Living After Cancer

This weekend, Jon and I visited the Keys and had an amazing time—until we didn’t. I feel compelled to share this, not just for me, but for every disabled person out there.

We stayed at resorts that claimed to be accessible, but they weren’t. One was manageable, but the other was completely unusable for someone in a wheelchair. Here’s why:
• The main entrance to the room had a step, and the only alternative was a 500-ft path through sand—impossible for most wheelchair users.
• The bathroom had no roll-in shower and no accessible sink. (I can stand to wash my hands, but what about others?)
• Handicap parking spots were taken by cars without placards/plates.

I called ahead to confirm I’d receive an ADA room, and yet, nothing about it was ADA-compliant. Worse, I got hurt trying to leave the room through its inaccessible entrance.

We had to leave the hotel and head home early. And this wasn’t some outdated property; it was a newly renovated resort. There’s simply no excuse for the lack of accessibility in 2025.

Here’s the thing: the world doesn’t think about accessibility until it’s forced to. But it shouldn’t be that way. Accessibility is for everyone.

Did you know 1 in 4 people who are 20 years old today will become disabled by retirement? And nearly everyone will experience a temporary disability at some point in their lives.

Disabled people are not second-class citizens. We are just as worthy of living in and enjoying this world as anyone else. The world needs to be more accessible—not just for me, but for all of us.

Please share or comment if you agree. It’s time for change 💯‼️

Yesterday I had a mammogram that found a tiny (probably benign!) mass.

But that doesn’t mean it didn’t scare the 💩 out of me lolll.

Even when they tell me it’s probably benign I still question whether it truly is because of everything I’ve been through. 7 years ago, I went to the doctor about a seemingly “normal” mole. He thought it looked good and wasn’t much to worry about. I chose to biopsy it anyway. It turned out to be Melanoma.

Today I’m having a breast MRI to triple check everything in there. I’m sure it’ll be fine 🙃

PS I usually do a mammo + breast MRI 1x/year because I’m considered high risk after the total body irradiation.

My hip has been pretty painful lately so I’m getting an MRI with anesthesia today to find out why 😇

My guess is that my AVN (avascular necrosis) is getting worse. So far, it has caused pain everywhere in my body but it has only caused collapse in three joints which I’ve since replaced - both elbows and my left shoulder.

My lower body hadn’t been impacted as much until the last few years. At least, it hadn’t been as big of a problem.

PS High dose steroids during/after my cancer caused the AVN, for anyone wondering!

We’ll see what the results say 🙏🏼

Learning to be more comfortable in my own skin 🥹🤍

For those of you who don’t know, cancer treatment destroyed my body. My skin was so thin on steroids that it would quite literally rip apart when touched. The skin on my upper arms was so thin that water would seep through them (due to all the extra water weight).

I thought I looked like a monster, unwomanly, and was terrified for others to see me in a bathing suit. I would get stared at. I felt like a circus animal. It hurt, a lot.

But now, with the help of the people I love, I have begun to see the beauty in my scars. They represent my strength and everything I overcame (and continue to).

I’m proud of my body and what it has done for me. I won’t say that I’m 100% confident now but I’m working on it and I’ll be posting more pics like these to prove it to myself ☺️

Thanks for being there for me through this hard as hell journey 🙏🏼🤍