There was not alot going on during that year, or if there was, I don't remember it. I know I'm still occasionaly teased that I would have the same conversation repeatedly with my kids. Mostly about a certain country music video and how everytime I saw it, it was brand new to me! haha! I worked everyday that I could, only taking off for treatment Fridays. Including the 8 day stay in the hospital, I only missed 30 days of work that whole year. I would go home, sit down and fall asleep. The kids would fix their own dinner and try to get me to eat. OH! Speaking of eating. Let me say that I've almost always been a chunky girl, especially after have the kids. That January I joined a gym, hired a personal trainer when I could scrape the money together and was loosing the pounds! I'd lost about 50 over a 6 month time. Of course, when you start chemo, you can't go to the gym (all those germs!). So I quit going. My rational was: Well, if anything good can come from having cancer, maybe I can loose the other 50-60 pounds I need to loose. Now before you say anything, I am fat. Not an, oh she's just a healthy girl fat. NO. So If I was to loose those extra 50-60 pounds, I would still be a little on the heavy side. Anyway. So I kept going to the docs each Friday and noticing that I wasn't losing any weitht, I was GAINING weight. They had forgotten to tell me that with the chemo that I was being given, people gain weight. It's been almost 3 years now since my treatments ended and I still get tired easily. I've gained back every pound I ever lost and can't seem to get rid of it now.
Here are some things that I found out to be true for me:
- Being a bald woman got me out of a speeding ticket!
- Chemo destroys your tastebuds. Do not attempt to eat anything even remotely spicy. Everything tastes alot like cardboard.
- Even if you are only 36, after awhile, you start to walk stooped over. I still stoop when I am really tired.
- The only clothes that are remotely comfortable are pj's & sweats.
- Sleep was my best friend for awhile. I still occasionally will go home at 5:30, fall asleep and sleep until the next morning.
- I have truly amazing kids. When I get sick now (like last week with Bronchitis) they do anything and everything they can for me.
- I am much stronger than I really ever thought. I thought I was strong going through 2 divorces & the deaths of my parents. After cancer, I now know I can get through anything.
- I have never participated in a breast cancer walk and I rarely tell anyone that doesn't already know that I've had breast cancer.
Yes, having breast cancer is hard. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I wouldn't wish it on anyone in the whole wide world. BUT it isn't the death sentance it used to be. Take the time to do a self exam every month. Schedule your mammogram appointments today. And if you do get the call that every person dreads hearing, go ahead break down. But don't let it keep you down!
3 comments:
Thanks for sharing your story the past few days. Because of family history, I've been getting mammograms for many years now and although it's not the most fun thing to do, it's not really too bad when you think about the consequences.
Exactly! Sometimes you hear women say how much it hurts or it's inconvenient. Let me tell ya, chemo and being sick is MUCH more inconvenient!
Thanks for sharing your story.
I too am a breast cancer survivor, I was diagnosed in 2002 at age 30. My sis was diagnosed in 2007 at age 32.
We are both still here and going strong!
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