Wrapping Up 2022 — Looking Back, Looking Forward

Does it seem like we just started 2022? Or perhaps for you, 2022 was one of the longest years ever and you can’t wait to see it come to an end.

Perspective depends on what you and I have going on in our lives, right?

Regardless, here we are wrapping up 2022, which for most of us means looking back, looking forward, and doing a bit of reflecting as well.

I would love to know what’s been a highlight for you in 2022, as well as, what has been one of your greatest challenges. So, be sure to share down in the comments, if you want to.

For me, hands down, the highlight of 2022 was becoming a new grandma, not once, but twice! And adding Titus, our Frenchie puppy, to the family. That was definitely another highlight. It’s so nice to have a pooch in the house again. It had been too long.

You can read about the first here and about Titus here.

Challenges have included some health issues with loved ones. But for the most part, 2022 has been kind to me and my family. Grateful. Yes, I am that.

At year’s end, I always reflect a bit about the goings-on here on the blog too. There are always highs and lows in this realm as well, and it’s always interesting to see which posts get the most clicks. If you have a favorite, I’d love to know which one it is.

Google Analytics tells me my top five (most-read) posts in 2022 were:

When Someone Dies, How Do You React to the Phrase, ‘She Got Her Wings’?

What’s it like one year post DIEP flap surgery?

15 Shitty Things Cancer Has Taught Me

The Dark Side of Aromatase Inhibitors – Part 2

Should a Chemo Patient Shave the Hair Off & If So, When?

My personal favorite from 2022 was:

12 Years & Would You Reverse Your Cancer Diagnosis?

My all-time personal favorite remains:

15 Shitty Things Cancer Has Taught Me.

I’ve got big plans regarding the blog for next spring. It’s time for some changes. I’ll share about that later. And, I’m pretty excited to tell you about my next book!

The title is: Emerging: Stories from the Other Side of a Cancer Diagnosis, Loss, and a Pandemic. Release date will likely be late January or early February. It’s in the final proofreading stage now. Whew, almost done!

Did you notice I said, from the other side of a cancer diagnosis, not from the other side of cancer?

The latter would imply cancer has another side, an end date (other than dying). As far as I’m concerned, once you’ve heard those words, you have cancer, the cancer experience continues because the fallout continues — not to mention the worry — yeah, there is no end date to either. So, pre-cancer normal — gone — there’s no going back to normal.

Pre-loss normal — same deal — gone — there’s no going back to what was. How could there be? Your person(s) is no longer here.

Pre-pandemic normal, well, that’s likely gone as well. To a certain extent anyway, and of course, for those who’ve experienced pandemic-related losses of dear ones, things will never be the same.

For the most part, getting back to normal following any traumatic experience is a myth.

And yet, no matter what challenge you and I face, eventually, we emerge, even if sometimes reluctantly. We do not necessarily emerge as new and improved versions of our former selves either.

You know how I feel about that hardship=enlightenment=a better person BS by now, right?

In a nutshell, that’s the essence of Emerging. I’m hoping you will put it on your want-to-read list for 2023 and that you will love it.

More on the new book in 2023. So, stay tuned. Emails subscribers are first to get all book-related announcements and have already had a sneak preview of my book’s cover. If you want to become a subscriber, click here.

One more thing…

There’s still time to get a copy of my my memoir. Every purchase helps support research specific to metastatic breast cancer. I’ll be donating 10% of profits to METAvivor again at year’s end. Thank you for supporting my writing and this advocacy.

And, it’s never too late (even if you read my memoir ages ago) to leave a review. Reviews are so helpful and very much appreciated.

Now, it’s time to say goodbye to 2022, rest up (when we can), and ready ourselves for whatever 2023 brings.

I wish for you many moments filled with joy, peace, contentment, and love this holiday season. If this is a difficult time of year for you, please know: I see you. I hear you. I care about YOU.

Lastly, thank you for reading Nancy’s Point in 2022. Grateful.

See you next year! 🙂

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What was a highlight of 2022 for you?

What was one of your challenges in 2022?

What is something you are looking forward to in 2023?

Do you have a favorite blog post or blog topic?