3 Year Cancerversary

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Three years ago today I received a voicemail telling me that the “fibroid” they had removed a week earlier was actually cancer. The past 3 years have been a rollercoaster full of stress and anxiety I never imagined I’d face. But then, who really expects to be dealt such a blow (especially at only 32 years old)?

I know that this date will always trigger a lot of sad and distressing memories for me, but I am going to be doing my best to make sure that my cancerversary isn’t a day filled with bad memories and resentment. Fortunately, the temps got above freezing here this morning, so we took the kids to one of our favorite parks for a walk. While I’ve long enjoyed our family walks, today I tried to pay extra special attention to the beauty of the day, and be grateful to have made it to another milestone. Rather than “3 years of cancer,” I’m trying (though it’s Hard) to remind myself that it’s “3 years SURVIVING cancer.” Thank God for that!

🌻Look how far I’ve come🌻

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Published by Lauren

Welcome! Thank you for being here! My name is Lauren Doyle. My husband and I have been married since 2013, and together since 2011. We have 2 wonderful kids and live in the Twin Cities suburbs. I have both a Master’s and a Doctorate and am a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. I also have the student loans to prove it. In 2019 our lives were turned upside down. Our daughter was born with a serious heart defect that required open heart surgery when she was just 5 days old. A couple weeks after her birth (while she was still in the hospital), I found a mass in my abdomen which required major emergency surgery to remove. At first, we were told it was just a fibroid; we learned about a week later that the mass was a rare and aggressive type of cancer – leiomyosarcoma. Through multiple surgeries and chemo, I have come out the other side, changed in many ways. I am now considered Stage IV, with a chemo-induced heart condition, and struggle with several other severe side effects from treatments. I continue to work and live and love as best as I can. I will not claim to have all the answers about anything, but I can tell you I have learned a LOT in my 35+ years of life thus far. My passion has always been helping and educating people in whatever ways possible. I am hoping this blog will allow me to do that for a broader population beyond the patients I see at work, share my unique journey, and help keep friends and family in the loop along the way. Thank you again for being here.

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3 thoughts on “3 Year Cancerversary”

  1. Dear Lauren,  A friend of mine somehow stumbled across your FB page and sent it to me a year or two ago, so I could add you to my prayer list.  I believe the first post I saw you were in a rocking chair with your daughter and had just received bad news.  It broke my heart.  I have followed your journey and your posts ever since.  You are so strong and brave and an inspiration for so many.  Keep fighting!  And I’ll keep praying! Lisa

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  2. This is amazing Lauren and so well written – love the ideas and so impressed with your strength and attitude – you got this 💜💜

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