer to talk about things in hindsight when the positive can be found in it. And so here I am.
I’m appreciative of so many things in 2023 but mostly, access to great medical care, an awesome family, great friends who showed up for me in big and small ways, Taylor Swift (not exactly relevant to the topic but nevertheless grateful for her awesomeness and for the distraction of looking forward to her concert) and being self-employed. I never truly took a day off during my “rest” period, but I was able to do everything at my own pace with my awesome customers by my side. LuLaRoe and my friends at NuSkin never questioned my efforts and I believe assumed innocence when I temporarily stopped showing up. My boss at A Lasting Impression is intense, but even she showed me some grace. 😉
In 2024, if you’re looking for a New Year’s Resolution…how about we just go out of our way to be extra kind to people. We truly never know what someone is going through and as time passes and we get older, everyone is going through something. Assuming innocence and practicing kindness are great ways to show up for people and what I strive for in 2024. Also…get your b***s checked!!! Peace out 2023…one step at a time again in 2024!! ✌🏻