chemo

“3 Year Breast Cancer Survivor Today!”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

 

bc-timeline-ad

I’m a 3 year breast cancer survivor today! It’s amazing how cancer changed my life, all for the good. I sit here in so much gratitude today for this day, and for every day. It’s a day I remember the first day of being diagnosed, and the last day of treatment; a day of remembering those who left my life during it and thinking of the ones who stayed; I’m remembering how little I lost from it and how much I gained.

I want to give my love and gratitude to my lifelong friend, Colleen, who was there with me during the first biopsy; to my cousin, Marnie, who made chemo days a fun “girl’s day out” and was there the entire day of my surgery, having dinner waiting for me when I got home; to my best friend, Leslie, who made the later chemo days ones of “girls gone wild” days, and for all those lunches together on the way home; to Jim and Lilli, my friends from Wall Stadium Speedway, for having pink ribbons printed with my name on it and getting them to the fans and on all the race cars; and to my Wall Stadium family for all their support during my chemo days. And to all of my Facebook family, I give you my love and gratitude for your supportive and loving posts and instant messages. You’ll never know just how much all of that meant, and was so important during my journey with breast cancer. I have to say “thank you” to my boys, Dan, Noah, and Sam who were living with me day in and day out through my journey…you were all so brave and supportive to me, even though I knew you were scared, but we got through it together.

The door to cancer closed three years ago, yet it opened the door to finding love with Rob, publishing my book, writing songs for my CD, and finding myself living some amazing dreams and adventures.  I’m so very grateful to be able to say “3 year survivor and counting!”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“Happy Birthday – Cancer Free!”

 

“A Gift From My Mammogram”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

 

love-your-life-back

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July of 2013, began chemo in August, and had my lumpectomy in February of 2014. Everything came out great and I was “cancer free!” What happens next is a mammogram every 6 months. Yesterday was my 6 month mammogram, and after all was said and done, everything was fine. The best news of all is that I only have to go once a year now, just like everyone else who never had breast cancer. It’s a funny way to think about it and as I left the hospital today I felt relief.  I felt like this was a gift of feeling normal again because in the first time in three years I didn’t have to have a mammogram every 6 months…I was back to “once a year” like every one else.

It feels like a lifetime ago that I was diagnosed with breast cancer, yet the reality is that it was just three years ago. It’s funny how life can take all those memories of a journey and tuck them away, only to come out when needed. I thought when the cancer was gone, so would all the thoughts of it, yet I’ve used that “journey” to help other women battling the disease. I’ve made some amazing “soul sister” friends throughout my journey, and throughout theirs. I’ve been able to share my stories of faith and a strong, positive attitude. I’ve laughed with them over chemo stories and given them a safe shoulder to cry on when they needed to let it out.

I never want to have breast cancer again, yet if my having it meant I could write about it and help other women through it, then so be it. If I’ve helped one person through their journey, then my journey had value, and more importantly, a reason.

I’m grateful for the outcome of my mammogram and look forward to that same gratitude once a year. I want you to have the same, so please, get your mammogram. Get checked once a year because while you can’t prevent breast cancer, you can catch it early.

My life may not be perfect, but it’s perfect for me and today I sit in immense gratitude for the gifts that God has given me…and two healthy breasts are at the top of the list this week!

Love your life and let it love you back!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

 

“Scenes From An Italian Deli”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

“It’s time to make a difference, and we can make a difference together.”

~Anne Dennish~

I had a book signing today at my local Italian deli, Valente’s. It was a cold, rainy day, yet the owner and staff were wonderful to my love and I.

However, it wasn’t the amount of books sold that stuck with me today…it’s what happened as I was leaving, and I want to share this beautiful story with all of you.

There was a table of gentleman sitting across from me, and they were there for quite some time. They kept looking over and were probably wondering what this book was all about, yet they didn’t stop by to see me… until I was leaving.

