Time To Come Out Of The Closet

Written in March 2014 

It's time for me to come out of the closet. Some of you already know and for those of you who don't, here goes...

A week before relocating from New Jersey to Florida, I tested positive for the BRCA1 gene. This means I have an 87% chance of getting breast cancer or a recurrence (duh, I had breast cancer 19 years ago) and a 50% chance of getting ovarian cancer. In December, a month after moving, I had my ovaries and Fallopian tubes removed taking care of the ovarian cancer risk. I recovered well from the first surgery and am enjoying life in sunny Florida. On March 18th, I will be having a prophylactic double mastectomy, while not looking forward to the surgery and recovery - I am focusing on the positive statistics that will reduce my breast cancer risk from 87% to 3%. 

I am very grateful I live in a time where I have options and can be proactive about my health. 

I am so lucky to have found excellent surgeons I trust and to be surrounded by a wonderful network of love, support and caring.

As Angelina Jolie stated "Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of". I have always been a warrior and I plan on coming out of this next battle stronger and better than ever.~ Karen

P.S. The photo was taken as I went into surgery. It is now seven months since surgery and I am feeling fabulous.

Nobody is immune from Tragedy

From the Silver Linings writing in the book - The Whisper Of Your Soul

Tough Times

Please visit The Whisper Of Your Soul website

The Planting Of The Seeds

The journey of life is never a straight path

There will inevitably be detours and stops along the way

The power is within you to make the changes

To discover new horizons along a different path

 The key is to have the courage to confront the unknown

Flow in Universe

Change happens

Nothing is constant

Nothing is static

The winds bring changes

Days turn to night

Night turns to day

Silver Lining

There is always a silver lining

In every situation

A reason that too often

Is not apparent to

The human eye

Even in the darkest clouds

There are specks of joy

Changes in Nature

Everything Is For A Reason

The task you have set

Will be a metaphor for life

There will be days

Of clear sailing

Yet on other days

There will be choppy waters

We Rise Up ...

The dawn is the sign of a new day

So fresh

The dew on the ground

Signaling the overnight mist

And the new day breaks

The sun is rising as it always does

To sweep over you for another day

Change The Voice You Hear

I Am So Proud Of You

Embrace The Fear

The Rose

Each of us has our own journey

To travel

Each of us our path to travel

There are thorns to be encountered

And roses to be smelled

At times it seems as though

The rose bush is one of only thorns

Today I Celebrate 18 Years

Today is my birthday. Today is eighteen years since I felt a lump on my breast. I remember feeling intense fear, sadness, disbelief and so many scary emotions.  I knew in my heart that things would never be the same again. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when my son was five and a half months old. I remember thinking he would have no memories of me. I prayed and hoped I would make the five year mark to see him

step on the school bus so he would remember me. Day in and day out through surgery, grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatments I imagined him getting on the school bus. Whenever I felt sick and wanted to give in I visualized him waving goodbye to me on the school bus. Five years later when the day arrived I imagined sobbing at the bus stop. Ironically the bus never came the first few days and I drove

him to school. It was a dream come true for me to reach five years of survival.

Every year I set new goals for living another year and watching him grow up. Amazingly it is now time to send him off to college as he gets ready to spread his wings and leave home.  Thinking back and realizing I never in my wildest dreams believed I would see this milestone.

I always dream in smaller increments and am so thankful when that day arrives. Now I visualize and dream of his college graduation - four more years please. What a blessing to be alive and healthy. I am very grateful and appreciative for the gift of eighteen years. 

Books that helped me as I recovered:
Dr Susan Love's Breast Book
Full Catastrophe Living - Jon Kabat Zinn

What makes a Strong Woman?

Love this poster. I asked on my Facebook page what makes a strong woman? The above poster was created by all the amazing responses. Thanks to everyone for the great comments - Karen

To buy a postcard print - please visit - http://www.thewhisperofyoursoul.com/Store

We believe what we tell ourselves

Love this from Doe Zantamata at Happiness in your Life

http://www.happinessinyourlife.com/

Tell yourself:
Everything will work out.
Things will get better.
You are important.

Great Things Begin From Inside

Soar like a Butterfly

The analogy has often been made of the butterfly

emerging from the cocoon. The butterfly has to

fight, to battle, to work hard, to break through the

cocoon. Without this fight the wings of the

Difficult Times

Sometimes so hard to understand suffering and hard times. It is such a huge leap of faith to know that there is a meaning behind the suffering and lessons to be learned.  From my own experience, I can truly say that my greatest personal growth has come from the hard times. Yes, I would love to not have gone through the difficult times - but then I would not be the person I am today. Somehow we need to take the good with the bad. Keep breathing and trusting.