I guess it’s been a while since I posted – exactly 2 years, in fact…and so much has happened.  I can’t let today of all days go by without a post.

5 years ago my life was turned upside down.  5 years ago I started worrying about things I never thought I had to before.  5 years since I heard the words, “You have breast cancer.”

Dr. P says that the 5 years from date of diagnosis without recurrence means that I’m “cured.”  Dr. C says it’s 5 years from the last chemo treatment.  Since that’s another 18 months away (or so), excuse me if I’m not celebrating yet.  I do feel pretty good, though, and all my mammos have been clear.  I recently had a keloid removed from my left breast which was bothering me, and that went well.  I put on weight because for so long I ate whatever I wanted in order to keep weight on…and now I’m trying to get that extra weight off.  I’m doing intermittent fasting – fasting for 16 hours, eating for 8 and it’s going pretty well.  I haven’t gotten on a scale recently, but my “fat” jeans are pretty loose now.

I changed jobs again about a year ago, and I love it.  I’m with a small startup which has a managed solution for fundraising based on Salesforce.  I feel like I’m contributing, my job is a little bit of everything, and I get to meet people from all over.  I never would have thought I’d be in the for-profit business, but since we are making something to help higher education and non-profits, I think I can be excused.

The Chang family has had a less than ideal year. My SIL passed away at the end of September, and my BIL 3 weeks later.  My sister has been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer, and she is like a second mother to me.  The family dynamics are slowing changing – some of the next generation have found partners, and are successful in their own rights.  I guess that’s to be expected, as life goes on.  At least for me, for now, life goes on cancer-free.