I did want to share that yesterday, we lost one of our pink sisters. I'm on a Facebook group with about 130 local survivors. It's a place where we can ask questions that likely wouldn't be acceptable anywhere else. We talk about our cancer's, our reconstruction, our funny stories, ask questions, post word of encouragement or prayers, spread the word about local fundraising efforts, etc.
We hate when new members are added. We know how hard the battle is, and how much the start of the battle takes. Even worse, is when we lose a member. It's sobering to think "that could have been me." We lost a member on Christmas Eve. I'd never met her in person, but she was active in the group and was extremely encouraging and had a gorgeous smile. She was 39 years old. Her young kids, around Mason's age, will forever have a cloud over Christmas Eve because while everyone is celebrating the holiday, they will be thinking of the mother that they lost. No doubt in her final days, she was worrying about how her family was going to make it without her. There is a husband who has to figure out how to do life as a single dad. He has to figure out how to mourn his wife's death and still hold it together enough to be a strong support for their kids. I cannot even wrap my head around the weight they must be feeling. I take comfort in knowing she's not in pain any more, and that if you are going to Heaven, I'd say Christmas is a great time up there! But, for those on Earth, it's heart wrenching to think what they are going through.
When we hear of this news, we think about friends who are still battling. We think about our own lives and how our families would be without us. We get a big lump in our throats, say a prayer for our friend's family, one for our own, then we choke back the tears and move on... Because that's all we can do.
