Shoshana's Meaningful Miles

On November 11, 2019 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was motivated to do a self-exam after reading about another warrior's story. By joining with Sharsheret, I am inspired to help motivate others to learn more about breast cancer; to become more aware and take charge of their personal health. I am committing to walking 26.2 miles (5 with Sharsheret in the ACS Walk) in the month of October as a means to raise awareness and show my gratitude to Sharsheret, my medical team, my family, my friends, my community, and the many women who have fought this battle.

I've extended an invitation to family and friends to join me on my 26.2 mile journey either in person or virtually. I hope to get to highlight everyone here.

26.2 Meaningful Miles!

0.2 was incredibly meaningful. I couldn't time it so that we did it in person but when it comes to my mom, we're always together. We crossed this finish line together, her on her treadmill, me on the streets of Washington Heights while we talked on the phone. She announced it when we hit the last 0.2 miles and I smiled and just kept going. I accomplished my goal. I was incredibly proud and then I just kept going.

So something happened to me. It's a thing that made me feel very beaten down. It made me want to stop all of the good that I was doing and crawl under a rock. But, instead, I went for a walk and tried to help myself realize that I'm bigger than this. I'm stronger than this. And so, with my sister's voice in my head, I put on "This is Me" from The Greatest Showman and after listening to it about 3 times, I switched to Pitbull. Doesn't have to make sense but the music definitely made me feel good.

Who is this person who now wakes up at 6:15 am on a SUNDAY to go for a walk??? It's me in October and I hope I get to take this motivation with me into November and beyond. Mile 25!

Mile 24 was unremarkable which is okay because it still got done.

Mile 23. Sometimes you don't feel it but you do it anyway. The first picture I took of my walk, I was all smiles but it wasn't real. It wasn't how I really felt. So I took a second that better reflected my mood. At the end of the walk, I still wasn't feeling it but I finished it.

Mile 22! It was a little different as halfway to the train, I needed to detour. I got to walk through the Oculus downtown. But I'm learning that a detour is just that, its not a derailment and I finished my mile inside.

Back to work and back to my mile (21) to the subway. A little sore from the ACS walk but when you can walk to a true crime podcast, it makes it a little easier.

Wow! The ACS Making Strides walk was great. Walking with Team Sharsheret even better. It was so meaningful to be with so many people who have experienced breast cancer, either personally or through a loved ones. But, oh my goodness...so many people have experienced breast cancer! Breast cancer is a beast that impacts the patient, family, friends, community. It impacts the physical and mental health professionals to whom I am so grateful. Thank you to the researchers who are working tirelessly to find a find a cure, improve screening, to find a way to keep us healthy. Today was incredibly special because I got to meet (and hug!!!!) one of my Sharsheret social workers. Everyone at the organization is so special, but Bonnie and Aimee you have and continue to be amazing. So with these strides, I have made 20 miles meaningful.

Mile 15 already in the books (why has that become my catchphrase?). When I first set this goal, it seemed like a pipe dream. I generally live a sedentary life. I work at a desk, I sit doing homework with the kids, and then I'm exhausted by 9:30. But now, I'm more than halfway to my goal and it feels great! I'm motivated to get my mile in and I realized that with the ACS walk just two days away that I'm definitely going to accomplish this goal. This morning, even though I'm working from home today, I set my alarm, rolled out of bed, threw on a skirt and a sweatshirt, and my pink bandana (of course), and by 6:30 am I was out for a walk. I'm grateful that Ariela couldn't sleep so she could virtually joined me on mile 15.

Back to work and back to my mile to the train. I'm 14 down 12.2 to go!

This one is definitely lucky! I got to walk part of this 13th mile with my BFF, Ruchie. Didn't matter that she's in Israel and I'm in NYC. We did it together with a WhatsApp video. I got to see the sights of Tel Aviv and she got to take a tour of Washington Heights. It was perfect.

With my time off, I decided to walk 2 miles (11 and 12!) this morning. I wanted to spend a little time in Fort Tryon Park. I'm so glad that I did. It's hilly and not the easiest walk but it was beautiful! It gave me some alone time to just take in my surroundings and listen to a podcast. I was so happy to reminded of the natural beauty around me.

10 down! I'm off today and started the day with my walk. Thankfully, my friend Yafit has off today and serendipitously texted me as I was heading out the door. Of course our mile turned into a mile an then half an hour of schmoozing. Both were great!

Mile 9 is a special one. I went with my daughter and son. My daughter put on a pink bracelet, pink scrunchie and made us pink water bottles. We had such a great time walking and with a purpose. My kids have been the best supporters during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery and they are still supporting me.

Mile 8 in the books! Shabbos ended, the kids got into bed and I got into my Sharsheret shirt. I went to give kisses and my kids saw the shirt and knew it meant Mommy was going walking. How great is that? Shout out to tonight's walking partner, Racheli. Next we walk to the water, it will be in daylight.

I was exhausted. My mile (7!) to the subway disappeared in a very exciting (not!) project at work. By the time I got home and picked up kids, ordered pizza (hey, its Thursday), did homework, and bedtime I was exhausted! But momentum is a funny thing, it actually keeps you going. And so I did. I put on my new Sharsheret shirt, and pressed start on Map My Walk. And turned up some Ace of Base and Backstreet Boys. I ended up doing some combination of yawning, walking, and dancing. But, the important part for me was that I did it.

I can't believe that I'm already at mile 6! I did the walk to the subway and the weather is great for this. Today I listened to a lot of Bracha Jaffe and Shaindy Plotzker and was reminded about the incredible impact music has on me, my mood, and my motivation.

Mile 5! So it seems that this walking a mile to the train thing might really work for me. I did it again today. So even though she really walked mile 3 with me, I'm going to give a shout out to Mrs. Shuli who not only walked by side but has never left my side (almost literally) in two years.

Mile 4! I'm back at work and trying to figure out how to squeeze everything in one day. I had hoped to take a break during the day and walk around Battery Park. But meetings took my day away from me. Instead of pushing it off or making excuses, on my way home I walked a mile to the subway passing three stops. Should out to Auntie Rebecca who walked mile 4 with me in mind!

Miles 2 and 3 are done! I usually defer walking our kids to playdates to my husband. I much prefer to read in my pajamas or nap on Shabbos. But this is all about making our mile meaningful and so when my kids planned their playdates, I committed to walking. I checked the distance before Shabbos and I really felt that the walk had an added purpose. Shout out to my sister, who joined me virtually for these 2 miles.

Mile 1 is in the books. It felt great to start my walking right away. I put on one of my favorite gifts, a shirt that says "my oncologist does my hair". It made me laugh when I first received it and still does. Its emblematic of the support from my coworkers who are truly friends. I wanted to walk this first mile by myself. To have this moment to reflect on my journey. I chose to start walking to "Thank You Hashem" and then moved through various songs that became part of my battle cry.