This is a Guest Post by Heather Von St. James.
When I envisioned my life as a little girl…
I never thought that cancer would be a part of it. However, just when everything seemed to be going right in my life, cancer struck a blow, and if I had been on my own, I’m not sure I would have been able to handle it. Thankfully, I was not alone.
I had a large group of friends and family who were there to offer emotional support, as well as more practical help like rides and meals. Most importantly, I had my husband Cameron and my little girl Lily. While he was the one who went through everything by my side, she was my strongest motivation to get well. I couldn’t let her grow up without her mother; I had to recover in order to be there for her.
My daughter claims today that she saved my life…
and it really is true. My mesothelioma diagnosis came just three months after I gave birth to my little Lily. Cameron and I were so excited to be parents after seven years of marriage, but I barely had time to get used to the new joys and responsibilities of motherhood when I learned that I might not survive to see it through. I had been so worried about whether I would be up for the challenges of being a mom, but now I was afraid I wouldn’t even have the chance to show what a good mom I could be.
But I’d held my baby in my arms, and I’d had three months to love her more than I’ve loved anyone in my life. I knew that I had to fight for her with everything in me, and that meant fighting for myself.
The hardest thing for me at that stage was…
leaving home to get surgery and then longer for chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I couldn’t take care of Lily during this part of my healing process, and it meant spending a month away from her during a time when she was changing so much every day. It broke my heart, but I needed to take my best shot at beating the horrible disease that was threatening me.
I couldn’t have done it without Cameron, who drastically cut his hours at work in order to be with me as much as possible. Support and love poured in from friends and relatives, and I knew that I was cared for. It gave me such a boost to get that kind of moral support. I am so grateful to the doctors and nurses who treated me but also to those who helped give me the strength to fight on days when I felt so defeated. I found more courage in myself than I realized I had.
If you receive such a diagnosis yourself…
I am here to tell you that you can make it. Cling to the people who love you and don’t be afraid to ask for their help, whether it’s in taking care of your children or just sending cards to brighten your day. My parents opened their home to me for two weeks, and they surrounded me with their love during one of the most difficult periods of my life. They were just two of the many people who kept me going.
You can find that support system too. You need to realize that you are getting better not just for yourself but for everyone who loves you, especially if you happen to be a mom.
I wouldn’t wish cancer on anyone…
but now that I’ve had it, I have a much deeper appreciation for life and the blessings that it offers every day. I will never take it for granted, and I will always be grateful that I became a mom first, which helped push me toward beating my cancer. It may seem overwhelming at first, but if I can do it, so can you. Know that there is life and hope after a cancer diagnosis, and make sure to think of all the wonderful people and things that you have to live for. I’m sure it will bring you strength and comfort just as it did me.
Heather Von St. James is a 7 year cancer survivor. She works to spread her inspirational story of survival and hope.
As you may remember, cancer struck close to home this past year. I chose to post Heather’s courageous story as a way to honor my friend, Kristi.