"Remember that time I had cancer?"

I like to say that sometimes as a joke, and I'm glad most people are able to laugh about it.  I said it at work today and my co-workers got quite a kick out of it.  It's nice to be able to laugh about the whole thing.  I might still be in the midst of my double mastectomy / reconstruction phase, but at least when it comes to the cancer stuff, I'm in the clear for now.

I got this tattoo in 2006 to remind me of my mom, her strength, her love, and her fight against breast cancer.

When I was designing the tattoo I was concerned about getting the breast cancer survivor ribbon tattooed on me, since at the time I wasn't a survivor.  But the tattoo was for my mom so I got over that and was always happy with my choice.  In the back of my mind I knew that I may be a survivor one day so it may become relevant to my life.

I was thinking the other day that I've now become a "survivor."  It's a pretty awesome word.  I'll take it.  But just like how I felt about my tattoo, I feel like perhaps I don't deserve such a fierce title.  When I think of a survivor I think of my mom.  Not only did she have to deal with breast cancer, but she had to deal with the chemo, the radiation, the stem cell transplant, losing the hair, the everything!  For 12 years!  I had breast cancer for 3 months.  Yessssss, I had to have my boobs removed, I know, but in the overall scheme of things it's relatively small to what other brave women have to deal with.

So to all you survivors out there who have dealt with cancer in all of its evil evil glory, just know that I salute you and look up to all of you!

- J.