10. You are told NOT to lose weight.
9. You get prescription medications, with little or no question, that make you feel good.
8. You never have to worry about messing up your hair.
7. You get a brazilian wax - without the wax and without the pain.
6. You may have chemo-induced menopause = no visits from "Aunt Mable".
5. Everyone tells you "you look great!" ALL of the time.
4. You get a pair of homemade earrings, a ring of hope, or a homemade bookmark at each doctor's visit from Gems of Hope
3. People make you food and offer to take your kids.
2. You get a free personal trainer through the Mercy Thrive Cancer Wellness & Fitness Center.
1. Walking among ~17,000 people, 500 being Survivors, who are supporting a Race for a Cure in the Especially for You walk/run in Cedar Rapids, IA this past Oct. 2 (check out the last picture of Survivors).
Quotes for today:
"Go ahead - use the cancer card: Your membership begins the day you are diagnosed. Use it, don't abuse it. Some phrases for use:
- I need to rest. I have cancer.
- Don't dump your garbage on me. I have cancer.
- No you can't have that parking spot, I have cancer. Back off!
I have used my cancer card, but only to be humorous (I think). If you can't laugh when life seems like absolute crap, then I can't hang wid dat. ~ Gwen
Psalm 116:1-2
I love the Lord,
for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
Some people have to reach a point of despair, or rock bottom, before they reach out to God. This is what it took for me to reach out to people - the people in my every day life. I don't like to show weakness. And I seldom ask for help. My life has been harder - but in a different way - and I didn't accept help, let alone reach out for it. Now, I find myself welcoming it - sometimes begging for it (right, Mom?!). I have often been overwhelmed to happy tears by the good and graciousness people have shown me. What this has taught me is that life can be hard. But when my life is back to simple, I can now see how EASY it is to reach out to people who need it. And I can now see how easy it is to give them help whether they ask for it or not. I am so thankful for this life lesson. It is one of the many I am sure to learn through this process of breast cancer. ~ Gwen
