Guest post- A new moms journey.

Since I have been bloging I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of people I would not normally have met. and I am so glad that I have been able to. Recently I have had the pleasure of getting to know an amazing mom. She has such a heartbreaking wonderful story. I bet you did not know those two things went together did you? I really feel like I need to share her story with you.

 

This is from Heather at mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather

“A New Mom's Battle
When people have a baby, they quickly realize that a very popular saying is true. “It takes a village” to raise the child.  On August 4, 2005, my daughter Lily was born.  Our many loved ones immediately surrounded our family.  I could not have asked for things to be better; however, I never would have imagined the storm that was about to hit me.
Three and a half months after Lily was born, I learned that I had malignant pleural mesothelioma.  Because I had been unknowingly exposed to asbestos as a child, I learned almost 30 years later the consequences of the exposure.
My first thoughts were about Lily.  I learned at the appointment that I would only survive about 15 months if I did not treat this cancer.  Once I looked at Lily and my husband, I knew I would do anything it took to save my life.
I did my surgical procedure in Boston under a great mesothelioma doctor.  The treatment was called extrapleural pneumonectomy, which required my left lung to be removed.  I had to stay in the hospital for 18 days, and then I had to recover for another 2 months before I began chemotherapy and radiation treatment.  Going through all of this, I was still trying to be the best mom I could be.
My parents raised Lily in my childhood home in South Dakota during my treatment.  Many people would volunteer to watch Lily while mom and dad went to work. Even girls that I used to babysit when I was young were now grown up with families of their own and volunteered to watch Lily. A true “village” was raising her, and I have no idea how I could have done it without them. I even had a lot of help in Boston.  I met a lot of new people who were facing the same battles as I was.  Without the support of everyone around us, I truly do not know how we would have made it.
Lily was in South Dakota growing up so quickly.  My nurses loved to see the pictures of Lily and so did I.  I tried not to cry when I looked at her pictures, but I knew she was the main reason I was still fighting this battle.  I was so thankful that she was in great hands.
Even though we now go months before visiting, my parents still have a special bond with Lily. 
We understand how fragile life can be; therefore, we embrace the hard journey as a family the best way that we can. I advise everyone to take everything that comes in this life.  Even with cancer, a lot of good came from the situation, and I am so thankful for it.”

-Heather

I know this has made me want to hug my kids a little bit longer these days and kiss my husband a few more times.  I hope everyone who reads her story can take something away from it.