Kathy Newitt
WHO? ME? is a collection of 50 word thoughts taking the reader through a year in the life of a woman living with breast cancer. The journey begins with detection of a breast lump and continues through diagnosis, cancer therapy treatments and beyond. There are a variety of entries touching on the many emotions associated with a cancer journey.
Kathy is a native Californian residing in England where she lives with her husband and two sons. After being involved with early years education for fourteen years she changed careers and is now a practising Reflexologist. The format of this journal of 50 word thoughts was inspired by an exercise assigned in a writing class.
KITCHEN WINDOW
Every time I open that kitchen window now the déjà vu creeps over me.
I’m standing facing the grey tile by the kettle, silently congratulating myself for being in such good health at age 50. I open the window and pat myself down from a flush and feel the lump…
TREATMENT PLAN
The cancerous lump in my left breast will be surgically removed. Chemotherapy begins six to eight weeks after surgery taking up to eighteen weeks. Three weeks after chemotherapy finishes there follows fifteen consecutive radiotherapy sessions, bar weekends.
Seven months of my precious life gone by and treatments will be finished.
NO MORE BAD HAIR DAYS!
One thing about being bald, you never have a bad hair day! I don’t have bad wig days because, as attractive as my wig is, I can’t bring myself to wear it. I have bad eyebrow days. Sometimes it takes ages to get eyebrows just the right shade and shape.
A TROUBLE SHARED
I have proved to myself that a trouble shared is a trouble halved. I shared my trouble with so many people that it became fragmented into tiny pieces. Whenever I was troubled there was always someone there to help me cope. Sharing helped me to bear this very heavy load.
POORLY?
I’ve never considered myself sick or poorly throughout my cancer journey. Mostly I’ve been emotionally challenged. I’m glad my gut reaction was to share the news with everyone I know. Support received as a result gave me the courage to tackle cancer head on. Poorly? Not me. I'm fighting fit.
