One of the hardest things for me is balance. No, I don’t mean walking a beam like some Olympic gymnast. I mean the kind of balance every woman struggles with–work, home, family, friends, and self. There are things we HAVE to do, like make sure the kitchen is clean enough …
Read More »Monthly Archives: July 2011
How My Breast Cancer Diagnosis Changed Everything
The one thing I hear is the idea that having cancer changes your outlook on life. One of the first letters we received from a friend when I got my diagnosis of breast cancer contained such sentiment. We were all, not yet 40, with small children, careers, stability finally just …
Read More »Ebony’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Rheumatoid Arthritis RA)
“We’re only here (on Earth) for a little while…take this (Plaquenil) and come back in three months.” This is what I heard after a year of testing, x-rays, blood work, CAT scans, poking and prodding, finally leading to the diagnosis of RA aka rheumatoid arthritis. Living in a rural community, resources …
Read More »Colleen’s Story (Ankylosing Spondylitis)
I grew up in Vermont. In May 1985 I was 10 yrs old. It was the end of the school year. We had what was called field day. All the kids had to be outside and they had sports, activities, a bbq, and even a walk/run thru the woods. In …
Read More »Rachel’s Story (Endometriosis)
I suppose a good place to start is the beginning. I started my period on January tenth (yes I remember the date, don’t you?) when I was 13 years old. It was painful and heavy but it didn’t last long. I thought it would be easy but I was wrong. …
Read More »Krystyna’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma)
Well, when i was 10 my grandma was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It was a sad moment when we heard that because the doctors said that it couldn’t be treated. We gave her treatment anyway. After awhile the cancer was making her lose her hair so she wore hats all …
Read More »Accepting the Word “Disability”
I’ve known that something was wrong with my body since I was able to think. I fought against this theory for a LONG time, especially when I was younger, and had more fight left in me. Sadly, after I finished my education, it was time to face the fact that …
Read More »Jessica’s Story (Cystinosis)
When I was 22 months old, my parents were in the middle of a fight to find out what was wrong with their daughter. My mom (my fight-like-a-girl role model!) visited doctor after doctor and endured multiple misdiagnosis’ before finally hearing the word “cystinosis”. When she and my dad looked …
Read More »Chassidy’s Story (Endometriosis)
Hello ladies, I am new to the group and thought I would share my story. Mine is a bit different than a lot of the other stories. Growing up I had no problems with my periods, they weren’t that heavy and tylenol would take care of the cramping. In 2005, …
Read More »Debi’s Story (Breast Cancer)
My First Triathlon…. an emotional, exhilarating and downright terrifying experience! 32 years old…3 knee surgeries…1 collarbone surgery….1 broken jaw…1 horrible forearm reconstruction due to dog bite… 1 bum shoulder…plantar fascitis…and a foot injury. Oh yeah, and a very recent Breast Cancer survivor. These were most of the ’cards’ stacked against me when …
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