To My ‘Cancer Posse,’ Thank You For Everything

There are things I am most grateful for as I continue my journey of fighting ovarian cancer. Of course, the excellent care that I have received with my doctors, nurses and hospitals has been amazing. In some of the pieces I have had published as a blogger for CURE®, I have mentioned a few individuals who have been incredible.

For a while, I have been wanting to take the time to write about a very important topic to me. The topic is “my posse.” This is my attempt to show my appreciation and thanks to a very significant group of friends who have been there for me throughout my journey.

My journey began with surgery in February 2013, weeks after I visited my gynecologist for pain I had been experiencing.

On a Sunday in January 2013 the day before my appointment with my gynecologist, my husband and I went skiing. When we were done skiing, I could hardly sit as I was feeling lots of pressure down in my pelvic area.

That Monday, I was told by my gynecologist there was a something suspicious going on in my body and she did an internal ultrasound. She felt there was a possibility of cancer.

I walked out of the appointment, and it was a gorgeous snowy day. The snowflakes were huge and beautiful. Of course, the first person I told was my husband via the phone as he was at work. He was very positive and supportive, believing we would get through this bump in the road.

As I drove home, my head was crazy full of questions and fear, and I felt numb. I needed to talk to someone. I drove over to a high school friend’s house, and she welcomed me with open arms. We went into her study, and she immediately emailed a nurse friend with many of my questions. I remember staring out the large window where 20 or 30 red cardinals were gathered in her trees searching for food. It was such a magnificent sight with the huge white snowflakes and bright-red color on the birds. It gave me peace. It is funny the things you remember.

Surgery and chemo came a couple weeks later. Dear friends brought food and flowers. Friends stopped in to see how I was doing. I went to my hairdresser to have my long hair cut for Locks for Love. Then, when my hair started to come out in patches, she came to my house and shaved my head so I could be done experiencing clumps of hair coming out. She brought me cookies and called me beautiful.

My children lived out of town, but they made the trips home to see mom regularly. Facetime became a way to see them every week and on the tough days when I needed to see them. My stepdaughter made many trips from North Carolina and gave me healing stones and crystals which I placed by my bed. She also used Reiki over my body.

My stepchildren have been wonderful. Family dinners are a regular thing. They live close, and I am so lucky to have then in my life.

Throughout the years, these wonderful people helped me to get through each phase of my journey:

• My husband has been my rock. There are not enough words to celebrate this man. He has been there every moment.
• My immediate family made up of children, stepchildren, their spouses and grandchildren have been so loving and helpful.
• My sisters do three-way Facetime calls to catch up, as they live in Louisiana and Utah.
• My best friends are there for me every day, week, month and year. I can call or text them 24/7.
• I have a Friday breakfast every week. These four ladies listen and support me unconditionally. The restaurant staff is great.
• Put in Bay adventures on the lake with my friend celebrates our friendship and healing.
• High school friends have reconnected during reunions.
• Neighbors have been so sweet to check in with me.
• Friends have put me on prayer chains.
• Relatives of my children keep in touch with Facebook and cards.
• Nieces and nephews send messages of hope and peace.
• College friends of my children have reached out to me.
• Nurses have become more than friends are constantly checking up on me and sometimes we do Zumba!
• My wine dinner friends are amazing.
• My nail tech makes my nails gorgeous. I am not just a client, but rather a dear friend.
• My former secretary and school nurse meet each summer to get caught up.
• My dry cleaner’s staff always ask how I am doing.

When I look at this list, I know that I have missed some of the wonderful people and for that, I am sorry.

These people are my posse. I do not know what I would do without them. My posse may not get on horses like on TV, but they help me as I fight the bad guys of cancer with love and support. I truly feel blessed that I am so lucky with the best posse in the world. Thank you! I love you all.

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