A Little Bit About Me:
Hey, Hi, and Hello! I’m so glad you decided to stop by. I have decided to update this page (December 2025) to include my journey of surviving and healing from a 20-year marriage of emotional abuse. Its going to be messy and to tell the truth, I’m not even sure how much I plan to share. My original mission with this page was to help cancer survivors navigate the emotional turmoil that comes with a Cancer diagnosis; but I have decided to also include my healing journey from emotional abuse and psychological manipulation. I am just an ordinary gal on a mission to help fellow survivors, -regardless of where you are along your journey – find a sense of peace and calm, retrain your nervous system to feel safe again, and reclaim your voice. (You know the one that has been Hushed for so many years.) I hope you will join me on my journey of Striving2BeWell.
Me Before Cancer…
I have always been an independent soul and a free spirit. I have traveled across the United States on several occasions with a motorcycle, a tent and a toothbrush. I feel I have lived a very full life and have been blessed with amazing adventures and have met some incredible people along the way. I have experienced many life lessons that have forced me to look at life a bit different than most. My name is Amy and I am a self-proclaimed HOT MESS EXPRESS!!! I am an imperfect Christian, and one of the gifts I have received from God is that I am a highly sensitive person, an Empath – but more on that later. I have always experienced emotions much deeper than most people and have often been misunderstood because of it. I really have had quite the journey so far and it is far from over…
Quick Overview of the Last 20+ years…
Here’s a little background on me and why I FINALLY decided to start this blog. I needed a platform to reach out to other 50-something women who are still trying to figure it all out through multiple medical setbacks, emotional abuse and psychological manipulation. I have struggled with depression and anxiety most of my life and at times it has been completely debilitating. I am a two-time Breast Cancer survivor; first diagnosed in 10/2006 and again in 6/2010. I have had somewhere around 17 surgeries, extensive toxic chemotherapy treatments (14 rounds to be exact), 25 rounds of radiation, a mastectomy and tram-flap breast reconstructive surgery. Although I currently have no visible disease; I am on a 3-week infusion rotation of a drug called Herceptin to keep any returning cancer cells at bay. I will continue with this regimen indefinitely; which I hope proves to be a very long time. In Nov of 2017 I had a minor stroke due to my left carotid artery being completely (100%) blocked. The chemo alone had wreaked havoc on my body, but the radiation reduced the skin on my left neck and chest area to the texture of leather and my internal artery was hardened to scar tissue, rendering it useless for feeding blood and oxygen to my brain. All the while navigating this very difficult time with an emotionless partner, who actually made me feel that my sickness was ALL my fault and a complete inconvenience and financial burden on him – Much more on this later.
My Mission…
My story is not meant to scare you nor is it meant to seek sympathy, but only to serve as a precursor to my mission. I want to reach as many women as possible, who share similar stories, to let you know that you are not alone, your pain is valid and you can heal and grow past your traumas. I am still learning to give myself forgiveness and grace and to understand that true healing is slow and methodical. I still have a LONG way to go, but I hope that in sharing my journey that you may also find your way to forgiveness, grace and understanding. Perhaps the growing and understanding is never truly complete, but my hope is that by sharing our burdens here in this safe place that ultimately our overall health and wellbeing will be impacted for years to come.
At the age of 56, I am grateful to be alive; but feel that I am still Striving2BeWell. Did you see what I did there? If you would like all the gory details of my cancer journey, you may read the following post (which will eventually be a 3-part series). My Journey Through Cancer and Beyond, as well as my journey of healing and recovery from Narcissistic abuse. This journey has honestly just begun for me, so stay tuned for future posts on this subject.
Several Interesting Facts about me:
- I love coffee and White Zinfandel/Sprite Spritzers.
- I have ridden motorcycles approximately 10 years of my life, pre-cancer of course.
- My first job was mucking stalls, saddling/ unsaddling 20-25 horses and bringing clients on hour long trail-rides by myself from sun-up ’til sun-down. I was only 14 yrs. old and received $10.00/day.
- I am very creative and enjoy tackling just about any DIY project. I always have several projects going at any given time.
Reasons why you should follow my page:
- On-going support, inspiration, direction and hope.
- The ‘Cancer Sucks’ Treatment Planner…. coming soon!
- Tips and tricks I have learned along my journey.
- Product reviews and research regarding all-natural, complimentary protocols geared toward healing the mind, body and spirit.
- I use creativity as therapy and will occasionally offer goodies from time-2-time from my Creativity Corner….stay-tuned!