PROS AND CONS OF CANCER

It's Day 27 of the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge and the finish line is in sight! Today's task: List the five most difficult things about having breast cancer, as well as the five good things that keep me going. A total of 10 things I got out of cancer.

TOP 5 CONS OF HAVING BREAST CANCER

1. Being forced to face my mortality
2. Having a lack of energy during the day and trouble sleeping at night
3. Hiding my under-construction chest
4. Taking Tamoxifen
5. Spending so much time dealing with doctors appointments, preparing for surgery, having surgery, recovering from surgery and follow-ups — it's inordinate, ridiculous, and a full-time job!

TOP 5 PROS OF HAVING BREAST CANCER

1. Taking a stand against Pinktober (read my posts here, here and here)
2. Discovering a vibrant, worldwide and uber-supportive web of fabulous, fascinating and funny cancer survivors
3. Realizing that right now, this moment, is the only "for sure" that any of us have
4. Making exercise, eating well and being kind to myself a top priority
5. Falling in love with writing again — and finding my voice via this blog

CATHARSIS

I started this blog back in April as a cathartic way for me to deal with The Big C. I wasn't writing for anyone in particular; I wasn't writing to keep friends or family updated. (Few people even knew I had started a blog.) My goal all along was to simply tell my tale in all it's gory glory, and eventually sync up my story to my life in "real time" by year's end.

Well, that hasn't happened. In part because I am distracted; in part because I am tired. But mostly because I am a very slow writer.

Me on my favorite hiking trail. (Copyright © 2011 The Big C and Me)

I debated whether to fast-forward to what is happening right now. Or write the Reader's Digest version of "The Big C and Me." But that would involve skimming over certain road blocks and challenges, which wouldn't be fair (or truthful) to you — or to me.

So my goal for 2012 is to continue to unravel the details of my cancer experience as it happened (vs. as it is happening). And on that you have my word. Albeit a very slow one.

Happy New Year!