Today My Life Was Changed Forever

Today my life was forever changed by a most courageous woman.  We received an email from a young woman diagnosed with cervical cancer that had spread to her liver.  As she came to the end of her chemotherapy treatment she never thought she would be able to have a child knowing that the treatment may have damaged her eggs and that even in the best case scenario she did not have more than a few years to live. She also had taken the decision to not try and get pregnant and to be on birth control because of how complicated and difficult it could be if she became pregnant.  Indeed, by some miracle she found out that she was pregnant and the baby was healthy.  She made the decision to stop her treatments as they would be damaging to her baby and that she would give birth to her miracle baby.

This little girl is due in 10 days.  With her husband and mother’s support this courageous woman is going to be a mother even for only a short time.  I talked with her this week and we discussed ways her daughter would be able to remember her, the legacy she will leave behind and how on earth she can impart all that she wants to tell her little girl in such a short space of time.  Whenever I think of this family my heart aches but it also grows. Cancer impacts lives in so many ways, even pregnant women.  Yet this brave brave lady decided to halt her treatment for her child, the ultimate sacrifice of a mother…her own health, even her own life.  I don’t want to make this an overly negative blog because there is so much joy and inspiration here.  There is a healthy baby, a soon to be mom and a loving family that will get to make many memories.  But I do want to salute women, moms and dads for the sacrifices they make for their little ones.  It is something incredible about human nature, the strength children give us to do amazing things to give them a better life, a great life.  I would love to hear about your mothers, your fathers and the things they have done.

I would love to hear the things you have done to triumph over the obstacles that life can throw our way.  Sometimes I find living in the moment an impossibly difficult thing to do.  But after my time with this amazing lady I find myself so much more able to do it.  If she can do it with all she’s facing so can I, so can you.  Let’s try and take one day at a time but each day truly in that day. Let the thoughts of tomorrow wash over you and focus on the here and now.  If you have any words or encouragement or wisdom please pass them along and I will make sure she knows she is not alone in the amazing community of Mom.

Tags: rosie pope