I should probably answer the OP: Stage 3 breast cancer, multiple surgeries (it had spread further than they realized), chemo, radiation, ongoing oral medication to keep it at bay. Have gotten through all the crucial markers so far…at this point, I am reasonably assured that even if it does come back in future, I will at least get my youngest the rest of the way through high school.
I threw a party once I was through all the overt treatments, to thank all the friends who helped me in various ways. We went to a local art center and spent the evening with a staff instructor running a private pottery class for us while we all drank wine. Instead of making THINGS, she had us break up into three groups and work sequentially between three tables: each group created the top third of a hero/creature, then moved to the next table to create the middle third (with the other part covered), then moved again to finish the creations before they were unveiled for all to see. The instructor had a whole story line for what we were supposed to embody in each section. It was a really fun and creative exercise.
