Christmas for Especially Heather And Her Family

December 20, 2007
First and foremost, My MRI was all clear Now I can really enjoy the holidays and not stress over my MRI. Thank you Lord!
Next my speech. I showed up at about 5 minutes before the meeting started, because I didnt want to be too early and look nervous There were about 10-15 Board members there, and I was the “opening act”. I explained that I would be reading my speech because my short term memory is below par, add that with my nervous speech twitching, needless to say they understood!
Here is what I said (If you have read “The Cancer” in my sidebar, you will noticed that I took alot off that page):
Before I tell you my Cancer story, let me tell what defines me.
First and Foremost, I am a Christian. I believe that my cancer didn’t take my God by surprise. I have no fewer days left on this earth than I did before cancer entered my life. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that, no matter what happens, this ends well for me.
I am the only child of Greg and Darlene and am the wife and best friend of Mark. We have been married for over 13 years.
I am the mother of 3.
Easton, my 10 year old daughter loves everything Hannah Montana and can dance like there is no tomorrow.My son, Elijah, is 7. He is my blonde haired, blue eyed wonder boy. My youngest daughter, Emma Grace, is 6.Emma is my miracle. She spent the first 5 months of her life in ICU on life support. On Oct 5, she received her second chance in the form of a heart transplant. She has Autism and a myriad of other diagnoses, but when we look at her, we see a child who loves life, and lives every moment to the fullest. She has lasted 6 years longer than any doctor ever predicted!
I am the founding member of Mothering Through Cancer, at the Wellness Community, a support group for Moms who are battling cancer while raising young children. This is a good time for me to tell you how wonderful the Wellness Community is. Before I was first diagnosed, I never in a million years thought I would have cancer, much less this young. But I do, and I am only 32. I didn’t know the first thing about chemo, radiation, losing my hair, how to deal with my fluctuating emotions and everything in between. While sitting in the waiting room in my radiation oncologist’s office, I saw a flyer on the wall for Cancer Survivors (because all of us are survivors!). I jotted down the number for the Wellness Community and called as soon as I got home. That was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. In our support groups, we actually have other people that are going through or have gone through chemo, radiation, loss of hair, and surgeries. We actually have people who have experienced the same exact emotions that you face when you get the diagnosis of Cancer.
We are a family, a family of Survivors. ...Heather