Yesterday marked fourteen years since I sat in that doctor’s office to hear the words “advanced stage III breast cancer.” I figured I would be dead by Christmas of that year.
Fourteen years. I can hardly believe it.
In years past, I’ve celebrated by going out with friends or Ken to some restaurant or other to celebrate in some small way. Since my gallbladder just came out last Tuesday, I’m swearing off restaurants until my paranoia about them goes away.
Yesterday, I put on my Carhartts and sat in the dirt barking out orders to my son Jonathan: he did a bunch of heavy yardwork for me.
It might not seem like much of a party, but sitting outside in the sunshine? I’ll take it. And some more living, too, please.
About Marie de Haan
Marie is a gifted pianist, playing since the age of nine. As a teenager, she composed mainly instrumental piano music. She released her powerful debut single, “I Am Broken,” on October 22, 2020, a song whose creation drew heavily upon the trauma she endured as a victim of childhood sexual abuse. Marie held a benefit concert on September 10, 2021, in Skagit County. A portion of the proceeds went to CrossRoads Youth Ranch; this local organization—through equine therapy—empowers “at-risk and sexually exploited youth to heal, grow, and thrive.” She has continued to write music: Christian, folk, and country. Marie loves hiking, gardening, and photography. The Pacific Northwest—where she lives with her husband—is the backdrop for her favorite activities.
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