Sunday was a particularly down day for me. I am approaching the one-year anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis, and it's tough trying to 'get back to normal' so to speak. The hair is growing back, but every ache and pain gnaws at the psyche no matter how good you feel. I told my husband I needed to get out of the house for a little bit, so I went shopping. I need a dress for an upcoming wedding. I haven't done much in the way of socializing since I was told 'it's cancer'. The months of chemo that left me exhausted, and the loss of a breast and hair made dressing up more of a problem than it was worth. I missed a bridal shower, a baby shower and a wedding during the ordeal.
Shopping was just what the Dr. ordered. I was flipping through a rack of clearance merchandise when a woman asked me if I was "Nancy from the morning show on WILK.." I told her yes, unsure of what type of reaction I might get. Beth introduced herself as a 4 year breast cancer survivor. We talked about fear, kids, treatments and gratitude. She just had a PET scan and got the all clear for another year and said she needed "Retail therapy". Here we were shopping while travelling along an all too familiar route for women...the road that is called breast cancer. She's alot further along, but wanted to give some encouragement to a woman who is where she used to be. Where does my road go? Or hers? Or yours. None of us knows. Cancer taught me that no one should assume what's ahead. All we have is right now. Right now, I choose to Live...with a capital L.
Thank you Beth. We were meant to run into each other.
Sue Henry
