Topic: "The most ENCOURAGING things said to you during your journey"

Jul 17, 2012 08:24 PM, edited Jul 17, 2012 08:25 PM by PoliceWife84

Hi Ladies,

I just found this thread and think it is wonderful! While I have been in remission 2 years, I often think back on the most significant thing I think my husband has ever said to me. I had just been diagnosed, and was in quite the emotional state. I looked at my husband and said, "Oh my goodness, I have cancer." He looked at me and said, "No, WE have cancer." I still tear up when I think about that incredibly intimate moment between us, and knowing that there was nothing that could separate our love and devotion to each other. Another moment that I will never forget, is at my first chemo infusion. I was absolutely terrified, and I was crying inconsolably in the chemo lab. My husband was right by my side, but I just could not calm down. One of the chemo nurses came over to my chair, sat down beside me, took my hand, looked into my eyes, and said, "I have never met a cancer patient with an expiration date. You are going to be just fine." I treasure those words, and think of them often!

 Love,

Brandi

Jul 17, 2012 10:55 PM tinkertude wrote:

oh Brandi... they both made me tear up!!!! beautiful... thanks for sharing!

Aug 13, 2012 10:12 AM Soteria205 wrote:

I was diagnosed just about 3 weeks ago.
I was sitting in my recliner a couple weeks ago with my just washed hair wrapped in a towel, turban style. My dh looked over & said, " you look like an alien." I said, " just wait til you see me with one boob and no hair, to which he replied, " I didn't marry you for your boobs & hair." just what needed to hear at that moment.

Sep 12, 2012 06:31 PM Denise-G wrote:

bump

Sep 13, 2012 05:58 PM Denise-G wrote:

Awww, what a great nephew!!!

Sep 17, 2012 08:34 PM bcincolorado wrote:

Your mamogram did not show new cancer!

Nov 20, 2012 09:10 PM JamieB86 wrote:

Wow, what a great thread. Sorry I didn't see it until tonight. Thanks for the bump ToriGirl.

Some words that helped me -

My PS doesn't perform the surgery I thought I wanted at first.  He told me he would research to find the best surgeon around who does. " How could I ask you to be my first?"  He told me to ask for the last appointment of the day and he would spend as much time with  me as I wanted.  I knew then he truly cared.

A friend of many years told me, "If I ever have to go through this, I hope I can do it with as much grace and dignity as you."

Nov 23, 2012 04:49 PM rn4babies wrote:

A few days after going "topless" for the first time, I saw my gyne at the hospital I work at. He asked me how I was then said "you are beautiful!" in front of my co-workers. There were some nursing students there that didn't know me or my history that thought he was hitting on me but I knew he was just being kind and trying to increase my confidence. It really meant alot that he didn't care what people thought. BTW, he is married with 6 kids....lol. 

Mar 22, 2013 03:03 AM Gai wrote:

Hi

This is interesting to reflect on.  This story comes from a ladies who worked for me, I worked all the way through my treatment and as I had a team of 100 people, I was very visible.

"You have changed the way I view cancer.  I thought that I would just go away and die somewhere but you have shown me that you can live a full and happy life regardless of your situation and what you're going through.  Thanks for inspiring me to think differently about cancer and make different decisions should it happen to me" Jann

Love

Gai

Mar 22, 2013 11:02 AM rozem wrote:

 out of the mouths of babes.....

while i was going through chemo (bald, pale and sickly looking) i asked my 11yr old son if he had any questions, or wanted to talk to me about the entire "situation".  I was concerned that he may hear bad stuff from his friends, not understand, be scared etc and i just wanted to make sure he knew he could talk to me about it - his answer was "you know mom, you told me you were going to be ok and you are and thats all I need to know" - still brings tears to my eyes!

Mar 22, 2013 01:53 PM, edited Mar 22, 2013 01:55 PM by Colt45

My wife had just come out of BMX surgery. The snow was pounding outside the hospital (we would get 13 inches)...

Her 1st roommate was wailing on, demanding that the heat in the room be turned waaaay up and my poor wife was already sweating profusely...

I demanded we be moved to another room because clearly the 2 could not coexist as roomies...

We got another, more comfortable room. ALONE.

The nurses told us that with the storm, my wife was not going to be getting another roommate 'tonight'.

When I returned the next day, I learned that she indeed got another roommate---at 2am in a blizzard.

This was one of those times when you have to wonder if certain people---or angels---are placed in front of us on purpose.

This woman was alone and her TV wasn't working, so I asked her if she wanted me to draw the curtain so she could see our TV. She had been talking through the curtain to my wife and knew she had breast cancer and a BMX. The woman, I will call her Claire, said she really just wanted me to open the curtain so she could see my wife's face-----'because she sounded like she looks BEAUTIFUL'... I pulled the curtain and the woman exclaimed: 'I KNEW it... You ARE beautiful'...

At one point, she was talking about her grandchildren------and she said: 'Just wait until you have grandchildren... AND YOU WILL.'

Claire was 82. Double my wife. She still lives with her husband who was 90. Double me.

She was discharged only after we were. RIGHT after. Like she couldn't be released from duty until we were gone.

She made us feel so much better.

If we have angels, she was one of ours.

Mar 22, 2013 07:43 PM faithhopenluv wrote:

I love when this topic gets bumped :) I agree - i am so thankful for those right people at the right moments. During chemo I counted down until may 10th. May 10th came and my boy friend dropped me off, planning to pick me up for a victory lunch on the beach. At this point I was on taxol and turned down company because I wanted to snooze. They drew my blood and I went and sat in a chair, poured my drink and got settled. On this last of 8 treatments my counts were too low. I got a shot, called for ride and came back the next day. My counts were up, I had my last chemo and went to my victory lunch. I went to my onc the next Wed (normally I'd go on Friday) but she was traveling. My counts were non existent. I got another shot and she told me to come back Thursday and Friday for another shot and not to go to work. I was too vulnerable. This is where I started to break down, I did everything they told me to do. I was supposed to be done. I went back on Friday thinking I'd get an all clear,my counts were even lower. They put me on fluids and were trying to decide the next steps as my doc was traveling. In the meantime I had started texting that I wouldn't be at work again and why. At my darkest scariest moment when my sweet nurse told me I was going to have to give myself a shot on Saturday and on Sunday, my eyes welled up with tears and she wiped away her own. I looked up and one of my friends had dropped everything to drive 40 minutes and just be there with me. Ultimately I added giving myself shots to the lists of things I would have never thought I could do - but did. My counts eventually bounced back. And now I look forward to another May 11th and another victory lunch. I am so thankful for everyone that touched my life and supported me along this path