The Days of a Breast Cancer Survivor

Laura Yeager is a two-time breast cancer survivor. Catch up on all of Laura's blogs here!

Having been through two bouts of breast cancer, the first in 2011 and the other in 2016, I am happy to be on this planet with my family, friends and neighbors.

What is a typical week like for me as a cancer survivor? Well, I have to say that I'm a busy person. I essentially have four jobs: my part-time teaching job, my freelance writing career, my “gig” caring for my 93-year-old mom, and my vocation looking out for my immediate family, which is composed of my husband and my 20-year-old son.

How do I juggle all this vital activity? Compartmentalization.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, I teach writing to college freshmen at a local college. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, I spend time with my mom, helping her clean her house as well as doing essential life activities such as bathing and dressing her. I squeeze in my freelancing when I can as well as grading papers when I get a fresh batch. The rest of the time is devoted to my husband and son; I do all the grocery shopping and the cooking. Thank Goodness my husband and son help with the laundry and the vacuuming, etc.

They say variety is the spice of life. That's one thing I have a lot of — variety. I'm doing so many varied tasks each day that I certainly don't get bored. The one thing I know is that cancer is a full-time job, and when I had the disease, that's all I did, treatment and recovery.

OK. So, I'm busy. But do I do anything for pure fun? The answer is yes! Whatever spare time I have is spent thrift shopping. Anyone who knows NE Ohio knows that the thrift stores are plentiful and loaded with great stuff. I love picking up beautiful clothing for myself, my husband and my son for very little cash. An acquaintance of mine once told me "I've never seen you in the same outfit twice, and your clothing is so beautiful." This pleased me because I knew the secret of dressing well: the thrift store!

This is not to say that I don't splurge from time to time on nice duds from places like Nordstrom, but it's usually Nordstrom Rack, which is nearby, not the real Nordstrom up in Cleveland.

OK. Full transparency, I’m thrifty.

Anything else to report? Yes. Another overarching activity of mine recently has been dieting. I'm losing weight; in the last year and a half, I've lost 20 pounds. It's so much easier to get around. It's easier to walk and go upstairs; my knees feel better, and I'm overall, feeling much better. I started walking for enjoyment. I love to go "tree bathing" (what my husband and I call walking in the woods) during the weekends. He's always been a good walking partner; we talk and enjoy the weather and listen to the frogs jumping into the pond; we look for the occasional deer sheltered by the tree branches; chipmunks and squirrels abound.

We make our life together.

Oh, I forgot one thing. My son started college this semester. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I drive him to school. And then, there's helping him with his homework.

If anyone would have told me that I would have such a full life after cancer, I wouldn't have believed them. But I do, and I'm grateful to God for it.

I'm grateful that I can share my life with Cure Today readers like you. Thanks for reading and for caring.

You mean a lot to me, as do my lifelong friends (you know who you are.)

Cue Louis Armstrong’s "What a Wonderful World.”

This piece reflects the author’s personal experience and perspective as a breast cancer survivor. For medical advice, please consult your health care provider.

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