As Mother’s Day approaches, I feel it is only appropriate to share my story. Everyone thinks their mother is their hero, but mine TRULY is.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2001, at the age of 29 . I just so happened to be going through a divorce at the same time, adding stress to the whole situation. Little did I know, that in April, that my Mom had also found a lump. She watched me go through 4 surgeries, as she watched her lump grow larger while never saying a word to anyone.
By September, she was so physically drained that she was hospitalized. That is when I found out the truth about her condition. I am a nurse, and since then, I have lived with the guilt that I should have seen the physical changes in her. By the time we got a diagnosis and prognosis, it had spread throughout her bones. She was only with us for 5 more weeks. She sacrificed herself so that my girls would grow up with a mother of their own. She is truly MY HERO.
I miss her EVERY day, birthdays and Mother’s Day are especially hard. While everyone is giving their mother hugs, gifts and flowers, I am taking flowers to a cemetery and wondering why did this happen to my family? I tell my girls that their grandmother was a REAL hero, not one with a cape or super powers but one willing to sacrifice everything for us. Heroes come in all shapes. Mine is a 60 year old teacher who touched many lives but especially mine.
I love you, Mom.
Susan Spurlock
Kentucky
Submitted 5-10-2012
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
I have a friend that her husband did the same thing. She had breast cancer and was taking radiation and her husband found a mass in his side. He didn’t tell his wife until she finished with her treatments. He was diagnosed in March and lost his battle in August.