He told her that he loved her, and she stared at him. Words escaped her, as her brow furrowed slightly and her eyes squinted in confusion. She considered him a friend. Granted, he was a dear friend, a friend with whom she had been intimate. But, she had never viewed him as more than a […]
Every 30 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with cancer. Last year, at age 37, I was one of those people. I needed a lumpectomy to remove the two cancerous areas in my right breast, six rounds of chemotherapy and 30 sessions of radiation. I knew that treatment would be tough, but I […]
If a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, a doctor runs tests on the cancer cells to determine if they are: 1. Estrogen receptor positive; 2. Progesterone receptor positive; and 3. HER2/neu positive. What does that even mean? Well, for the first two, do estrogen and progesterone (hormones that naturally occur in the body) cause […]
Best Boy had just told me that he loved me. Did the fact that he said it for the first time ever while we were having sex negate the sentiment behind the words? Was he drunk and this was a case in which I should blame it on the alcohol? Did he really love me? […]
My energy and strength finally started coming back toward the end of the third round of chemotherapy. My iron counts were up after five transfusions, and I was able to get out of the house for short intervals. My first real outing came after Best Boy had spent the night. I awoke craving Caramel French […]
After Philly Matt and I broke up in 2006, we stayed in touch and enjoyed occasional benefits with each other. We both dated other people, but for over a year, we never discussed that fact. Our break-up was too fresh, and we were still transitioning from exes to friends. In 2008, our friendship really started […]
She looks in the mirror and doesn’t recognize her own reflection. She’s bald. The bags under her eyes display how little sleep she has gotten over the past few months. She undresses and sees her curves. Since her diagnosis, she’s gained 15 pounds, which is unfortunately the norm for her type of cancer. Much like […]