Although it may seem like an odd thing to say, I really will sit down to dinner surrounded by family and friends with a multitude of blessing in which to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
The first one being..........A CLEAR BONE SCAN!!!!!! Woo Hoo! I just found out today after waiting since Friday. This is where the band starts playing....the confettii falls from the sky and I continue to keep my feet firmly planted in a stage III diagnosis. I am one test away from kissing a stage IV adios. Although III and IV are close in number, they are worlds apart in prognosis terms.
I am eternally thankful for my three boys....One of the boys is of the grown up variety......From the moment we waited for the diagnosis, he was ready to take on the fight. He is my rock to lean on when the winds of despair blow through my head, as well as, always there to gently lead me back from the long dark road of unknown to the path of the "here and now." Of course, there are the other two of the silly kid variety.......They make me laugh everyday. They make me forget that that the term "stage III" is attached to any part of my being. Those two boys are my heaven on earth and the reason I will live each day to its full potential. Cancer may have taken my breast but my three boys have my heart and soul.
I am thankful for a mom who not only drives the boys to school everyday so I can sleep in, but has done all our laundry, cleaned the kitchen and fixed meals since I went into surgery. If it were not for all her love, support and help, I know I would not have recovered from surgery as quickly as I have. Not only will she empty my dishwasher, but does so while knowing full well I'm updating my blog..... Now that's the world's best mom!
I am thankful for all my family and friends who have lifted me up with their love and support. My sisters who despite being all the way in Michigan make me feel as though we are next door to each other with their comfort......My aunts and uncles who have inundated me with cards, gifts, prayers and love.......My bestest friends in the whole wide world....Gail, Annette, Hope and Chris who are always there to turn the tears into laughter on a dime, don't care how late I call and don't think I'm weird for turning every situation into a tv show........ My bestest mom friends at school.....Jennifer (my snarkalicious buddy), Joy (my psychologist who has my back), Britt (who knows what I'm thinking before I even say it), Anne (who was and is still there at every turn) and all the other moms that have made this ordeal delicious with all your food, friendship and support....... Michelle, Helle, Julie, Diane from Paper Tales......what other store would be willing to make house calls and take you out for drinks....ONLY Paper Tales!!! The best scrapping store in the world!! Amy and Dana who I met through Paper Tales.....Although we have only been friends a short time I feel as though we are old souls........My neighbors who even though we were all close before, have made me love you all even more (keep those chocolate chip cookies coming!)
To all my blog friends out there......I said it before and I will say it again.....people who don't blog miss out on an entire 4th dimension of life. Seriously. You know how crazy scientists are always looking for the 4th dimension? Well we artist/crafty bloggers have found it AND proven it exists. All they have to do is ask me and I can put an end to any more experimentation........Heather, who has been my spokesperson here and via email, lets me ramble on the phone endlessly and actually understands my, at times, incoherent babbling....Thanks Heather! I'm so glad we met when we had the chance........ To everyone who has sent me gifts and cards and emails.....it makes my fight to recover easier and makes me stronger. (and I'm still trying to catch up on all my thank yous!) When I first started blogging 2 years ago, I knew I wanted to connect back with my art and creativity. However, what I could not foresee was how blogging would be an integeral part of my life......how the connection would be far more than creativity and art......how I would connect with others in ways I hadn't imagined......Thank you, thank you, thank you.......
I'm thankful that I have gotten to meet some incredible breast cancer survivors in the past month. One of whom happens to be a mom at Carlos' school with a son in Carlos' same grade. She was diagnosed exactly a year ago with Stage III. She has helped me immensely. And, another who is a friend of a friend who not only survived her breast cancer diagnosis..... but did it while finishing her residency in oncology. She lives a couple blocks from me and we got to sit down had have coffee and talk....I told her I won't complain about finishing my snowflakes for the craft fair I'm doing even though I'm sure it's the same as finishing a medical residency....:)
I'm thankful things aren't a lot worse than they could have been....
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! Karin
