True Cancer Warrior

Last Spring I was asked to contact a patient who was also fighting her battle with breast cancer.  She had a complete different type of breast cancer than I have.  Her chemo had stopped working.  She was in and out of the Dr. office trying to find something that would work for her type of cancer.  She was willing to try anything. She was brave, kind, and in love with her children and husband.  I last heard from her at the end of June.  Last week I was wondering what happened to this dear sweet women.  

I googled her name and my heart broke into little pieces.  There was her picture and life story.  She was absolutely beautiful.  Her eyes full of love and light. Her battle is over. She fought such an incredible fight.  Having faith all the way to the end that something may work for her body to rid itself from those naughty cancer cells.

I think about her often.  I am quite sure she is with her family everyday.  Watching, interfering, and helping as all mothers will do.

It has been a renewing of perspective.  What really matters?  I feel like tucking in my 8 year old and piling his friends named Dots, Dino, Cat in the hat, and Sleep monkey under his arms and wrapping them all tight with his blanket named blue is a privilege.  I'm thankful for my 11 year old beauty who still wants a kiss and hug before bed each night.  Before I leave her room, I sometimes get another little thought of hers in the quite darkness and I walk out even more in love with her.  I love that my teenage boy will make time to talk to me.  That he will come lay down by me and talk about life and all the opportunities he has in his life and what he wants to do with them.  I have been blessed with a beautiful young women.  She is such an example to me.  She works hard, is caring about others. I love waiting up for her when she is out and how she shares so much of herself with me.  

 I love my husband.  His hard work, the support he gives to all of us, and most of all his tender heart.  

I also have such amazing family friends. This is what life is really about, relationships.  It's not facebook, instagram, pinterest, and running here and there with kids and parents overwhelmed.  I love the quiet times when we gather at the end of each day.  If the laundry is not done, and the house is still not decorated  how I want it (a year later) really does not matter.  

Love Matters.  May the family of this true cancer warrior find peace.  May they stay close and find hope in what lays ahead.  A place where their wife and mother will not be in pain.   Where she will be able to do whatever her heart desires. And in the meantime, may they be able to feel her with them.

Fiesta Angels

Friday was my special day, "Chemo Day".  I call them special because I am really good at getting chemo infused into my body.  Never has my blood count been too low. These blood tests I always pass.  I don't even need to study.  This is a good thing, I talked my way through school.  Yes, I have been called a butterfly a time or two.  Blessing or curse?  I am going with blessing.

I was not feeling well on Saturday.  I would have loved to stay in bed all day.  Although, when I do that, I end up a little "blue".  My sweet mom was here.  She had some errands to run at the mall.  Olivia was going with her.  My boys were with their dad at his "hobby" cattle farm.  I had no reason not to get up and get dressed and spend some time with my mom and my adorable Olivia.  As we were finishing up her errands, I saw the new store that opened in our little small town mall. I found a few cute dresses for Olivia that we just couldn't pass up.  They were actually cute and long enough for her and on SALE.  Yeah!  While in line to check out, I noticed all the Fiesta Ware they had in stock.  I was distracted and wandered over to the table where it was all displayed.  I was admiring the tumblers with all their bold stripes that would match my Fiesta colors so well.  I put them down and walked away.  

On Monday, as I was driving home, my neighbor waved me down.  He said,"I have a package that someone dropped off for you.  They got the wrong house."  It was a heavy box. I was perplexed as to what this could be and from whom?  The box was wrapped and had writing on it that said,"To: Mindy M".  I walked in the kitchen and  tore it open.  To my surprise, there were 9 Fiesta Tumblers with all their perfectly striped stripes staring back at me.  I was teary.  I do not know who delivered exactly what my heart  needed that day. I call them Fiesta Fairies who made a really hard, yucky chemo weekend so much sweeter.