If I can get a picture to post tonight I’m going to post one from a year ago, today! It was when Ruthie and Phil were here after I’d started chemo and was just about out of hair. Ruthie was doing her best to cover my head with the hair I had and Don got a picture of us. It makes me feel better to look at this picture when I see the band on my arm covering and protecting my PIC line. I’m glad that PIC line is gone! That hair that was left was the hair that had come back after my previous chemo in Tijuana, so it was curly, too, but it was a wiry kind of curly. The curls I have now are soft and fluffy. I wonder if it will hang in ringlets if I let it grow long enough! Anyway, it’s fun to look back at the old pictures. I notice the gap in my teeth. It feels good to have curly hair, no gap, no PIC line, no cancer and even no boobs. No lie, flat chested is fun and I notice none of the Olympians have big boobs, either. I’m in pretty good company. I also thank Him for the prosthesis so I can look regular, too.
I thank God that Ruthie and Phil did come to visit. We have great memories of that visit and it was really encouraging to us. I thank God for the opportunities for treatment and healing that I’ve had. I thank Him that there are so many of you who read this. I pray that going through this with me will prepare you to be better support for the next person you know who faces breast cancer. I repeat, it’s not the worst thing that can happen in life, but it’s good to be prepared.
I thank God that Ruthie and Phil did come to visit. We have great memories of that visit and it was really encouraging to us. I thank God for the opportunities for treatment and healing that I’ve had. I thank Him that there are so many of you who read this. I pray that going through this with me will prepare you to be better support for the next person you know who faces breast cancer. I repeat, it’s not the worst thing that can happen in life, but it’s good to be prepared.
What a surprise to see this picture!! Yes, I was trying to cover your head and convince you that you still had plenty of hair and needed to keep it!! (At the time I was reading a book called "Socks" where a woman had lost both her legs in an accident and was wondering if she had failed to be as thankful as she needed to be when she had 2 legs! I guess I wanted you to be sure you were thankful for your hair!!) However, I failed to convince you because the day we left, I doubt if we were out of town yet, you got out your trusty scissors and razor and did away with your hair! I'll have to admit you looked very spunky with a bald head!! It's been such a "fun trip" as you've shared this journey with so many. When lemons were thrown at you in the course of treatment, you made wonderful pies and carried on....such a great example for us to deal with whatever God deems to be our lot in this life!
ReplyDeleteI love you "Little One"!
Ruthie
HA! I thought you'd be surprisd, Ruthie. I'm surprised when I look back and see how I looked. I don't remember it as bad as it looks. I'm just so glad that you and Phil came out. That was really a great support to me.
ReplyDeleteYou convinced me to keep my hair as long as you were there, but once you were gone I couldn't stand it. It was so skimpy. I didn't realize it was keeping me warm, though!
Thanks for finding a good example in my experience. I hope it helps someone. So far this lymphedema is the hardest part. I think it's that I wasn't prepared for it at all and have no example. So, if I can be an example that helps someone, that's a good thing!
I'm able to type and walk and really do everything I need to do, so I need to do like Daddy would say and get on with the program or get this show on the road. Here I go! I sure hope you'll come join us to go to Vegas! What a fun trip that will be if we can do it together!
Love you,
Mary Jo, your squealing baby sister