Express Yourself

CC-JournalingI am the featured blogger on the website Compassion the Compels!  Please check out this organization’s website and my post.  The blanket and journal in this picture are from Compassion that Compels!

“Express Yourself”

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During your cancer journey, you will experience many emotions. Journaling can be a powerful tool to channel your inner emotions. Being diagnosed with cancer is not something you can control, but you do have control when you write.

Processing my emotions through writing is something that has helped me throughout my breast cancer journey. I do not consider myself to be a “writer,” but it is something I have found I enjoy and is my therapy. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I told family members, close friends, and a few coworkers. Telling them in person was not easy, but I felt it was the best thing to do. I thought the best way to keep everybody informed was to write emails to my friends and family. Writing letters to my friends and family helped me process the information I received from my doctors.

The emails became too much for me to handle, and I kept adding new people to each letter that I wrote, so I decided to start writing a blog. I had never written a blog before and didn’t know where to start, but I felt it was something I needed to do to help others.  

My blog is my journal that I share with others. My Compassion that Compels custom journal is where I write my thoughts and feelings that I do not share with others. When I am journaling, I create a peaceful place by lighting a candle, drinking hot tea, and listening to peaceful music. A blank computer screen or a blank piece of paper can be intimidating, but once you start writing it gives you the freedom to say exactly what you are thinking and how you are feeling. Writing occurs on your time. You may write more some days than on other days depending on how you are feeling and what you have time for.  Your journal is a blank canvas for you and only you.

Journaling creates a positive outlet and offers you the opportunity for self-reflection and to connect with God. It offers you the stillness you need when your time has been taken over by treatments, doctor’s appointments, surgeries, and life obligations. Journaling also offers you the opportunity to follow a path that offers light and hope and can lead you in the right direction when you are feeling lost. Create a quiet space and grab your journal and let your thoughts and emotions take over….

Anchored in Hope,

Jennifer

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Jennifer Wilson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas and a National Certified Counselor.  She is currently an elementary school counselor and lives happily in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two dogs. Diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36, Jennifer received her baseline mammogram and cancer diagnosis shortly after a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same age.  You can read her story on her blog, Anchored in Hope and follow her on InstagramTwitter, and Pinterest

 

The Anchor 💗⚓️💗 – Edition 22

9/17/17

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been awhile since I have written!  I have been really busy working during the day and when I come home from work I rest.  I completed treatment number 15 on 9/8/17 by Celebrating Stand Up To Cancer Day! My Chemo Anchors were my mom and dad. I purchased orange bracelets and as you can see in one of the pictures below, my husband and dog are wearing them.  Every time I go to MD Anderson, I look for items that say HOPE and I happened to find a wreath that read HOPE that I have never seen before.  Day 3 and Day 4 after treatment were rough.  I felt nauseous and like I had the flu.  I also slept ALOT!  Needles to say, I did not make it to work on Monday for the students’ first day at their new location since our school flooded.  I had several counselors on standby to help the Licensed Specialist in School Phycology (LSSP), if she needed it.  A special thank you to SD, SC, SW, DB, and JH for being on standby! Continue reading “The Anchor 💗⚓️💗 – Edition 22”

Post Surgery Recommended Item: Ode to the Recliner

 

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The recliner became a very popular place to sit in my house post surgery.  I borrowed my parent’s La-Z-Boy recliner.  It was very comfortable sitting in the recliner when I was sore from surgery and had my drains.  It released the pressure on my body, especially when I laid all of the way back.  If I was not sitting in my recliner, my husband or the dogs would sit in it.  After I was healed from surgery and started receiving chemotherapy, we gave the recliner back to my parents.  My husband and I decided to buy our own La-Z-Boy recliners and now he has one and I have one.  The dogs still like to sit on the recliners.  I am glad that I will have my recliner for reconstruction surgery. Continue reading “Post Surgery Recommended Item: Ode to the Recliner”

The Anchor ⚓️ 💗⚓️ – Edition 21

Edition 21 Texas

8/30/17

Dear Friends and Family

Today is a new day, a day of renewal and HOPE!  I actually see the sun shining brightly.  The sun serves as a reminder that we must move on from Hurricane Harvey’s havocs and remain strong.  We must look around us and notice that what is important are our family, friends, fur babies, neighbors, and fellow Texans.  

As you have been watching the news, you know that Hurricane Harvey has completely devastated southeast Texas.  I have never imagined that anything like this could happen to Houston and the surrounding counties.  You hear the predictions, but you don’t really know what those predictions mean until they happen and are surpassed.  I was on several group texts and it is disheartening when people you know are affected by evacuating and flooding. 

