What an eye opening, heart breaking, loving, emotional life Geralyn has lived already {and honestly shared with us}!
When I thought of breast cancer I pictured an older woman, who has lived her life, had her babies, and was a fighter. I thought of pink ribbons and breast cancer walks. Head scarves and smiles.
Then I found out about my friend Keely's diagnosis. Keely is 26.
26!
When I was 26 I was getting married, thinking about a honeymoon and buying a house...not wondering if I would celebrate my 27th birthday!
I cannot begin imagine all the decisions and choices and information and pain and feelings that Keely and her family have been going through. {I remember Keely and I putting on loads of make up and riding our bikes over to her Grandmother's house, we thought we were so adult! How little we knew!}
This book has really opened my eyes to what some breast cancer patients go through.
I never thought about it, but when you have a mastectomy, you may not have a nipple afterwards (I hadn't given my nipple too much thought, until I had Bailey and I realized how many different reasons why nipples are important).
I rarely think of my veins, other than when I have to have blood drawn and I have to warn the phlebotomist that my veins are hard to get blood out of. But what if I had to watch my veins turn black from poisonous chemo drugs being pumped into them?
Did you know that there are different types of chemo drugs? I just assumed that you have chemo and there is one choice of drugs to get. Wrong! There are so many variations and combinations that are tailored to each person and what kind of cancer they have.
Cancer is such a scary word. It seems to take over a person and it becomes who they are. We hear about someone being diagnosed with cancer and that is all we can think about. Often we forget their spirit, we forget their accomplishments, we forget them...they become cancer.
I hope that cancer will leave us all alone. I hope that we never again have to wear pink in honor of someone we have lost or who is fighting a brave battle, I hope it disappears. Since there is no guarantee that we are immune to cancer, make sure you know your body and are aware of any changes! Here is a link to the National Breast Cancer's site on doing a self exam.
I know that money is tight for many people, but if you'd like to donate to help my friend Keely, please visit HERE.
To all the men and women fighting a battle: we honor you, lift you up, and want only the best for you! Keep fighting!
KEEP FIGHTING!
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