Another Day, Another Week, Another Year

Today, I am celebrating five years breast cancer free! It feels like a gift wrapped in resilience and hope. The results of my latest mammogram came back clear, and I am grateful. 

Breast cancer is a chapter in my life that taught me to cherish each day and live to the fullest. The treatments and uncertainty are now behind me, replaced by a sense of gratitude for the life I have today. 

For anyone currently battling breast cancer or who has come out the other side, I want to tell you this: you can move forward. You can live without that nagging worry of going back through “cancer stuff" (at least until the next check-up).

Looking Ahead: A Healthier and Kinder Me

As I step into another year, I’m making some promises to myself. Not resolutions, but commitments - 

1. Exercise for Strength and Joy: Whether it’s a walk around the block, stretching in the living room, or a dance class that makes me laugh and sweat, staying active isn’t just about my body—it’s a daily act of self-love.

2. Eating for Wellness: Good food fuels good health, and I’m doubling down on this principle. Fresh fruits, colorful veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains are on the menu. Sure, there’ll still be treats (because life is for living), but balance is key.

3. Kindness, Always: I’ve learned through my cancer ordeal (not journey!) that small acts of kindness ripple out in the most beautiful ways. Whether it’s a smile, a thoughtful note, or lending a hand when someone needs it, I want to do my part in making someone else’s day a little brighter. Everybody is going through something. 

To Those Going Through Their Own Cancer Ordeal (not Journey!)

If you’re in the thick of it, whether it’s chemo, radiation, or recovering from surgery, know this: there is light on the other side. The path might be hard, but it’s worth walking. And when you get to the clear scans, the remission, or the all-clear after five years, you’ll realize just how precious every step has been.

Life after breast cancer isn’t just about surviving—it’s about thriving. It’s about grabbing onto the moments that matter and not letting fear hold you back.

Here’s to another day, another week, and another year of health, happiness, and hope. And to everyone reading this, let’s step into the next year together—stronger, healthier, and kinder than ever. ❤️

Brent Simpson CMPD Officer an Exceptional Human Being

When I logged into Facebook to look at E2M Fitness information I saw the below post from CMPD about Brent:  

I worked with Brent at the CMPD training academy for many years. He was such an exceptional human being. He was one of those people that you KNOW when you meet them that you are blessed to have run across their path in this earthly journey. 

In 2012 when I started doing art/pyrography  I sat up a table at a Cornelius art show and Brent and his girlfriend Gina saw me and stopped by my table.  I was just starting the craft, enjoyed doing it but it was a work in progress. Below is the piece that Brent brought from me that day (it is not totally finished here...): 

"Made Up" Holidays

 Even before COVID I was over these "made-up" holidays.  

Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, even Christmas

During COVID I thought finally others will see that every day we should appreciate each other, remember lost loved ones, be grateful and give gifts to those we love. 

Nope.  Here we are with another year of the nonsense. 

Mother's Day just passed and you are suppose to what? take your mother out to eat? buy a card? buy a gift? buy flowers?  All of those things are nice to get and even nice to give but you don't and shouldn't wait for a made-up day to do any of these things. 

I don't like seeing the stress people are under to pretend like these days are special.  They are just plain stressful and filled with buying stuff. 

Just appreciate each other every day and don't get stressed out on these made-up days. 

Skip To The Car

 Another year. "Oh Please Let Me Live Another Year Without Cancer."

Another Mammogram.

Another time to hold your breath and now breathe.

Another wait for the test results. 

Another year I got to skip to the car! (Actually I skipped half-way to the car because I didn't get the results while I was still there.  They changed me from diagnostic mammograms to screening mammograms...so it's not as intense.)

I decided; even though I didn't know FOR SURE there wasn't anything found; to still skip to the car.  I'm glad I did because by the time I got back home they had the test results on MYchart. 

Beautiful.

Grateful.

Thankful. 

Joyful. 

Skip to the Car! Skip throughout your life. Just Skip!!!

Having A Black Folder Is Needed Today More Than Ever

I can understand why people are afraid to talk about death, theirs or anyone else's.

It's not a pleasant topic.  

It's scary to think we will not exist or that our loved ones will no longer be with us.  But after COVID-19 and many dying at the hands of guns just going through normal life activities we must confront it. 

Many people think just talking about death brings it on. 

I understand that fear. It makes sense.

Having a Black Folder is about understanding one day you will not be here and starting from that day you create your black folder jump starts honing in on the legacy you want to leave behind...for your family...for the world. 

Yes, it is scary but think of the alternative...not facing the inevitable, leaving your family unprepared and not working towards living a life well-lived.  

 The Black Folder Project helps individuals and families have a step-by-step plan to end of life planning. 

Hold Your Breath

 Hold Your Breath...

This is what they tell you when they take the mammogram image.

Breathe...

This is what they tell you after they take the image.

Hold Your Breath takes on a new meaning when you go in for a diagnostic mammogram after having breast cancer. They take image after image.  They take magnifying images.  They show those images to the radiologist to review while you are there waiting.  They want to know if they need to take more images.  They need to know if they need to do a ultrasound.  All of those things mean that the radiologist has seen something that's concerning and your cancer may have returned. 

Each year this is the hardest 15 minutes of waiting of my life. 

• 
• 15 minutes to wonder if I can go on living without cancer treatment. 
• 15 minutes to wonder if I can go on with "my life plans" or if as my mother put it..."you can't run God's program"...does God have other ideas for my life...you know like time's up.  
• 15 minutes praying they don't find anything.
• 15 minutes of...holding your breath.

I promised myself if I could walk out of there without them finding anything that I would skip to the car. 

I got to skip to the car today!  

Another year to be grateful for still being alive, doing what God wants me to do, and being kind to all that  cross my path. 

 

Coming Full Circle with a Synchronistic Moment

This month I came full circle and had a synchronistic moment. 

It was my first day manning the United Healthcare Medicare kiosk in Walgreens.

Many of my previous “jobs” and experiences came into place:

-         NC Credit Union – Setting up booths and tables to market the Credit Union, greeting the public and answering questions

-         VA Credit Union – Creating and teaching a robbery training class…it was a public place and anything can happen

-         -NC Police Department – Keeping my head on a swivel and paying attention even if it looked like I wasn’t paying attention

-         VA and NC Art Shows– Setting up for art shows, greeting and talking to people

A gentleman walked in who was about 35-40 years old, dressed in a nice pair of jeans, a shirt (don’t remember the color), some copper-colored tennis shoes and a hat with the same copper color in the initials on the cap.  He said hello and I responded back.  

I then noticed him in the check-out line which had grown to about 4-5 people.  I don’t remember what he purchased but heard him ask about the flowers and the cashier saying they were for Breast Cancer Month.  He picked up a bunch and continued to wait in line. I thought how nice and thoughtful that was of him to get them for someone who had been through or going through breast cancer.