When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, so many people wanted to or offered to talk to me. Survivors, well-wishers. When I found out I had to have chemo, a nurse called me to talk me through it. When I asked a specific question, she told me everyone’s walk was different.
I realized that, and I think that’s why I wanted to find my own path on this walk. I didn’t reach out to anyone to talk. Searching for answers to impossible questions, I came across a lady on YouTube that had vlogged her cancer journey. She had to go through the same things I did, so I watched every video she had posted. Of course, they had been posted several years ago, and I got curious how she was doing.
I found her on Facebook and friended her. We spoke several times throughout the years. We were from different walks of life but found quite a few things in common. We were safe with each other to express our fears, our anger, our peace, anything about this journey.
No one can truly know until they have walked the journey.
I don’t want to speak to anyone’s journey, but for me, every woman I know who has breast cancer sets a bar for me. Each woman still walking is a reason to hope. She made it another year. She beat another round of it. She’s still able to… When someone dies with breast cancer, I grieve their loss, but it also hits me right in the hope. I don’t know if anyone else feels the same way, but maybe here I am, giving someone hope by surviving. I hope so.
We all fear. We all must live life in the midst of it. We have birthday parties. Ball games. Trips. Meals. TV shows. Great moments. Hard moments. Family drama. Nothing stops because you have cancer.
She passed away last month. She lived with cancer for 11 years. She was so much more than cancer. We all are.
We set bars for each other. We live through. We live on. We give hope. We do not let it define us.
The last time we spoke, the cancer had spread to her brain. She was having terrible headaches. But she told me she had so much peace this time. I’m so thankful for that. There again, even in her death, she gives me hope.
We need each other to survive, to thrive, to live, to have hope. To not be consumed by this disease we all share.
Thank you, Amy, for helping me on my journey. I am so glad you’re finally free of this disease. I pray I can give others hope, just like you gave me.
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