Being Thankful

You’ve heard some of this before, but bear with me.

The last few months have been a little stressful. I’ve been so busy working on quilts for the expo and was already stressed out about that and then I got that diagnosis everyone dreads….Cancer. No one wants to hear that.

In many ways, the whole thing seems surreal. I was sleeping when I got the call so I was a bit fuzzy when I heard the news. It almost seemed like I was sleep-walking through the whole thing. After talking to my dear hubby and taking a few weeks to digest it I decided to share the news with Chris and then some family and a few friends. Then, I decided that since it wasn’t going away, I would just go public. Who wants to have to tell people “I have cancer”?

It’s like having a big letter “C’ pasted on your forehead. Forever more, people who know you will wonder if everything is ok…or has the cancer come back somewhere else. I’m so head-strong that the last thing I want is for someone to pity me. I hate the thought of that. I didn’t even let anyone but Don and Chris go with me for the surgery. It was ok if people came later in the day, but I only wanted them with me that morning.

After getting that call, I just kind of went from one thing to the next…one diagnostic test to the next….one Dr.’s appointment to the next…one scheduling meeting to the next….just one foot in front of the other until the date of surgery.
The surgery wasn’t a cake walk by any means. I only have 3 teeny incisions where the robot was used but I was surprised at how painful it was in the recovery period. Thank goodness, most of the pain was gone in less than a week.

After about a month of no appetite, no energy, and not being able to sleep, I make an executive decision to feel better. I was tired of being sick so I started quilting on the frame again. It took longer to get things done to start with but it got better. I’ve always said that quilting is great therapy and it’s true.

Are you wondering where all this is coming from today?

It’s my birthday. I could have not been here for this birthday. I look a things in a different light than I used to. Birthdays are a time of reflection for me and here’s what I’ve been thinking about today.

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and our son.

I am so thankful for the love and prayers of family and friends.

I am so thankful that our dear Lord spared my life.

I still feel like I’m just going through the motions sometimes. I wonder how I was so lucky to have gotten off so easy. No chemo. No radiation. Nothing but the surgery and follow-ups on a regular basis. Dr. Lee says I have an excellent prognosis. How did I get so lucky to have found such a great surgeon? The only answer is that God has some kind of plan for me.

The point of all this is to let everyone know how glad I am to have this birthday even though it means I’m now 59 instead of 58.

Happy Birthday to me.

Posted by Quilting Tizzy on September 29, 2011

https://quiltingtizzy.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/being-thankful/