I got an email the other day from a woman who has an amazing story of survival. She has an amazing story and I have found it so inspiring and have learned so much. You can also learn more about her here!
Today she is sharing her story here on my blog as a special guest. I find her so inspiring!!!!
Motherhood and Mesothelioma
My 36th year started off as the best year of my
life. My husband and I became parents when I gave birth to our adorable
daughter, Lily, on August 4, 2005. Many of our loved ones shared in our joy
after her birth, and we had never been happier.
We never would have guessed that everything was
about to change. After I returned to my job, I noticed that I was not feeling
well. I was always tired, and I was losing weight rapidly at a tune of about 5
to 7 pounds per week. Something told me that this was more than just tiredness
from being a new mom, so I made an appointment with my doctor. After a ton of
different tests, the doctor finally received my results and delivered the
shocking news. I was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer. I was no longer just a
wife and a mother of a 3 ½ old daughter.
I was now also a cancer patient.
This type of cancer is caused by exposure to
asbestos. I discovered that I had been unknowingly exposed to asbestos when I
was younger, and this exposure had caused my cancer. My condition was very
serious, and the doctor believed I only had 15 more months to live if I chose
not to receive treatment.
Not treating my cancer was not an option. I wanted to be around for a long time for my husband and to see my daughter grow up. Since we decided to treat the cancer aggressively, we were required to make some tough decisions. We lived in Minnesota, but my doctor recommended a mesothelioma specialist in Boston. I had a major surgery, extrapleural pneumonectomy, on February 2, 2006. This procedure removed one of my lungs, part of my heart and chest lining, as well as part of my diaphragm. I was in the hospital for 18 months, and after another 2 months of recovery I began both chemotherapy and radiation.
As you can imagine, there was no way to properly
care for an infant when I was in the hospital. My parents offered to watch
Lily, so she flew with my mom to my parents' home in South Dakota. I missed my
baby girl every minute of every day, but I will be forever thankful to my
parents and other family members who took such good care of her.
Cancer is a terrible disease, but I found that
it was important to not just dwell on the negative. We all have things happen
in our lives that we do not want, but we can choose to remain positive and maintain
a good attitude, while also look for the lessons that you can learn in every
situation.
Thank you Heather for sharing this story with us. I am truly believe in your message of hope and attitude. THANK YOU! So loved having you as my special guest on my blog. I wish you and your beautiful family only the very best!
