My Heroine's Journey

6 days ago

Why I’m all about the care emoji (and not just because of my eye)

By Francisca

7 Min read

2 comments

14November

I’ve got this thing with emojis. And it began way back in the 90s when we all started emailing at work (remember that?). My colleagues called me the Smiley Queen, and when I left the company, one of my parting gifts from them was a denim shirt with a giant yellow smiley embroidered on the back. Yes, really. Today, however, I want to address specifically my thing for the care emoji. You know the...

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1 month ago

My yo-yo weight journey

By Francisca

11 Min read

4 comments

08October

I’ve watched my weight for as long as I can remember, right back to my teens. The roller-coaster of weight has been such a constant part of my life that I sometimes wonder if my body’s default mode is fluctuate. Up-down, up-down. Ugh. Looking back at photos of my younger self, I realize I wasted too much time disliking my thunder thighs and inherited cankles. I mean, no one but me cared. And I...

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3 months ago

Steps toward healing

By Francisca

10 Min read

16 comments

18August

When I receive a slew of messages from friends around the world checking in with me, it’s a telling sign that I’ve been neglecting this online journal. So, deep breath in, deep breath out, this post is an attempt to update you on what’s been going on in my life these past few months since I last shared my musings on miracles and mystery. A new home A rather enormous event that took much of our...

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7 months ago

Mystery in everyday moments

By Francisca

7 Min read

17 comments

29April

Do I believe in miracles? I don’t know, really. What are miracles? Maybe miracles are just events and outcomes we cannot (yet) explain. But I am partial to this Albert Einstein quote: There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. And I believe that the entirety of life as we humans experience it is indeed a...

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9 months ago

A reflection on International Women’s Day

By Francisca

4 Min read

6 comments

08March

On International Women’s Day, we come together to celebrate the achievements and strength of women around the globe. It’s a time to reflect on the journey of women everywhere. In this context, I think it’s appropriate to honor the resilience of women who live, or have lived, with cancer. This day is for the women (and men) who’ve shown courage, not just in overcoming a...

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9 months ago

A glimpse of hope

By Francisca

3 Min read

28 comments

20February

I made an astounding observation today. And it calls for another happy dance! From the beginning of my eye saga, now over a year ago, every ophthalmologist who reviewed any of the four sonograms of my left eye told me there was liquid flowing close to my optic nerve, and that this liquid was causing the dark grey cloud obstructing most (85+%) of my vision. And each of them advised me to brace...

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9 months ago

Embrace life’s unexpected turns

By Francisca

6 Min read

13 comments

12February

On the day I was discharged from the hospital (ten days ago), I got news I had not expected. And it was not pleasant. The morning after the insertion of the radioactive plaque was uneventful. I woke up without pain. The nurse on duty dropped the various eye drops into my left eye and then served me a boring, tasteless breakfast. I felt hungry enough to eat most of it. My ocular oncologist’s...

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10 months ago

Radiating my eye tumor

By Francisca

12 Min read

17 comments

05February

TL;DR for family and friends:Last Thursday I underwent the procedure to insert a radioactive plaque in my left eye. The day was filled with a mix of emotions, a bit of confusion navigating the hospital, and lots of interaction with caring medical staff. Despite a few hiccups like getting lost and dealing with the hospital’s admissions process, the overall experience was positive, thanks to...

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