2023 Winter Solstice

Happy Winter Solstice!

I love the Winter Solstice because after today, the days get longer and the nights get shorter. It is sometimes called The Dark Night of the Soul. To me, it marks hitting rock bottom and beginning to move back into light.

The winter solstice reminds me of the early weeks following my metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in June 2014. From the moment I learned the biopsy was malignant, each subsequent screening brought more bad news: lymph node biopsy was positive for cancer; PET-CT showed numerous metastases to my sternum, spine, and pelvis. I wondered when would it end?

Shortly after my 1st chemo treatment, I had my 1st brain MRI. I was prepared for more bad news and began wondering how much time I had left. I saw the sadness and concern on my mom’s face as we waited. Then Hollis, the oncology nurse practitioner, came into our cubicle and told us that the brain MRI was negative – no brain mets. It was the 1st good news; I felt l I had turned the corner. I began believing that maybe I could live longer than the 2-3 years medical prognosis.

Since then, I have had many cancer setbacks. The cancer spread to my lungs in 2019; my liver in 2021, and my brain in 2022. Each was a Dark Night of the Soul for me, but I never stopped hoping.

So on this longest night of the year, look inside and discover yourself on a new level. Each Solstice marks a significant turning point and the beginning of a new cycle.
#breastcancer #wintersolstice#metastaticbreastcancer #baldballerina