i’m a breast cancer survivor. initially, i thought surviving a disease was like running a marathon and finally reaching the finishline. it was a difficult journey, but i’d finally arrived.
i was wrong.
for me, being a breast cancer survivor means that i have five years of treatment to ensure the disease doesn’t come back. my cancer was estrogen positive, so this naturally occurring hormone must be suppressed to decrease the chances of cancerous cells forming.
READ: What You Don’t Know About Breast Cancer Treatment
i’m taking a drug called tamoxifen that acts as an estrogen blocker and babyyyyyy…the side effects ain’t no joke.
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hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain and night sweats have become my best friends. i stopped taking a similar drug a few months ago because the side effects were so bad until they were affecting every area of my life.
it’s hard when you go through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation only to have another leg of the journey. i’m like “God, are you testing my gangsta?”
however, i’m determined to find peace in this new stage of life.
letting go of the past and staying in the present is my current assignment. my life is different now and the sooner i accept this very real fact, the faster i can enjoy the blessings in front of me every single day.