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The Blessing of a Birthday
Stephanie’s First Birthday (January 1987) By definition, birthdays are to be celebrated. However, more often than not, society frowns on old age. With face-lifts, age-defying serums, and injections,...
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Arm’s Length: The Distance Between Friendship and Cancer
(As appeared in The Huffington Post on 1/28/14) Cancer scares people. It’s the disease that no one wants to get, no one wants to talk about, and no one has a cure for. It brings the crazies out of the...
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10 Ways to Help Someone With Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men are at risk of developing cancer in their lifetime. These statistics are increasing daily. Cancer is rampant. Dare I say it’s...
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Newlywed, Newly Diagnosed: When Cancer Flips Life Upside Down
(As appeared in Everyday Health on February 3, 2014) As a 25-year-old newlywed, my life was wide open with opportunity. My husband and I had dreams, desires, and plans to put into action, and...
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The Right Shoe For Life After Treatment
Many outside of Cancerland think that once treatment is over, life continues again as if nothing ever happened. That we get to press the universal play button and proceed on our merry little way. The...
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Surrendering Worry Leads to Freedom
Cancer-free once again! (February 2014) Scans are routine in my life now. In fact, I can’t remember the days when I didn’t have to lay in some form of a machine that took pictures of my internal...
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Dear Cancer: It’s Not Me, It’s You
(As appeared in The Huffington Post on 3/13/14) Dear Cancer, I’m breaking up with you. There are no negotiations that can be made. No argument strong enough, no comeback able to change my mind. This is...
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Hair Hath No Fury
There comes a moment in every cancer survivors life when we realize our hair has returned. My moment was this morning. After answering emails, continuing the laundry, and catching up on Real Housewives...
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Bald is Beautiful: The Message That Got One Young Girl Banned From School
(As appeared in The Huffington Post on 3/26/2014) Yesterday, I came across an article. It’s a story that gripped me and had me feeling both triumphantly exuberant and downright disappointed. This story...
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Badge of Honor
Losing hair in an already difficult situation is like rubbing salt in an open wound. As if struggling to survive each day through treatments, medications, and poisonous elixirs isn’t enough, going...
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Dream to Reality: Chatting with Ellen DeGeneres
A dream was birthed from the conception of my diagnosis. I had a far-fetched aspiration to go to The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Never once did I think this dream would become a reality. In fact, had you...
View ArticleThe Shadow of Cancer
Cancer has the potential to affect every detail in my life. It can sink into the nooks and crannies, and infiltrate the depths of my existence. It can wedge itself where it doesn’t belong. Cancer is...
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A Big Thank You
Every week I receive emails from readers sharing how I’ve helped them through their own journeys. Readers that tell me how inspiring, raw, authentic, and brave I am to share my story so openly. Men and...
View ArticleComplicated Results and Abundant Faith
It’s that time of the year again. My three month follow up scan has arrived. If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, you know that I laid on the hard, metal table one week ago. The results...
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Caregiving: A Perspective From Both Sides of The Coin
(As featured on Cancer Knowledge Network) Most of you know me as the writer in our family. Little do you know, my husband is talented in written form as well. Recently, Matt and I were asked to...
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Pruning What Doesn’t Belong
A fourth surgery in less than three years? No problem. In fact, I told my doctor if he needed to cut me open from my shoulders to my knees, I wouldn’t care. Just get the job done. Remove what doesn’t...
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Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
I have struggled since surgery, both physically and emotionally. This journey that I’m on, though abundant in blessings, is a difficult one. There are great achievements and considerable...
View ArticleWe Need Your Help
There are times in all of our lives when we get to the end of our ropes and need to reach out to others. Personally, it usually takes me reaching the last thread of said rope before I ask for help. I...
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We’re Going to Houston!
We asked and you answered. I am in absolute awe, deeply humbled, and practically speechless at the depth of generosity we have received this past week. As most of you know, we set up a GoFundMe online...
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Treasures in Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center You know that feeling you get when you’re on your way back home from a trip out of town? The one where, though sad to leave, you are excited to get home and sleep in your own...
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