I’ve written a lot about not feeling like myself since I began treatment for breast cancer. Deep down, I know that I’m more than the sum of my parts, but there are moments when that doesn’t provide solace.

At a recent charity event, an acquaintance complimented my short hair. Without missing a beat, I cringed and told her that I'm not a fan. She responded:

You should feel lucky that you’re alive!

I looked at her with a confused expression on my face and said:

I do. But why does my sadness at the after effects of chemo need to be mutually exclusive from my ability to count my blessings?

It’s not easy figuring out who you are after you’ve experienced a major life event such as being diagnosed with cancer. The rest of the world continues as normal, but your life can never go back to the way it was before. I felt that way after I started to go paralyzed in 1994, after my mom died in 1997, and when I was diagnosed with cancer in 2010.

What’s my advice for a breast cancer patient who just wants to go back to her old life? Check out my video for Breast Cancer Answers.

And, for those of you who are wondering, yes, there are still times when I need to remind myself to take my own advice! xoxo