What a difference a year makes!

[color=#8000BF:jxk3sn92]One year ago today I was on my way home in the car to break the news to my family that I had, indeed, got breast cancer. I can hardly believe I'm one year on from the diagnosis and have experienced some medical treatments that I never dreamed of having. I've also had to slow down my life, and my mind. I've started to look at myself in a whole new way. Before (cancer) I was a stressed person....woudlnt admit it then but can see now with hindsight. My life was busy and so fast at times. Then I got my diagnosis and suddenly my life was thrown upside down. The treatments were unfortunatly hard going for me and it was a long time from July '12 to my last radiotherapy in May '13. Now, however, the big treatments are over and I'm trying to settle into this new life I have now. Its not like my old life in so many ways. My arm and my hand tend to be swollen. My foot is sore with peripheral neuropahty, a side effect of chemo. And I have more breast surgery ahead of me in the future.

And yet I can say I am happy.I have a quieter, slower life now which is nice. It allows me time to enjoy life rather than race through it. I am trying new things that I wouldnt have dreamed of before (cancer)......relaxation, mindfulness, accupunture, reflexology. I love experiencing new things that help me to learn what its like to make time for myself and to look after myself. I can't see myself going back to the old way of life I had before cancer. This life after cancer is pretty okay right now. I have ongoing medical issues but I feel strong now to cope with them and to still enjoy life.

Nobody said life would be perfect or easy...I can vouch for that. But nobody said you can't be happy when life is far from perfect or eas[/color:jxk3sn92]y.