Blogging
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Easter Thoughts from the Back Row at Benaroya
Happy Easter. I’m currently nursing a head cold and still recovering from surgery, so today looks like tissues, tea, and sweatpants. Not exactly the fresh start kind of energy Easter is known for, but it’s real. Yesterday, though, I managed to leave the house for the first time in four weeks. I went to a Continue reading
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Soft Toes & Soothing Moments: A Pedicure After the Pain
It’s been a minute since I treated myself, and today felt like the perfect time. I got a much-needed pedicure and let me just say, it felt amazing. Like, close your eyes and sigh kind of amazing. The warm water, the gentle scrubbing, the soft touch on my skin—it all felt extra special this time. Continue reading
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Dear INFJ: Letter #3 – You Were Never Meant to Be Small
Dear INFJ, You’ve spent so much of your life folding yourself into quieter versions of who you are. You learned how to dim your light, not because it wasn’t bright, but because it made others squint. You learned how to carry other people’s pain without them even asking, like it was your job, your purpose, Continue reading
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I’m So Tempted to Start a YouTube Channel… But Where Do I Begin?
Lately, I’ve found myself daydreaming about starting a YouTube channel. I’ve always loved creating content, whether it’s for my podcast, Artifacts & Anecdotes, or sharing my photography with friends. But YouTube? It feels like a whole new world. And to be honest, I’m a little unsure about where to even start. I’ve been tossing around Continue reading
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Finding Joy in Movement: My Love for Music and Exercise
What’s the most fun way to exercise? My favorite way to exercise is by dancing around the house to great music. There’s something freeing about moving to the beat, letting go of any stress, and just enjoying the moment. When I’m not dancing, I also love getting on the elliptical while listening to music. It’s Continue reading
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Recovery: A Journey of Patience and Resilience
It’s been a long and challenging road, and I still have four more weeks of recovery ahead of me. Each day brings a mix of hope and frustration. I want to move forward, but my body is reminding me that I need to be patient. The restrictions placed on me are tough to live with, Continue reading
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Laughter
What makes you laugh? Laughter is one of my favorite things in the world. I absolutely love to laugh—it’s healing, it’s freeing, and it’s a beautiful way to connect with people. My sense of humor tends to lean toward the quirky, the exaggerated, and the timeless. There’s something about old-school physical comedy that just cracks Continue reading
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Reclaiming My Health: A Journey Through Grief, Healing, and Transformation
Four years ago, I was strong. I was disciplined. I was healthy. And then, my world fractured. When my mom passed away, something inside me unraveled. Grief wasn’t just an emotion, it became a presence that lived inside of me, shifting my habits, numbing my ambitions, and slowly eroding the foundation of my well being. Continue reading
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Spring
Cherry blossoms dance,soft petals kiss the warm breeze,whispers of new life. Continue reading
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Pathology Update
I had surgery a few days ago, and I’m so relieved to share that everything came back benign – absolutely no cancer! The mass that was removed was a very large mature cystic teratoma. One unexpected finding was that my left fallopian tube was fused shut, meaning it wasn’t open the way it should be. Continue reading
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Losing My Left Ovary: Healing, Grieving, and Learning to Live in My Body Again
It still hasn’t fully hit me. Three days ago, I lost my left ovary and fallopian tube. The words feel surreal, like they belong to someone else. My mind knows it happened, but my heart hasn’t caught up yet. Maybe because the pain is louder than my thoughts, or maybe because I’m not ready to Continue reading
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The Weight of Healing: Reflections on Surgery and Pain
Day two, and the pain is relentless. It moves through me in waves: sharp, deep, and unforgiving. I’ve always been a side sleeper, but now my body resists every position, every shift, every attempt at comfort. My bed, once a place of rest, now feels foreign, incapable of holding me through this. So, I’ve surrendered Continue reading
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Surgery, Cysts, and Coffee
I had surgery today, and honestly, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I was wheeled into the OR, scared out of my mind, not really knowing what to expect, but I had an amazing medical team that made all the difference. My gynecological oncologist is the top in the area, Continue reading
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Surgery Day: Sitting with the Anxiety
Today is surgery day. I knew it was coming, but no amount of mental preparation can fully quiet the anxiety humming beneath my skin. It’s not just the procedure itself, it’s the vulnerability, the unknowns, the loss of control. The waiting. I’ve always been someone who likes to understand, to plan, to have my feet Continue reading
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Dear Me:
Dear Me, I owe you the deepest, most heartfelt apology, one long overdue. I have spent years speaking to you in ways I would never speak to someone I love. I have stood before the mirror, dissecting you, tearing you down, accusing you of failure simply because you changed. I have waged war against you, Continue reading
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When Pain Becomes Normal
I keep thinking about how long this has been growing inside me. How many times I brushed off the pain, the bloating, the pressure, because I thought it was just part of being a woman. The horrible period cramps that felt like a hot brick pressing down on my uterus. The hip pain that radiated Continue reading
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Silent Wars
Why must I fight these battles alone, carrying shadows no one has known?A whispering ache, a hollowed plea, drowned in silence, swallowed by me. The moonlight flickers on my skin,Tracing the wars that rage within.Armor cracked, yet none can see, the weight, the fear consuming me. Echoes dance in empty halls,Mocking ghosts that hear my Continue reading
The Dreamer's Pen 