Author: Kelly

During my cancer battle, when my chemo regime was changed to be administered over the course of five days, I would start to feel weaker every day, but nothing compared to the days following that week.  When my mom, who was my caregiver, would ask me how do you feel?  I did not know how to explain in words, the…

Having been diagnosed with cancer in my twenties, I was faced with the harsh reality that death is an inventible consequence of being alive.  Ever since one of my relatives passed away when I was very young, I learned that death was going to happen to all of us one day.  I mean in my mind I saw it as if we are all in the “checkout line “of life just waiting our turn to exit our…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
After my first chemo treatment, I was discharged from the hospital and given an appointment at a cancer treatment center for my second chemo round. ?My appointment was scheduled in two weeks?therefore,?allowing my body enough time to physically recover in order to travel out of town for?my next treatment.??I tried to mentally prepare myself…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
As I embarked in my long, strenuous battle with cancer, I frequently experienced life or death decisions. From the onset, this was the consensus. Each of the proposed treatment options offered to me could have resulted in a life or death sentence. I can’t express how devastated I felt at the time. Granted, I…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
Don’t let a diagnosis dictate your outcome, even when the tests results show a narrow percentage of survival. ?For me,?I had a lot of fight in me to continue to live. ?This was my life, it was now or never, I had to stand up against this illness. ?Granted, I know I am not…

Through the years I have come to the realization that not everyone will comprehend someone else’s cancer journey and that is alright. I mean I don’t think I really understood it myself until I lived through it.  Of course, anyone can form conclusions and have opinions on the matter but like most things in life we don’t fully comprehend the magnitude of something until we have experienced it…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
Exciting days were forthcoming, one last treatment of chemo and I was done. ?My mind could not grasp the idea of reaching this great milestone in my cancer journey. ?Tough days were behind me and?a?new?uncharted?season?was?upon me. ?Tired of the way things had been, I was looking forward to a new day without the dreadful…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
The?doctor shared the?biopsy?test results and discussed the course of action for treatment that would be taken and the less than 5% chance of surviving due to all my markers from the tests. ?I froze as the doctor continued to explain all the details. ?I did listen to all he had to say but my…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
Good news travels fast but bad news travels at lighting speed.  When I was diagnosed with cancer, the news was shared with a small group of family and friends, trying to keep it private as I tried to wrap my mind around it all.  Silly me, before I knew it, I felt like I had gone viral…

Originally posted on Cancer: The Upside:
Going to the cancer treatment center to receive chemotherapy was dreadful and exhausting. ?Needless to say, the side effects of the chemo were excruciating. ?I would go for treatment for an entire week during each round of chemo. ?During my visits, I went through the normal routine and got hooked up to receive treatment.…