Tag Archives: Hawaii

No, Travel Is Not a Frivolous Hobby for Me

Posted in Global Issues, Personal Growth by

If you have been following my blog regularly, you are aware that I’ve lost a lot in the past couple years:

Last winter, I lost loved ones to death.

Last June, I lost my appendix in a much needed appendectomy.

In February, I lost my breast to a mastectomy (but yay, it was so I could lose a tumor).

In March, I lost a lot of eggs, but it was to preserve my fertility as a cancer patient. Simultaneously, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, March was a time that I lost a lot of direct contact with friends who were doing chores and errands for me during my recovery from my mastectomy.

As you could imagine, I’ve lost money to medical bills that accompanied my unanticipated cancer diagnosis. I also lost income by taking a leave from work.

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Photo from Flickr

I may have lost some other things, but those are the major losses that come to mind.

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Saying Goodbye to My Body (As I Know It)

Posted in Health and Wellness, Personal Growth, Social Connection and Relationships by

Recently, I learned that I have breast cancer. I started to post photos about my tests and mourning process without explicitly stating my diagnosis on social media. A few friends reached out to me to ask if I was okay. One of them was a friend I had not talked to in years.

“Hi, nice to hear from you, ” I replied to his text. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer.” Then I explained to him where I was in the testing process and where I was in life in general.

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At one point in our conversation, he wrote, “I know you’re strong, so I know you’ll put up a fight.”

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