Blessings in Disguise

I can't believe it is just a few days shy of three months since my mammogram and two months since my first infusion. A lot has happened in three months!  Now as I look back, it is overwhelming to think about all that I went through.  I have found now that the storm has calmed, and I am into a treatment pattern...things have settled down, and the blessings start appearing all around me.

I have had 3 of 18 Herceptin infusions. I will have surgery in Febraury. I go to IU Simon Cancer Center once every three weeks for the infusions, as well as, an appointment with my oncologist.  I am fortunate and so thankful to have a long list of friends and family who want to take me. It is two hours of travel and about an hour to get the infusion, so each trip has become a blessing of time I get to spend with important people in my life. 

I have an assortment of side effects...fatigue, achy joints, achy muscles, stomach issues, weak "jello" legs, hot flashes,and a combination of teen-age acne and dry skin at the same time. I have good days and bad days.  The blessing is that it could be so much worse. I do not have to go through traditional chemotherapy and all the side effects that come with it. 

A couple of days ago, I had an opportunity to visit a domestic violence shelter for women and children.  As the caseworker took us on a tour of the facility, she shared so many touching stories...some with happy endings and some with very sad endings.  As we were walking down the hall, we past a mother and her three beautiful children. In that moment, when I looked with my tired eyes into this mother's tired and sad eyes, I was suddenly thankful that I had breast cancer. Sometimes, we have to put things into perspective. The blessing is the realization that things could always be a lot worse.

Don't get me wrong, cancer is mean and mentally painful. Without the support of the people in my life, I would not be able to count my blessings.  There is not enough that I can say about my wonderful husband and amazing children who have helped me through my bad days and nights, and share the joy of the good days. But I am also so blessed with friends and family that have surrounded me with love, prayers, and encouragment. And to them we continue to say...