I wanted to let you know that The Keep A Breast Foundation were nominated for a $250,000 Chase Community Giving grant. This youth-focused nonprofit organization educates about cancer prevention, early detection, and of cancer-causing toxins in the environment. The recipient is determined by votes and winning would mean that they could continue their awesome work in education. Would you be so kind as to help them get the word out? Polls close September 19th. People can VOTE here: http://bit.ly/TrduBz
Thank You!!

-Sarina

now we have had 9 months since my diagnosis to continue to practice all we learned during the worst and darkest days of dealing with my husband’s cancer. we have had our moments – still some times of feeling disbelief that BOTH OF US – really? seriously?! had been unceremoniously been inducted into the cancer club.

here’s the thing. from the first time i heard the term, “new normal”, though i totally got it, i was convinced it was not for us. we had long ago realized that the life we once lived was gone, and we were determined to find another – one that we would chose for ourselves with fresh eyes, a keen sense of how we wanted to move forward, that included a renewed sense of adventure, and one that could more closely relate with our current hopes and dreams. we found that the term, “new normal”, smacked of constant references to our former life, and that it felt like a condition being imposed upon us (hello? – been there, done that – with CANCER – TIMES TWO!!).

since my diagnosis, my husband has successfuly beat his depression, and worked through the many issues of loss and trauma. we are now on pretty equal footing with remission, though that phase, we found, can have it’s own pitfalls of feeling lost and doubtful. but we are happy to be one another’s caregiver whenever one or the other of us feels even a little beaten up. it’s been a gift to truly be able to empathize and understand both roles of being a cancer patient, and a caregiver to a cancer patient – and has given us a truly unique perspective on the positive issues of advocacy for one another, empathy, and patience and the not so positive ones of frustration and logistics (2 cancer centers, one specialty center for transplant specialists and myeloma, 20 + physicians and dueling calendars for all things medical). so much routine, so many unwanted detours and diversions from what we thought life would be .

so…each time we would encouter the term “new normal” we felt there must be another phrase that would ring much more true to what fit us. one day, the words, Life Reinvented popped into my head. it fit! it was exactly what we were looking for! it was US!
invention! yes! we will invent for ourselves trying on new ways of doing things. going to new places in caring for ourselves, experimenting with more healthy life-styles. but without all the shoulda, coulda, woulda baggage. if it works, we embrace it. if we tire of it, we find another path. and so it goes -with relationships, travels, aquiring new interests, facing new challenges with a sense of curiousity, joy and thankfulness that we need not be held to shame, blame or regret if we wish to change our minds. in short, a life SO NOT a life defined by cancer.

i was recently a guest blogger on http://www.afreshchapter. written by terri wingham, and included my take on life reinvented and new normal. i hope you and the other readers will have time to take a peak at my post to see what i shared. and please understand that i in no way disparage anyone who embraces the “new normal”. but i do feel that certain terms have their birth in clinical settings, and that they don’t always give a satisfactory flavor to what people in the real world are dealing with. perhaps there will be others who have also coined a word or term for what they wish their lives moving forward will be all about. i, for one, would love to hear all about them.

warm hugs,

hugh and karen sutherland