As patients, we have a tendency to feel like victims. I know that’s how I felt at first. After hearing a cancer diagnosis, we feel so powerless, as if everything is out of our control. But, whether we are victims or not, it doesn’t matter. Our power is in choosing the attitude we want to embrace. Once you commit to that choice, you open up to the healing powers we all have inside of us.

It was December 12th, 2016, 2:02 pm, when I heard the words I never thought I would hear; ‘YOU. HAVE. CANCER.’ It was called, triple negative breast cancer (I didn’t know I had the gene until my diagnosis), and occurs in about 10 - 20% of diagnosed breast cancers (more likely to affect younger people, African Americans, Ashkenazi Jews, and Hispanics).

My doctor, Dr.. check-ups started at every three months for the first year, then every six months until last year, and now I am on a once a year schedule. So this was my first check-up with my oncologist since May 23rd, 2022. I don’t get nervous anymore. In fact, I get excited to see him and share space. I see him as the person who saved my life, so he holds a very special place in my heart. And six years ago, together, we saved my life.