Here's hoping to a great 2008!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Current mood: hopeful

Well the time is almost here, time to say good-bye to 2007 and hello to 2008. I have to admit I am looking forward to 2008 and putting 2007 behind me! This past year has been HELL, for the lack of a better word. I've had a lot of highs and lows. It seems more lows than highs but I try not to dwell on the lows too much.

One of my highs is when my little brother proposed to his girlfriend. I'm so happy for them and I'm really excited about getting a sister. The wedding is planned for June of next year. I just hope I have enough hair by then....haha.

Of course one of my lows, the biggest low, was being diagnosed with the BIG C. It's funny in the beginning I would hear people talk about how cancer had changed their lives and the good things that came from it. I thought these people were crazy! But looking over the past year, I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing. Yeh, cancer sucks, but it's what you make of it that matters.

I've met some new friends, my cancer friends and I love them and thank God for them, cause they get it! They get me and can relate and know exactly how I'm feeling.

I found a great support group called i2y, or I'm too young for this. Alot of my cancer friends have come from this support group. I met the founder of the organization, Matthew Zachary, at a cancer conference in NYC and we have become e-mail buddies. His organization has been a blessing in my life. I've gone to some of their social events and even though I was going through chemo and wasn't exactly at my best, I enjoyed being among the "land of the living". Matthew has also been very encouraging and with out his encouragement this blog wouldn't exist, so thank you Matthew!

At one of the social events, I met the author of the book, Breastless in the city, her name is Cathy Bueti and it is an honor to call her my friend. After meeting her, she was so sweet and sent my a signed copy of her book. I read the book in just a couple of days and when I was finished I sent her an e-mail and as we say....the rest is history. She has helped me so much with my cancer crapness, I love you Cathy!

I also met a cancer friend in the chat room of The Stupid Cancer Show. The Stupid Cancer Show is a live web-cast that Matthew does on Monday nights. Check it out if you want, http://imtooyoungforthis.org/stupidcancershow/ . There is a chat room there too and that is where I met Katie. The funny thing is, she lives one town a way from me, what a small world.

And then there is my dear chemo friend, Holly. We met at Holly's first chemo and I was already bald and a little over half way done with my chemo. We share the same fabulous chemo nurse, Helen and yes we share the same God awful oncologist, Dr. N. That first meeting, Holly had so many questions, when did my hair fall out?, what foods made me sick? It was so nice to help her with the answers to those questions. Looking back I wish I had someone to ask those questions to myself. The sisterhood of breast cancer, the club no one wants to join.

I love all my new friends and just think, I wouldn't have met any of them without cancer. So I guess good things can come out of cancer.

So here's my list of some of the things that I won't miss from 2007:

sleepless nights
nausea
pain
people staring at my bald head
crying

Good-bye 2007 and Hello 2008.

I can't wait to reclaim my life!