Ten Sessions - By Ambassador Kristen

Dear Loved Ones,

When you find something you love, you hold onto it tightly. And that’s just what I did with two things this summer: I clung to my fuzzy kitty pillow and to my Beth Millner jewelry. Both of them somehow got me through weeks and weeks of chemotherapy, during many moments of feeling uncomfortable and ugly. The pillow was a great rest for my IV arm, and the jewelry, well…it just made me feel prettier than without it. I’m grateful for both. 

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, and after I’d had my lumpectomy, I knew that it was going to be a challenging summer. Little did I know that the physical trials would be easy compared to the mental strength I’d need to cultivate to keep my sanity, my sense of humor, and my spirit intact. 

I thought you might like a pictorial representation of what it’s been like to sit through ten sessions. They say it’s the little things that matter, and there was something about wearing a different piece of jewelry each week along with a t-shirt with a different saying which made this whole process suck less. It was fun for the lab techs and the nurses to see which theme I’d be sporting every Monday, so that they could tell me which ones were their personal favorites. 

Although my ambassadorship is coming to an end (along with the summer days) I know soon, too, my treatments will also be behind me. I will still need to undergo some radiation treatments at Mayo Clinic next month, but in the meantime, I’ll smile whenever I look into my jewelry box and see a physical representation of something which helped me get through something difficult. 

There’s a saying I saw on a t-shirt somewhere, which might be my theme for 2022: “Beautiful girl, you can do hard things.” Thank you, Beth Millner, for making me feel beautiful.

Be happy, be well.

Kris G