Lifestyle

One of the great loves of my life is Ballet. 
One of my biggest dreams came true! To not only produce a Ballet Performance, but to bring dance back to life, in person was a glorious undertaking. To produce at a time, for an audience who needed to be in the presence of live dance and for dancers who needed to dance, has changed me. It’s now a calling to produce more and to help dancers.  
On a recent Sunday, on a rooftop overlooking Lincoln Center, dancers spoke to the turmoil of the moment, with falls to the floor, deep contractions and imploring arms. It was emotional and beautiful. 
The Dancers of N.Y.C.B., a new organization developed to support members of The New York City Ballet during the pandemic, came together for a benefit performance at the Empire Hotel featuring choreography by former and current members. 

As a former dancer I couldn’t sit idle any longer. I had to find a way. I had to create something for the dancers, I had to help all these dancers.  I found a way. It was smaller. It was more intimate with performances every other hour.  It would work.  It did! The excitement was overwhelming. During my welcoming speech, I took off my mask for a brief moment to scream, “Yes!” People applauded louder than before.  It happened, all while abiding by all the CDC guidelines with everyone socially distanced.  Now what to produce next? There is the excitement for more. But for now we will have to continue to create and find a way to make things  “Figure-outable.”  

That is my word for 2020. 
Click the HERE to read more about the benefit performance. 

THIS! So proud of our Pandemic Bunch! Thank you to The Doctors for this segment done so beautifully and so proud of my boys for sharing their experience.

HERE IT IS! Hope you can watch and love to hear from you! https://www.thedoctorstv.com/…/meet-the-pandemic…

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Biotheranostics, Inc. (Breast Cancer Index​®​), but the opinions and experiences shared are my own

When you hear the words, “It’s Cancer”, life is never the same. Now, 4 1⁄2 years after my diagnosis, I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m alive. But treatment for me continues in other ways. Besides watching my diet, working out and living a healthy life, I still take a pill every day. The pill is supposed to help make sure the cancer doesn’t come back. It’s like insurance, a little white pill that I take every night before bed, for ten years. Now, 2 1⁄2 years after my in-hospital treatment ended, I’m still learning new questions to ask.

Everyone’s cancer is different. Everyone’s treatment plan is catered to their cancer, but also according to their doctors’ methods and beliefs. I was diagnosed with a kind of breast cancer that’s not the most common. In fact, I was told that my diagnosis and combination of invasive lobular and Her2+ was on the rare side. Her2+, from what I was told, means, in simple terms, if the cancer comes back, it can come back anywhere. Having that information was crucial to me because it helped me make the decision to just have a lumpectomy and continue with an aggressive treatment to tackle the cancer and any potential cells that escaped the area. When my chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy infusions were completed, I understood I would have to go on a medicine for ten years.

There are two categories of medicines for breast cancer patients after treatment. One is for pre-menopausal women while there’s another class for post-menopausal women. Though I was 43 and pre-menopausal, my doctor decided to put me into menopause and on a medicine for ten years. I asked a lot of questions about this and have always wondered if that was the right choice. I started to receive an extra shot to put me into menopause and came to the decision to have my ovaries removed.

I wrote about all of these decisions and the challenges and complications and emotions that came along with it on Good Housekeeping. ​But, for not another minute, will I not share how I think I can help others, while also learning more questions to possibly even help myself. Since I shared my story publicly, I have heard from people across the country sharing their journey and asking questions. I don’t know the answers, but to have others to bounce questions off of and share experiences with, could be the added bonus patients need – to learn more. To learn what to ask. To me, that’s the most important thing.

So when I was approached by the maker of Breast Cancer Index to help share their mission, I quickly jumped at the opportunity. I learned something I didn’t know. I learned something about my own treatment and new questions to ask. I have learned that by taking the test, you get a definitive answer (Intended Use and Limitations can be found at breastcancerindex.com). I have learned that by taking the test, it reduces the uncertainty around treating breast cancer with extended anti-estrogen therapy, just like the one I am on. I have learned that nearly 95% of women with hormone receptor positive (HR+), early-stage breast cancer do not benefit from anti-estrogen therapy after five years. 100% of women deserve to know what is right for them. I am one of those women. Now I’m learning more questions to ask.

Do I need the medicine that I am currently on for ten years? Is five years sufficient? I emailed my doctor this morning to ask if I had ever taken the test. Does she use Breast Cancer Index? Did my old doctor already test me? How do I not even know this? Is there a benefit to me going off the medicine? I can’t wait to learn and share more!

The MOMS Denise Albert and her blended family of exes joined Oprah on May 30th to talk about how they having been living together quarantined for almost three months. Oprah spoke to Denise about if she can leave and cone back, dating and what’s next. Denise is about 40 minutes into the show, Oprah, Your Life In Focus: A Vision Forward.

Despite past differences, we are working together to create a family unit — and it’s working.

Today marks the beginning of our 5th week as a newfound family.  While I miss my older son who isn’t with us, my mom, my dad, and my entire family and friends, I’m grateful for the progress we have made in our unique living situation.  Can you imagine living with your ex-husband?  How about his wife, her ex-husband and kids?  It really is mind-blowing that we have been in this house together for a month (and still sane and surviving and mostly happy during these hard times!)

Read the Full Story on ThriveGlobal.com

It is okay to not be okay all the time.

I had a breakdown today.  

It began with an email from a business associate threatening legal action because they haven’t been paid in full.  It continued with news of my dear friend losing her dad.  The thought of her giving birth to her first child and not having her life’s greatest support to share in the joy was too much for me.

Read the Full Story on ThriveGlobal.com

Living in a house full of people can still feel isolated during a pandemic.

Can you imagine living in a house with your ex-husband? How about with his wife, her ex-husband and kids?  That’s been my life for the past 14 days.  We are grateful that we continue to be healthy while so many others are not.  We are also grateful to be here together, though it’s not easy.

Read the full story at ThriveGlobal.com

Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels, Walk This Way with The MOMS, and The Makers of SYLVANIA.