Stubborn Irish Girl vs Cancer

10/05/2021

...fed up with "toxic positivity," which she defines as "an overemphasis on the idea that our mindsets determine our reality."

At the age of 35, Kate Bowler was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Doctors predicted that at best she had two years to live -- essentially handing the Duke Divinity School professor a death sentence. Since then, she's been on the receiving end of a maddening collection of cringey cliches presumably m...

08/30/2021

Healing is not always linear... 2 years since my diagnosis and some days are still just as hard as when I was in active treatment. I can't say that I am better or worse and I don't think "back to normal" exists. I am a new person and I have to figure out how to navigate this life in this new body and mind filled with anxiety, neuropathy, depression, chronic fatigue, PTSD, limited mobility, survivors’ guilt, weight gain from steroids, chemo brain and a constant debilitating fear of relapse. I look for the silver lining day to day as that is all I can do at the moment without completely shutting down feeling overwhelmed. I want to thank everyone who has been reaching out and making me feel loved and welcome. I am also sorry if I am off the grid more than usual, I am just recouping still, and it takes a long time for me to do things these days. Know that I love you and even if I am unable to respond or see you in person your efforts mean the world to me! 🥰🥰🥰

08/10/2021

The last 9 months of hair growth, definitely got the chemo curls going on... who knows what it will look like as it gets longer.

04/23/2021

If you think COVID IS A JOKE please UNFOLLOW this page. I am so sick of people treating this pandemic like its some kind of propaganda bu****it. If you do not believe in science and factual information then I have nothing to discuss with you. 100% done with it, so many people have become ill, died or continue to have long term effects from this s**t. Just because your friend's grandma's dogwalker got it and was fine DOESN'T mean that is the case for everyone. There is a good change that if I were to contract COVID that I would have a very hard time getting over it if I would survive at all thanks to my compromised immune system. I think its great how people think that getting a vaccine and wearing a mask are "optional" or an "infringement on their rights" when there is clear evidence that these things are the only way we can go forward with our lives. Like I said I am done.... you want to tell me that you don't believe these things to be true, don't bother even typing out a comment and just unfriend me now because I don't have the energy to argue with people. I am trying to stay alive and have been for the last year and a half! Between chemo and COVID I have been a prisoner in my own home because people "don't think it's that big of a deal" and I WILL NOT HEAR IT ANYMORE. F**K OFF!

Additionally: to all of the AMAZING people in my life who have taken the steps to get vaccinated and have always been careful to wear a mask and socially distance so that I can feel like I am able to have some semblance of a normal life, from the bottom of my heart I love you. For a year and 8 months I do not exaggerate when I say I have been a prisoner in my own home, something as simple as the normal Flu could have taken my life and now we have something that is 3 times more deadly that is running rampant EVERYWHERE and people want to tell me I am crazy for not going out and visiting friends and family... for those of you who stuck by me, who listened to reason, logic and facts and who tried their hardest to keep me safe and alive you are the real MVP and I am eternally grateful!

02/11/2021

Latest PET scan shows no evidence of disease! Next scan is a lung CT in April but for now, I can breath a little 😊

02/01/2021

3 months post chemo hair... It's ALMOST a style lol

01/26/2021

So I finally was able to get my PET scan approved and rescheduled for tomorrow. I won't get the results until February 10th which will no doubt be the worst part... The waiting.

01/13/2021

Well, I was supposed to have a PET scan tomorrow to find out if everything is still clear and I got a call today that my insurance company (Empire BlueCross BlueShield) didn't approve the scan so they cancelled it. I love that the insurance company thinks they know what is "not medically necessary" for me more than my oncologist...

01/01/2021

2 months of hair growth 🙂

11/30/2020

Looking real tired but this is 1 month of hair growth after chemo, not much to look at but it's something!

10/20/2020

Had what will hopefully be my last transfusion today... here's hoping that means I'll feel better soon!