Why dancingsoles for this blog? Dancing Soles Studio and Gallery was my dance studio. I dream dance and choreography; it is always part of my life, and it helps me cope with unwelcome experiences. I hope that my sharing this with you will help you in some way. I, also, hope you will let me know what you think about anything you read here. Send me a note or a poem or a dance or a few steps or . . .
My life started in Detroit, Michigan. After I married in my twenties, my husband Steve and I moved a few times and divorced while living in Cleveland. I stayed there for a number of years before moving to SoCal, where I married Marvin, his real name, though most people know him as Don, the name given him by his adoptive parents. He is my hero and someone I wish my mom, whom we lost in 1997 to colon cancer, would have met. Dad lives outside Detroit. My sister Jennifer lives with her husband and son in Ohio, and my sister Angela lives not far from my dad, for whom she is a capable and caring caregiver; we are in touch often. Angela’s daughter, my one and only niece and my goddaughter, also, lives with her family in Michigan.
I’m a registered workaholic. Also, I’m a writer, editor, dancer, choreographer and now a cancer warrior. I have a hard time with that last role; I also choose to think of myself as a warrior, who is actively and strongly engaging in battle. My original diagnosis was in May 2004. My return diagnosis was January 2009.
Since the cancer has returned as incurable advanced cancer, I know that I need to cope in ways that I have not yet discovered, new ways of stretching the boundaries. Art. Faith. Love. Knowledge. Hope. Communication. This will be my life’s work in progress, and dancing, whether with my body or my pens, will always be part of my work and my coping.
15 responses so far ↓
wordnerd45 // July 11, 2009 at 1:21 pm |
Hi Donna. My name is Carolyn. I found your blog through a tag search. I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but happy to hear you are writing and dancing through it. I’d love to give you a poem I wrote — inspired by a friend of mine who gave me a bracelet with orange beads — the color for Leukemia. I do not have cancer or leukemia, but I know some people who do. I hope you enjoy my poem:
Orange and amber beads wrapped around my wrist
Too white cells running through their red veins
Yellow, pink, and blue ribbons tied to our shirts and car bumpers
These are the colors of cancer –
Of life and death.
Donna Peach // July 11, 2009 at 5:03 pm |
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for writing and sending me your poem. Sharing support and positive energy is such an important part of coping with cancer; I believe we cannot survive without it. The colors of cancer help us to recognize without a word the support from people with whom we will never share a word. Yet, we feel the support conveyed by the symbols.
Best healthy wishes to you and your friends,
Donna
Kay // July 25, 2009 at 2:18 pm |
Hi Donna,
I was diagnosed with breast cancer Sept 04.
Then in Jan 06 it matast. to my T5 and I repeated chemo and radiation again. In Oct 06 they found 2 tumors in my femor bone … now they said it has spread to my rib. Still on Zometa every 3 months and Armid. daily we continue on… I wish you the very best in your continued fight. I am sure you know life is an opportunity and people like you are amazing when you step out there and give to others in words.
Thank you.
Kay
brenda // August 7, 2009 at 4:22 pm |
I don’t have a website, just came across yours while surfing… how were you rediagnosed? I am feeling like my primary physician is dismissing some of my complaints and I have fears of recurrence, initial diagnosis was in 2005/right mastectomy/AC&T treatment. I will see my oncologist in September, do I force the issue for an MRI or PET scan if I have concerns? What do you think? I have daily aches and pains but chalk them up to residual chemo pains.
Best wishes to you in your continued battle!
I am anxious to view your inspiring and entertaining sites.
Shelley // August 23, 2009 at 9:19 pm |
Dear Donna,
We met at the infusion center Friday. Turns out we work in the same area, just in front of vs. behind the scenes. What a small world…and so nice to put the face with the name I’d heard so often over the years. You are an inspiration to me as I begin my cancer journey. I’m literally taking one day at a time for now…just dealing with the chemo plan and not thinking much about the surgery to come. It’s just too overwhelming at this point. Still, women like you give me strength beyond words. Hope to see you again on Fridays…my prayers are with you. You are an amazing warrior!!!!!!!!
Love, Shelley
Donna Peach // August 29, 2009 at 2:59 pm |
Dear Shelley,
What a wonderful coincidence that coworkers should meet not at a departmental function but as we wait for treatment in our home away from home. Dealing with a new diagnosis has to be one of the worst experiences of this entire saga. Be sure to rely on the strength and comfort of those close to you. It really helps to have someone who can listen and allow you to express your feelings.
I will write separately and hope we can stay in touch. Please call me or write me any time. Hope you are somehow staying cool during this heat wave.
