Whatever Works

Everyone is talking about Angeline Jolie & her decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.  And everyone’s asking me what I think… So what do I think?  I think preventive surgery is a very individual decision.  A decision that is best left to the individual to make.  Would I have done the same thing?  Who…

Read More

Having Cancer Does Not Feel Good

A few days ago the NY Times ran an article in their magazine entitled “Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer” by Peggy Orenstein. Everywhere I looked people were re-posting it, adding links to facebook, emailing it to me.  Yesterday, I finally got the chance to read it. Orenstein takes on a few important topics…  …

Read More

Family Love

The da Silvas have finally returned “home” to Ohio.  As always, it is bittersweet. Miss M is overjoyed to be back with all her stuffed animal friends…  Hubby is thrilled to be sleeping on his comfy king size bed again…  I’m happy to be back in my kitchen & reunited with my juicer.  But it’s…

Read More

Making Peace With My New Normal

My heart is fluttering. My heart is aching. I am sitting on the Amtrak train heading to NY… Heading towards my next surgery (hubby and I check in at 8:30am tomorrow morning)… And heading away from my family, friends, and my darling Miss M. Sigh… I miss her already. Miss M and I had a…

Read More

Making Peace With the Unknown

“When you are in tune with the unknown, the known is peaceful.”  – quote from my Yogi chai tea this morning This has been one of the bigger lessons on my cancer journey – Accepting the unknown and releasing the urge to control.  In doing so, I have come to a greater sense of peace.…

Read More

Here We Go Again…

Another major medical procedure is drawing near and Miss M is totally starting to freak out. She has become a little leach – stuck to me, attached and unwilling to let go.  I can’t go to the bathroom, leave the room, take a shower or make a phone call.  Her tantrums are out of control.  Anger.  Fear.…

Read More

So Now What?

So now what?  I find myself asking that question a lot lately. I’m feeling better – so now what?  I’ve gotten rid of the cancer – so now what?  All major crises are temporarily diverted – so now what? Even though I’m in the midst of figuring out logistics for my next surgery (now set…

Read More

Keep On Walking

The da Silvas have returned from a glorious week in Mexico!   We had a heavenly time.  Spent every day at the beach…  Playing in the sand…  Swimming with the fish…  Listening to the intoxicating rhythm of the ocean waves…   Just doing a lot of nothing.  It was just what the family needed. On our last…

Read More

Living With The Invisible

On my recent travels to Toronto and NY I was struck by the dichotomy of my two realities – On the outside I am just another ordinary, healthy looking mom…  But the truth, that is invisible to most, is way more complicated. Breast cancer has changed me.  It influences my decisions.  It shapes the details…

Read More

Don’t Discount The Hard Work

I know, I know…  I’ve been MIA lately.  I haven’t been writing nearly as many blog posts as I used to. There are a number of reasons for this (none of them bad).  And most of it comes down to the fact that I’ve just been busy.  Busy with life.  Busy doing other writing (I…

Read More