Beating Cancer!

I have a few stories to tell regarding my emotional roller coaster ride following the cancer diagnosis I received a couple of months ago. I don't know where to begin so I will jump into the middle and work both ways.

My neighbor, Shauna Dunford, who was diagnosed with cancer a few months before I was, has a wonderful attitude regarding beating the "C" word, and I want to share some of her thoughts. She received this quote from a family in the ward, and I want to post it on my wall. It says everything that I want to feel about this challenge, but I need to be reminded of it in the dark hours of the night, when doubt and fear rear their ugly heads:

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we endure is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure especially when we endure it patiently, builds our characters, purifies our hearts, and expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God, and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation that we gain the education that we came here to acquire." - Orson Whitney

I also thought this story (from Shauna's blog) was worth sharing. (if you are reading this, Shauna, I hope you don't mind. I thought it was priceless): We always strike up conversations with the people around us at chemo, as most people are very willing to share. We met a guy at chemo who was telling us about his radiation on his chin and neck. We hadn't talked about what type of cancer we each had but I found myself asking about his radiation experience. He mentioned how during the last 3 weeks it's normal for the skin to feel burnt right after. He enjoyed driving home with his head hanging out the window to get the cool breeze on his skin. I said, "well, that is a great suggestion but I have breast cancer!!" You have to laugh, even while you are at chemo! Don't worry, I'll just take ice packs with me!

Thanks Shauna, for keeping such a great sense of humor, through your trials. You inspire me.