Having breast cancer
is a life changing experience, one I never asked for but those are the cards I
was dealt. Jeff and I have tried to keep
things “normal” for the most part and while things are certainly not the same
as they used to be, they are not really all that different either. I sleep and rest A LOT more than I used to,
my appetite is different, and I spend more time with doctors and nurses than I do
with my family, friends, and coworkers combined. No one really complains to me (and I’m
grateful for that) but I know others are also affected by the chaos cancer
brings. Jeff has had to do a little more
of everything. He keeps very busy
cleaning, cooking, bathing the kids, doing laundry, entertaining the kids, etc. These are jobs that we would have shared more
equally before (sans cooking, that has always been him and I did more thorough
cleaning than him but you get the point.)
He has taken over these extra responsibilities without me ever having to
ask and has never complained…to me.
Seriously, he just does it. I’m
amazed at how he has risen up to every task every day and I know it hasn’t been
easy. Other than a little extra dust,
our house and routine are pretty much the same as before. The kids have also been amazing. Other than the time Brinley was dramatically disappointed
that I was too tired to play Barbie’s (and playing Barbie’s is not my specialty
so I didn’t feel too bad) and the
kids were sad that I declined joining them for “lava monster,” the kids have
also adjusted well to the changes. One
of the biggest changes for them is probably that I am not as actively involved
in their play as I was before. I’ve been
on the couch a lot lately. Thankfully
they are incredibly creative and their imaginations keep them happily
occupied. I realized just how much they
have been affected when Coen’s teacher commented that he recently told her “my
mom is starting to feel like herself again.”
And today I was feeling really well and spent the entire morning
coloring with the kids, doing puzzles, and playing Lego’s. Brinley looked at me and said “it’s nice
having you back to normal mom!” I couldn’t
agree more. Here’s to more normal days!
Looking
on the Bright Side…cancer has forced me to be more easygoing about a lot of
things. I do not get as anxious about
dishes in the sink (for a short amount of time) or incorrect placement of
pillows on the couch. This too is a life
changing experience for us J
imaginations at work!
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