I’ll be fine, until I am not…..

Stolen? No,  I think the word that is more conducive to my feelings right now is “hijacked.”   Hijacked:  to seize by force or threat of force.   Two weeks ago, I was excited for the travels and adventures that were on my calendar for the next 6 weeks. Let’s run them down: *A quick …

We Fall, We Break…but then…We Rise, We Heal

It's been a damn quick year, now hasn't it? Writing and keeping up with my blog has taken not even a back burner but a corner in an upper closet building dust blankets. If I could type everything that has happened this past year, it would be longer than any of us want to read …

Hiking, Cancer Advocacy and saying NO!

I started my hiking/backpacking adventures as well as my cancer advocacy right about the same time in 2014. When I first started hiking  .....I did it because I wanted to.  I saw a mountain....I wanted to climb it and I knew that getting outdoors in nature would help, as I healed and learned to live …

Hip pain, a ladybug and a Climb for Heroes.

The past three months have been a whirlwind of travel for Mike and I.... from Oregon to Italy and then Hawaii, it is good to have my feet back on the ground..... Hiking. I started having pain in my hip right before we left for Europe in April.  I didn't really think about it too …

In Memory of {Deena Stayner}

Her smile and energy pulled me in from the moment I walked into the room. Deena was my roommate at the Healing Odyssey retreat I attended back in October.    There were (3) of us in that bunk room, sharing the same diagnosis....Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer.   I was happy to be sharing quarters with my …

Climb for a Cure 2.0

The wonderful organization, Living Beyond Breast Cancer is running a campaign this week,  called #stage4lifer, and they asked me if I would contribute a blog post on my advocacy role in living with metastatic breast cancer. I am honored to have been a part of their 2015 Hear My Voice Outreach team, and I encourage …

Countdown to Havasupai – {10 days}

I am sitting here, literally "dripping" in sweat. In 10 days, myself and four friends will be driving down to Arizona, to backpack  to one of the most beautiful places here in the United States. Havasupai.  And if you know anything about getting reservations to get down there, is nothing short of a little miracle.   …

I love my life….. Even with cancer.

Last Saturday, June 4th, I participated in my first trail run with my husband Mike and our dear friends, Stephanie and Daniel. I have been hiking for over a year....climbing mountains with steep elevation gains, so I thought this would not be a huge challenge.  I only ran the 5K (3.3 mi) and  my husband took …

I Don’t Want to Catch Up with You.

Disclaimer: Before I go into today's blog post, I want to lay the foundation that these are "my opinions, my thoughts, and my own personal truth". They might not align with yours and that's okay. There is no right or wrong way to live this life, especially with an incurable cancer diagnosis. You  live your …

Cancer Overload

I'm really not a cry baby pity party attention seeking whiner. I try to remain in a fluid place where there is space to move amidst the reality of what IS. I know that I am not my diagnosis. I really do KNOW that. But ........ (and you knew that was coming) There are times …