Category: Reflections
Posted on January 18, 2019
by Valerie Powell
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There are things about cancer that only cancer patients comprehend and fully understand. And because of that, there are things about cancer that us surviviors wish you knew. Cancer is something I felt to the aboslute depths of my bones and it has recently… Continue Reading “Cancer is Confusing”
I read an article yesterday on surviving suvivorship, and it struck a chord in me…several actually. The title grabbed me because of the notion that survivorship might not be the walk in the park that it seems to have the reputation for. The article… Continue Reading “The Cancer Never Leaves”
Category: ReflectionsTags: barbara abernathy, cancer, cancer patient, cancer survivor, health, health counseling, mental health, oncology, radiation, radiation oncology, radiation therapy, survivorship
The week inevitably came with a wide range of emotions leading up to my surgery anniversary, July 6, 2018…exactly 1 year since the day we officially said goodbye to Glanda. I’ve spent some time reflecting and parsing through the defining moments that got us… Continue Reading “Glanda’s 1 Year Goneda”
Category: ReflectionsTags: adenoid cystic carcinoma, atm, atm mutation, cancer, cancer blog, cancer free, cancer treatment, faith, family, fear, genetic testing, genetics, God, Healing, health, marriage, mental health, normal, parotid gland, parotidectomy, pathology, perspective, pleomorphic adenoma, reflection, salivary gland tumor, strata, strata trial, surgery, surgery recovery, tumor, uab, uab hospital, william carroll
Back in 2016, I worked for a floral magazine here in Birmingham as the digital media specialist. That October they afforded me a trip up to Waterford, VA to cover the very first ever Flowerstock hosted by Holly Chapple at Hope Flower Farm and… Continue Reading “Along Comes Hope Flower Farm”
Category: Reflections, Where are we now?Tags: along comes hope, cancer, chapel designers, dreams, faith, fatigue, flora and fauna fashion show, floral design, flowers, God, Healing, health, holly chapple, hope, hope flower farm, hope the bear, husband, jenny wieneke, love, marriage, mental health, normal, perspective, reflection
Posted on January 12, 2018
by Valerie Powell
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Happy 6 months to meeeee! It’s been 6 months since I went in for surgery to remove a benign salivary gland tumor and received path results just 6 days later that it was cancer they took out. Since then I’ve endured surgery recovery, 4… Continue Reading “Time to Celebrate”
Category: Reflections, Treatment Updates, Where are we now?Tags: anniversary, birmingham, cancer, cancer blog, cancer free, cancer treatment, faith, family, fear, Healing, love, marriage, perspective, radiation oncology, radiation therapy, radiation treatment, reflection
Posted on January 1, 2018
by Valerie Powell
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I fail to find the right words for this year so often (if there is such a thing) but here I am again writing stuff and throwing it out into the public like it’s different from all the stuff i’ve already said. The timing… Continue Reading “Auld Lang Syne”
Category: Reflections, Where are we now?Tags: 2017, 2018, auld lang syne, birmingham, cancer, cancer blog, faith, family, fatigue, fear, Healing, marriage, new years, perspective, reflection
Posted on December 4, 2017
by Valerie Powell
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Life is way scarier these days than I remember it. I remember sitting on our swing just a few days after surgery back in July and wondering how I was ever going to trust my body with normal aches, pains, and sickness again. And… Continue Reading “A Dose of Reality”
Category: ReflectionsTags: cancer, cancer blog, cancer treatment, faith, family, fatigue, fear, Healing, radiation oncology, radiation therapy, radiation treatment, sacrifice, side effects
Posted on October 25, 2017
by Valerie Powell
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Unconditional. In sickness and in health. For better or for worse. March 28, 2015, I married Kevin Tyler Powell and celebrated the hope and assurance of all of these things as I said, “I do.” I had no idea what our lives would bring… Continue Reading “Unconditional”
Category: ReflectionsTags: birmingham, cancer, cancer blog, faith, family, fatigue, fear, Healing, husband, love, marriage, powell, reflection, sacrifice, surgery, unconditional love
Posted on October 9, 2017
by Valerie Powell
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Feeling nostalgic tonight (as usual) as I sit here on the 2nd to last Monday of treatment and the first day looking at single digit days until the finish line. Reflecting about the last year and wondering how I ever got to this place… Continue Reading “A Bit of Reflection”
Category: ReflectionsTags: birmingham, cancer, cancer blog, fear, Healing, radiation oncology, radiation therapy, radiation treatment, reflection, salivary gland tumor, side effects
Posted on September 25, 2017
by Valerie Powell
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This post has nothing to do with our wedding, but those pictures remind me of happier days and days where I felt beautiful, healthy, and 100% like myself. I struggled far more in the last 4 days than I care to admit, but I… Continue Reading “The Valleys”
Category: Reflections, Treatment UpdatesTags: birmingham, cancer, cancer blog, clinical research, clinical trials, fear, fraction, genetics, Healing, pathology, radiation oncology, radiation therapy, radiation treatment, side effects, uab