7-14-06 vs 7-14-07

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BMD
BMD Member Posts: 1,492
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
7-14-06-- I jumped out of bed at 5:30 a.m., stretched, took my dog for a 3.5 mile walk, got breakfast for dh and ds's, showered and loaded up the boys to go shopping for school clothes. (Here in S. CA you have to shop for them in July for clearence summer clothes. They wear shots all year but the stores don't sell them all year.) My cell phone rang as I got on the freeway and without thinking I answered it. It was my bs. "Brenda, I am sorry but you have breast cancer."

7-14-07--I sat up in bed about 7:00 a.m. to see if dh had gotten up for work. He sleeps in the other room a lot now so we can both get some rest. It took me a minute to clear the fog from my head. Most likely caused from the sleep meds I took last night. I had to stand up slowly to get my joints all lined up and ready to walk. My left foot hurt the most as usual. Dh was up so I climbed back in bed and got up again at 9:00. My kids had been watching TV for 2 hours by then. I let the dog out to get my paper, took my AI, antidepressant and 2 handfuls of supplements.

What a difference a year makes. Today though I do want to thank God for many things. That I am here. That my bs found the cancer in my left breast while looking for something benign causing pain in my right breast. For giving me a husband who is amazing and the best father in the world. For giving me the tools I needed to get through this year. For freinds, family and church members who succeeded in making life easier through chemo and surgeries for my family and myself. For good insurance, doctors and meds. Most of all thank you Lord for bc.org and for all the wonderful people I have met here and for all the support I have gotten here and for all the whining they let me do here. You people are amazing and I hope to one day meet even more of you in person. This year would have been impossible to bare had it not been for you.
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  • SoCalLisa
    SoCalLisa Member Posts: 13,961
    edited July 2007
    So good to hear you have reached your one year cancerversary..
    You are a strong woman!!! And we are so glad you are in our San Diego Lunch Bunch!!
    Hugs, SoCal
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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited July 2007

    Congrats on a year!

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  • AnnieBird55
    AnnieBird55 Member Posts: 122
    edited July 2007
    Brenda
    Thank you very much for sharing this perspective. By sharing, you give us strength.
    God bless,
    Anne
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  • Fitztwins
    Fitztwins Member Posts: 7,969
    edited July 2007

    congrats. May you have many more 7/14! to celebrate.

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  • sschmidt
    sschmidt Member Posts: 178
    edited July 2007
    great inspirational words. I am greaatful for many of the same things. Especially the insurance and good doctors.
    Shirley
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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited July 2007
    Hi Brenda,

    congrats....it's a journey worth taking.

    I couldn't help but notice that your post was number 777. It put me in mind to a luncheon that I organized last Saturday .... July 7, 2007....777. I didn't plan it that way. I simply wanted to have a luncheon with friends who were the "let it be" crowd for me. I wanted to give them back "something" for all the support that I recieved from them over the last two years. I even invited a virtual friend from these boards.

    I'm certain that you didn't think about your 777 post either. Normally I don't think about these things either. But a friend at the luncheon brought the date to my attention. So we dubbed ourselves the 777 club. I like the growth of that energy.

    It was a wonderful day. The weather was perfect .... I lite the BBQ .... set up appetizers of fresh veggies, cheese and white pizza.....served the lunch of chicken skewers and veggies on every plate that I had in the house .... covered the plywood tables with linen....put the wine in a tub of cold water....made home made sorbet....it was a "what am I saving it for" luncheon that no one knew but me.

    It was a wonderful day.

    I'm currently in physical therapy for my slipped discs and Arimidex SE (the shuffle we've all learned to embrace), swimming when I can to build muscle to support the rickety frame, and finding the smiles in the moments that allow. And isn't this ever what life is about?

    Best wishes to you....continued good thoughts....continued full life.....to you and everyone. Thanks for your post and the warm feeling.
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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited July 2007
    Hi Brenda,

    No kidding what a difference a year makes. Thank you for your uplifting post and Congratulations!
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  • BMD
    BMD Member Posts: 1,492
    edited July 2007

    Marilyn--I did not notice the 777. Thanks for pointing it out. I will take it as a good omen.

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  • nosurrender
    nosurrender Member Posts: 2,019
    edited July 2007
    Brenda, congratulations on reaching your one year milestone.

    And thank you for your post. I needed it today. Last 7/14 I was cancer free and this 7/14 I am back in chemo... you helped me to see that next summer things will be brighter!

    Love,
    g
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  • cmb35
    cmb35 Member Posts: 1,106
    edited July 2007

    Brenda - congrats to you on one year!

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  • ginger2345
    ginger2345 Member Posts: 517
    edited July 2007

    Congrats on your 1 year!! And taking time to express gratitude helps all of us think about our blessings.

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  • jdash
    jdash Member Posts: 754
    edited July 2007
    brenda- that was a great post!
    i just met a woman who had just had her mast the day before and had just found out she needed chemo
    i was telling her what a difference a year has made in my life- we hugged and cried together because we knew at that moment that together we would get "her" thru her year -
    7-14-06 - was in the middle of my dose dense AC T chemo -not yet having had my dbl mast and my exchange surgery which took place in sept and jan
    depressed scared and praying that I could possibly be well once again- imaging life could ever be the same after bc
    7-14-07 - i didnt think life would ever be this good again for me! : ) cancer is gone, surgeries all over, stamina returned and i met the most incredible man! i never thought i could be this happy
    i look back at this year and i am so proud of how far i have come and how lucky i feel again- the help and inspiration of many women who shared their lives with me here at bc.org
    helped me stay focused and positive and got me thru some of my darkest days and nights - i feel so blessed to have met all of my new friends here and i feel so good that i can now help others just beginning their journeys
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  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 6,503
    edited July 2007

    Brenda - a hearty congrats on one year!!! Wishing you many more years of dancing with NED. July 6th was the one year anniversary of my finishing TAC chemo and I too thought what a difference a year makes!!! I too am thankful for good insurance, a wonderful husband, my 3 kids, my girlfriends, my synagogue community who helped cooked meals during chemo and my various surgeries, bc.org and most importantly, dancing with NED. I love you all and appreciate and love all the support that the CG's and bc.org has provided to me. And BTW - Brenda, are you my NSSP? You truly are wonderful. Hugs from Denver, Karen

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  • BMD
    BMD Member Posts: 1,492
    edited July 2007

    Thanks for all you well wishes. Sorry Karen but I am not your NSSP and I just had to report you to the NSSP thread for further action.:)LOL.

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