Writers Workshop: Cancer and the strongest women in my life.

2.) Over at SITS we’re hosting a week long Back2Blogging event that will end with someone taking home a brand new washer and dryer from Electrolux. Since September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Electrolux is working to promote awareness and early detection, I’ll be writing about a survivor or supporter that inspires me at SITS on Thursday. That was a long way of saying, Describe a woman who inspired YOU.

That was Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt #2.

I find this so interesting cause I have had so many super good friends that have gone through or is going through some type of cancer right now.

Becky...she has been/is my bff for the last 15 or so years. Nearly five years ago she threw her back out and the pain was so severe she was begging to go to the hospital. She is the type of woman that has to be practically in death mode to WANT to go to the hospital. We all knew it had to be real bad. She had the back surgery and was doing just fine till they ordered her to get her female tests done. You know the pap and the mammo. The results floored us. Breast cancer.

Becky has always been strong, says whats on her mind and will get in your face if need be. I guess the best words to describe her is scrappy with a heart of gold as long as you don't cross her. We were not instant best friends, actually when I first meet her I was scared of her. BUT as time passed and with our hubby's being best buds, we found ourselves in the most fabulous friendship.

The wounds of losing a good friend to breast cancer just a few years prior, resurfaced to a whole new level when the results came in. Needless to say we were both pretty scared. I felt so helpless.

Becky's hubby has had his own ongoing medical issues with Burgess disease; he has had to have both legs amputated. Just a few months before this she lost her mother, whom she had been caring for for years in her home.

She was the one who took care of people, to conceive that she was sick herself was shocking. Of course the news of her cancer broke her down, but then out of no where she adopted this attitude (like someone had crossed her) and the fight was on!

So we (Her and I)went to dr's appointments and radiation and through the Cemo process. It was a new experience for both of us and it was hard for me to watch this fighting woman get hit in the gut every week, with no end in sight. I couldn't even jump in the ring to help her fight off her offenders. As hard as it was, I knew it wasn't even a smidgen of what she was going through.

I went to her house nearly everyday to play Yatzee, if she was too sick then I would just sit in the arm chair while she stayed laying on the couch. We would watch the soaps together and I sometimes I would bring her things from the store. There were the few times that I was told not to come over cause she was super sick. It was a dignity thing. I had seen her through just about everything, but she would never be able to get over it, if I ever saw her that weak. I know this about her and complied with her wishes.

One thing that she says now in retrospect that just resounds in my ears...I am not grateful that my mother died, but yet I am grateful I didn't get the diagnoses till after she had passed. For surely I would never had been able to care for her in my state.

There is just something so humbling in that statement that shows her true character, no matter what kind of front she puts on.
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Dianne.. Hubby and I used to truck with her and her hubby. Her hubby had a heart attack while we were headed back to Texas and shortly after, we drove their truck for them. We've been friends with them for at least as long as Becky and I have been friends. Her and Becky are two of a kind, the same definition of character could be said about Dianne also..Scrappy with heart.

This past year has been super hard on her. Her hubby has been in the hospital since Christmas of last year and suffered many strokes and has had a heart pump put in. He also contacted the Mrsa virus while in the hospital. He is currently in a facility cause his care is too tecnical for just anyone to deal with. That heart pump is apperently pretty complicated.

Unfortunatly, I haven't been involved in her ordeal except through phone conversations. She went to the emergency room for a cold that had gotten worse and worse, her daughter insisted. After all the tests, it was determined that she had lung cancer. She is currently going through the treatments, but not all is going well. She has since had Pneumonia, Pluralise and all other lung related issues.

Due to her hubby's diagnoses of the Mrsa virus, she is not allowed to see him becuase of he comprimised immune system. That is extremely tough on her! These two lovebirds in their golden years, apart... is almost unthinkable.

BUT even through all off this.. she is still the fighting, scrappy, I'm going to kick this cancer's ass, kind of woman!
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I love these women and the are my inspiration! If and when my day comes, I can only hope to be half as strong as these two are. They are forces to be reckoned with and I am proud to call them my friends! Cancer picked the wrong ladies this time!

Now go visit Mama Kat and SITS