In my terrified mind, this was the path to just getting my life back, as if those breast implants could be a talisman to ward off grief and pain.
Lucky Seven
Those words "long term survivor" still catch me by surprise. I will whisper them like a rosary until all my cells know it to be so.
Growing Resilience
My friends and family know that I'm an avid gardener. This time of year, I am closely following the weather trends, waiting for the barometer to rise enough to safely begin the "hardening off" process for my seedlings. Hardening off describes the process by which you gradually expose your plants to the elements of sun and… Continue reading Growing Resilience
Healing those Hidden Wounds
In my work with cancer survivors, there are different ways that this need for emotional work expresses itself. Here are just a few. Do you find yourself falling into any of these traps?
How to Emotionally Prepare for Surgery
When surgery is looming, finding the people, practices, activities and rituals that speak to you, that give you grounding and meaning is the place to start. Here are some ways that I prepared emotionally for my surgery after a cancer diagnosis.
Bias Towards Breastedness & The Future of Breast Cancer Care
How can a cancer patient make an informed and fully resonant choice when you don’t include all the options and disclose all possible complications? Find out why I am a "Flatvocate" after living with breast implants for 5 years.
What will you do with this life?
“I just want to live!” It’s came out like a whisper, an endless prayer, a mantra in each breath, it poured from my mouth like a wounded animal howl. I felt it in my bones on sleepless nights...
Our Voices Rising: At the Intersection of my Flat Chest and an Antiquated System of Care
Women everywhere are calling for the standard of surgical breast cancer options to shift and include flat closure. We’re finally positioned culturally and historically to demand autonomy over our health care choices, and how we express our ideas of what is truly healthy and beautiful for ourselves.
When Raised on Crumbs of Love
When parents are trying so very hard to keep their heads above water, they may not be able to show you what it is to be a strong swimmer. It can feel messy and scary, like drowning. As a young woman, I wish someone had told me is to stop flailing, to lie on my back and look up at the stars, and helped me to see what I could have and be if I stopped waiting for rescue.
Wild Walkers
I pictured each step as walking towards my health. Then I repeated the names of my friends and family who were still facing their diagnosis, as well as those who had died from cancer. I said their names over and over, each step bringing me closer to the finish line.
Melissa's Healing Hope 