What Breast Cancer CAN'T Do - From cancer patient to Ironman.

 ......where shit happens. He's not wrong,  However, when the hits come in the traditional "threes" it can be a bit much.  Funny about the threes. It seems to be a real thing. It was Bonnie who suggested I get it out on paper. it does help. A few weeks ago, I was sitting next to my neighbor-friend's Mom drinking and busting chops.  At 72, she is gone.  My first friend, also a neighbor, who I literally have known since birth, gone at 62. And while he and I had not been connected in decades, his sister is one of my besties  Her loss is my loss.  As an empath, I feel that shit. Deep. And now Cindy. Cindy and I met while I was running in Milwaukee what seems like 100 years ago.  We struck up an immediate and deep friendship.  I tried to encourage, motivate and keep her moving, but she struggled. I saw her last summer when I was home for USAT Nationals. Was it last year?   It started with cervical cancer, which is not necessarily a death...

The Today Show is on for background noise. There a segment about one of the cast recently diagnosed with breast cancer. And it hits me like a gut punch. I can't breathe. (Although that could be the Canadian smoke......) The wave of grief feels like a tsunami. This too shall pass, but WTAF? Twenty Five Years. July 1998 was the last month of whatever my previous life was.  Tumor found. No big deal, seems benign.  Tumor is removed, in fact it is benign. And it was all ok. Until it wasn't. Let the shit show begin. Twenty five fucking years.  

Year 25. For reelz? I have no idea what I was doing on this date in January of 1998.  I DO know, I was completely clueless about the turmoil inside me and impending war.  It's going to be a good year.  I almost said "interesting" and well that, too. But, I am committed to good. Twenty Five years is to be celebrated and reveled in. So, this is my plan. Today, I need to pay homage.  One of the Grace Project Warriors passed away from breast cancer over Christmas. " The Grace Project is an empowering photographic project by fine art   photographer Charise Isis that captures the courage beauty and grace of those who have had mastectomy surgery as a result of breast cancer."  It's an amazing collection of photos of beautiful women and men who have bared their bodies....and souls to help educate, reduce fear and take back their power. The woman who died, Eileen Fischer wrote this poem as part of her photographic piece. It speaks nay SCREAMS, to me. Had I to do it ...