Reflections on 3 Days

It's been quite a number of day since my initial breast cancer diagnosis. Some of those days were very difficult and painful. Others were easy physically but emotionally trying. The days that I spent working with the Breast Cancer 3-day were quite enlightening. An important transition occurred for me this past weekend. I am still not sure that I can quite articulate it but I am closer.

I made a transition from patient to survivor this weekend. Up until last week, I viewed myself as a woman with breast cancer. Being among thousands of women this past weekend helped me to rethink how I view myself...One of the questions asked over and over was "Why did you become involved?" When asked this, I started out by saying "I have it." But then I began to think more critically about this response. I was diagnosed, had bilateral mastectomies followed by chemo. I have been cleared by my surgeon and my oncologist. I don't HAVE it anymore, I HAD it. I am no longer a patient, or as some would like to think, a victim. I am a survivor. I got through it. I am done with treatment. I am back to school and work in the ED and soon, hockey. I am returning to my life as it was before I was diagnosed...or at least as much of my life as I can because I know that my life will never be the same again. Having lived through a cancer diagnosis and treatment permanently alters one's life and perspective.

Today I am a survivor of a disease that still kills thousands of women, and some men, each year. While it has not quite been six months since my diagnosis, I have undergone some incredible transformations. Seeing myself as a survivor is just one of them. Each day it seems as though I learn something else.