Brave Heart, Brave Soul. She who is brave is free.

“I am brave. I am bruised. I am who I am meant to be. THIS IS ME.” ~The Greatest Showman  Chronic illness is a pain in the butt. Especially when one comes out of left field and smacks you up side the head. There’s no nice way to say or get around it. Chronic illness is a bully. And if you have or love someone with a chronic illness, you get it. I’m not gonna sit here and tell yoo lving every day with a life altering illness is heroic. It’s not. There’s nothing romantic about it. Jamie Wingo spells it out perfectly. “It’s not just pain. It’s a complete physical, mental and emotional assault on your body.”  Chronic illness is exasperating, annoying and irksome. That’s really what it is. And yes, it can be challenging too. Most of us within the spoonie realm will tell you straight up, we prefer keeping our vexing and at times aggravating diseases out of the spotlight. We spend a lot of our time concealing our troubles. Think of it as camouflage. Not everyone nee...

Taking a look back, it was ten years ago I crossed the finish line during our first breast cancer walk. I was fighting the beast at the age of 33. Hand in hand, arms up with my family and friends we stood united. Johnny was on my left and my sister Morgen was on my right when we stepped over that line together.  To say it was a surreal moment is an understatement. But I learned something  as we crossed the victory line, something I carry with me till this very day.  Michael Douglas says it best, “Cancer didn’t bring me to my knees, it brought me to my feet.” So let me introduce myself again. I’m a fighter, I’m a survivor and I’m the proud owner of one real breast, a uniboob if you like and yes, one fake boob. I certainly found my sense of humor early on in this battle. My sister Morgen wouldn’t have allowed me to be any other way quite honestly. Morgen she’s a fighter herself, a fellow spoonie battling lupus. She looked me right in the eyes and I knew we woul...