I am so grateful to be able to talk about my cancer journey, so many are not that fortunate. I am also so grateful for what cancer taught me.
May 2021 I found a lump. Little did I know then how things would change. I often look at my pre-cancer self in photographs and whimsically consider how I had no idea of what lay ahead, perhaps that is better. Triple positive breast cancer, stage II. I had 6 months of chemotherapy and 20 doses of radiation, and as a result decided to shut down both my thriving practices, and use this break in my practice to move our family to the Midlands. A dream Craig and I had been considering for some time, but it never felt like the right time to close my business.
There is no doubt the chemotherapy was dreadful! At the end I had a mouth full of ulcers, no hair, and I struggled just to walk around the house, I had lost toe nails, and was suddenly in menopause. I have to admit though, I have gained more than I lost.
The oncology space is an incredible experience, all practitioners that I came into contact with were all gentle caring souls that all contributed to making my journey a period of wonderful growth. The time I had between treatments, with nothing to attend to other than looking after myself, created a space for much internal examination, and reflection. I am convinced God had a hand in it, my body was giving me a message, to stop and rethink how my life was unfolding. Not that it was that bad, but I was not living my best life, I was not fully living according to God’s will for me. My internal dialogue was not helpful. I thought I was healthy doing everything right, of course! But at that time in our lives, we were under huge stress, financial burdens drove me to maximize my working hours to ensure we could continue to enjoy a comfortable life.
Fast forward two years; I am building my physical fitness, and I feel wonderfully healthy, and am NED (no evidence of disease). I have found myself surrounded by the most wonderful community, KZN Midlands is a unique bubble where a simple pure life is possible. I am so much more aware of my life-work balance, and am adamant to respect it. Through my recent health journey, I have become a better dietitian, I have an empathy that I never possessed before, my perspective has changed, as well as a maturity that comes from a life changing experience.
