Bodies

Being a Russian immigrant meant being showered with stereotypes, and my hair didn't fit anywhere. Russian girls had slick, straight strands. Other Jewish girls had heavy, dark waves.

Much of my life has been ruled by fears I didn’t want to face. Now that I'm older and have been battling them, I feel an enormous weight lifted from my shoulders. I only wish I'd been able to shrug off these societal pressures years ago

I’m about to turn 41.

As you might imagine, assuming that men and women are exactly the same hasn't worked out too well.

"23. Coffee is full of antioxidants and is therefore a healthy and necessary part of each day."

I go for checkups when I’m supposed to: every three months to the oncologist and every six months to the breast surgeon. I go to SHARE support group meetings to bolster myself. I try to get enough sleep, despite the occasional night spent wide-eyed with dread.

Now, I’m no qualified medic, but surely this was no coincidence.

“I don’t have a problem,” I repeated, this time with my voice raised. And then, spitting defiance, “You’re just jealous.”