In my previous career, I was a Middle School Educator. Often times Middle School scheduling created groups of students who pretty much stayed together for most of the day. After all of that togetherness, day after day… and months … sometimes the tensions between students would become apparent.

One specific group that I taught in my last few years of teaching, it was evident they were wearing on each other’s nerves.

So, one afternoon, we had a quick conversation or a “pep talk” about offering each other Grace and showing a bit more patience with each other. I quickly moved onto the lesson for that day and didn’t think much about it.

I had no idea that the talk about Grace had really stuck with them until a few days later.

This same group of students was beginning to line up in the hallway. Our destination was the lunchroom. A sweet middle school girl quickly raised her hand as we were beginning our departure down the hallway.

I stopped the group to see what she needed. She then said, “I need some help with Grace this afternoon. I’ve tried to get these two boys to quit goofing around and they aren’t listening. Can you take over please Mrs. Searcy? I used up all my Grace that I have left”.

I was stunned. The Grace conversation had stuck with that group of impressionable young middle schoolers. Everyone giggled at the two mischievous boys who were now in my charge, quickly falling into line like they should. They totally understood what giving each other Grace meant, and had been actively practicing it.

That’s where I find myself recently in recovery mode of my Cancer Journey, Practicing Grace. I have come to realize that Cancer recovery isn’t linear, each day is uniquely different. Patience is key.

Thinking about Grace in this context of cancer recovery offers me the opportunity to begin again after the rougher health days. Grace isn’t perfection. Grace is the gateway…to allow the moments of peace to flow when times are tough, when I’m feeling exhausted, and noting the same aches and pains everyday. Grace has given me the quiet power to move through my Cancer recovery.

Grace…tempered with dignity and compassion. Grace… A new level of understanding and empathy as an individual…as others face a new Cancer Diagnosis or currently going through treatment. I totally get it, we all need a bit of Grace to make it through.

Grace … allowing patience with my healing. Grace…always teaching me what cancer recovery is like.

What I have learned???

1. Cancer surgery and treatments take a tremendous toll on the body. The interconnectedness of body systems is truly revealing in the face of cancer.

2. Each person’s path with cancer is different, one common thread… the drained exhaustion/fatigue. This feeling exists for all cancer survivors even after a good nights rest.

3. Cancer recovery has been a roller coaster ride of sorts over the last 6 months with physical symptoms that don’t seem to easily disappear. Cancer wrecks your immune system and disrupts your body chemistry. I’ve literally been playing “wack a mole” since my cancer diagnosis. Here’s a quick rundown of my last few months…

1. Initial mammogram results showed additional testing needed… at the same time I was diagnosed with a Bone spur on my shoulder in November 2025
2. Official Cancer diagnosis in early December 2025
3. Unreal Hot flashes… Since my breast cancer was estrogen positive, I needed to discontinue my medication that had kept the hot flashes at bay for the last several years. These hot flashes have intensified to the point where my sleep is continuously disrupted significantly…(see Menopause paragraph below) November 2025.
4. Kidney stones December 2025
5. Cancer Surgery and recovery January-February 2026
6. My first battle with Covid- February 2026
7. Radiation- March 2026
8. Began Estrogen Suppression meds for 5 years-March 2026
9. Side effects noted from new medication (bone and joint pain) making me feel like I’m experiencing the flu all the time, fatigue, hot flashes that intensified even more 😬. March 2026
10. Bone Spur on heel April 2026
11. Began the process of working with the Cancer Integrative Medicine to find alternatives for restoration of sleep, hot flashes etc hopeful to find relief of side effects from new medication- April 2026
12. UTI due to lack of estrogen from new meds, Bacterial infection… working with my care team currently to navigate this new issue known as GSM. April 2026
13. Fatigue… Cancer wipes out your energy. Even after Cancer Treatment, the fatigue lingers. Cancer treatment destroys the cancer cells but in the process it can harm good cells. Cells are rebuilding themselves and the energy reserves wanes during that rebuilding process, even with good restorative sleep. I have found that fatigue can onset suddenly or it can be a daily problem. (Ongoing)

I’m sharing these things with y’all NOT to try to create sympathy, but to bring a bit of awareness of how integrated our body systems are. My cancer diagnosis/recovery has amplified some of these issues.

