I'm Lucky - I Only Have Breast Cancer

One of my closest friends is Nadine.  She exudes love and is the godliest woman I know.  She is strong in her faith and it guides every part of her life.  While she struggles with the terrible diagnosis that her husband, Mike, has ALS, she finds the time to reach out to others in need of support, love or Zenberry frozen yogurt.  I know that I may be cured of breast cancer and I hope the same is true for Mike, but we all know the gravity of his situation and just continue to hope and pray for a cure for him.  There is great progress being made with the scientists having found the cause.  What a hope-filled major step!

Nadine and I met through our children playing sports and we even had the wonderful opportunity to manage their hockey teams.  That was fun!  Her daughter, Madison, and I were the pre-game, change room entertainment, known to sing "Stacy's Mom" and "Bleeding Love".  Madison did the singing into the hockey stick I held as a microphone.  Nadine was one of our back-up dancers and one day Nadine and I actually did a duet with all the hand movements to the Spice Girls, "Stop Right Now".  We were awesome!

Through the years, we have become very good friends and she has been an amazing support to me throughout the most painful times in my life.  All the while, she and her family have a charity that reaches out to underprivileged children in Brazil and Africa.  She reminds me repeatedly that we have so much compared to others around the globe and no matter how bad things get here, it's so much worse for them.  She has a great way of putting everything into perspective.

While telling my family and other friends about my cancer diagnosis was understandably difficult and emotional, it was telling this lovely friend that upset me the most.  She had just been dealt the news about her beloved Mike and she was already dealing with so much.  I couldn't tell her in person, as I felt I would just fall apart and I wanted her to have an opportunity to absorb it all in private.  Not wanting her to hear it through the grapevine, I called her on the telephone and choked out the words.  I kept thinking the whole time that I'm so lucky because I only have breast cancer and Mike has ALS.  I guess I put things into perspective, too.

Since my surgery, Nadine has come to my place with food, flowers and even a much-appreciated neck massage.  She changed my sheets and actually showed me how to set up this blog.  All the practicalities aside, she is one of the most genuine people I have ever met.  She has a unique way of making everyone feel special, children and adults alike.  She is a giving and involved mother and an affectionate and proud grandmother.  She is the first to volunteer for anything to make someone else's task easier.  She is a fitness instructor and nobody works your body out like she can.  I can't wait to feel energetic and strong enough to resume her workouts.  But until then, we will continue to carry ourselves through all these difficult days with our heads held high and always looking for the best in every moment, every day and in everyone.  Yes, I'm so very lucky indeed.

Nadine, me (with both breasts) and our friend, Audrey