Breast Cancer Tunnel Vision

I woke up this morning for my morning work out but my mind was definitely somewhere else. A dear friend who has been battling breast cancer for over a year is having what will be her last surgery this morning. Gosh, I wish I could be there with her, in fact it would suit me just fine if I could just stand in for her so she wouldn't have to recover from yet another surgery. This is one of those times when I wish I had the powers of Samantha on Bewitched. I would wiggle my nose and it would all be over. Although the tunnel has been dark for her at times, she has come through with amazing strength. Her power to look beyond herself is what I believe has been a big part of her getting through. God has put a vision in her heart for those who put their lives on the line for the cause of Christ. Instead of putting all of her energy in feeling sorry for herself, she has put that energy in making others aware of the plight of missionaries all over the world. I have no doubt that God will bless and has blessed her greatly for her faithfulness and for having tunnel vision for others instead of tunnel vision for herself. I can't express

my joy enough, that there is finally light at the end of her tunnel and her recovery will be a testimony to breast cancer survivors all over the world.

Hand in Hand, Arm in Arm, Together We Stand Till A Cure Is Found

Late last year I posted a blog about my friend having cancer. Before her mastectomy we threw her a Bye Bye Boobie party (see 9/29/09 post). To say this last year has been a journey for her would be an understatement. She was lucky enough not to have to do radiation or chemo, but still had to take Tamoxifen which in itself caused a multitude of problems. That being said she has weathered the storm and can now see light at the end of the tunnel. Having her with us is such a blessing because this lady has been a light to everyone around her, before cancer, during

cancer and certainly after cancer. She has not let her breast
cancer define who she is, but has allowed it to reaffirm whose she is. How did she spend her time this last year through recovery????? She spent it by working tirelessly in missions, volunteering for the red cross, training for CERT and volunteering for the local election board. Cancer may have slowed her down a little but it did not hold her back. In fact it may have made her even more passionate about helping others and bringing the gospel of Christ to those who have not heard the good news. Tomorrow thousands of people will gather in downtown Oklahoma City at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure race. A team of

loved ones and family will be there walking for and with my friend, wearing tee-shirts dedicated to her. I am excited and proud to walk with her. I thank God that my friend is here and physically able to represent other

survivors on what will hopefully be the end of a challenging journey for some, and sadly the beginning of the journey for many others. We walk as a unit, hand in hand, arm in arm, until a cure for those who are hurting has been found. If you can't walk with us in person, walk with us in prayers. Together we make a difference.

Bye Bye Boobie Pre-Mastectomy Party

One of the greatest blessing in my life has been the relationship I have with what I lovingly refer to as "The Girlfriends". We have raised our kids together, went through the loss of parents together, watched our children leave the nest one by one together and celebrated numerous milestones of life together. We are close knit, bound together and very protective of our relationship. Our friendship isn't something that just happened over night, it evolved over time with each and every twist and turn that life has thrown our way. As we've gotten older we have begun to realize that it is a unique bond that is not only shared by us, but also by our husbands and children. We are a family. Three weeks ago, one of the girlfriends receive the dreaded news that she had breast cancer. It actually took about a week for it to really sink in that this was happening to her. She took the news with incredible faith and has the best outlook possible. Tomorrow she faces a total mastectomy. A surgery like that is just... well, words can't really describe but monumental will have to do. We felt that something like that just couldn't happen without some sort of recognition so we decided to throw a "Bye Bye Boobie Party". When I first told my husband, he was like, "hmm, you think that is really appropriate"? Actually next to a prayer meeting (we are in constant prayer concerning this already) I couldn't think of anything more appropriate. We've got one of two ways to look at this, one is with dread and the other is a sense of humor. Out of those two options we all agreed humor would serve her much better than doom and gloom, so let the party begin. Last night we partied with a precious boob cake, she wore a boob crown and we told boob jokes.... It was all things boobs. We wore our cancer awareness pink snuggies and toward the end of the evening we ventured outside with boob balloons in hand to let go and say goodbye to her boob. It was one of the sweetest memories I have, the love, the support and the fun had by all. The next few months will not be fun for her or for us. There will be times when she doesn't feel well or feel positive and we are preparing ourselves for that time. The best we can do is just be there for her and love her through this. As our boob balloons floated away into the night sky we all waved and realized the possibility that if this could happen to her, a woman of tremendous faith, it could happen to any of us. It made us aware that hey, we need to get those annual mammos and do regular exams. It also made us even more aware that our relationship is even more important in times like these. When you have to say goodbye, it's nice to have others standing with you to hold your hand, wipe a tear and maybe even crack a joke.. After all what are friends for.