6 Months…
We found out that she had cancer on Christmas day, December 25th. That means that yesterday was Mom’s 6 month anniversary as a Pancreatic Cancer Fighter.
That’s something to CELEBRATE…so we did so by finding her some new hair.
Losing your hair (or for me…watching her lose her hair) is no picnic. There’s an emotional element about it that can’t be described until you’re in that situation. That woman right there? She’s handling it really well…the best she can. She’s awesome (and so are her pretty new locks).
But let’s be real for a minute…those smiles in that picture above? Those were F-O-R-C-E-D and as fake as can be. BUT!!! I’ve said it before and I’ll never stop reminding you (or myself) that IT’S A CHOICE. You are in control of your emotions and have the power to change them. Try to smile. Always. Because if you try really hard and hope for the best, your emotional disposition might just catch up with your reflection. The beginning of the hair hunt kind of sucked but by the time we found the right fit, color, and had it styled..the confidence and smiles were nothing but authentic.
Back to the 6 month milestone…
When we first learned of her diagnosis, people would say “every day is a gift” and I hated it so much. I know that it was said with love and for comforting purposes but it had this melancholy undertone that simply didn’t sit right with me. As time has passed, it’s become more evident that the cliché is, in fact, true. In the last 167 days, I’ve learned more about my mom than I have in the last 30+ years. I’ve learned more about relationships and the importance of communication. I’ve learned how to be a a good supporter (and still working on it). I’ve learned that having control isn’t the most important thing in the world and even more importantly, that losing control can sometimes bring unexpected (but much needed) growth. Those lessons may not have come in pretty packages with bows…but they’re the best presents I’ve ever received.
Here’s to the next 6 months…another 189 days of gifts.
(*I see that it says “NO PICTURES PLEASE”…and that’s why I strictly adhere to a better to ask forgiveness than permission approach to life. Gotta thank my Dad for that one.)
