{"id":162,"date":"2012-09-14T03:54:51","date_gmt":"2012-09-14T03:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/turningheadsproject.org\/?p=162"},"modified":"2013-07-26T17:05:43","modified_gmt":"2013-07-26T17:05:43","slug":"wava","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/turning-heads.org\/wava\/","title":{"rendered":"Wava"},"content":{"rendered":"

A cancer diagnosis is shocking and life changing. For me it was not all negative. I would never wish it on anyone and certainly pray that I never have to go through it again, but positive things did come out of the experience. My family relationships and friendships have been strengthened and new friendships have been made.<\/p>\n

I have always been very athletic and competitive so I took on treatment the way I would train for a marathon, trying to get as strong as possible before each treatment. Walking everyday made me feel a little more in control and being outside really lifted my mood.<\/p>\n

The hair loss was hard to deal with for a bit. Then I got a cute wig and hats and quit looking in mirrors. It was very low maintenance and before long I was comfortable just being bald around friends and family. In actuality, anticipating losing my hair was far worse than the reality. By the time it started to grow back I was even a bit annoyed at the inconvenience of having to deal with it again.<\/p>\n

I am writing this at the one-year anniversary of my double mastectomy. Life goes on. I have adjusted to my new “normal”. There are a multitude of things to be thankful for every day. That is what I try to focus on.<\/p>\n

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