Love, Donna
Donna Peach, dancing through life’s adventure with breast cancer http://dancingsoles.wordpress.com
Robin // August 28, 2009 at 9:27 pm |
Hi there…I just got married…had a baby at the end of January of 09 and turned 37 in March then found out on May 22nd 09 that I have breast cancer..I was shocked and scared and numb all at once when my dr. told me via the phone. I have had 2 surgeries and found out that 1 of my nodes under my left arm had cancer which put me into the stage 2 catergory.I started AC on August 21 09 every 2 weeks for 2 months then 2 months of Taxol is next. I hope things go well and after reading your stories I believe you are a very strong woman…I hope I can be as brave as you have been thus far. Your husband seems to be a very sweet and loving man…just like my husband…that helps so much having a partner that really cares. Thank you for sharing your battles with chemo.
Lee McAlilly // September 14, 2009 at 9:17 am |
Hi Donna!
I recently found your blog on breast cancer and wanted to reach out. I’m the blog coordinator for EverydayHealth.com. We’re currently recruiting people to write a weekly blog post about their various health conditions and I thought you might be interested.
Everyday Health has over 25 million monthly unique visitors to their website, and there is a lot of potential exposure and traffic to come from blogging with the market leader in online health information. It’s also an excellent platform to promote awareness about breast cancer and related issues, and any cutting edge research, advice, or non-profit work being done.
Let me know if this is something that you’re interested in and might like to talk more about. I enjoyed reading some of your old posts, and I think you have a unique perspective that Everyday Health readers would love for you to share.
Thanks so much!
Lee McAlilly
Blog Coordinator, EverydayHealth.com
lmcalilly (at) waterfrontmedia (dot) com
Mary West // September 18, 2009 at 5:05 pm |
Hello Donna, here’s a voice from way back when…one of the gals in your “old ladies” jazz tap class in Cleveland, early 90’s??? Barb sent me your link. Your husband looks really nice and honestly, you look terrific! You go girl! Keep dancing and keep fighting! P.S. I still have the video of our recital. We were hot!
Donna Peach // September 19, 2009 at 9:20 am |
OMG, Mary, no one is old in dance–LOL didn’t you know? I have thought about you and wondered whether you were on FB. I am so happy that you have written and can’t wait to catch up. Hugs,
Shelli Gibbons // October 30, 2009 at 2:02 am |
Donna, you are an inspiration. Trying to figure out how to “follow” your blog. I follow “beingcancer” and Daria’s Living with Cancer. I’m pretty uneducated with dealing with anything but the program I am used to.
My original breast cancer in 2006 was in my left breast, and then July this year, 2009, diagnosed with METS to the spine, pelvis, even the skull. A bunch of places. I had palliative radiation, which helped my worse spot. I am so sorry you had to have surgery!!
You have a lot of info here; thank you for all the work that has gone into that compilation.
Best to you, and your husband, and your dog!
Shelli
Lou Ann // October 31, 2009 at 10:38 pm |
Hi Donna,
It is past midnight and I’m up once again because the pain gets bad and I have to get out of bed and change locations. Now I’m in my recliner. I was looking on the web just trying to find a place to have some dialogue with others that are in my position. STAGE IV, METASTISIZED BREAST CANCER IN MY BONES. Here is my story: This might not be the right place to post it, but maybe someone out there will read it and can tell me who I can network with. I was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. I was 43. I had no history in my family and was shocked when it was found in a routine mammogram. Since I was fairly young…. the doctor hit me hard with chemo (that good ‘ole red devil stuff) and then 36 treatments of radiation. I even followed up with a hysterectomy to make sure we shut down those ovaries. It was not in my lymph nodes and it was estrogen positive. Well, it has been 6 years ago and I thought I was a survivor!! In August this year, I went back for my 6 month check up. (I still go back every 6 months to the oncologist and he examines my breasts and does blood work and ask if anything is hurting) I turned 50 on Sept. 25 this year. I was so excited about my birthday, I had made up my mind that God had given me the gift of life to see my children contine to get older and that by gosh my 50’s were going to be good years.. I was excited! I had been doing so well and I was a 6 year survivor. That very day, I noticed that my lower back was really bothering me and that my right leg was dragging. By the next day, I could hardly straighten up and for 3 more days, I was hurting in my lower spine so I decided that I had to go to the doctor. I teach school and I couldn’t go to school, I could hardly walk. I thought I had a ruptured disc. My doctor did an MRI and when the results came back, Oct. 1, 2009, everything changed drastically. My family doctor called me in and had already contacted my oncologist. My cancer had come back