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Telling Farrah

When I started sharing with people of my cancer, the main question I would get was "Have you told Farrah?" I hadn't. While I was digesting that my whole world was being turned upside down...my daughter was in Mexico.  I wasn't going to tell her right before she left nor over the phone while she was there.  I needed to tell her because it was awful hiding it. I contacted her father a couple days before she was leaving to come home to let him know that I needed to pick her up the night she flies in.  This didn't go over well as there were other arrangements made for her.  However, I couldn't back down on what I knew I had to do.  While I knew this was temporarily inconvenient for him and his plans...I knew telling Farrah about me was going to be much worse than any kind of inconvenience anyone would experience. I talked it over with my parents as to the best approach to tell her.  In the car?  Face to face?  I was at a loss.  How was I ...
Recent posts

Getting Ready

From the moment he found out, James has been with me.  He left work and rushed home when I told him and the people at his station quickly helped send him on his way and wished us both well. James and I have both had our falling-apart moments, but we've also been incredibly optimistic.  Although we've both put on a brave face and do what we can to be positive, every once in a while we'd shed some tears because this isn't like getting a tooth pulled...this is major surgery to remove cancer from my body.  We're scared and we're sad. I've had many nights on our front porch either sitting in the chair next to him or sitting on his lap while we held each other.  He had a major golf tournament that he's played in for several years and was ready to cancel it if I said the word.  I didn't say it because I was fully aware that the last night of the tournament was the night that was when the significant others could join their men and celebrate another grea...

Now what?

I was diagnosed with uterine cancer on June 20, 2019.  The next day was just a day to somewhat absorb what I had just found out about myself.  That Wednesday,  I went in for a CT scan and I found myself crying when I was put in the hole.  This isn't supposed to happen.  Not me.  This is not  what I signed up for when James encouraged me to go to the doctor in the very first place. That night, James, Farrah, and I went to McGlinn"s for a nice dinner.  Farrah was in one of her most unpleasant moods throughout the time we were there and when we finally wrapped it up, James took his truck to get it ready for the next day, while Farrah and I jumped into my car. I'd said, "You know, I'm going through some hard stuff right now and your behavior and attitude is shit.  This  is the time we are needing you to buck up and try, just try to be a little bit nicer." Farrah's response: "I don't even know what's wrong with you BECAUSE YOU WON'T EVEN ...

How It All Started (WARNING - THIS IS GRAPHIC AND A LITTLE EWWWW)

So, in order for you to fully understand how this all began, you're going to have to get comfortable with the female anatomy and what it does every month.  That's your hint...if you don't like to read or talk about the very natural thing that women deal with on a monthly basis, now is the time to stop reading.  I'll also add...grow up. But to also be fair...this is not your usual "period talk."  So yeah, it's okay to stop reading at this point. For the brave and curious souls that are ready to dive into my personal hell...here you go and you've been warned. I have always had irregular periods and have been off and on birth control pills to regulate them and to also help control my migraines.  Back in September before our trip to Maui, the pharmacy stated that they stopped making my pills so they'd give me the equivalent.  I trusted what they were telling me was something they must've known better than me, so I took my pills as directed. ...

Breaking News

Cell phone rings... Me:  "Hellllo?" Caller:  "Is this Kathryn?" Me:  "Yes it is!" Caller:  "Good morning, it's Dr. O'Brian.  I hope I'm not waking you." Me:  "Not even a little.  I've been up working since 5!" Caller:  "Okay, well I got the results back from the biopsy." Me:  "Awesome." Caller:  "And I think you need to come in." My stomach dropped. Me:  "Well, I've seen enough movies and tv to know what you're going to say, so lay it on me." Caller:  "Okay.  The results came back as cancer.  I am so sorry." Me:  "Huh.  Hmm.  Okay.  (Deep sigh).  Soooooo...hmm." Caller:  "It is a High Grade Adenoma Carcinoma favoring the cervix.  I need you to come in because we need to discuss next steps."  (I don't remember hearing any of this but I know he said it.) Me:  (Trying to keep my voice steady and calm - but failing miserably) ...