Hello! My name is Janelle, a.k.a. The Sassy Survivor (at least I like to consider myself to be). The Sassy Survivor began as a mission to share my story to the world on how dealing with cancer really is. This story began with being diagnosed at the age of 27, with stage 2 ovarian cancer.
Seeing me in such agony, my husband forced me to go see another doctor to figure out what the heck was going on with me. This visit, lead me to having a CT scan.
Unfortunately, these results showed this infection was a deeper issue...I felt my stomach as my doctor informed me the bumps and pain I was feeling were caused by cancer.
Now having cancer and understanding these tumors were growing rapidly, the doctor immediately sent me to visit the Oncologist who would perform the surgery and review chemotherapy options. This idea of chemotherapy drugs being pumped into my body was too much to bear.
White noise took over my mind soon after...
The following Monday, Cinco De Mayo of 2014, was the day of my surgery. (I remember because I heard the nurses making plans to grab chips and drinks after their shift. I remembered wishing I could be doing that rather than dealing with what I was about to face.)
One month after my surgery, I began my 4.5 months of weekly chemotherapy.
Surprisingly, the chemotherapy was not as difficult as I thought. The only difficulty I faced was the shock my body endured with the drugs in the beginning days of my therapy. And this is where Benadryl and the ER came in quite handy. (The nurses warn you this may happen, to experience it is a bit surreal.) After the 6 month ordeal was over, I came out a true survivor. And this mentality of surviving my battle motivates me every day.
I decided after this cancer journey to live life to the fullest by feeling more positive and growing to be a better person each day, and I have never looked back since. Soon after I decided to take on a more meaningful lifestyle, the idea that would change my life forever was born, The Sassy Survivor.
I began speaking to my online community, https://www.periscope.tv/thesassysurvivr and my website, http://thesassysurvivor.com/ to show people what surviving truly means.
The definition of Survivor is a person who survives, a person remaining alive after an event in AND (most importantly) a person who copes well with difficulties in their life.
I am a survivor. I still slip into sad moments, mostly because I daily have to cope with my pain of losing my old self to cancer. Yet, I take it one step at a time by looking inward to assist myself in growing to be the person I was always meant to be; to spread my light with the world.
That is what The Sassy Survivor https://www.instagram.com/thesassysurvivr/ is all about, spreading this light to all so they too can continue growing into the most positive version of themselves no matter what they are going through. Because happiness is a process and by getting rid of their blocks we face in own journey, we make the world a better place.
Remember believe in the process, learn from the experience, and you will find this will grow your strength as a survivor.
#SURVIVORS #Kancer #SassySurvivor #OvarianCancerAwareness #Under40 #tealdiva #Advocate