Yuyu's Cancer Diary
July 11, 2010
Hi, my family at BFAC! Just wanted to drop by and say hello. I have not posted since attending Sonia’s service. There are a lot of new bloggers here!
I am continuing to do well. I work full-time in addition to doing my private practice twice a week, thus very very busy. I am still with the same boyfriend who supported me throughout my intense treatment. I continue with Tamoxifen and Lupron. Except having to have to wear prosthesis (no reconstructive surgery yet) and struggling with menopausal symptoms, my life is good!
On august 15th, I am walking 5K for American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. This walk is very important to me because it signifies my 2 year anniversary of cancer survivorship. I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer on August 12th two years ago. This walk is also important to me because I am also walking in memory of Sonia from this blog. If anyone is interested in sponsoring me for the walk and making small donations, please visit my page. http://main.acsevents.org/goto/yuenomoto I thank you in advance for your support!
Love,
Yuyu
YuYu—
It’s great to hear from you and I’m so glad you are doing well! It sounds like you are keeping busy and that life has pretty much returned to normal. I think it’s great that you are doing the cancer walk and I wish you all the best with it! Sonia would be proud! I’m proud of you too! Here’s to your continued good health and happiness—please keep in touch!
Hugs—
Martha
Posted on Hi Yuyu I was just thinking of you the other day. I figured you must be doing well. I’m so glad!
Heidi
Posted on Hi YuYu; Funny thing that you posted here. I was thinking the same thing about all the new people and where our buddies have gone to. Every time we loose a friend it brings it even closer, how lucky we are to still be here, even if the struggle is perplexing. I will visit your website. Glad to hear you are with the same fellow. That shows how much you have gone through together and weathered many storms as a team. I’m honestly very happy to hear that. Also the fact that you have a full time job. I was so worred when your last job was gone and you were scared about your future potential earnings. I now see how difficult it is to survive medical bills in the U.S. I am very grateful to have a system in Ontario, Canada that pays for most medical treatments, tests and surgeries and hospital stays.
Good luck on your walk. I know how it is to walk in honour of a friend and I know you and Sonia had very similar cancers. There is no rhyme or reason for how cancer affects one from another.
I’m just glad to hear you are doing so well. Take care friend. I guess I should post an update from my side too. Adios for now. Weezie
Posted on Dear YuYu,
I am so happy for your good news and good health.Many thanks to you for your support of Gemma. Walk tall and proud. God’s Blessings upon you.
Posted on Hi Yuyu,
So good to hear from you and to know that you are doing well. It is always good to hear from bloggers who were going through treatment at the same time I was (2008) and we cheered each other and cried with each other. We are still family.
I’m glad for all the new bloggers and they have encouraged me with their comments as have you regarding the loss of my oldest son Noel in Feb.
Much love, hugs and prayers to you.
sweete2 better known as the sweet 1 Ethel Craven-Sweet smile
Posted on I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. I think about you often and pray for you always. You story was one that has stood out to me and you truely do deserve any and all good things that come your way. Keep fighting the fight! :)
Posted on April 27, 2010
Hi, my friends at Blog for a Cure!
I attended Sonia’s services this past Sunday. It was an amazing event in which everyone celebrated her life and what a beautiful person she was. There were so many people, friends, and family came to pay respects to Sonia. It was very clear that Sonia was loved and missed by many.
I had an opportunity to speak about how I met and developed friendship with Sonia through BFAC and how she was loved by BFAC family here. As many of you know, Sonia and I were diagnosed with similar type of breast cancer just days apart, we went through chemo at the same time, and had same mastectomy surgeries just a few weeks apart. I will never know why I survived and she had to go. But, I was so fortunate to have a friend who shared the path and supported me throughout.
