Breast Cancer – Grief

It’s been a rough stretch-
Mentally.
I draw in a deep breath-
As I feel the clouds
Begin to lift.
This darkness-
Has felt so heavy.
This grieving-
Of who I was before-
Cancer.
And struggling
To accept myself
Unconditionally,
As I am now-
After.
So much was lost,
And I was happy
With who I was.
And I don’t yet see
Anything
That has been gained-
Out of who I have become.
If I’m being honest,
Breast cancer
Has made me feel
Less like a woman,
Weaker as a person,
And so much more
Sadness as a human.
I would not wish this
On anyone.
I have been
Profoundly humbled
By my life journey.
I understand
The fragility of life,
And the importance
Of moments spent
Both happy
And hurting.
I struggle to understand
The purpose behind
All that has been taken-
And I would be lying
If I said
There weren’t moments
Where I have felt
Like I have been
Forsaken.
But I will forge ahead
For my family-
And do my best
To hold my head high.
And I will do so
With as much strength
And hope
As I can find-
Cancer has taken
So much from me-
But I will never
Give it the power
To define-
The rest of my lifetime.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 9.5.24