Share your memories
Hi,
My name is Martha from a website called Respectance.com
We are a site based on the sharing of memories. You can document your own life or make a tribute to someone else. We are supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month, by creating a special forum for anyone who wants to come and share their stories and their memories. For October, we will allow you to actively fund raise on the site.
I hope you come and visit, invite some friends, and help other people who may be going through the same things you are.
Martha Mihaly,
Respectance.com - share your memories
Comments
-
Not a day goes by that I don't miss my Mother-In-Law, Jeri, who died on New Year's Eve 1997. That was so fitting that she held on until after Christmas; and died on a day where we will always remember.
She was only 47 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time... and underwent lumpectomy, chemo, radiation... but she was ER/PR negative so there wasn't much else back then they could do.
Jeri did the Relay for Life every year and became a Cansurmount volunteer. She donated as much of her time as she could to helping others with breast cancer...
Ten years later the cancer returned metastasized all over, spine/pelvis/neck lymph glands/brain... but Jeri pressed on with more radiation and hope of getting better. Unfortunately she just couldn't fight it any longer.
She was so angry because she said she didn't want to die; there was so much more to do...
Then ten years after she died, I was diagnosed with DCIS--and I was only two years younger than she was when she found out... but the first thing I though of wasn't about my health, but about my daughter who now has incredibly horrible odds of getting breast cancer. I just feel so bad for her.
I am trying to be brave and strong so that I can face whatever challenges come my way in the same way Jeri did.
I'd asked Jeri to keep a journal of her second time around with her treatments--and she gave it to me before she died... little did I know that it would become my personal inspirational guide.
Anyway, I have an angel in heaven who has guided and inspired me; and I just wish I could have told her how much I loved and appreciated all she did for us (in spite of having cancer) when she was alive.
Someday I think I'd like to publish her journal (or parts of it) to show the unique way she coped with her treatments and prognosis.
Hugs!
-
Wren,
Your Mother-in-Law, Jeri, has been added to the List of Angels in Commemorating Loved Ones. I am sorry for your loss.
celia
-
sorry, double post
-
{{Wren}} What a very loving story you tell of your dmil, Jeri. I'm sure you have both given your dd a clear understanding of love, family and hope, which is something every child needs first and foremost. I keep hoping that by the time my dd and granddaughters reach my age, they'll have easier ways to find and treat and/or prevent this beast before they need to get treatments!
I had to say it was strange reading your story at first, b/c I lost my father on New's Year morning. He did everything in his power to make it through the Christmas season, b/c he didn't want ANY of us family to remember that season he loved as the time he died. He is still so missed, but in a loving and story filled way. There are never ending stories when we get together as family of him.
Your story as well as your Jeri's will one day prove as an inspiration to your dd, but in a way I hope that helps to build her into a wonderful women in your mils memory! Be strong Wren, she's there watching over as my father is us and others' theirs!
Categories
- All Categories
- 679 Advocacy and Fund-Raising
- 289 Advocacy
- 68 I've Donated to Breastcancer.org in honor of....
- Test
- 322 Walks, Runs and Fundraising Events for Breastcancer.org
- 5.6K Community Connections
- 282 Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 53 Australians and New Zealanders Affected by Breast Cancer
- 208 Black Women or Men With Breast Cancer
- 684 Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer
- 1.5K Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
- 455 Caring for Someone with Stage IV or Mets
- 260 High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer
- 22 International, Non-English Speakers With Breast Cancer
- 16 Latinas/Hispanics With Breast Cancer
- 189 LGBTQA+ With Breast Cancer
- 152 May Their Memory Live On
- 85 Member Matchup & Virtual Support Meetups
- 375 Members by Location
- 291 Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 177 Singles With Breast Cancer
- 869 Young With Breast Cancer
- 50.4K Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis
- 204 Breast Cancer with Another Diagnosis or Comorbidity
- 4K DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
- 79 DCIS plus HER2-positive Microinvasion
- 529 Genetic Testing
- 2.2K HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
- 1.5K IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)
- 3.4K IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
- 1.5K ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
- 999 Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis
- 652 LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ)
- 193 Less Common Types of Breast Cancer
- 252 Male Breast Cancer
- 86 Mixed Type Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned
- 189 Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care
- 488 Second or Third Breast Cancer
- 1.2K Stage I Breast Cancer
- 313 Stage II Breast Cancer
- 3.8K Stage III Breast Cancer
- 2.5K Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- 13.1K Day-to-Day Matters
- 132 All things COVID-19 or coronavirus
- 87 BCO Free-Cycle: Give or Trade Items Related to Breast Cancer
- 5.9K Clinical Trials, Research News, Podcasts, and Study Results
- 86 Coping with Holidays, Special Days and Anniversaries
- 828 Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues
- 101 Family and Family Planning Matters
- Family Issues for Those Who Have Breast Cancer
- 26 Furry friends
- 1.8K Humor and Games
- 1.6K Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts
- 706 Recipe Swap for Healthy Living
- 704 Recommend Your Resources
- 171 Sex & Relationship Matters
- 9 The Political Corner
- 874 Working on Your Fitness
- 4.5K Moving On & Finding Inspiration After Breast Cancer
- 394 Bonded by Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Life After Breast Cancer
- 806 Prayers and Spiritual Support
- 285 Who or What Inspires You?
- 28.7K Not Diagnosed But Concerned
- 1K Benign Breast Conditions
- 2.3K High Risk for Breast Cancer
- 18K Not Diagnosed But Worried
- 7.4K Waiting for Test Results
- 603 Site News and Announcements
- 560 Comments, Suggestions, Feature Requests
- 39 Mod Announcements, Breastcancer.org News, Blog Entries, Podcasts
- 4 Survey, Interview and Participant Requests: Need your Help!
- 61.9K Tests, Treatments & Side Effects
- 586 Alternative Medicine
- 255 Bone Health and Bone Loss
- 11.4K Breast Reconstruction
- 7.9K Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 2.7K Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment
- 775 Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results
- 7.8K Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 50 Immunotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 7.4K Just Diagnosed
- 1.4K Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
- 5.2K Lymphedema
- 3.6K Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment
- 591 Pain
- 3.9K Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 8.4K Surgery - Before, During, and After
- 109 Welcome to Breastcancer.org
- 98 Acknowledging and honoring our Community
- 11 Info & Resources for New Patients & Members From the Team