I got to meet and spend time with her partner, Connie, who supported Sonia throughout her fight against cancer. It was amazing to see how much love they shared together. Connie told me that Sonia never gave up till the very end and fought courageously. The local newspaper did an article on Sonia’s life. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100424/ARTICLES/100429685/1052/obits?Title=Sonia-Zwanetz
I wanted to share the poem here that was quoted in her service program:
When tomorrow starts without me
If the sun should rise and find your
eyes filled with tears for me,
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
the way you did today…
While thinking of the many things
We didn’t get to say.
I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you…
And each time you think of me,
I know you’ll miss me too.
But when tomorrow starts without me
Please try to understand…
That Jesus came and called my name,
and took me by the hand.
He said my place was ready
In Heaven far above…
And that I’d have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.
So when tomorrow starts without me,
don’t think we’re far apart…
For everytime you think of me,
I’m right here in your heart.
Yuyu—
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I’m so glad you were able to be at Sonia’s memorial service and be there for all us who couldn’t be. She will be missed.
Hugs—
Martha
YuYu,
Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us. I’m so glad you were able to attend Sonia’s service and represent all of us here that loved her and will miss her dearly!
Love,
Wendy
Posted on Dear YuYu; I have been meaning to write to you since your last post regarding the loss of Sonia. Thank you for posting the website where they wrote an article on Sonia. I had no idea of her background and that definately gave me more information. It is another stab to the heart when we loose another friend from the Blog. I just can’t help but feel a little more afraid whenever Jill posts us about someone else loosing their battle. We have lost too many good friends and because we are close with our thoughts, it hurts so much knowing we won’t be hearing from them again. I know this is our special place that allows us to rant and rave about how we feel going through cancer. I certainly don’t do that to my friends or family, because it would seem very selfish and weak. Therefore I rely heavily on the blog for support. I know Sonia always was honest and truthfull about cancer and what it was doing to her physically and emotionally. Perhaps that is why I gravitated to her, because of that ability. I know YuYu, it is very diffcult particularly because of the nature of your cancer and hers and how similar you both were and also the timing. I can never figure out why cancer cells do what they do. And until someone discovers that very issue, we are left to do battle like strong warriors. I pray you have the will and strength to carry on and that your heart will mend with the passing of time. I can honestly say I was proud to be a part of Sonia’s writing team. She helped us all to become better at facing tough odds. Thanks YuYu for representing us at the funeral. That was very brave and kind of you.
Thank you so much, Yuyu. Louise and others have been so eloquent that I can’t add to what they have said. I miss Sonia.
Andrea
Posted on Yes, Yuyu, thank you so much for speaking on our behalf. I’m so glad that our love for Sonia was evident at the services, too.
I wish you all the best and hope you continue to check in with us.
Take care.
Posted on So glad and proud that you were able to represent us at Sonia’s service, so sad that we’ve lost her, she and I had many late night chat sessions when neither of us were able to sleep.
The only comfort is in knowing she is now painfree and at comfort.
Posted on yuyu, you were a true friend to sonia and i know you are missing her terribly now. we all cared so much for her who got to know her through this blog. she was a wonderful lady… someone i will miss dearly. she is at peace now, and for that i am glad, but it still makes me so mad that this disease took her so soon. i wish she could have had more time here. God bless you. debby
Posted on Dear Yuyu,
Thanks so much for this posting. I’m so glad you were able to be at the service. Thank you for taking a few moments to represent all of us here who supported and cared about Sonia. I hope the service was healing for you, as I know the two of you were quite close.
Hoping you are feeling well and having a happy spring!
Peace,
Kathy
Posted on Dear Yuyu Thank you for sharing the Poem with us it is just Beautiful. It is so sad I have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. But the meaning is just so beautiful and so loving. I hope Connie can take to heart and feel the love from Sonia looking down on her. God Bless you and Sonia we will not forget you.
Love Pat
That is beautiful.
Hope everything is well with you, I know you will grieve for your friend but I am truly sure she is happy you are surviving.
I have kept positive thoughts for you in my heart
Audrey
Posted on 
Thanks for your support - 
