An old high school classmate of mine posted on my Facebook this morning, "we are blessed." Since she posted that I have been sitting here thinking how truly blessed I am. A very good friend of mine would scoff at the idea that a person with Cancer is blessed or lucky, but I am going to have to disagree with her on this one.
I have spent more than half of this year being sick. I have done things to my body that under normal circumstances I would never do. I have had more reactions to the treatments than I ever would have guessed. I have increased the scars on my body 400%. And yet, I can still sit here and type to you all that I am Blessed.
I am blessed to have a job. I am blessed that the job provides me with health insurance. I am blessed that the health insurance allowed me access to reputable Doctors and Nurses who cared for me. I am blessed that I got all of my doses of chemotherapy when this country is in a prescription drug shortage. I am blessed that I have a home that I could rest in while I was recovering from all of the procedures. I am blessed that I own a car and could drive myself to my treatments and not have to rely upon public transportation.
I am so blessed that I have a wonderful family who cared for me and held my hand this year. I have not only had my immediate family here with me (my husband and two children) but I have also had my Mother, my Brother. I am also blessed to have this amazing In-Law family that I am so happy have become my family. I have even had the love and support of my extended family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins).
I am also blessed to have amazing friends. They have checked on me, some weeks on a daily basis. They have showered me and the family with food for nourishment, concern, love, and hope. I have had friends who validate my fears. Others that feed my soul.
I sad before, and it is worthy of repeating, when fighting this fight, it is so important to have a network. I wish every patient had the network I have had.
So tonight, as we honor the birth of our Savior, I am saying an extra prayer of thanks. Thanks for all of you and for the number of blessings I have in my life.
I will end with one small story. My daughter was recently sitting on Santa's lap. That in and of itself was a blessing because she was adamant a month ago, she would not go see Santa as she was so deathly afraid of him a year ago. BUT, she did agree to "see" him. So off to the mall we went. When we got to the mall, she agreed to "talk" to him but she was NOT going to sit on his lap. When it was our turn, Santa reached down and grabbed her and put her on his lap, just as I was trying to say, she only wants to "talk."
She did not scream. She did not cry. She did sit there frozen, deer in headlights, for a few moments. Then she just started chatting with Santa. She told Santa she wanted the Ocean for Christmas. The Ocean! It took my Momma Liz to explain to me that Olivia might not literally want the Ocean and maybe in her two year old way, she just verbalized the biggest thing she knew.
So, for Christmas, I want the Ocean too. My Ocean is a Cure. And if a cure is not possible, then I want the best damn screening we can get for every Cancer so that every patient has a fighting chance. A fighting chance to win their battle, a fighting chance to stay with their family and a fighting chance to enjoy their blessings.
God Bless You and Merry Christmas!
I have spent more than half of this year being sick. I have done things to my body that under normal circumstances I would never do. I have had more reactions to the treatments than I ever would have guessed. I have increased the scars on my body 400%. And yet, I can still sit here and type to you all that I am Blessed.
I am blessed to have a job. I am blessed that the job provides me with health insurance. I am blessed that the health insurance allowed me access to reputable Doctors and Nurses who cared for me. I am blessed that I got all of my doses of chemotherapy when this country is in a prescription drug shortage. I am blessed that I have a home that I could rest in while I was recovering from all of the procedures. I am blessed that I own a car and could drive myself to my treatments and not have to rely upon public transportation.
I am so blessed that I have a wonderful family who cared for me and held my hand this year. I have not only had my immediate family here with me (my husband and two children) but I have also had my Mother, my Brother. I am also blessed to have this amazing In-Law family that I am so happy have become my family. I have even had the love and support of my extended family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins).
I am also blessed to have amazing friends. They have checked on me, some weeks on a daily basis. They have showered me and the family with food for nourishment, concern, love, and hope. I have had friends who validate my fears. Others that feed my soul.
I sad before, and it is worthy of repeating, when fighting this fight, it is so important to have a network. I wish every patient had the network I have had.
So tonight, as we honor the birth of our Savior, I am saying an extra prayer of thanks. Thanks for all of you and for the number of blessings I have in my life.
I will end with one small story. My daughter was recently sitting on Santa's lap. That in and of itself was a blessing because she was adamant a month ago, she would not go see Santa as she was so deathly afraid of him a year ago. BUT, she did agree to "see" him. So off to the mall we went. When we got to the mall, she agreed to "talk" to him but she was NOT going to sit on his lap. When it was our turn, Santa reached down and grabbed her and put her on his lap, just as I was trying to say, she only wants to "talk."
She did not scream. She did not cry. She did sit there frozen, deer in headlights, for a few moments. Then she just started chatting with Santa. She told Santa she wanted the Ocean for Christmas. The Ocean! It took my Momma Liz to explain to me that Olivia might not literally want the Ocean and maybe in her two year old way, she just verbalized the biggest thing she knew.
So, for Christmas, I want the Ocean too. My Ocean is a Cure. And if a cure is not possible, then I want the best damn screening we can get for every Cancer so that every patient has a fighting chance. A fighting chance to win their battle, a fighting chance to stay with their family and a fighting chance to enjoy their blessings.
God Bless You and Merry Christmas!
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