This is Brave

This is Brave: Bethany Shows Us Her True Strength

This last year for me has brought many changes and thankfully… Progress.

Health-wise, I’ve had a few little health scares since I wrote back in May 2018, but nothing serious or remotely life-threatening. Thank goodness! First, I had a staging scan to make sure all the immunotherapy (yervoy) infusions I get every three months are doing their job. It was during this scan that they found something on my liver. After a PET scan, the growth on my liver was determined to be nothing but a cyst and not metabolizing. The PET did reveal some reactivity in the lymph nodes on my neck. Which can mean bad news for me as well, but after a neck sonogram and a closer look it was determined that I just have Lymphedema (lymph node damage from radiation), which again was a huge relief.

Honestly, this is par for the course when you are in treatment for cancer. The closer you look the more things you find and if you’re lucky, it’s nothing. It’s a big mental weight, but worrying about what the results will be will not change the outcome. The only thing all the worry and anxiety does is ruin today.

In addition to tests, my face has changed yet again… but in the most positive way! I’ve had a few more plastic surgeries to fill in the dent on my forehead made by the removal of my melanoma. I’m grateful for this leap forward. I’ll be nearing the end of treatment soon and should be getting my last infusion this fall.

Emotionally, (because the emotional side of melanoma often feels bigger than the physical) I’ve had quite a year. In the midst of all of these tests and surgeries, my husband served me with a divorce. I was not surprised. Cancer is tough and brings out the best and worst in people. He was not capable of giving me the compassion I needed, and I was unable to overlook his shortcoming. I hope this shift gives us both the opportunity to find happiness.

My girls have been my inspiration and driving force. I have had to dig deep to start a new, independent life. In a few months, I sold our house, restarted my career (which I had left seven years ago), and moved into an apartment. Through all this change, the girls have bravely accepted each step-in stride. I am beyond proud of them.

Another one of my saving graces was advocacy. Thanks to my connections and my Melanoma Photo Diary on Facebook, many opportunities to continue raising awareness for melanoma and other skin cancers have opened up for me:

  1. The Shade Project invited me to speak at their annual Down and Derby fundraiser. SUCH an honor.
  2. Meredith’s Mission for Melanoma invited me to speak at their Gala to benefit the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
  3. AND Coolibar and the Melanoma Research Foundation reached back out for This is Brave!

Moving forward into 2019 and beyond, my girls and I plan to continue supporting advocacy and awareness as much as we can. While I’m wrapping up my treatment with my last two infusions and the reconstruction on my face by December, our drive to support protection, prevention and early detection will keep going. Despite the “hardships” that I may have gone through since diagnosis, I’m grateful for the strength I have and my ability to support others.

To catch up on Bethany’s battle and story from last year, visit HERE.

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