Thank you, Sue!
Every year, I get a package of snazzy breast cancer gear delivered right to my door, and today is great day, because my 2010 goodies just arrived — all the way from Nevada. That’s where my aunt lives, and each year at about this time, she goes to Aspen to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure extravaganza. She wears a sign announcing that she’s running for me, and after she runs her butt off in my honor, she heads home and boxes up the goods she gets, then she mails them off to me. See all that loot above? That’s the stuff — a bag, a t-shirt, a pen, a pin, a Ford Warriors in Pink scarf, and more.
This year, my aunt asked me if I still wanted the packages. She wondered if maybe they are just reminders of all I’ve been through, and perhaps I don’t want to continue being reminded. I told her, without pause, that I do still want the gifts, because not only are they fun to use and share and save, they are the perfect reminder — not of what I’ve been through, but of how far I’ve come. You see, each time that box of treasures lands on my front porch, it screams out that I’ve survived for another year. And besides, there’s no avoiding reminders, no matter what anyone does or doesn’t do. I have a port scar, lumpectomy scars, radiation tattoos, a wacky chemo-induced sun/skin condition, and different hair. Yea, I don’t think there’s any real way to avoid the hints that cancer has rocked my world.
The message here: I love the gifts, I want the gifts, and by all means, send me gifts whenever you feel the urge!
That is so sweet of her to send that to you each year. And yes it is a reminder that you have survived another year… I’ve been following your blog for a while now, your an inspiration…
Thanks, Stephanie, and you are quite the inspiration, too. Just was catching up your blog. So much good info.!
Jacki,
My friend was just diagnosed. I hope to send her a package like that one day. It’s so sweet of your aunt and I am so happy for you that you are a survivor, and a wife, sister, daughter, mom, athlete, friend, etc.
Monica
P.S. I’m passing your blog onto my friend. I’m sure it will inspire her when she is down. Thanks.
I love that she sends that stuff to you. That is so thoughtful! It’s great that you can accept the changes that have occured since the diagnosis and make the best of it. You are truly inspirational. Please check out http://www.breastcancerregistry.org to share your experience so that other women can learn how to get through it all more successfully using your experiences as guidance.
im so happy to see a place like this available. My mom just had surgery last saturday they removed all that they believed was in there however she just learned that the lymph nodes they removed were also invasive. We wont know at is next til the cancer teams put their heads together next thursday. The waiting just drives me crazy. Im hoping my mom will find this site helpful to express her thoughts and feelings amoungst her fellow cancer survivors. Thank you for creating a place to blog