A couple of weeks ago, my son Felix decided that he was no longer going to sleep in his crib. From an early age, his personality has been one of intense finality: he decides he will do something, and it is as good as done. In this instance, he decided that he would be sleeping … Continue reading Grief for What Never Will Be
I’m Starting a Fundraiser
When the bottom drops out from under you so completely, as it does with a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, you need support. A lot of it. I am incredibly fortunate to have two unbelievable organizations/support groups that I lean on heavily throughout my weeks: one is a local all-cancer support group at my local hospital … Continue reading I’m Starting a Fundraiser
Salpingo-Oophorectomy: More Fun to Say than to Do
I finally bit the bullet and made a date for surgery: on August 23rd, I will undergo a salpingo-oophorectomy and total hysterectomy. That means that I will have my fallopian tubes (salpingo-) and ovaries (oophorectomy) removed, and undergo a total hysterectomy (removal of the entire uterus and cervix, with vaginal reconstruction). Just typing this makes … Continue reading Salpingo-Oophorectomy: More Fun to Say than to Do
Ibrance, Six Months In
It's been six months since I started Ibrance (generic name: palbocyclib), the CDK-4/6 inhibitor drug I take in combination with letrozole, as my first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer. While I'm actually midway through cycle 7 at the time I'm writing this, each cycle is 28 days, so six full months was Wednesday, July 18, … Continue reading Ibrance, Six Months In
Cliff Jumping
No, not actual cliff jumping. But after my most recent PET scan, I couldn't help but feel like I was poised at the edge of a cliff. Truthfully, I've felt like that for a couple of months. I keep looking down and feeling more and more afraid of what is down there. Other than, you … Continue reading Cliff Jumping
I’m Sick of Being Sick
I'm sick of cancer. I'm sick of thinking about it, sick of being so immersed in it 24/7, sick of worrying about it, worrying about how much it's affecting my family, I'm sick of thinking of how much it has changed the course of my life; I'm so tired of it all. Yesterday, I had … Continue reading I’m Sick of Being Sick
Scanxiety and Changing Course
Summer is in full swing at the Garnett household, and our days are a near-constant blur of activities and adventures: parks, farms, hikes, picnics, play dates, and a more-than-is-necessary number of trips to Target. It feels so good to engage with my son each way in ways that are special and meaningful, and it is … Continue reading Scanxiety and Changing Course
It’s Been a Minute
Well, it's certainly been a minute since I've updated. Recently, I have struggled with what to share in this space. As I have said before, I generally update when I either have new information or am ready to share that information. In the last few weeks, it's been the latter. I mentioned that I had … Continue reading It’s Been a Minute
Metastatic Motherhood
The biggest paradox I have found, as a woman living with metastatic breast cancer who is also the mother of a toddler, is how incredibly normal life continues to be. Much of the time, this is reassuring. My son, now two and a half, is funny, articulate, clever, creative, insightful, and daring. He challenges me … Continue reading Metastatic Motherhood
We Watch, and We Wait
Spring, in New York, is a celebration of life like no other. Seemingly overnight, bare branches have unfurled with color: greens, pinks, yellows, and carpets of dandelions roll out for the army of robins marching everywhere, exhilarated for their time in the sun. The vivid sky bubbles out cotton-candy clouds against the striking canvas of early … Continue reading We Watch, and We Wait