This sweet gentleman came up to me and asked what the book was about. I told him it was about the lessons I’ve learned through my life and breast cancer. He smiled and told me he has a rare cancer, but was fortunate to be in an experimental trial which is keeping him alive. Others with this same cancer had passed long before him. Soon, his friend joined in the conversation, and we exchanged our stories of chemo, treatments, hospitals, side effects and survival!

I reached my hand out to formally introduce myself to him, and with that, he outstretched his arms and consumed me in a beautiful bear hug. He told me to keep writing, stay healthy, and survive. I told him the same. I couldn’t help but feel such a connection with another person battling cancer. He smiled as he said goodbye, and wished me well.

That stands out more in my mind than the books I signed today. My story made a difference, and his story made a difference to me.

Please remember to be kind, to take a moment to listen to someone who needs to talk, and share your “waking up” moments with others.

After all: “It’s time to make a difference, and we can make a difference together.”

And today, at an Italian deli, a difference was made.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

Author of “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer”

Available at Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com

your move

“When Cancer Wakes You Up”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

My new book, “Waking Up: Lessons Learned From My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer” was born over two years ago while lying on a radiation table for breast cancer.

I’m the type of person that loves meeting people, because every single one of us has a story…we ARE a story! Some may not believe that, yet as a writer, I know it’s true. I was out to dinner with my love last night, along with his cousin and his love, and a table full of people I had never met. Yet by the end of the night, I knew them well.

You see, that’s the beauty of paying attention to people and speaking to them, yet more importantly, LISTENING to them. They were laughing at me last night when I said that the whole night of conversations was indeed a story!

So it’s no surprise that “Waking Up” was born; the idea may have begun on a radiation table, yet the stories were already taking shape in my mind, and for the last two years of writing it, more stories were born. Every story is true; most of them are of my personal experience, and there’s a few born out of situations with someone else that  I was involved with, who graciously allowed me to write about it.

Yet, here’s what that one moment that woke me up was: “breast cancer!”

Yes, I had been on a spiritual journey for years, but finding out I had cancer was a big kick in the ass! I realized that as much as I had learned over the years, the lessons were far from over. Breast cancer changed my life and how I live it. That tumor was all the things I never said out loud, all the pain of allowing people to treat me badly. It was everything I never said that I should have, so I made a deal with the cancer: I’ll open my mouth and use my voice, I’ll make better choices of who I surround myself with, I’ll rid myself of people and situations that me feel less than good, and I’ll take all of this and write about it to help someone else as long as you leave my body when the time is right.

I guess the cancer agreed with the deal, because it held up its’ end of the bargain…I did all those things and it left me the day they cut all that stuff out of my body. They did more than a lumpectomy on February 21st…as cancer and I were about to say good-bye that day, I could hear it speaking to me. Sounds crazy, but it wasn’t really. It said: “You’ve done the work and I know it wasn’t easy. I’m sorry to have had to come and visit you, but this journey is over. Remember the lessons, remember to love yourself, and finish up our deal: tell your lessons to everyone you can reach. I’m counting on you.”

Well, in a strange way, chemo may have healed my cancer, but my cancer healed me. It taught me more than I could imagined, and since then, I spread the word, I keep out as much drama and stress as I can, and I walk away from anyone or anything that tries to control and manipulate me. Cancer didn’t abuse me as much as some people have tried to, and I’m smarter because of all of it.

“Waking Up” is so much more than a book; it’s my heart and soul that simply wants to make a difference in someone’s life. Life get’s shorter as we get older, and my goal is to live everyday to the fullest, to show love and kindness to someone who needs it, and most importantly, to make someone laugh and smile.

Struggles will always happen in our lives, yet it’s your attitude and perspective that will handle it and teach you more than you could have ever imagined. Love your lessons, whether you like them or not, because in the end, miracles happen!

“Just believe, just have faith, and all good things will fall into place.”

Enjoy the journey and allow yourself to “wake up,”

~Anne Dennish~

choice and chance

Author of “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer”

copyright 2016

Available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and Xlibris.com