Hey y’all, October 2022 marks 25 years of breast cancer survivorship for me. That’s an entire quarter of a century! You couldn’t have convinced me 25 years ago that I’d be alive today. I was just trying NOT to die before my kids grew up.

I started celebrating my survivorship in 2017 at my 20th Cancerversary. 2017 was a year of multiple professional and personal twists and turns and my almost-last-minute decision to go to Ireland seemed a little wild. But it was just what I needed and I’ve been on the celebration party bus ever since.

In 2018 I (almost) did five Susan G Komen races back to back. My only hiccup was when my car broke down in the middle of some Indiana (Children of the) corn fields and I missed the race. I made it up the next day with a walk in Indianapolis so I’m still counting it.

In 2019 I was on a podcast and took a train ride through the Tennessee mountains.

Of course Covid came along in 2020 ruining my plans for TWO WHOLE YEARS. Yes, I’m still complaining about Covid but I am also grateful that I’m still surviving the pandemic.

So, what’s a cancer survivor supposed to do on this miraculous anniversary? Whatever you want to, that’s what!!

I decided to do 25 things to celebrate my 25 years! I’m doing big things, tasty things, adventurous things, and travel things!! And Bad Word things.

So, here’s a picture of me on October 1, in an Airbnb about to get out of bed for a party. 

This is the 1st thing I did in October: my oldest former roommate had a baby which Webster’s Dictionary says makes me a grandmother. Y’all, I have to admit I am a grandmother, that Bad Word.

Cue the smelling salts.

No, she cannot call me granny, grandma, MeMaw or any iteration of that. She can call me Mia and I’m happy with that since my parenting days are over and we should be friends.

And that’s not the biggest October thing, I promise! You’ll have to follow me across the social media-verse to discover what I’ve been up to and keep reading this blog for an in-depth report. I’ll continue to update it into November, and just a reminder: EVERY MONTH SHOULD BE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH NOT JUST OCTOBER. 

I’m headed to another October adventure so tune in, stay safe, and be well!

What are YOU celebrating today??

#25List 

#1/25 Bad Word