Who Took My Shoes
A doctor came in with a needle in his hand. “This is going to hurt,” he said. He did little to hide the sadness he felt about the pain he...

Girl Scout Gone Rougue
“We’ll wear tan pants,” the troop leader said. “And matching T-shirts.” Oh no. I thought. This is going to be a challenge. When my...

I Let Go
When I thought I was going to die, grief blinded me. Not really for myself. I’ve had a pretty good run. My stroll into adulthood was...

Tatted. Stained. Badass.
I don’t look like a Bad Ass. I look more like a librarian. English teacher. PTO mom. It’s not on purpose; I just have that look. But I’m...

Cancer’s Other What If's
Cancer brings a cycle of unwanted questions. What if it spreads? What if it comes back? What if I die? Last week, I had a little medical...

Don't Mention It
The rule is clear: you're not supposed to say it. My boss didn’t follow that rule. She’d walk down the hall fanning herself, her sweater...

Just Say It - The Instinctive Wisdom of Children
For today's breast cancer post, I'm sharing a link to a piece I wrote for the Washington Post which came out today....
Paradox of Cancer
“It was my year off from the world,” a nurse told me when I was in the Emergency Room with side effects from chemo. He’d had cancer too,...

Let's Talk About Nipples
Excuse me, but can I say nipple? It’s a word we don’t say much, especially in mixed company, but, well, it’s kind of important. In all...

It's Not Poison – It's Your Life Saving Elixir
If you’re starting chemotherapy, you might be freaking out. Remember, lots of people have braved this path and many more will follow. My...
