A year from the beginning…

suzannebanks6
Nov 1, 2021
3 min read

It’s been a year,

and a hellova year for sure!

As if 2020 wasn’t crazy enough.

It's hard to believe a year has passed already, yet some things I can remember as if they happened last week.

I clearly remember that I suddenly despised the color pink! It was the color associated with my diagnosis. And I had lots of pink in my closet, but I suddenly didn't want anything to do with it! I would stand in my closet and I cried just looking at it, and I definitely wouldn't wear any of it! I even considered throwing it all out. Crazy emotions, and so uncontrollable.

So many ‘year’ milestones have recently passed, including some significant dates that will not soon fade away, if ever.

Like a year ago…

…Sept 17 ~ when I was being checked for tummy pain that had gone 4 days, and a CT scan discovered it was just a teeny tiny kidney stone, but also discovered 3 suspicious lumps

…Oct 7 ~ being told I had breast cancer

…Oct 13 ~ meeting my oncologist and oncology surgeon

…Oct 29 ~ my first MRI

So many tests and appointments soon followed, but I learned that all were necessary to determine what, where, and how to proceed. So much information... scary and overwhelming. Looking back at the ‘beginning’ of this and remembering these appointments, I still tear up… okay I cry, and I cry hard!

It was that scary!!

I wish I could say it wasn’t, but it was!!

I know you all know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So many of you contribute and support the different organizations in your own way. Every little bit helps, and people like me are so thankful for people like you! Without research and knowledge, I wouldn’t have been given the amazing care and treatment I received at City of Hope!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for what YOU do.

Did you know…

it affects men as well as women
in 2021, over 330,000 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer
there are over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the US

October is over, but ladies, if you haven’t had your check-up this past year, schedule it tomorrow! Don’t put it off any longer… you know who you are!!

Early detection is critical!

Hello... did you hear me??

schedule your exam… early detection is critical!!

Oh, btw I’ve learned to like pink again, and I wear it more than before, but more for what it stands for… H O P E!

Hope for a cure! Hope for prevention! Hope to eradicate this horrible disease!

I’m still experiencing the same side effects…

from chemo – neuropathy
from surgery – pain

I’ve had new pains, shooting pains, and with each one I tend to think ‘oh crapola, what is going on now’, but they’re apparently ‘normal’ and I may experience this for a couple years! 😐

Again, the side affects are manageable, but definitely a daily reminder.

As you know I’ve been living the life as a retiree for 2 months, exactly!! It’s been an adjustment for sure. To let go of things I no longer need to think about… not being able to check my ‘work emails’ which I did constantly whether it was at midnight or while on vacation… worrying and thinking of my work family and wondering how they’re all doing... and not having any reports to work on. It’s definitely hard not being involved or included, and I knew that would be the hardest part for me… I was right! I miss them, lots!

But on the flipside… I’m learning to sleep in (don't need an alarm clock)… discovered that every day is Saturday… and loving that I’m available to do a lot more fun things, some of them I wasn't able to do while I was working! I’ve watched gymnastics practice, soccer practices and games, gone to the theater twice, volunteered at the Greek Festival, been to Colorado, Monterey, Newport Beach and Donner Lake… I’ve painted, sewed, crocheted and knitted a few fun little projects. For 3 weeks I supervised our house being painted. I cook and bake a lot more, and I exercise more than I have ever done before.

Bottom line... I’m adjusting and doing just fine! 😊

And here's a few pics with some of my very favorites...