Many think of this phrase when it comes to raising children, and is no doubt truth. But lately this phrase is how we are managing our lives right now, in this chapter of my life. We have so many different people involved to help our day run smoothly (who I firmly believe we would not be able to function without). Right when anyone is diagnosed with cancer you don't just have one doctor, suddenly you choose a team of doctors to work with you.
Breast Surgeon- she is the first person I met with, who did my biopsies and officially diagnosed me cancer. She will be in charge of surgically removing the tumor and cancer from my body. She is straight forward and full of knowledge and experience with breast cancer.
Oncologist- she is the second person I met with, Dr. G and she is awesome. She came up with my treatment plan and walks me step by step through the chemotherapy process. She is attentive, always wants eyes on her patients and feedback from how her patients are feeling. I feel incredibly cared for and important as her patient.
I still have to choose a reconstruction surgeon and a radiation oncologist to help me eradicate this cancer and bring me back to myself again.
Nutritionist and a dietician to help keep me on track with a healthy diet and exercise plan.
Chinese medicine doctor/acupuncturist – to help boost my immune system, fight the cancer and curb some of the chemotherapy side effects.
Personal trainer- to help keep my muscles strong and overall health up so I can continue my therapy.
Aside from the medical professionals I have helping me, I have family:
We have lived with my mom for the last year, so over the last month she has been on-call for the girls, usually working a 7-6 work day and then coming home to help us with the girls. Her help and care have been invaluable to us during this time. Dana, my best friend who has been so hands-on from the start, helping build my gorgeous website to share my journey on, to bringing me my favorite flowers (peonies) to brighten my day, sending me messages daily to check on me, making me soup, to crying with me over shaving my head. Her presence in my life is priceless.
My dad and Amy have driven up last minute to help us care for the girls and took Halen this past weekend on her first “big girls only” weekend to Papa & Gigi’s house. It makes me happy keeping Halen’s summer fun and busy like this. Stephanie DeFord, our beloved Nene, comes up every Wednesday to tend to the girls, do laundry and help us around the house in any way she can. We have friends and family who bring us meals three days a week, some drop off surprises just because. This takes a huge stress off our shoulders, not having to think about what to cook for different meals. I have friends who are on-call to watch the girls for my infusion days or days when I feel extra icky. Which means so much because through all of this I want to keep as much normalcy to my girl’s lives as possible.
We have DiDi & T who have been working tirelessly most days at our Anderson Mill house so that we can move our family back into our home soon. My Curby/Davies crew who are truly my extended family lending their hands wherever they can...taking Halen for the day, making food, or just being there to make me laugh. I have my cousin Lefty from New Hampshire, sending me cards each week, just to make me smile. My cousin, Sharon, flew in from Colorado this past week to help us survive our second infusion backlash, as I can be pretty out of it. Our precious neighbors bringing over breakfast supplies for the week. I have countless friends and family sending texts, emails, commenting on our updates, sending gifts from all over the country to help. I am overwhelmed with love in the best way possible. Y'all...you make my days better every day with your love, your prayers and your support. Thank you so much. No one can prepare a person or a family for this type of storm and to have such a village surrounding us truly helps us survive. Thank you.
Feeling nostalgic from our wedding week six years ago...this is the day after celebrating at Emma Long Park with friends and family.