One Year Cancer-Free: I’m Still Here
One year. Twelve months. 365 days of waking up and realizing that I made it through something I never thought I would have to face.
I am one year cancer-free!
And those words mean so much more to me than simply saying, “I don't have cancer anymore.” They represent:
Every appointment.
Every test.
Every treatment.
Every difficult day.
Every tear I cried when nobody was watching.
Every prayer whispered when I didn't have the stregnth or words.
Every moment when I had to remind myself to keep the faith and fight.
Cancer Changed Me
Cancer didn't just change my body.
It changed the way I look at life.
Before cancer, I could say I understood how precious life was. After cancer, I felt it.
I learned that tomorrow isn't promised. I learned that some things I once worried about simply aren't worth my energy anymore.
And I learned that strength doesn't always look like having it all together.
Sometimes strength looks like getting out of bed when you don't feel like it.
Sometimes it looks like sitting in a doctor's office waiting for results.
Sometimes it looks like crying, praying, wiping your tears, and saying, “Okay… what's next Lord?”
My Body Went Through War
Cancer treatment took a lot from me.
It took my energy.
It took my hair.
It took pieces of the person I thought I knew.
There were days when I didn't recognize the woman looking back at me in the mirror.
But somewhere along the way, I realized something:
Cancer could change my appearance, but it could not take my identity.
I was still Dr. Duchess.
Still a woman with dreams.
Still a mother, grandmother, friend, rider, traveler, fisher, adventurer, and woman of faith.
I was still ME.
Faith Became More Than a Word
There were moments during this journey when I didn't know what the outcome would be.
But I knew who I could turn to.
I prayed.
I hoped.
I cried.
I questioned.
And I kept believing.
My faith didn't mean I never became afraid.
It meant fear didn't get the final word.
One Year Later
Today, I don't take the little things for granted.
I celebrate birthdays differently.
I appreciate sunsets differently.
I laugh harder.
I love deeper.
I travel often.
I ride when I'm able to.
I fish every waking moment.
I camp every chance I can.
I write more.
I live.
Because surviving cancer taught me something that no textbook ever could; life is not something to postpone.
There will always be another reason to wait.
Another bill.
Another responsibility.
Another excuse.
But when you've stared at your own mortality, you realize that sometimes you have to stop waiting for the “perfect time” and simply LIVE now in the moment with no regrets.
To the Women Who Are Fighting Right Now
If you're reading this while you're in the middle of your own cancer journey, I want you to know something.
I don't know your story. It's your story to share or choose not to share.
I don't know what you're facing today.
But I know what it feels like to be afraid.
I know what it feels like to wonder what comes next.
And I know what it feels like to celebrate a milestone that once seemed so far away.
Take it one day at a time.
Do not stress.
Cry when you need to.
Rest when you have to.
Ask questions. Question everything.
Accept help. It's ok to ask for help.
Keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Pray. Pray. Pray.
You don't have to be strong every minute of every day.
You just have to keep going.
This Is More Than a Celebration
My one-year cancer-free milestone isn't just about looking backward.
It's about looking forward.
There is still living to do.
There are places I haven't traveled.
Fish I haven't caught.
Miles I haven't ridden.
Stories I haven't written.
People I haven't met.
Memories I haven't made.
And dreams I haven't dreamed yet.
Cancer may be a chapter in my story...but it is NOT the whole story.
So today, I celebrate.
I celebrate the woman who survived.
I celebrate the woman who cried.
I celebrate the woman who was scared.
I celebrate the woman who prayed.
I celebrate the woman who kept showing up.
And most of all...
I celebrate the woman who is still here fighting.
One year cancer-free.
Still standing.
Still smiling.
Still riding.
Still dreaming.
Still becoming.
Still Dr. Duchess.
And if you know me...
I'M JUST GETTING STARTED.❤️🎀
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