JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS, FIERY, FIERY HOOPS!

Well, as some of you already know- this year, which started so well has turned into one of the biggest challenges of my life so far.

Halfway through Feb, after my annual physical, I found out I had breast cancer.

Luckily for me, I have an awesome GP here in Melbourne. She sent me off for a mammogram since it had been a couple of years (er...6 yrs) since my last one.
Because I'm one of those 'lucky' ladies with fairly dense tissue, I'd had issues with false positives in the past, so I shelled out for a fancy-schmancy mammogram, and they found it.

After that, it was a three week whirlwind of appointments, biopsies, scans, specialists, and then on March 7th, I was wheeled into surgery for a wide excision lumpectomy.
My surgeon was amazing - she did a beautiful job.
Three weeks later, I started radiation treatment, which consumed almost a month with daily appointments during the week, and the side effects of skin changes, 'sun' burn and fatigue.
All the way through the treatment, I kept up a few classes for my amazing students- who have been my rock through this whole thing, and honestly- being in the workshop was healing for me, in and of itself.

Now, I'm out the other side, and navigating the effects of the long term medication that comes with this sort of breast cancer, which is a whole other challenge! Remembering to be kind to myself as I rediscover what my body does and doesn't feel up to is a daily practice that I realise I should have been doing so much more than I had.
That's ok- It's never too late to start, so I'm starting now.

It really does feel like a total Life Reset!
I'm starting with a clean slate, and every day after this is what I make of it.
Sitting down, planning classes the rest of this year, has seemed fresh and new, with an added layer of gratitude for being able to do this at all! I'm loving the wonder of seeing everything that was familiar as bright, fresh and exciting!

So- here we are, starting each day as new, intriguing and full of possibilities. I invite you all to jump in with me, eyes wide and looking for the magic in the little things in life.

And my beautiful sisters out there- please go for that mammogram!
With love to you all,

Storm