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How Breast Cancer has Touched My Family, and What I'm Going to Do About It
- Sep 19, 2008 at 9:53 PM
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- Comments (7) Total Views (512) Everyone can see this journal post.
For years, I have advocated for Diabetes Awareness and Research and put most of my charitable donations to that cause. Why? Because I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 8 years ago, so it's near and dear to my heart.
This year, I quickly became passionate about another important cause, Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. I felt consumed by it, researching, buying items that gave a portion of the proceeds to the cause, donating to the cause, attending functions in support of the cause. Why? Well, my Mom, who is just 53 years old and has never been sick a day in her life was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this January. It was completely unexpected. She had noticed nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, had she not had her mammogram in January, it may not have been found until it was too late. It was an aggressive form of cancer and my mom faced the horrific decision no woman wants to make - lumpectomy or mastectomy? She had one week to make her decision.
It was aweful to see my Mom go through this. I'm the sick one in the family. It's my burden. Why should she have to be dealt this most distrubing diagnosis?
We all did our research and met with her surgeon to discuss her options. Mom opted for a mastectomy of her right breast. Her surgery was on Valentine's Day. It was a painful recovery from surgery, but at times, her chemotherapy treatments were even more difficult to live with. Not only had Mom lost her breast, a tragic experience for any woman to go through, but now she had to suffer the effects of the strong poisons coursing through her veins to kill any possible remaining cancer cells. She was sick, weak and very tired, often swollen and puffy after the first treatments. She'd no more recover from one treatment when she would be back in the office for the next round. Her later treatments not only left her weak, sick and tired, but also with severe pain in her bones. She had to take pain killers just to walk at times. Of course, she also lost all of her hair, including her eyebrows and lashes. No one wants to see their mother go through that.
All the while, my mother went to work, as an aide to special needs children, when she could. She works for BOCES and they do not pay into disability, so even though she had contributed in the past at other jobs, she was ineligible for coverage during her illness. Most people were supportive, but some let her know what a burden her illness was to to her co-workers, with comments like "It's difficult not knowing if you're coming to work after a treatment and having you gone all the time" said in a snotty tone by none other than her boss, and a Special Education Teacher at that, who works with severely physically and mentally disabled children! How dare she?! But, I digress. That is another story for another post.
With the exception of some thoughtless, rude folks, like my mom's boss, our small community really came together to help. She received countless cards and flowers, visitors and many people brought her and my father meals, especially on the weeks she had chemo. She was too weak to take care of everything on her own. Our church also held a benefit to help raise money for my Mom, who one week after her diagnosis, was informed she would lose her state insurance, because my father got a small raise that disqualified her from the coverage! When it rains, it pours! My mother hadn't been at work long enough to get insurance herself, and my Dad's cost about $900 a month for the two of them, already on a tight budget and now with Mom missing lots of work and the medical bills piling up. Thank goodness for the kindness of the human heart! These people were there to lift my family up during their darkest hour.
My mom was living in Hell on Earth for over six months, but I am thrilled to say that she has finished her treatments and is on the road to recovery! She is starting to get her energy back and is once again participating in the things she enjoys that she was too sick to do through her ordeal. Her hair is even starting to come back! It's great to have my Mom back and to know that I'll have her for a long long time!
I am honored to be selected as a Cafemom Influencer and create my own team to collect Yoplait Pink Lids to raise money to support Breast Cancer Awareness! I am as passionate about this cause as I am for the disease I live with daily. My wish is that a cure will be found and that no other women will have to go through what my Mom has endured! Together, we can make that a reality!
Tags: awareness, breast cancer, cafemom influencer program, daughters, mothers, pink lids, women, yoplait
Comments:
Thank you for sharing your Mom's story (and yours)! I can definitely understand the impact Cancer (especially BC) can have on a family. I am so glad your Mom is feeling better! Good Luck with collecting lids! Voted pop!
Voted popular!
You have my vote to beauty queen... I am happy to hear that your mom is doing well, Good Luck with the Lids. I am happy to be working with you in collecting the lids...
I don't think a lot of people understand what cancer patients have to go through. I see many breast cancer patients that I do sentinel nodes, bone scans, and MUGAs on. I just saw one of my patients last week who I've done several a sentinel node, a couple bone scans, and like 10 MUGAs on. She's doing very well from when she was first w/ us. She looks much healthier and her hair is growing back. I am always glad to see them and find out about their progress but I also know it is a good day when I never have to see them again b/c I know that the cancer is gone. Best of luck w/ the lids!
my sis was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 her resulting in a mastectomy (unfortunately it progressed outside of her breast), she went through 14 rounds of kemo and has lasting damage to her heart, liver, kidney's and etc... all from that poison they call kemo... the second time the doctors just removed the lump, and the third time ~ a complete hysterectomy.... her breast cancer is the estrogen positive kind... I am thankful that she is recovering from her surgery earlier this year... hopefully she will not have any further problems... she is so courageous to keep fighting!! Thank you one and all who contribute to Breast Cancer Research~ lets turn those yoplait lids in! Each year since my sis's diagnosis we as a family have participated in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure!!!
I to have breast cancer in my family. My grandmother had her left breast tooken of from it my aunt just had a breast took because of it. and my sis didn't have breast cancer but she had other female cancer and after chemo and radtion and everything she still passed so what we need to do is just find a cure for all of it and be done.
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Wow that just brought a whole bunch of feelings back. What am I saying.... I always have things that remind me of my gram, just that made me think of all the things we went through ( the rough times) . I'm just happy it was caught in time for your mom. I hope the rought times have passed. She's in my thoughts.