This time last year....

... I had no idea I had breast cancer.

It's kind of weird -- my surgeon told me the lump had probably been there for at least a year. I had no idea. I felt fine -- but, that's because I was lucky enough to only be stage 2.

Looking back at the calendar -- Hubby felt the lump on the evening of May 19. On May 20 I went to my GP. May 21 I had my first mammogram, a sonogram and the biopsy. May 22 I got the results and met with the surgeon.

This year I plan to spend those days on chapter 1 of my dissertation.... except, I do have a mammogram appointment on May 22.

This time last year I had a full head of curly hair and two boobs... or "bubbies" as the Real Housewives of New Jersey call them :).

Today, I have a lot less hair - (but, it's coming back very well!) and only one "bub" (which I assume is the singular form of "bubbies").

This time last year, if pressed, I could tell you than an oncologist is a specialist who treats cancer. The only oncologist I could name is Dr. Wilson on House.

Today I have my 6-month check up with MY oncologist... so I both have an oncologist and can name several more in the clinic.

It's kind of weird thinking about the time before my diagnosis -- it's like thinking about the "before" life -- my biggest concerns were finishing my dissertation, getting a sabbatical and hopefully getting to live in the same city as my hubby.... eventually.

Today, Hubby and I ARE living in the same city, I'm still concerned with finishing my dissertation, and I have this cancer thing to worry about on occasion. What's weird about it - -and something I would never have expected -- I don't think about cancer all that often. Sure, my body is different. I still have my port and people give me the "where did you get that terrible haircut" look -- but, cancer isn't something I think about every day.

Looking back at my posts from last year -- really, they aren't all that different... but, the ones in between are quite different.

When I met my oncologist for the first time -- when he gave me the diagnosis and outlined how the chemo would go -- I predicted it would be a hard summer and a challenging Fall semester, but after that life would go back to whatever passes as "normal". I'm happy to say I was right... (knock on wood, I do have an appointment today...).

Edited to add: My appointment was fine -- as I suspected. He didn't find anything new and we mostly talked about life :) -- My oncologist honestly said he wants to read my dissertation -- because he thinks it would be interesting. Little does he know -- dissertations are NEVER interesting -- but, when I'm finished, I'll print him a copy anyway :).