My dear wife Loraine and I have been care takers for the last nine months or so for her brother who has been battling liver cancer. Now imagine the punch in the gut this week when we learned that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. This, after having already under going under surgery twice in the past for completely different cancers.
There is not too much to write about on this today as we do not know yet just what stage the cancer is, nor will we know the treatment plan until we meet with one of her three physicians next Friday. What I can say is, the last couple days have been an emotional roller coaster for all of us. Loraine and I have promised each other to remain positive and upbeat about this diagnosis and we will fight to do what ever it takes for her to beat it. With Loraine’s permission, I am going to document our journey, all of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly, in the hopes that maybe our journey might help others in their own journey of fighting breast cancer. I never imagined that I would have two loved ones under my roof, both suffering from different cancers at the same time. It is going to be tough, but we will get through this one way or another.
In closing, I want to reiterate how important it is for all to have healthy dietary habits and to exercise as often as we can. We all should be doing this anyhow. My message to any and all whom might also be caretakers of loved ones, remember you must take care of yourself too. You must still give your own health and well being top priority as you cannot take care of your loved ones if you do not first take good care of yourself. If you are a caretaker, you really need to consider just how important it is to keep your immune system strong in order to keep your body healthy. If you have never been one to exercise, consider getting cleared by your doctor to begin some type of physical fitness regimen, even if it is just getting out for a refreshing walk. I have found through my personal battles with depression and post traumatic stress, exercise is the best medicine for resetting the mind when life is tough.
If you are the praying type, please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers as we battle these cancers. I hope that by documenting our journey, we can help others who are also going through this with information and also to let you know that you are not alone.
