A Smile Because of Cancer……

When I think back just a few short years ago, the tears come.

A lot of bad memories.

So much pain.

BUT there are a few things that make me smile.  Things that happened before mom passed away.

One thing in particular that happened “because of” chemo……“because of” breast cancer.

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

I lost my mom, BUT because of cancer, I spent more time with her those months.

Time.  Precious time we had no idea was so limited.

Every few weeks, I left my brand new husband and my demanding career.  I packed up and moved back into my old room.  I scrap-booked while mom slept, setting up a table next to the bed.  I made countless trips downstairs to get frozen waffles, a delicacy for chemo patients.  I documented each and every pill, each and every vomit.

I was there.

I was there to help her when she was weak and could barely walk.  I was there to play silly games with her, a necessary distraction.  I was there with my scrapbook, filled with reminders of how much she was loved.  I was there holding onto her as she passed from this life, gone.

And I’m forever grateful.

(Join me this month as I continue to host my annual breast cancer awareness blog event in memory of my mom. You can click on “2012 Breast Cancer Event” at the top of this blog to find more….. full of informational posts, personal posts, etc).