Writing about Breast Cancer

My mom got breast cancer during my first year of college. While my mom had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, I was 2000 miles away. My mom is now a twenty-year survivor. My roommate's sister, whose cancer returned the same year, did not survive.

Since that time, I've had many friends and relatives who've had breast cancer. One of my friends was Anita. We were the same age and had daughters the same age. Though she passed away when we were both in our early thirties, I have learned so much from her. I'm thankful that Jolyn Brown has let me share the story of our friendship in her book, A Circle of Sisters. Isn't the cover so pretty? I love roses (at least I think they're roses. Tell me what they are if you know.)

Anyway, it'd probably be a violation of copyright to share the story I share in the book, so I'll share something I didn't already write about. As a young mom, I often felt exhausted and overwhelmed. The sleepless nights, frequent illnesses, potty messes, and fighting were sometimes too much to take. But having a friend who was dying gave me a lot of perspective. When I felt like whining about the crazy world of parenting, I'd think of how my friend would do anything to be as healthy as I was and to know she'd be around as her children grew.

Life is a gift. I'm grateful to be here, being a part of my crazy family world. I'm grateful for friends. Each one of you teaches me something.