I don’t really remember the  exact day I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I suppose it was in September because I had to meet the Oncologist on Halloween and I am assuming it took awhile to get an appointment, so that would leave us in September sometime.  (And yes, my memory was just as bad before I had Chemo.)
But, the years after are really a blur. I am glad I kept a journal because I would not have remembered a darn thing. And there were great things that happened in the years after treatment.  I DO remember my daughter turned 16 and learned to drive, then left for college soon after. We moved from our house of 10 years, I rebuilt my Pilates business, started Inner Tough Girls, created an exercise dvd and now I’m watching my son turn 16 and learn to drive. Yes, it is eerie how things evolve and come full circle.

When I was finishing my treatments and surgeries I was very ‘pink’. Then it went to complete disdain of anything pink  and now it’s at a comfortable level of respect.  I don’t ‘celebrate’ October or my years of being cancer-free because cancer has taken up too much of my time as it is. It’s kind of like exercise, you can’t ‘do it all in one month ‘ and get good results. Cancer awareness should be an ongoing part of our lives. In the beginning, I did things so cancer didn’t come back.  Now I do things to stay healthy.  It was a big shift in thinking.

Every time I make a comment about “pinkwashing”  or complain about cancer,  I am giving cancer my time and thoughts. It takes up space in my head -  time I could spend doing other things. I have respectfully  put boundaries on how much time and energy cancer gets from me.  I have not put boundaries on the amount of people I can help become healthy.

Cancer will always be a part of my life.   I am dedicated to showing people a different way to move through Survivorship. I do it with exercise and movement  yet the lessons spill through our life everyday. I am blessed to know my path.

I think races and awareness walks and celebrations are a wonderful thing. Especially for the people that walk them.  It gives people a way to heal, a way to connect, a way to support and be supported. It raises money for something that, quite frankly, saved my life. So, who the hell am I to object to putting something on a label?

Of course I want people to be aware.  Be aware of everything! Your thoughts, your actions, how you treat people, how you move. Be aware of the foods that are the very best for you.  Be aware that certain exercises can heal you. Be aware that breast cancer does not show up conveniently and then go away like the flu. Be aware of your body because most of the time it is giving you red flags and we ignore them.

I don’t celebrate October as ‘ Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ or as an anniversary to anything because I would rather focus on being the happiest, healthiest best person I can possibly be all the time. I would rather celebrate being ‘me’.

** If you are interested in being focused on staying healthy then you should definitely check out The Tough Girls Guide to Life After Cancer.

I learned the ‘Crane Dance’ just before I was diagnosed with breast cancer from a beautiful couple in Arizona.  I  had no idea I would call on this form of Qi Gong to get me through a cancer diagnosis. But, in fact, Qi Gong turned out to e one of the only things I was able to do during my treatments and surgeries and boy was I ever glad.

I adapted the Original Crane Dance into my own version that told the story of Survivorship. Learning to navigate through new situations, moving through cloudy situations, going ‘Up to the Mountain’, and ‘Down to the Valley’ and learning to ‘Stand on Your Own Again’.

Qi Gong For Core Conditioning and Balance.

The movements are not only metaphors in life, but also have clear benefits to our bodies in reducing cortisol levels, stretching your cardiovascular system, stretching and clearing the lungs.

I had several women come up to me after our session and even the next day and say “I slept better than I have for years” and “I was having a pain in my shoulder and it feels so much better.”

The last segment of this video is my favorite piece. I am honored to share it with you.

In Heath and Happiness,

AH.

The good news is that lives WILL be changed, and in turn, our families, our communities will be changed.  The BAD news, it will have to be 10 women at a time. I chose to keep this group small to keep the intimacy of the group, to be open and share with each other.  I also chose 10 people at a time because I am going to be working closely with them- creating and implementing new movement programs – keeping close contact and keeping my ‘eyes on you’.

In true Inner Tough Girl spirit, this program is being offered at no charge to Survivors.  Cancer is expensive – healing doesn’t have to be.

If you are on the Tough Girl mailing list, you will be receiving an invitation and the first 10 people who are serious about changing their current condition will be able to participate. Don’t get me wrong, I want everyone to participate but,  I can only take 10 at a time.

Now, if you do the math, we kick off on July 12th- so, the end date will fall on September 25th.  We are planning our Tough Girl retreat at the end of October, so we won’t start another program until after the first part of 2011.  That’s WAY to long to wait for any transformation! So, whether you think you are ready or not, JUMP with both feet in.  Because let me ask you something…. did cancer wait until it was ‘convenient’ to step into your life?

Details. Details…

Kick off is Monday July 12th, 2010 at 9:00 p.m. eastern  and finishes on September 27th, 2010.

You MUST  be on the Inner Tough Girl List to receive the Official Invite.

I had the great fortune to know how to use Pilates throughout my cancer diagnosis.  The posture, alignment and breathing alone helped heal quicker than I could imagine.  Cancer opened my eyes to new reasons to exercise. In this new world of post cancer, there become secondary conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease.   Pilates was naturally my first method of exercise because I am an Instructor, but many women have not even considered what healthy posture means for their entire body. It becomes imperative to learn not only correct form, but new ways to move through life.  Pilates increases concentration, balance, control  and blood flow throughout the whole circulatory system.  The lymph system has no ‘pump’ like the heart or lungs, the only way to keep it healthy is through moving. Period. Considering the startling number of lymph node removal , this becomes an important factor in a healthy immune system.

Karena Thek Lineback ,one of my favorite ladies in the Pilates world recently had me as a guest on her talk radio show. Of course we talked ‘pilates’ but we also had the opportunity to share how the ‘principles behind pilates’ are tools I consider life changing.

Concentration

Control

Breathing

Flowing Movement

Precision

Stability

Centering

All benefits of Pilates that carry over into daily life.  As I ask my fellow Tough Girls, some of them have had physical therapy for their surgeries – others have not, but I must say, you NEED NOT have had surgery to benefit from Pilates. I shared a little video on ‘concentration’  and am looking forward to sharing ‘control of movement’ in an upcoming video with Control Among The Chaos and Cancer Centers of America.

Have you used exercise as part of your treatment plan? What worked for you? Would love to hear how other Tough Girls manage their post cancer lifestyle.

Health and Happiness to You~

When: Monday May 24th 2010
Where: The Herb Box of DC Ranch
Why: To Join other Tough Girls and kick off our first ever “12 weeks of Transformation”. Healing physically, mentally and spiritually in a life after cancer.
All funds raised will by equipment, materials, gift certificates for fresh foods, pedometers, and new products to help in this quest for total wellness.

Inner Tough Girls LIfe After Cancer is pleased to be a recipient of the Doozy of a Deal site.  For each deal  purchased through Inner Tough Girls, we receive 7.5 % .  This means  more women are able to participate in our 12 Sessions to Transformation Series and focus on their health and NOT there disease. It means that Inner Tough Girls can conduct workshops throughout the country for cancer survivors. It mean more women will  learn the tools to live their BEST life after a cancer diagnosis.  Doozy of a Deal is a win- win.  Some recent Doozy Deals have highlighted  getting fit at Fuzion Fitness and getting tough at Krav Magna . You can also do things like put a photo book together of your journey through cancer with Photobin.

Please  mention Inner Tough Girls under Charities Served and get started saving. Your Inner Tough Girl will thank you.

Thanks Doozy for making our community a better place!