It’s been a journey. I haven’t been so much neglecting this blog as coping with some challenges, including breast cancer. There’s no history that I know of on either side of my family, so it was a shock. One of the more disconcerting things was seeing my blood pressure much higher than my usual 110/70 the first time I went to the oncologist. I could not feel the difference in my body and it bothered me. A lot. While I know it’s not unusual since I’ve spent a good portion of my life dissociating, it was still alarming. It returned to its normal low state once I met my team and felt confident. Shoutout to Colton City of Hope. I had a fabulous team there.

The details: Stage 1 invasive, only about 1 cm, so they caught it early (get your mammograms!). Had surgery, about a month of recovery, followed by five weeks of radiation. It took me longer to walk back to the Medical Imaging Department than the time on the table. Radiation blisters itch an insane amount and I’m glad they’re finally fading. A lifetime of taking care of my skin helped. I committed to that as a kid because one of my mother’s friends looked like Snow White and had the best skin so I followed her advice to treat all of my skin, not just my face and neck, and use natural products. I know how lucky I am. Most of the other patients I met along the way were facing far more serious challenges. Now it’s five years of a hormone pill and yearly mammograms.

For a few reasons, I moved back to the greater Chicago area last month. I do enjoy seasons, but that might be the spring fever talking. Or the novelty for this native southern Californian (yes, I have been through a couple winters here). It is so gorgeous as daffodils, hyacinths, magnolias, and more burst forth and the air fills with their fragrance and with birdsong. Bunnies are emerging, too.

I finished my memoir, agents are queried, and next step is to go to small presses. I have a few ideas that branch off the work I’ve done for most of the past decade, including a film on generational trauma, so that will be some of the upcoming work.

As always thank you so much for your support, especially on Patreon and via my Amazon wish list. It means more than you know.