Continue reading “The Anchor ⚓️ 💗⚓️ – Edition 21”

The Anchor ⚓️💗⚓️ – Edition 20

August 25, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

I cannot believe that this is the 20th Edition of The Anchor!  I hope that you enjoy reading my posts and much as I enjoy writing them!  Please pass along my blog address if you know of someone that would benefit from reading my blog.  Also, please feel free to give them my email address.  

While getting ready for work on Monday, I was curling the few eyelashes I had left and my hand slipped and my eyelash curler pulled out all of my remaining eyelashes!  It was a very traumatic experience for me because they have been falling out one by one, not all at the same time!  I probably shouldn’t have been using the eyelash curler in the first place…  I immediately started crying and my husband asked what was wrong and Maverick, the lab, started shaking because he knew I was upset.  I knew that I would eventually lose all of my eyelashes, I just didn’t want it to happen that way.  With the few remaining eyelashes on my other eye, I am not curling them or applying mascara anymore.  I bought magnetic eyelashes to try, but you have to have eyelashes for them to stick to.  Also, they are very hard to put on properly even if you do have a few eyelashes.  I may look into getting a pair of false eyelashes, I was told by Kitsa, the “garment” maker, that Ardell makes good false eyelashes.  I may try those.  My oncologist does not want me to go to a lash salon since I am receiving chemo.  I still apply eyeshadow and eyeliner.  Continue reading “The Anchor ⚓️💗⚓️ – Edition 20”

Post-Surgery Recommended Item: NO Muscles 💪🏻 Needed

After surgery, you will be very sore and it will be hard for you to lift items.  I remember trying to lift my 30 oz Yeti and I was unable to because it was too heavy.  Fortunately for me, my sweet friend gave me a much smaller tumbler as a gift that also reminded me to stay Anchored in HOPE.  I continually drank water with lemon throughout the day and my arm was not sore when lifting a much smaller cup.  

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Continue reading “Post-Surgery Recommended Item: NO Muscles 💪🏻 Needed”

The Anchor ⚓️💗⚓️ – Edition 19

August 19, 2017

Dear Friends and Family,

On August 11th, I received a new chemotherapy medicine called AC (Adriamycin Cyclophosphamide).  I completed my routine blood work, covered my port with numbing cream, and met with my oncologist and pharmacist to review the possible side effects of the new chemo treatment I would be receiving.   My room was ready and it was time for me to face the “Red Devil”, which is the nickname for Adriamycin because it is red.  I mentioned to the nurse that I was nervous about receiving the “Red Devil” and she said, “Don’t be nervous, I call it the “Red Angel” because it helps you get better.”  Notice in the picture below, the “Red Angel” is bigger and stronger than the “Red Devil”.

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Continue reading “The Anchor ⚓️💗⚓️ – Edition 19”

The Anchor ⚓️💗⚓️ – Edition 18

August 5, 2017

Dear Friends and Family, 

A milestone has occurred in my treatment, I have COMPLETED 12 rounds of Taxol!  🙂  My Chemo Anchors this week were my mom and dad.  Throughout my treatment, my mom texts or calls me everyday to see how I am doing.  We celebrated be eating my mom’s  homemade chocolate chip cookies for National Chocolate Chip Day!  It is an amazing feeling to be making such progress, but I do still have radiation in the fall and reconstruction in the spring. 

8-4 chemo Continue reading “The Anchor ⚓️💗⚓️ – Edition 18”

The Anchor 💗⚓️💗 – Edition 17

 

July 30, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

Things are going well!  🙂  I received treatment number 10 of Taxol on July 21st and my parents were my Chemo Anchors.  My parents have been very supportive throughout my journey and have shown me unconditional love and I love them for that.  We celebrated National Junk Food Day!  It felt good holding up two hands indicating that 10 treatments have been completed!

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I received treatment number 11 of Taxol on July 28th and my Chemo Anchors were SC and MV.  I am grateful for SC and MV’s friendship although, we share a bond that is much deeper than friendship, it is a bond of sisterhood that was formed through our sorority, Delta Gamma.  SC and MV have been very supportive throughout my breast cancer journey and I am forever grateful for the support that they have shown me.  Our husbands also get along very well, it is nice when we hang out and the guys can talk about “guy stuff” and we can talk about “girl stuff”.   SC and MV showered me with candy for National Milk Chocolate Day and treated me to a hamburger for National Hamburger Day!  

Continue reading “The Anchor 💗⚓️💗 – Edition 17”

Post Surgery Recommended Item: “Over and Out!”

 

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One post surgery must-have that I definitely recommend is a walkie talkie. They definitely came in handy between the caregiver and me.  It was much easier to use than a cell phone and required a lot less effort.  I carried the walkie talkie with me throughout the house.  Having it near my bedside when I was napping or sleeping made me feel comfortable that I was always able to contact my caregiver if I needed anything.  

Continue reading “Post Surgery Recommended Item: “Over and Out!””