Sally Wolf: A genuinely grateful glowing Sally smile shortly after waking up from the deep sleep I enjoyed while an incredible surgical dream team worked their magic

Sally Wolf, CEO and Founder of LightWorks, shared on LinkedIn:

“Waking up from hours of surgery, I smiled. Reflecting back 8 years later, of all my cancer dates, this is the one I celebrate each year. Including today.

It’s not that cancer was over when surgery ended. In so many ways, it had actually just begun.

I walked into the hospital that day feeling perfectly healthy. Even though I’d recently been told I was “sick.”

Surgery began a long 3 1/2 months. First the double amputation (which is really what a double mastectomy is, despite the craziness of some calling it a free boob job…). Then chemo.

And as it turns out, merely two years after this photo, I’d learn it was back. And had spread.

I’ve had three more related surgeries since this photo. Two on my chest, one on my femur, bizarrely damaged by one of my meds. Regular scans ensure my current combination of pills and injections continues to keep me healthy.

Yes, healthy. While I now may live with a metastatic breast cancer, I believe words matter greatly, especially the words we choose to use to describe whatever challenges us most.

So I consider myself “healthy while on cancer meds” – not quite cured, but also VERY much alive. And I’m not just surviving. I’m thriving.

And while other days often include some fear, today is one I purely celebrate every year. A date that reminds me of my bravery. My strength. And my choice to keep smiling.

Deeply grateful for ALL of you who have walked alongside me the past 8 years, in person and more recently on LinkedIn, too.

Here’s to all the decades we have yet to share! Onward!

Photo: A genuinely grateful glowing Sally smile shortly after waking up from the deep sleep I enjoyed while an incredible surgical dream team worked their magic.”

Source: Sally Wolf / LinkedIn