On January 24, 2020, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

Today, on December 2, 2020, I had my last round of radiation, completing active cancer treatment.

 

Here’s a look at everything that happened in between.

We need to talk. 

Inspiring. That's the word many of you have been using to describe me as I've been sharing my battle with breast cancer journey on my blogs and social media. You've seen me working and writing and blogging and building a business while undergoing chemotherapy and you've said I motivate you to keep going. 

And I'm very glad you feel that way. In fact, one of the reasons I decided to be open and honest about my diagnosis was that I'd hoped I would inspire you to go after your dreams even when your circumstances are far from ideal. 

When you text me or send me a DM via Instagram to ask how I'm doing, I probably respond with the same answer each time: "I'm hanging in there." 

But I need to let you know what that really means. 

 

When I told my brother I’d been diagnosed with breast cancer he responded just as I knew he would: “Man, you got this. This shit ain’t gonna beat you. Imma holla at God tonight, tell him to take care of my big sister and you gonna be straight.”

And that was that. I knew I would be fine because my baby brother said so.

Even though I am 7 years and 6 months older than my brother, even though I cooked his breakfast on the weekends, taught him how to tie his shoes and helped him with homework, in some ways he has taken care of me as much as I’ve helped take care of him.

 

I can’t keep my own secrets – especially when it comes to cancer.

 

So, I have some things to confess.

 

1.     If you ask me to do something within the next 8 months and I don’t want to do it, I will play the cancer card.

2.     If I’m in a FitBit competition with you and I lose I’m going to play the cancer card.

Photography by Megan Tsang Hand

On January 1 I vowed to walk for exercise every day for 366 days in 2020.

Then on January 24, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I must confess that when I got the news one of my first thoughts was, “Crap! Is this going to mess up my plans to walk for exercise every day for 366 days?”

On January 24, 2020 I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

No, I hadn’t found a lump in my breast because I hadn’t been looking for one. In my mind, breast cancer wasn’t something I needed to worry about until I turned 40. And besides, I already had lupus. There was no way God would let me have two life-threatening illnesses, right?

Wrong.