As Anniversaries Do

Ever since undergoing unexpected heart surgery at 54, Jennifer has been referred to as a warrior, a fighter, and a survivor. As a way of coping, she began writing about the loss of her old life and the uncertainty of what was to come, her unsettling relationship with a scar she refers to as “the interloper,” and much more. Jennifer shares what she had been writing for five years with others who may be facing their own major health obstacles. Her wish is for this book to inspire others to find the courage, hope, and strength to accept their new selves, while embracing the warriors, fighters, and survivors within them.

For more information on As Anniversaries Do, please contact me at asanniversariesdo@gmail.com.

breathe. walk. write.

breathe. walk. write.

this commanding mantra

continues playing on a loop

in my head every morning

and throughout each restless night

ever since…

striving to emerge

from the shackles

of terrifying pains

and the darkest of days;

at first

merely seeking survival.

dreading this dauntingly

long trek;

eventually reimagined

as not coming back

but moving beyond

where i once began.

jump-starting a life

spent crafting and molding;

processing

what brought me

so alarmingly close

to this edge.

focusing purposefully

on what i now can control:

breathing, walking, writing.

gratefully connecting

with my newly informed

voice.

This poem, written two years after my CABG-4, is an excerpt from my book

As Anniversaries Do.

Jennifer L Katz