 Stephanie
Yoho Tells
Her Story....
What
role has breast
cancer played in your life?
Right at this moment my
mother-in-law - which I am VERY
close to and whose sister died from this (another important person in
my life)
- is battling this disease. I have lost 5 people to this nasty thing!!! It has made me
more aware of the
preventative things that need to be done to fight this. (ex. mamograms,
self
examanation, talking to the woman I love about this subject)
With
my mother-in-law - she was doing everything she was
suppose to. She did all her testing and it was actually caught on a
mammogram
when it wasn't there the previous year. She caught it early - still
ending with
a mastectomy and is starting chemo in 2 weeks.
What was your
reaction?
Helpless and ANGRY!!! My
husband shut down when the news
first hit. His mother is a very important woman in his life and after
losing
his Aunt to this - my house was real quiet for a few weeks to wrap his
brain
around it!!
It
is sooooooo hard to see the people you love hurt. You
just want to fix it. Isolation and loneliness hits hard.
What advice would you
give to someone who is going through a similar situation?
Please know that you
are not alone!!! GET A SUPPORT SYSTEM TOGETHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!
Reach
out and talk to others. Help someone else - they are probably feeling
the same
way you are, but they are frozen in fear also. Read, read,
read.....there is so
much information out there. Be easy on yourself...its not your fault.
Get a
journal...write in it EVERYDAY!! (I swear it helps - silent tears are
the
worst!) In dealing with life - one MUST deal with death. There is a
time to be
born and a time to die....You can be bitter and angry or you can make
it
positive. The people who are important to you will always be in your
heart!!
Start a tradtion that you shared with that person to pass to
generations to
come - that way they are always be remembered. Also food for thought -
breast
cancer is not a death sentence!! Educate woman, know how to fight it -
talk
till your blue in the face. Hug the people who you love and are with
you now -
love without reservation and unconditionally. You are worth something
and have
something special to share with the world. So get out there! Someone
needs you
and you are loved!!!
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