The BC Journals
or
How Humor Got Me through It

author and active participant - Margot A. Clark

I actually never thought I would ever have to update this home page but since my breast cancer has returned, (I was diagnosed on November 1, 2005 on what was supposed to be my two year survivor anniversary, how’s that for timing!), the journey continues.  All of the following still holds true (except now I am older!) and I am continuing to add updates where I will be recording what happens when breast cancer has returned.  New diagnosis and treatments require a new journey. Even now, I can still find humor so the title can remain the same!  I am a survivor!  I survived the first time and I will survive this time, I have way to much left to do in this life!

This did not start out to be a whole web site. After being diagnosed with breast cancer on July 29, 2003, I actually started by writing in longhand, (even bought nice, new pens) in a lovely mauve satin journal. That lasted about two weeks! For someone who is an artist I have the most atrocious handwriting! Even I cannot figure out sometimes what I have written and it is so slow to write in longhand! I did want to be able to go back and read how I felt about all of this breast cancer stuff and knew I needed to record my feelings as they were happening or I would forget. I also found I had a ton more friends than I ever realized and they were anxious to hear from me on a regular basis. I found, too, that so many women really don't know too much about what breast cancer treatment entails and are very curious. Me being one of them before (I think in terms of life before the breast cancer and after the mastectomy). It is the unknown that is so very scary. And really, you cannot just ask someone personal questions even if you know they have had some type of breast cancer. I mean, who wants to talk about such things? ME! I have decided my mission through my journey is to make any woman (or man) that wants to know, more knowledgeable about the whole thing. Also, by making others aware to hopefully save lives.

I tried to find info myself from real people, not medical books, on what happens during a mastectomy, what happens during breast reconstruction, what happens during chemotherapy? Mostly I found statements like, "I had a mastectomy", "I had breast reconstruction", "I had however many chemo treatments"…………but nothing on how it felt or what actually happened during these things. How did they feel after these things happened, both physically and emotionally? What did the scars look like? What happens during reconstruction? What exactly happens during a chemo treatment? Without any explanation behind them they are just words with no meaning. Believe me, after reading my journals you will know exactly what happens! I have no modesty left so be prepared for anything!

Since I can type faster than I can write and I could then actually read it sometime in the future, I turned to the computer. I began by sending numbered updates to my friends. These updates are very graphic, so be prepared. My daughter Jaime and then many other friends, suggested turning the updates into a book (this will be published in regular book form when I am through with my journey) since I also write books and magazine articles for a living. So, here is my story. I have always relied on humor to get me through life so was not about to abandon that technique now, hence the title. Besides, everything is easier to talk about if people are at ease. They still get the information but are not cast down into a pit of doom and despair (the sides of that pit are very slippery and I was afraid I would not be able to get out if I fell in!). I told all my friends right from the beginning, I wanted no pity parties and I certainly did not want to hear about anyone they knew who had died from cancer! Only positive thoughts allowed.

I hope when you read these updates that they make you laugh, make you cry and make you schedule an appointment for yourself or someone you love to have a mammogram! Feel free to pass this information on to anyone you think might benefit or who might just be interested in the journey through breast cancer from the perspective of an average, pleasingly plump, fifty-five year old woman!

After reading through the updates,
if you have any questions please email me

 

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