It is with sadness that I am officially retiring the _Healthy Stuff Collection_. It was a good place to post without [CW: cancer] before collections were deprecated. Thank you to everyone for their kindness and support for these past four and half years.
I do hope that my experience can inform others. If you are going through something similar please realize that:
- you can be vulnerable.
- you must take time for caregiving.
- you can get support.
- and you should take the time to cherish the ones you love.
Finally, metastatic breast cancer is really tough. It may have Julie's life, but it could only take her hair for a short period. It regrew more beautiful than ever and always reminded me of her fave Brautigan poem:
I want your hair
to cover me with maps
of new places,
so everywhere I go
will be as beautiful
as your hair
–Richard Brautigan
If you want to honor her memory a donation to your local animal rescue group or one of Julie's preferred charities (METAVivor.org or bcaction.org) would be welcome.