Cancer Recovery is an ongoing process. As previously mentioned, Cancer can create a literal physical break down of body systems… ultimately impacting how you feel, think, and react.

If you know people who are currently experiencing cancer, in the recovery phase, or living life beyond cancer, extend Grace.

Just asking them something like “How are you feeling today” or “I’m here, I’m listening” can go a long way.

Life is truly distinctly different after Cancer. The physical body is different. As a result, the changes I’m making after Cancer are life altering. My Dietary changes have been significant, with a key focus on good protein, fiber, and less sugar. I’m also trying to be mindful of daily movement, even if it just moving inside doing daily chores on the days that fatigue hits hard.

Breast Cancer recovery is messy as most cancer recovery tends to be. Menopause for most women occurs naturally. In that natural menopause state, your body slowly has time to adjust the amount of estrogen that is decreasing in your body systems.

But with estrogen suppression medication, (which is often used to help prevent a reoccurrence after an estrogen positive tumor), menopause crashes hard in your body systems.

This crash is happening immediately without that natural process of losing estrogen slowly. With the sudden crash, it wreaks havoc in all sorts of ways upon the body systems. The typical side effects of Menopause, hit more like a boulder crashing… and is much more intense.

Allowing Grace to live within me helps me not only in cancer recovery, but gives me the opportunity to make adjustments as needed, doing what I can physically do from day to day after experiencing such a crash.

Scrolling on Pinterest the other day I came across a term that describes my cancer journey perfectly…Lemonading. What happens when life hands you lemons???? You make Lemonade! Using that theory, you have 🍋 lemons… find the positivity, and make the lemonade!

Lemonading in my daily life has allowed me to reflect and re-evaluate what is really important and my goals are shifting and changing to some degree.

Life Lemonading Lately:

1. My day tends to start a bit more slowly. This allows time to ease into the day instead of worrying about a specific time oriented schedule.

2. Spring has arrived… gardening has been a great restorative practice for me.

3. Working less hours at the hardware store… I’m thankful that we have an AMAZING staff who are there each day! This has allowed me the time to flex my schedule around how I’m feeling, allowing myself time to rest and recover.

4. I’m working towards finding solutions to the side effects of estrogen suppression meds… body aches, fatigue, intense hot flashes, by using resources from the Integrative Cancer Center in Winston Salem.

5. I now have a greater focus on restorative sleep. During our sleep cycle, our body repairs and rejuvenates itself. It’s a necessity and I’m definitely trying to adapt to a new sleep schedule and recognizing my body signals to create a more restful atmosphere for myself. Acupuncture has been a huge help in restoring my sleep and managing symptoms.

6. Continuing to explore creative outlets… it really does not matter what you do, but do something you enjoy!!! Solving puzzles,playing board games, writing, creating art, photography, gardening, pottery, or even cooking (testing new healthy recipes). Maintaining my creative outlets has helped me to stay connected with others and adds to my overall wellbeing.

7. Giving back to the Cancer Community… I recently participated in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. My team was able to raise over $2,100 to help cancer patients.

Lemonading through this cancer recovery process has become a new normal for me. A definite transformative process.. centering around the power of Grace. This simple yet profound concept can guide us through the toughest days, fostering empathy and understanding.

I’ll leave y’all today with the chorus of one of my favorite new songs Ride, Ride, Ride by Luke Bryan and George Birge which fits life perfectly right now.

“Ride, ride, ride,
When the clouds rollin’ in ’til the sun’s back again

And you’ll find, find, find
That what you’re made of is barbed wire tough,

Stare down the storm, you bring on the rain

Life will throw you off boy, but saddle up anyway
And ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride”.