Dear Tamoxifen... | Halifax, NS, Breast Cancer Survivor

We've been seeing each other for a little over four months now.  Once a day, every day, just before bed.  I was hopeful we'd have a good relationship, nice and easy.  But now we've gone over the line and turned a corner.  Our casual relationship has turned into a love/hate relationship.

There have been changes since we've started seeing each other.  They were subtle, not all at once.  There are the hot flashes.  Luckily, they have been few and far between.  I don't sleep well, but then I didn't sleep well before you came along - thank God (and my doctor) for little blue pills that help with that.  I'm still tired - is that you?  I don't know any more.

Then there are the mood swings.  They're no picnic - for me or for Jason; luckily, he gives me the space I need and is there to pick me up when I'm ready for it.

I was warned about your side effects.  I was hopeful, though.  And I'm still optimistic that this is it, that you won't become burdensome.  Time will tell.

On the upside, you reduce my risk of recurrence by up to 50%.  You win.

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Dear Blog... | Halifax, NS

I'm sorry I've neglected you.  I'll be back soon, I promise.

xoxo

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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I Picture Hope - Giving Back | Halifax, NS, Breast Cancer Photographer

Getting a breast cancer diagnosis is such a scary time with so many thoughts, fears, and emotions.   I don't think you can imagine it unless you've been through it.  At least I couldn't imagine it til I heard the words myself.  Fear and denial are big ones, you've got to go through them before you get to strength, courage, and hope.

While I was going through the early days, I dealt with fear a lot.  Fear of the unknown.  Fear of surgery.  Fear of treatments.  Fear of changes I'd go through.  Before my surgery, the one thing I wanted was a photoshoot.  I felt it was important because I didn't know what was to come... surgery, chemo, radiation, who knows what else.  And I wanted to remember what I was like in that moment, full of fear and on the cusp of gathering my courage for what was to come.

And now, here I am ten months later.  I'm here to tell you that you can have strength, you can have courage, and you can have hope.  And I'd like to help you see that.  If you're going through treatments or are, like me, a survivor I'd like the chance to give you the photoshoot I so desperately wanted.  To remind you of who you are right now. 

My friend Camille Denae has gathered up photographers around the world, photographers ready to help remind those going through breast cancer treatments or those who have survived that there is hope.  I Picture Hope is here for you.  If you're in Halifax or the surrounding areas going through treatments (or have finished treatments) and would like to talk about a photoshoot, drop me a line, let's talk.  If you're visiting from away, check out the I Picture Hope facebook page and find a photographer in your neck of the woods.

xoxo

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Cancer Sucks | Halifax, NS, Breast Cancer Survivor

As I was getting ready for work a few days ago, my mind flashed back to the date of diagnosis.  My heart raced and my eyes watered.  Why?  Why am I thinking about that today?  Ah, it was the 22nd... the monthiversary of my diagnosis.  It's been nine months, surely I won't think about it on the 22nd of each and every month.  Good God, enough is enough.

As I realized why I was thinking about my diagnosis, my thoughts turned to my Mom.  She's at the stage I was in February - her surgery is done, she's healing, and is waiting to find out what treatments she's going to need.  Waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting sucks, too, by the way.  But Mom handles it with courage and grace - and big heaping of "let's get 'er done" attitude.

I feel as though I were a puddle of mush during my cancer journey and I am in awe of my mother and the way she deals with hers.  Where it seemed like days before I even left the house after my surgery, she was raring to go.  It's true we each handle diagnosis and treatment our own way, no one can dictate how we should think or feel, or what we should do.  But if you're going through what Mom and I had to go through, I wish you strength.  I wish you courage.  I wish you hope.  And I wish you a big ol' heaping of "just get 'er done" attitude.  It's a good thing.

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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United Way | Halifax, NS

The annual United Way campaign is in full force at my day job.  We spent our lunchtime yesterday playing "Minute to Win It."  

Teams had to perform a task in under 60 seconds.

They had to get all the balls from one bottle to the other:

They had to stack cups, then unstack them:

They had to stack three golf balls - I don't think anyone got this one!

Just some of the fun and games we had today to promote the United Way campaign - remember, you only have another couple of days to pledge.

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Talking Shop | Halifax, NS, Photographer

I spend a lot of time blogstalking.  Blogstalking - regularly reading someone's blog - is common among photographers.  There's a number of fabulous photogs out there who are willing to share their knowledge, whether it be about equipment, posing, or how to run your business.  In the beginning, I visited their blogs regularly to gain some knowledge and inspiration, but now I visit the blogs to see how they are.  They've become friends and mentors and I love the glimpses into their lives.

I sometimes share stories from the blogs with Jason.  He humours me, listens, and then we talk about something else.  Does he pay attention?  No, it's not usually something that interests him so he lets me talk then we move on.  Or so I thought...

A few weeks ago, I was blah blah blah'ing about something I wanted to try out.  He questioned me about it and I said, "well that's what Justin and Mary do!  Oh wait, you don't know who Justin and Mary are."  He looked me in the eye and defiantly said, "Yes I do - justinmarantz.com."  

He does pay attention.  I didn't know.

Thus began a change in our conversations.  He has an interest that I didn't know was there.  Now he starts the conversations, he has input into what I do, he reads the blogs.  We bandy about names during dinner conversations as though we're talking about people we see every day:  "Justin and Mary did this..." or "Jasmine did that..."

Not only is it much more fun to talk shop now, it's more interesting.  And who knew, the boy actually has some good ideas.  Now, we'll see if I can teach him to shoot, too...

xoxo

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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I Will Eat Cake | Dartmouth, NS, Birthday Photography

It's not a secret... I like cake.  Who doesn't?  That's rhetorical, because it's cake and everyone loves it.  Trust me.  I believe it is my duty as your photographer to try your cake.  So I can gush about it and blog about how good it was.  Really.    

The one thing I promise is that I won't look like this when I'm done...

This cake, by the way, was one of the best I've had in a long time.  It was made with love by a family friend, but little Owen didn't really care about that, he was all over it, shared it with his girlfriends and then went into a little cake coma.

I saved my cake coma for after I left the party.  :-)

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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