and had matastisized in my spine! They did a PET scan and it was in my L5-to my tail bone. My ribs. My pelvic bones and my left femur. The neck of my femur is so bad that I am scheduled for surgery Friday to have a rod put in my femur and pelvic area to strengthen it before it snaps and breaks. There is also a small spot on my liver that the oncologist cannot tell if it is cancer or not. I am going to UAMS for a 2nd opinion Wed. this week (Nov. 4) because there is a very good cancer center in Little Rock. Just for a second opinion. I am on pain meds 24/7 . I had to go on and make a decision to retire from school teaching. I have taught 27 years. I have missed school ever since my spine started hurting and I could barely walk. I just didn’t think it was fair for the kids to continue to have a sub when they could hire someone to take my place since I knew I couldn’t go back to work. I offically retired yesterday. THIS HAS ALL CAME ON SO QUICKLY! I had no clue that the cancer had come back and in so many places! And when it started hurting…. it went from zero to 10 within 2-3 days and has not let up. Without the pain meds, I couldn’t function. I wouldn’t be able to turn over in bed. The treatment plan now is to take Tamoxifen everyday and take an IV of Zometa once a month. I cannot drive because I’m on so much pain medicine, I have had to retire from my work, and now I’m dependent on everyone! My world has changed drastically! I am not down and out….. God has given me the strength to deal with it. But I need some other people who have this similar situation to talk to. I don’t know what to expect in my future.
I know this is not curable but it is treatable. But I’d like to know what I’m facing. I’m clueless. I have never met anyone that I can remember that the breast cancer came back in other parts of their body and they lived. The doctor tells me I can live with this cancer, possibly many years if they can stop it from spreading. Just taking Tamoxifen doesn’t seem like enough. Don’t get me wrong, I hated chemo and I don’t like the radiation but what are the other treatment options that other people have used? I am still in a state of shock! If anyone reads this and can comment or tell me where to go for posting and getting some information from others going through this, I’d appreciate it tremendously. Thank you, Donna for having this page for me to find tonight. Just getting this all written down has helped. Now I need some networking friends! LOU ANN
Shelli Gibbons // October 31, 2009 at 11:04 pm |
Lou Ann,
So many thing you said I have said and thought over the past couple of months! The link to the right (being cancer) has a list of blogs by people with our exact same condition. Mine is The Dirty Pink Underbelly (on the list – the link has a different name; too lazy to create a new blog)
I think the email list I joined is at CLUB-METS-BC@LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG. It’s been wonderful.
I was like you; when I was diagnosed, I thought I’d be dead in a few months! Everyone else I’d ever known with metastatic cancer died pretty quickly! Now I hear I could have years! Very hard for me to accept, after accepting the other alternative first! I’m sorry yours came on so fast and fierce, only to be told, ok, now you just live with this…treatable, not curable…
Email me or check out my blog if you like. Join the Club-Mets-BC email posting list. It really helped me.
For bone only they just put you on a hormone blocking drug. I’m surprised they put you on Tamoxofin if you have no uterus, but I’m not a doctor…I’m post menopausal, thanks to surgery, and I am on Femara.
I had palliative radiation to my right hip/pelvis area, which was badly eaten away. It helped the pain a lot. I hope your surgery does the trick for you. I will remember you in my thoughts and prayers.
Shelli
(posted it to the blog, then thought I should have replied…still getting the hang of this program!)
Donna Peach // October 31, 2009 at 11:15 pm |
Hi Lou Ann,
I have some links to give you and will write to you tomorrow as I was getting ready to turn off the computer and head to bed when I saw your comment. I am sorry to hear you are dealing with this and that tonight you are having so much pain.
I know that when I’ve read the prognosis for us with MBC, it’s frightening and discouraging. My doctor, however, has told me that some of her patients with similar diagnoses have lived many years. My doctor specializes in advanced breast cancer, so I trust her implicitly. There are also many women
My treatment has included surgery to my back for a very large tumor (they could not remove it all), radiation to my back and two regimens of chemo.
I hope you are getting some comfort tonight and will be able to sleep. I will write to you tomorrow.
Hugs,
Donna
Toni Muirhead // November 25, 2009 at 4:50 am |
Hi Donna,
Please visit my web-site and see if you would like to share links with me. My site is dedicated to teaching patients and caregivers about the safe benefits of massage by a trained oncology massage therapist. I also have come to love line dancing later in my life and believe in the healing power of dancing.
Take care,
Toni Muirhead, LMT