Shortly after my little world was rocked off it's axis on the day before Christmas Eve, my high school government teacher contacted me through Facebook with tons of information about her experience with cancer as she viewed it and went through it with her own husband. She suggested starting a blog to track all the many things we are about to go through as well to help with getting the feelings out. After reading through some of her own blog, I decided to take on the challenge. It will give me just one more thing to do in the day. :)
The rocking of my world was my dad finding out he has colon cancer. Two weeks later, we know that it's stage 2 growing into the walls/lining and the actual mass is a size 3. We go on Monday for our first Oncologist/Treatment consult. On Thursday, he goes in for a procedure to "tattoo" the area where the cancerous cells and mass are located so that WHEN the mass shrinks through chemo/radiation, they will still be able to go in and do the surgery to remove it and all the cells that were effected.
I've learned so much in two weeks time and not just about colon cancer which I've started studying on my own. I've had to learn a few things the hard way such as not everyone reacts to these kinds of things in the same manner or even in a manner that is acceptable by ANYONE and thus causing much hurt and anger. I've also learned that there are people out there willing to drop it all to be by your side and those who don't have a second to ask how things are. I am so very thankful for my true friends and prayer warriors who never cease to amaze me with their caring hearts and prayer. I guess true colors show. I've also learned that what has happened in the past is really of NO IMPORTANCE when you could be facing a disease that could take your life tomorrow.
I am certain this happened for a reason just as everything else in life does. I know there are lessons we need to learn from this journey called colon cancer. I pray daily God reveals exactly the lessons we need to each one of us who are touched by this. I pray. It's the only way I know how to get through it.
Although I will blog about everyday things in my family and at work as well, this is mainly dedicated to my dad and family and our journey through BEATING colon cancer. The fish wallpaper is for my dad who can spend days on end on the lake fishing (or attempting to fix "old blue" so he can go out on the lake to fish.)
So I end my first blog with this - Thank you to my high school government teacher, Ms. Hays (you will always be Ms. Hays to me), for being the kind of teacher I hope to always be for my students. Thank you for caring about your students as people more than you do about their education (although that's a close second!) You may never know how much your kind words, information, and dedication to cancer patients will mean to me. May God bless you always. Redheads are still better . . . :)
