I’m learning to manage myself.

For my faithful followers, I must apologize if we’re venturing into redundance.

It’s been two solid months since my return and while I know I’ve touched a few ways on my current condition, this is a bit of a different spin.

I’m a list maker, quick text returner, a true Type A in every sense of the word. Have been since a young age and honestly just operate better if I have things to check off.

Yet alas, in this new chapter of my life, I’m learning to settle into the A/B category (if that’s even a thing).

Now before some of you run to your e-mail, cell phones or even note cards (for the few of you who still send those my way), please don’t. I quite honestly have no interest in understanding my personality type. I spend way too much time reading on things of importance which affect my health and wellness – I’m good.

All “the things,” when it comes to my personality, the personality of others or the “why” certain people do the things they do. Simply put, I am quite comfortable in the ‘to each their own’ and ‘live and let live’ mind set.

As I settle into this A/B girl who now works on a part-time status, I am learning that I too must manage the community in which I’ve served for over two decades.

My family and those close to me used to give me a hard time, when I would receive a text from a community member at seven in the morning, seven at night or anywhere in between. Often questioning (and challenging) what exactly “full-time” meant for the girl working for the local paper.

Any local business owner would understand this; we rely on the community to do our jobs and do it well. But alas I am not a business owner and I do have a focus which is much more important than the words which grace this page – my health.

I readdress at this time, as I becoming more aware that seeing me out and about, as well as the work that I’m continuing to contribute to these pages may have left a few either confused or forgetful.

I am still very much in the deep throws of managing a cancer diagnosis. For those who have missed my prior “shares” or breakdowns of where we’re at … I’m no longer in the world of “curable.” While I remain hopeful that science will in my lifetime come up with a treatment which makes this less invasive to my everyday life, for now that remains to be seen.

So every week I travel to UCSF to receive IV chemotherapy to keep the Stage 4, triple negative breast cancer at bay. The condition I have is ‘chronic,’ which means treatment is necessary to keep this aggressive form from returning.

This is my fourth battle with this disease and I have been undergoing this current treatment plan since July of 2024.

Additionally for those unfamiliar with IV chemotherapy, it can take anywhere from two to four days for me to recover. Tired yet? Trust me when I say, I understand this is a lot to read, it’s even more to live.

But none of this is to offer excuse or pity. I’m grateful for the team of UCSF and that they have both options, as well as a solution to keep me going – the Valley did not. For those wondering why we travel to UCSF each week, that’s the simple answer.

The first time this disease returned in fall of 2021, my local oncologist had no solid plan as to how we would proceed and quite honestly, that was enough to get us out of the Valley. We needed both confident and capable, the Valley didn’t have that.

So, what does this all mean for each of you, the community at large? Well, what I’ve come to learn as my To Do list takes a turn and I learn to manage myself, I’m learning I must manage some of you as well. Part-time means exactly that. My health is now my full-time priority. Please understand if you catch me on an “off” day, text me after hours or wonder why hours may pass with no reply to a text – the answer is simple – I’ll follow-up when time allows.

After all, you can’t judge a book by its cover and while the cover of this book may appear “okay” when it’s presented there are still some pages which are rough and need to be tended to. Thanks for reading.

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.