I wanted to be SUPER CANCER FIGHTER, I wanted to be a warrior that made everyone proud of me. It took me awhile to realize that I am proud of me, and no matter where your battle has taken you, all of us are heroes!

I think after cancer treatment we have put our health needs at the top of our lists. This is very important, but so is my self-esteem. I need to take care of me, not just the me that had breast cancer, but the 45 year old woman I am and would have been if cancer had not entered into the picture.

I have hair again, of course it is not the hair of my choice. It is really curly now and hard to manage, but hey it is hair and I am grateful. I have not had a haircut since the day my 14 year old son shaved my head. Before cancer I would have taken care of my hair professionally, so it is time to do this.

I am proud to be a cancer survivor, but we all know this is a club no one really wants to be a full fledged member of. Hollywood has become very interested in breast cancer, and not a week goes by that I do not see it on TV or magazines. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful for the money being raised for research. I pray everyday a cure will be found so my daughter will NEVER have to worry about her risk of developing breast cancer.

My big advice to anyone who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer is to talk with survivors, and listen to your doctor. Be careful getting online and looking up your prognosis. It scared me so bad I had to call one of my doctors on a Sunday afternoon. Remember these statistics are usually several years old, and each and every one of us is an individual. Our cancer and treatment are unique and our own.

I wanted to be like Lance Armstrong, I wanted to work while I had chemo, and I thought LIFE would go on as usual. I knew I would lose my hair, but I really thought I could be a warrior and fight this disease with grace and dignity. It took me several months to realize that I did fight my disease with grace and dignity. I just had to comprehend that my disease and treatment were my own. It was completely different than others in the media. I was putting too much pressure on myself to be the PERFECT cancer patient and survivor. I thought I was failing and this depressed me.

How did I realize I was progressing with grace and dignity? I am a teacher and at our open house I was still undergoing chemo. I was bald, but wearing a scarf, and I was walking with a cane. I found out later that a mother had seen me. She did not want to approach me then but did about a week later. She had asked another teacher about me and found out I was battling breast cancer as a single mother of three.

She called me at home to thank me. I was extremely surprised, but curious of course. She told me she had been diagnosed with breast cancer the week before the open house. She was married and has two beautiful daughters in middle school. She told me she thought she could not handle the treatment and surgery and was considering skipping it. Until she saw me, she said I had inspired her to go ahead with the treatment process. She said if I could do it as a single mother, try to work, and fight so could she.