My Fighting Family

My name is Heather. I am 24 yrs old and like most other people I thought The the C word could never happen to me or those that i loved.  Well I was wrong.  It all started about two yrs ago when my cousin couldnt come to Christmas.  I knew that something was wrong but at the time brushed it off as nothing.  She was the planner of the family someone i looked up too for everything.  About a month later my aunt revealed the scary truth my COusin was diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma.  It scared me so badly cause it was always something that could happen to someone else.  not me not my family.  After she was diagnosed I decided to get a check up for myself because when I had my son in 2008 my dostor informed me that my tests were abnormal but not too scary because i have polycystic ovaries my hormones are  messed up so maybe that messed with the tests.  My son had lots of problems when he was born so i was scared to go back.  When i got the news about Stephanie i knew i needed to go get it looked at.  A few months later her prognosis was looking up she got a bone marrow transplant and for a while things were looking up.  In July things took a turn for the worst and unfortuantely she lost her battle with cancer.  She fought hard for almost a year but she finally succumbed to all the meds.  Her last few days the medicine that she was on was only serving to keep her in the least amount of pain.  Her funeral was horrible for me cause i knew that it was the real end of a chapter in my life that i was not willing to let go of but God didnt give me a choice in the matter.  The card they had for her Wake brought me a little closure in the situation because it had a beautiful poem about how god saw she was in pain and wouldnt be well on this earth again so he took her too heaven to walk in the most beautiful gardens where she would hurt no more.  That day was over a year ago and it still hurts to think about it because i so want her to just write me a messago on fb or pick up the phone and ask about my son or my day.  Each time i have to remind myself that call wont come.  But remember when i said thing were looking good a few months before her passing.  Well they werent looking so good for my aunt on the other side of my family because she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She went thru all the chemo and surgery and radiation but She was determined to be there for her kids and her grandkids and i am proud to say she beat the Big C a least for now.  She has been in remission for three months now and i couldnt be prouder.  She raised me when i was little and she was like a second mom to me.  When she found out she was cancer free.  My aunt decided to sign up for the suan g komen race for a cure in my home state
I signed up as well I dont think she actually thought that i would go thru with it but i did i needed to do it for her and for myself.  She spoke to other ppl at the walk and when the other survivors would ask her about how long she had it beat she would timidly say a month.  Each and every one of them told her at some point the ten fifteen twenty year survivors were all at thirty days so be proud of urself and ur accomplishments.  I would like to end this story by saying that god works in mysterious way even if u dont always see it at the time.  You see while Steph was fighting cancer her Sister was pregnant.  She actually had her son the day that Steph flew home to heaven.  When Lucas was born he had breathing problems and our family likes to think it was his auntie giving him one last hug.  Because due to the time zones he was born an hour before she passed on.